Shelter-Building Insects and Their Role as Ecosystem Engineers

Abstract

Amelioration of harsh conditions, manipulation of host plant quality, and protection from natural enemies have all been suggested as potential forces in the evolution and maintenance of concealed feeding in insects. The construction of shelters--either in the form of mines, galls, and leaf rolls--are expected to increase larval survivorship and might influence other organisms of the community through non-trophic direct and indirect effects when shelters are co-occupied or occupied after abandonment, placing leaf and stem shelter-builders within the context of ecosystem engineering. In this review, we evaluate the potential of shelter built by insects to reduce pressure exerted by natural enemies, increase tissue quality, and provide shelter against abiotic conditions experienced during insect development. Through a quantitative analysis, we also examined the effects of insect shelters on patterns of richness and abundance of local communities, reviewing the data published in the last 15 years. We demonstrate strong effects of shelters on several arthropods, with increased richness and abundance when shelters are present in the host plants. These results reinforce the importance of the physical structures created by insects that although subtle, might have important roles in facilitative interactions.

The role of Senescent Stem-Galls over Arboreal Ant Communities Structure in Eremanthus erythropappus (DC.) MacLeish (Asteraceae) Trees

“…Due to the capacity of larvae to manipulate and modify their host plants, creating "new habitats" for other organisms, gall insects can be considered ecosystem engineers (Jones et al, 1994(Jones et al, , 1997Wright & Jones 2006). These "new habitats" are ecologically important for increasing both the species richness and abundance of local communities (Cornelissen et al, 2016).…”

Modification of plant‐induced responses by an insect ecosystem engineer influences the colonization behaviour of subsequent shelter‐users

“…These ecosystem engineers are thought to alter herbivore diversity and abundance (Fukui ; Lill & Marquis ; Wetzel et al . ; Cornelissen, Cintra and Santos ) by providing novel habitats and shelters from natural enemies and abiotic stresses (Kudo ; Larsson, Häggström & Denno ; Fukui ; Danks ; Crawford, Crutsinger & Sanders ; Marquis & Lill ). Insect ecosystem engineers are also known to manipulate plant metabolism for their own benefit (Sandberg & Berenbaum ; Sagers ; Marini‐Filho & Fernandes ).…”

“…But how such alteration of plant metabolic quality affects the behaviour and performance of subsequent shelter‐users has rarely been investigated (Cornelissen et al . ; but see Crawford, Crutsinger & Sanders ).…”

“…gall-makers, leaf-miners and rollers) can disproportionately impact arthropod community composition and dynamics on plants through non-trophic interactions (Jones, Lawton & Shachak 1994;. These ecosystem engineers are thought to alter herbivore diversity and abundance (Fukui 2001;Wetzel et al 2015;Cornelissen, Cintra and Santos 2016) by providing novel habitats and shelters from natural enemies and abiotic stresses (Kudo 1994;Larsson, H€ aggstr€ om & Denno 1997;Fukui 2001;Danks 2002;Crawford, Crutsinger & Sanders 2007;. Insect ecosystem engineers are also known to manipulate plant metabolism for their own benefit (Sandberg & Berenbaum 1989;Sagers 1992;Marini-Filho & Fernandes 2012).…”

Two new genera of big-eyed minute litter bugs (Hemiptera, Schizopteridae, Hypselosomatinae) from Brazil and the Caribbean

“…Adults display extreme wing polymorphism ranging from apterous to macropterous and elytrous, with the latter being a wing type that is very rare outside of Coleoptera. Wing polymorphism can be sexually dimorphic (Wygodzinsky 1948, Emsley 1969, Hill 2013, Knyshov et al 2016, Leon and Weirauch 2016), but may also occur amongst individuals of the same sex (Hill 1980; Alexander Knyshov, pers. obs.).…”