Experimental evidence for physical cues involved in oviposition site selection of lotic hydrobiosid caddis flies

Reich, Paul; Downes, Barbara J.

doi:10.1007/s00442-003-1284-6

Cited by 50 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Similarly, some damselflies select oviposition sites based on current velocity and this selectivity has been associated with higher hatching success (Gibbons and Pain 1992). Reich and Downes (2003b) also observed oviposition site selection of three caddisfly species based on flow characteristics; however, the mechanism underlying this behavior and its potential benefits has not been investigated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Selective oviposition of the mayfly Baetis bicaudatus

Encalada

Peckarsky

2006

Oecologia

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Selective oviposition can have important consequences for recruitment limitation and population dynamics of organisms with complex life cycles. Temporal and spatial variation in oviposition may be driven by environmental or behavioral constraints. The goals of this study were to: (1) develop an empirical model of the substrate characteristics that best explain observed patterns of oviposition by Baetis bicaudatus (Ephemeroptera), whose females lay eggs under rocks protruding from high-elevation streams in western Colorado; and (2) test experimentally selective oviposition of mayfly females. We surveyed the number and physical characteristics of potential oviposition sites, and counted the number and density of egg masses in different streams of one watershed throughout two consecutive flight seasons. Results of surveys showed that variability in the proportion of protruding rocks with egg masses and the density of egg masses per rock were explained primarily by seasonal and annual variation in hydrology, and variation in geomorphology among streams. Moreover, surveys and experiments showed that females preferred to oviposit under relatively large rocks located in places with high splash associated with fast current, which may provide visual, mechanical or both cues to females. Experiments also showed that high densities of egg masses under certain rocks were caused by rock characteristics rather than behavioral aggregation of ovipositing females. While aggregations of egg masses provided no survival advantage, rocks selected by females had lower probabilities of desiccating during egg incubation. Our data suggest that even when protruding rocks are abundant, not all rocks are used as oviposition sites by females, due to female selectivity and to differences in rock availability within seasons, years, or streams depending on variation in climate and hydrogeomorphology. Therefore, specialized oviposition behavior combined with variation in availability of quality oviposition substrata has the potential to limit recruitment of this species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Selective oviposition of the mayfly Baetis bicaudatus

Encalada

Peckarsky

2006

Oecologia

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“…There is empirical evidence that the selection of oviposition sites is often affected by both biotic factors, like the presence of conspecifics and predators (Resetarits and Wilbur 1989;Crump 1991;Blaustein et al 2004), and abiotic factors, like soil composition, temperature, moisture or water-holding capacity (Huk and Kuhne 1999;Reich and Downes 2003). The relative importance of a single factor might depend on the impact of other habitat parameters which could significantly alter its importance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Oviposition site selection in a complex and variable environment: the role of habitat quality and conspecific cues

Rudolf

Rödel²

2004

Oecologia

142

132

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In many organisms reproductive success is strongly dependent on several breeding site characteristics, which often vary in space and time. Although we have a good understanding of how ovipositing organisms respond to single factors, we still have little information about how they respond under more complex natural conditions. We examined the oviposition behavior of a tree-hole breeding frog, Phrynobatrachus guineensis, with respect to abiotic and biotic oviposition site characteristics, including desiccation risk and the presence of conspecific offspring using both observation and experiments. Based on daily monitoring data, compiled from 69 natural oviposition sites during a complete reproductive season, we developed oviposition site-selection models. A model based on water presence, sediment depth and maximal possible water depth showed the best predictive performance and was transferable to the subsequent season. Field observations and experiments revealed that frogs could estimate water-holding capacity of sites and timed oviposition with respect to future water presence. Despite the negative effects on larval growth and the availability of sites without conspecifics, data suggest that ovipositing individuals are attracted to conspecific offspring because they serve as a cue for low predation risk. Our results imply that a site's potential for being used at least once for oviposition was determined by abiotic factors, whereas the relative use of breeding sites was determined by a response to conspecifics. Our study demonstrates the importance of including multiple biotic and abiotic factors in the analysis of oviposition site-selection.

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“…Dusk-active, aquatic insects, such as mayflies and caddis flies, for example, often swarm at buildings, which is usually explained by the so-called marker effect (Brodskiy 1973;Savolainen 1978;Reich and Downes 2003): the dark silhouette of a building against the bright sky can function as a conspicuous rendezvous site for swarming insects. We document here that every year in April and May, the caddis fly Hydropsyche pellucidula (Curtis 1834) emerges from the river Danube in Budapest (Hungary) and is attracted en masse to the vertical glass surfaces of buildings standing on the river bank.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glass buildings on river banks as “polarized light traps” for mass-swarming polarotactic caddis flies

Kriska

Malik

Szivák

et al. 2008

Naturwissenschaften

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The caddis flies Hydropsyche pellucidula emerge at dusk from the river Danube and swarm around trees and bushes on the river bank. We document here that these aquatic insects can also be attracted en masse to the vertical glass surfaces of buildings on the river bank. The individuals lured to dark, vertical glass panes land, copulate, and remain on the glass for hours. Many of them are trapped by the partly open, tiltable windows. In laboratory choice experiments, we showed that ovipositing H. pellucidula are attracted to highly and horizontally polarized light stimulating their ventral eye region and, thus, have positive polarotaxis. In the field, we documented that highly polarizing vertical black glass surfaces are significantly more attractive to both female and male H. pellucidula than weakly polarizing white ones. Using video polarimetry, we measured the reflection-polarization characteristics of vertical glass surfaces of buildings where caddis flies swarmed. We propose that after its emergence from the river, H. pellucidula is attracted to buildings by their dark silhouettes and the glass-reflected, horizontally polarized light. After sunset, this attraction may be strengthened by positive phototaxis elicited by the buildings' lights. The novelty of this visual-ecological phenomenon is that the attraction of caddis flies to vertical glass surfaces has not been expected because vertical glass panes do not resemble the horizontal surface of waters from which these insects emerge and to which they must return to oviposit.

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Experimental evidence for physical cues involved in oviposition site selection of lotic hydrobiosid caddis flies

Cited by 50 publications

References 44 publications

Selective oviposition of the mayfly Baetis bicaudatus

Selective oviposition of the mayfly Baetis bicaudatus

Oviposition site selection in a complex and variable environment: the role of habitat quality and conspecific cues

Glass buildings on river banks as “polarized light traps” for mass-swarming polarotactic caddis flies

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