Multitrophic influences on egg distribution in a specialized leaf beetle at multiple spatial scales

Heisswolf, Annette; Poethke, Hans Joachim; Obermaier, Elisabeth

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2005.12.004

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Two behavioral components lead to larval aggregation. The first is the choice of where to place the eggs within the landscape (Heisswolf et al 2006) or plant (Whitham 1978, Silva andFurlong 2012), and can be modulated by predators/parasitoids (Higashiura 1989), the availability and quality of host plants (Obermaier and Zwo¨lfer 1999), and vegetation structure (Meiners and Obermaier 2004). Information about conspecific egg presence might also influence the oviposition choice, but this phenomenon has not been sufficiently investigated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How far away is the next basket of eggs? Spatial memory and perceived cues shape aggregation patterns in a leaf beetle

Stephan

Stenberg

Björkman

2015

Ecology

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Abstract. Gregarious organisms need to handle the trade-off between increasing food competition and the positive effects of group living, and this is particularly important for ovipositing females. We hypothesized that insect females consider how many conspecifics previously visited a host plant. In a no-choice assay, we show that the gregarious blue willow leaf beetle (Phratora vulgatissima) laid the most eggs and the largest clutches on plants where a sequence of few individual females was released, compared to plants where one or many different females were repeatedly released. Therefore, this species is more sensitive to the indirectly perceived number of conspecifics than the directly perceived number of eggs on a plant. We further hypothesized that females adjust their own intra-plant egg clutch distribution to that of conspecifics and discovered a new behavioral component, i.e., the modulation of distances between clutches. Females adjusted these distances in ways indicating the use of spatial memory, because the largest distance increases were observed on plants with their own clutches, compared to plants with clutches from conspecifics. However, adjustment of aggregation level and distance between clutches occurred only on a suitable, and not on an unsuitable, Salix genotype. We conclude that both behaviors should reduce competition between sibling and non-sibling larvae.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How far away is the next basket of eggs? Spatial memory and perceived cues shape aggregation patterns in a leaf beetle

Stephan

Stenberg

Björkman

2015

Ecology

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“…Within Germany, C. canaliculata is endangered, in Bavaria it is even threatened by extinction (Kippenberg, 2003); however, on warm slopes in the nature reserve 'Hohe Wann' in Northern Bavaria, Germany (50 • 03' N, 10 • 35' E), it is locally abundant (A. Heisswolf and E. Obermaier, personal observations). Only few details are published on the ecology of C. canaliculata (Steinhausen, 1949;Trautner et al, 1989;Heisswolf et al, 2005Heisswolf et al, , 2006Heisswolf et al, , 2007, and little is known about the host recognition pro-Journal of Insect Behavior (2007) 20:247-266 cess in this species. However, as monophagous herbivores the beetles should be very specifically able to recognize their host plant species S. pratensis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Olfactory versus Contact Cues in Host Plant Recognition of a Monophagous Chrysomelid Beetle

et al. 2007

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Abstract. The importance of olfactory versus contact cues for host plant recognition was investigated in the tortoise beetle Cassida canaliculata Laich. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), which is strictly monophagous on meadow sage. The reaction of adult beetles to olfactory and contact host cues was tested using three bioassays (locomotion compensator, six-chamber-olfactometer, 'stem arena') to account for different behavioral contexts. Bioassay-guided fractionation of plant extracts was elaborated to characterize the nature of contact stimuli. The beetles were only slightly attracted to odors from small amounts of leaf material. However, when contact cues were provided additionally, the beetles showed strong preferences for samples of their host plant over controls. Bioassayguided fractionation led to isolation of at least two non-polar contact stimuli acting in concert that are sufficient for host plant identification in C. canaliculata.

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“…Consequently, we cannot assess their spatial configuration and whether some of them might have been so close to patches classified as 'parasitoid-free' that they might have formed continuous patches from the perspective of the parasitoid. Moreover, even if F. reptans would parasitize only C. canaliculata the spatial scales affecting herbivore and parasitoid may be nevertheless different (Tscharntke & Brandl, 2004;Cronin & Reeve, 2005;Heisswolf et al, 2006). Therefore, the parasitoid may perceive both patch size and isolation quite differently than its host(s).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat quality matters for the distribution of an endangered leaf beetle and its egg parasitoid in a fragmented landscape

et al. 2008

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Abstract. Fragmentation, deterioration, and loss of habitat patches threaten the survival of many insect species. Depending on their trophic level, species may be differently affected by these factors. However, studies investigating more than one trophic level on a landscape scale are still rare. In the present study we analyzed the effects of habitat size, isolation, and quality for the occurrence and population density of the endangered leaf beetle Cassida canaliculata Laich. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and its egg parasitoid, the hymenopteran wasp Foersterella reptans Nees (Hymenoptera: Tetracampidae). C. canaliculata is strictly monophagous on meadow sage (Salvia pratensis), while F. reptans can also parasitize other hosts. Both size and isolation of habitat patches strongly determined the occurrence of the beetle. However, population density increased to a much greater extent with increasing host plant density (= habitat quality) than with habitat size. The occurrence probability of the egg parasitoid increased with increasing population density of C. canaliculata. In conclusion, although maintaining large, well-connected patches with high host plant density is surely the major conservation goal for the specialized herbivore C. canaliculata, also small patches with high host plant densities can support viable populations and should thus be conserved. The less specialized parasitoid F. reptans is more likely to be found on patches with high beetle density, while patch size and isolation seem to be less important.

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Multitrophic influences on egg distribution in a specialized leaf beetle at multiple spatial scales

Cited by 6 publications

References 60 publications

How far away is the next basket of eggs? Spatial memory and perceived cues shape aggregation patterns in a leaf beetle

How far away is the next basket of eggs? Spatial memory and perceived cues shape aggregation patterns in a leaf beetle

Olfactory versus Contact Cues in Host Plant Recognition of a Monophagous Chrysomelid Beetle

Habitat quality matters for the distribution of an endangered leaf beetle and its egg parasitoid in a fragmented landscape

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