Preference–performance relationship and influence of plant relatedness on host use by Pityogenes chalcographus L.

Abstract

1 Pityogenes chalcographus L. (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) causes damage in European coniferous forests, primarily on Picea abies L. Karst., but is also recorded on other native and exotic Pinaceae species. Estimating the adequacy between adult preference and larval performance of this beetle among its host-range, as well as the influence of plant taxonomic relatedness on these parameters, would provide useful information on the beetle's ability to shift onto novel hosts. 2 Choice and no-choice assays were conducted under laboratory conditions. Adult preference and larval performance parameters among two native (Pinus sylvestris L. and Picea abies) and three exotic north American [Pinus contorta Dougl., Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. and Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirbel (Franco)] conifer species were measured. 3 Pityogenes chalcographus exhibited a significant positive relationship between preference and performance. Picea abies was both the preferred and the most suitable host species for larval development. The closest relative, P. sitchensis, was the second best choice in terms of preference and performance. Pseudotsuga menziesii occupied an intermediate position for both beetle preference and performance, and Pinus spp. were the least suitable hosts for beetle development. 4 Adult preference and larval performance ranking among hosts provides little support to the plant taxonomic relatedness hypothesis. Taxonomic relatedness could play a role on the diet breadth, although only at a limited scale, within the genus Picea.At higher taxonomic levels, other factors such as bark thickness might be decisive.

Bark- and wood-boring beetles on Scots pine logging residues from final felling: effects of felling date, deposition location and diameter of logging residues

“…Because these species were the most frequent species found in this study, it is clear that these pests multiplied signifi cantly on the LRs generated by fi nal felling. The main host tree species of P. chalcographus is Norway spruce (Pfeffer 1955, Schwenke 1972, Bertheau et al 2009), although this species and I. acuminatus frequently develop on Scots pine LRs, which was previously documented at several localities in the Czech Republic (Foit 2012b). All of the studied habitat factors (felling date, LR type, LR diameter and LR deposit type) signifi cantly affected the composition of the BWBB assemblages and were together able to explain a substantial portion (14.8%) of the variance in the species' gallery coverage (Table 1).…”

Pityogenes chalcographus (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) at the southernmost borderline of Norway spruce (Picea abies) in Greece

“…as well as on the European larch, Larix decidua. Previous laboratory feeding experiments suggested that pine species are actually more preferred host trees than Norway spruce (Führer and Mühlenbrock 1983), but a recent laboratory experiment (Bertheau et al 2009) revealed that in terms of larval development, Norway spruce is the most suitable host of P. chalcographus.…”

Bark beetle-associated fungi in Fennoscandia with special emphasis on species of Ophiostoma and Grosmannia

“…In Nordic countries and Russian Karelia, entomological research has a long and intensive tradition, and the biology of forest pest fauna and their host range is well known (Lekander et al 1977, Heliövaara et al 1998, Mandelshtam and Popovichev 2000, Voolma et al 2004. Probably due to the host choice behavior of the beetles, phloephagous species are normally specific to one tree genus, and only some species attack trees from closely related genera (Sauvard 2004, Bertheau et al 2009). However, bark beetles are well suited for movement across national boundaries, and have adaptation capabilities that allow them to switch to novel host tree species if introduced to a new environment (Marchant and Borden 1976, Tribe 1992, Sauvard 2004, Yan et al 2005.…”