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Behavioural and physiological plasticity of gypsy moth larvae to host plant switching
Author(s) -
Milanović Slobodan,
JankovićTomanić Milena,
Kostić Igor,
Kostić Miroslav,
Morina Filis,
Živanović Bojana,
Lazarević Jelica
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12388
Subject(s) - biology , lymantria dispar , larva , gypsy moth , intraspecific competition , generalist and specialist species , interspecific competition , host (biology) , instar , ecology , zoology , botany , habitat
Larvae of the gypsy moth, L ymantria dispar L . ( L epidoptera: L ymantriidae), a generalist species, frequently encounter spatial and temporal variations in diet quality. Such variation favoured the evolution of high behavioural and physiological plasticity which, depending on forest stand composition, enables more or less successful exploitation of the environment. Even in mixed oak stands, a suitable habitat, interspecific and intraspecific host quality variation may provoke significant variation in gypsy moth performance and, consequently, defoliation severity. To elucidate the insufficiently explored relationship between gypsy moth and oaks ( F agaceae), we carried out reciprocal switches between T urkey oaks ( Q uercus cerris L .) and less nutritious H ungarian oaks ( Q uercus frainetto T en.) ( TH and HT groups), under controlled laboratory conditions, and compared larval performance between the switched larvae and larvae continuously fed on either Turkey oak ( TT ) or Hungarian oak ( HH ). We found that larval traits were most strongly affected by among‐tree variation in oak quality and identity of the host consumed during the fourth instar. Switching from Turkey to Hungarian oak ( TH ) led to a longer period of feeding, decrease of mass gain, growth, and consumption rate, lower efficiency of food use and nutrient conversion, and increase of protease and amylase activities. Larvae exposed to the reverse switch ( HT ) attained values of these traits characteristic for TT larvae. It appeared that the lower growth in the TH group than in the TT group was caused by both behavioural (consumption, pre‐ingestive) and metabolic (post‐digestive) effects from consuming oaks. Multivariate analyses of growth, consumption, and efficiency of food use revealed that early diet experience influenced the sensitivity of the most examined traits to less suitable Hungarian oaks, suggesting the development of behavioural and physiological adjustments. Our results indicate that lower risks of defoliation by gypsy moth might be expected in mixed stands with a higher proportion of Hungarian oak.