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Environmental conditions and their impact on immunocompetence and pathogen susceptibility of the Caribbean termite Nasutitermes acajutlae
Author(s) -
FULLER CLAIRE A.,
POSTAVADAVIG MARIELLE A.,
WEST ANDREW,
ROSENGAUS REBECA B.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2311.2011.01289.x
Subject(s) - immunocompetence , biology , pathogen , zoology , ecology , immunology , immune system
1. Little is known about interactions between environmental conditions surrounding insects and their immune responses. 2. The environment in and around termite colonies, including temperature, relative humidity, soil pH, and light was analysed using principal components analysis (PCA). 3. The relationship between these abiotic parameters and two aspects of termite immunity (phenoloxidase activity and lipid content) was examined in field‐caught workers of Nasutitermes acajutlae Holmgren. Finally, termites from warm/dry and cool/moist habitats were exposed to Metarhizium anisopliae to determine their susceptibility to mycosis. 4. PCA indicated that environmental components external to the nest [ambient temperature, ambient relative humidity (RH), soil temperature and light] comprised the majority (PC1 = 37.5%) of variation. Internal variables (nest temperature and RH) and nest volume accounted for 19.6% (PC2) of the variation with pH comprising 12.9% (PC3). 5. AIC and regression models suggested that ambient temperature was most strongly and positively associated with immune variables and that relative humidity may also play a role. Termites from warm/dry colonies were less susceptible to M. anisopliae than termites from cool/moist colonies. 6. Thus, termites nesting in warmer habitats may exhibit increased immune‐related measures and reduced susceptibility to mycosis compared with termites from cooler habitats.