Physiological benefits of feeding in the spring by Lymantria dispar caterpillars on red oak and sugar maple leaves: nutrition versus oxidative stress

Barbehenn, Raymond V.; Niewiadomski, Julie; Pecci, Cristina; Salminen, Juha‐Pekka

doi:10.1007/s00049-012-0119-5

Cited by 19 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…This is in contrast to a common belief that nutrient assimilation efficiencies decrease in insect herbivores on mature or more fibrous leaves (Read & Stokes, ). Although there is a pattern of decreased PAE from the mature leaves of some trees, such as red oak and sugar maple (Barbehenn et al ., , ), there is a large amount of variation in this trait among tree species. Several species in the Salicaceae have highly available protein and carbohydrates in their mature leaves (Barbehenn et al ., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of leaf maturity and wind stress on the nutrition of the generalist caterpillar Lymantria dispar feeding on poplar

et al. 2015

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The growth rates of insect herbivores commonly decrease when they feed on mature leaves due to the combined effects of several nutritional and physiological mechanisms. Environmental stresses during leaf development may also decrease herbivore performance. The present study tests two main hypotheses to help clarify the importance of these factors for the nutrition and growth of an insect herbivore: (i) decreases in nutrient levels, consumption rates and nutrient assimilation efficiencies impact negatively on herbivores feeding on mature leaves and (ii) wind stress has a negative impact on herbivores feeding on mature leaves. The results show that mature poplar (Populus alba × Populus tremula) leaves have decreased levels of protein and increased levels of fibre, and that growth rates of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) are decreased on mature leaves in association with decreased consumption rates. However, in contrast to the first hypothesis, protein and carbohydrate are assimilated efficiently (74–82% and 84–87%, respectively) from immature and mature poplar leaves. The larvae are able to chew mature leaves as efficiently as immature leaves, potentially maximizing nutrient extraction. By contrast to the second hypothesis, wind‐stressed leaves have no significant detrimental effects on nutrient assimilation efficiencies, and the lower growth rates of L. dispar larvae feeding on mature wind‐stressed leaves can be explained by lower consumption rates. Therefore, the availability of nutrients to herbivores feeding on mature tree leaves is not necessarily impacted by lower assimilation efficiencies, even when leaves develop under wind stress. These results help explain some of the large variation between the nutritional qualities of trees for forest Lepidoptera.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of leaf maturity and wind stress on the nutrition of the generalist caterpillar Lymantria dispar feeding on poplar

et al. 2015

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“…The present study identifies a potentially important nutritional difference between trees in different families; protein in the mature leaves of species in the Salicaceae remains readily available to L. dispar compared with protein in the mature leaves of previously examined tree species in the Fagaceae and Aceraceae. Specifically, the PAE of L. dispar larvae remains near 70% from the mature leaves of poplar, aspen, cottonwood and willow, whereas it falls to 45–52% in L. dispar on mature red oak and sugar maple (Barbehenn et al ., , ). The changes in PAE are interpreted as largely being a result of protein extractability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The changes in PAE are interpreted as largely being a result of protein extractability. Protein in the mature leaves of red oak becomes significantly less extractable in the midguts of L. dispar larvae when PAE decreases (Barbehenn et al ., , ), whereas protein in the mature leaves of poplar remains highly extractable and PAE also remains high (R. V. Barbehenn, N. Haugberg, J. Kochmanski & B. Menachem, unpublished observations).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mechanisms that explain the high availability of protein from the mature leaves of species of Salicaceae, as well as the large decrease in PAE in larvae on the mature leaves of red oak and sugar maple (Barbehenn et al ., ), are unknown. The obvious changes in leaves at maturity involve increases in fibre and other changes in cell wall structure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Protein availability is a function of the level of protein in leaves, as well as the ability of herbivores to extract, digest and absorb it. The level of protein declines rapidly in deciduous tree leaves during their early expansion, after which levels frequently remain relatively stable (Feeny, ; Schroeder & Malmer, ; Wint, ; Aide & Londono, ; Williams et al ., ; Kursar & Coley, ; Barbehenn et al ., ). Few studies have compared protein assimilation efficiency (PAE) from immature and mature leaves by insect herbivores (Schroeder, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nutrients are assimilated efficiently by Lymantria dispar caterpillars from the mature leaves of trees in the Salicaceae

et al. 2015

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The efficient aquisition of nutrients from leaves by insect herbivores increases their nutrient assimilation rates and overall fitness. Caterpillars of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) have high protein assimilation efficiencies (PAE) from the immature leaves of trees such as red oak (Quercus rubra) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) (71-81%) but significantly lower PAE from their mature leaves (45-52%). By contrast to this pattern, both PAE and carbohydrate assimilation efficiencies (CAE) remain high for L. dispar larvae on the mature leaves of poplar (Populus alba × Populus tremula) grown in greenhouse conditions. The present study tests two alternative hypotheses: (i) outdoor environmental stresses cause decreased nutrient assimilation efficiencies from mature poplar leaves and (ii) nutrients in the mature leaves of trees in the poplar family (Salicaceae) remain readily available for L. dispar larvae. When poplar trees are grown in ambient outdoor conditions, PAE and CAE remain high (approximately 75% and 78%, respectively) in L. dispar larvae, in contrast to the first hypothesis. When larvae feed on the mature leaves of species in the Salicaceae [aspen (Populus tremuloides), cottonwood (Populus deltoides), willow (Salix nigra) and poplar], PAE and CAE also remain high (68-76% and 72-92%, respectively), consistent with the second hypothesis. Larval growth rates are strongly associated with protein assimilation rates, and more strongly associated with protein assimilation rates than with carbohydrate assimilation rates. It is concluded that tree species in the Salicaceae are relatively high-quality host plants for L. dispar larvae, in part, because nutrients in their mature leaves remain readily available.

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ALLOCATION OF CYSTEINE FOR GLUTATHIONE PRODUCTION IN CATERPILLARS WITH DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE STRATEGIES: A COMPARISON OF Lymantria dispar AND Malacosoma disstria

Barbehenn

Kochmanski

Menachem

et al. 2013

Arch Insect Biochem Physiol

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Sulfur amino acids [cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met)] play two major roles during animal development: protein synthesis for growth and glutathione synthesis for defense. For caterpillars, the levels of sulfur amino acids found in foliar protein can be especially low relative to their nutritional needs. Previous work has measured concentrations of glutathione (GSH; containing Cys) in specific animal tissues, but has not examined whole-body levels to ascertain the costliness of this defense in terms of Cys allocation. This study examined whether the production of GSH varies between species and within individuals in accordance with an insect's need for antioxidant defense. Secondly, we quantified the allocation of total Cys (peptide-bound plus free Cys) to GSH in caterpillars as an estimate of its cost. Two contrasting species were compared: Lymantria dispar (Lymantriidae), a species that is highly defended, and Malacosoma disstria (Lasiocampidae), a species that is less defended. As expected, GSH levels were significantly higher in L. dispar than in M. disstria. Consistent with the function of the midgut as a first line of defense against ingested toxins, GSH levels were significantly higher in these tissues than in the whole bodies of both species. A major finding in this study was that a large fraction of total Cys is used to produce GSH: GSH in the midguts of L. dispar and M. disstria contained 23 and 21%, respectively, of the total Cys in these tissues, and the GSH in their remaining body tissues contained 19 and 17% of the total Cys in these tissues. Levels of total Cys in caterpillar tissues followed the same pattern of distribution as did GSH, producing a strong association between GSH and total Cys (R(2) = 0.794). We conclude that GSH is a costly defense, especially in generalist tree-feeding species such as L. dispar. These results further suggest that the large allocation of Cys to GSH in highly defended species might produce a tradeoff by limiting the amount of Cys available for rapid growth.

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Physiological benefits of feeding in the spring by Lymantria dispar caterpillars on red oak and sugar maple leaves: nutrition versus oxidative stress

Cited by 19 publications

References 53 publications

Effects of leaf maturity and wind stress on the nutrition of the generalist caterpillar Lymantria dispar feeding on poplar

Effects of leaf maturity and wind stress on the nutrition of the generalist caterpillar Lymantria dispar feeding on poplar

Nutrients are assimilated efficiently by Lymantria dispar caterpillars from the mature leaves of trees in the Salicaceae

ALLOCATION OF CYSTEINE FOR GLUTATHIONE PRODUCTION IN CATERPILLARS WITH DIFFERENT ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE STRATEGIES: A COMPARISON OF Lymantria dispar AND Malacosoma disstria

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