Hidden floral adaptation to nocturnal moths in an apparently bee‐pollinated flower,Adenophora triphylla var. japonica (Campanulaceae)

• The discrepancy between observed flower visitors and those predicted based on floral phenotype has often cast doubt on the pollination syndrome concept. Here we show that this paradox may be alleviated by gaining better knowledge of the contributions of different flower visitors to pollination and the effects of floral traits that cannot be readily perceived by humans in Adenophora triphylla var. japonica. The blue, bell‐shaped and pendant flowers of A. triphylla appear to fit a bee pollination syndrome. In contrast to this expectation, recent studies show that these flowers are frequented by nocturnal moths.
• We compared the flower visitor fauna, their visitation frequency and their relative contributions to seed set between day and night in two field populations of A. triphylla in Japan. We also determined the floral traits associated with temporal changes in the visitor assemblage, i.e. the timing of anthesis, the timing of changes in the sexual phase and the diel pattern of nectar production.
• While A. triphylla flowers were visited by both diurnal and nocturnal insects, the results from pollination experiments demonstrate that their primary pollinators are nocturnal settling‐moths. Moreover, the flowers opened just after sunset, changed from staminate to pistillate phase in successive evenings and produced nectar only during the night, which all conform to the activity of nocturnal/crepuscular moths.
• Our study illustrates that the tradition of stereotyping the pollinators of a flower based on its appearance can be misleading and that it should be improved with empirical evidence of pollination performance and sufficient trait matching.

     

云南菠萝蜜园优势科蛾类的时空生态位分析

【目的】探明菠萝蜜园的蛾类群落组成、优势科时空生态位特征,为害虫的监测预警和生态控制等提供参考依据。【方法】采用灯光诱集的方法收集菠萝蜜园蛾类标本,并进行分类鉴定和统计,利用Levins生态位宽度和Pianka生态位重叠分析主要蛾类的时、空资源占有情况及群落间的竞争共存关系。【结果】共收集到蛾类10科47种,各科物种数占总物种数的比例及其个体数量相对多度均大于5%的优势科为天蛾科(29.79%,48.58%)、灯蛾科(19.15%,24.23%)、毒蛾科(17.02%,9.24%)、螟蛾科(10.64%,5.18%)和尺蛾科(8.51%,7.84%)。优势科的时空生态位宽度普遍较大,生态位重叠主要表现为“宽-宽”型重叠;个体数量相对多度大于1%的7个科两两配对,21对组合中,在时间和空间2个一维生态位上所有组合均具有重叠意义(Q_ij>0.3),在时间和空间维度上分别有8对和7对组合显著重叠(Q_ij>0.6),但在时空二维生态位上具有重叠意义的组合降低到10对,且仅有1对组合显著重叠。【结论】菠萝蜜园蛾类优势科对时空资源占有能力普遍较强,且优势科之间的时空生态位重叠较大,其在时空生态位以外的其他资源维度可能存在较大的分化是其实现共存的原因。     

Ecology of Lepidoptera associated with bird nests in mid‐Wales,UK

1. Bird nests are ubiquitous but patchy resources in many terrestrial habitats. Nests can support diverse communities of commensal invertebrates, especially moths (Lepidoptera). However, there is a shortage of information on the moths associated with bird nests, and the factors influencing their abundance, diversity and composition. 2. Two hundred and twenty‐four nests, from 16 bird species, were sampled from sites in mid‐Wales (UK) and the moths that emerged from them were recorded. 3. Seventy eight percent of nests produced moths, with 4657 individuals of ten species recorded. Moth communities were dominated by generalist species rather than bird nest specialists. 4. Open nests built in undergrowth supported significantly fewer moths than nests in enclosed spaces (for example, nesting boxes). The occurrence of fleas was positively associated with the incidence and abundance of moths. There was no evidence that different nest types supported different moth communities.     

基于林分昆虫多样性调查的传统灯诱法改进效果分析

昆虫在生物多样性调查中具有不可替代的地位，灯诱法是效率最高的昆虫采集方法之一，然而传统的灯诱方法存在诱集范围无法界定、采样流程标准性不足等问题。为此，使用自制的聚光灯诱箱（Spotlight Box Trap，SBT）作为改进灯诱方法，并使用灯诱帐（Moth Collecting Tent，MCT）作为传统灯诱法进行对照；以北京杨（Populus×beijingensis）与油松（Pinus tabuliformis）人工林为样地，对两种灯诱装置采集的蛾类数量及物种组成、物种多样性指数与形态参数等多个指标进行评价。共采集蛾类24科164种6728号，其中北京杨林分SBT采集19科93种1164号，MCT采集22科125种2573号；油松林分SBT采集21科87种1044号，MCT采集22科117种1947号。分析显示：（1） MCT采集的个体数量与物种数量均高于SBT，总体上SBT在不同样地间的数据误差水平更低。（2）两种灯诱装置采集的蛾类优势种组成显著不同（P<0.05）；SBT共有种的数量比例始终高于MCT，即后者的特有种占比例更高。（3）总体上SBT物种多样性指数的数据误差水平更低。（4） MCT采集的蛾类物种体型更大（体长约为SBT的1.20倍）、飞行能力更强（相关参数约为SBT的1.20倍至1.36倍）。结果表明，在林分昆虫多样性的调查中，传统灯诱法的数据稳定性较差，对林分的代表性不足。聚光灯诱箱因其对光域的可控性和采集昆虫的规范性，具备更高的稳定性，在森林昆虫多样性调查与监测中具有更好的适用性与应用前景。     

Avidin and streptavidin as insecticidal and growth inhibiting dietary proteins

Avidin was found to be an insecticidal and growth inhibiting dietary protein for five species of Coleoptera (red flour beetle,Tribolium castaneum, confused flour beetle,T. confusum, sawtoothed grain beetle,Oryzaphilus surinamensis, rice weevil,Sitophilus oryzae, and lesser grain borer,Rhyzopertha dominica) and two species of Lepidoptera (European corn borer,Ostrinia nubilalis, and Indianmeal moth,Plodia interpunctella). At levels ranging from 10 to 1000 ppm in the diet depending on the species, avidin retarded the growth and caused mortality of all seven species. Addition of biotin to the avidin-treated diets forT. castaneum, T. confusum, R. dominica, andO. nubilalis prevented the growth inhibition and mortality caused by avidin. Streptavidin exhibited similar insecticidal and growth inhibiting activity towardsT. castaneum andO. nubilalis. The results support the hypothesis that feeding avidin or streptavidin to insects causes a biotin deficiency which in turn leads to stunted growth and mortality. Avidin and streptavidin are insect growth inhibiting proteins whose genes potentially could be manipulated into plants and provide host plant resistance to insect pests. This research was conducted by the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture in coperation with the Department of Biotechnology Research, Pioneer Hi-Bred International. Mention of an insecticide or proprietary product does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the USDA.     

Facultative non-mutualistic behaviour by an “Obligate” mutualist: “Cheating” by Yucca moths

The interaction between yucca moths (Tegeticula spp., Incurvariidae) and yuccas (Yucca spp., Agavaceae) is an obligate pollination/seed predation mutualism in which adult female yucca moths pollinate yuccas, and yucca moth larvae feed on yucca seeds. In this paper we document that individual yucca moths, which are capable of acting as mutualists, facultatively cheat by ovipositing in yucca pistils without attempting to transfer pollen. Additionally, a high proportion of flowers are unlikely to receive pollen even when pollination is attempted, because many yucca moths carry little or no pollen. The probability of occurrence of non-mutualistic behaviour is not affected by the amount of pollen a moth carries: moths with full pollen loads are just as likely to act non-mutualistically as moths carrying little or no pollen. We propose four hypotheses that could explain facultative non-mutualistic behaviour in yucca moths.Present address: Department of Biology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada     

The macrolepidoptera of farm woodlands: determinants of diversity and community structure

The Farm Woodland Scheme, which provided incentives to convert agricultural land to timber production, contained an implicit assumption that farm woodlands produce important benefits for wildlife. The moth fauna of 18 farm woodlands in the Vale of York was surveyed between May and November 1991. The aims were twofold. The first was to determine if there were benefits for moth species diversity. The second was to ascertain whether concepts of island biogeography and the plant species richness of the woods were related to the moth species composition.Eleven families, 214 species and over 16 000 individuals of moths were recorded. Classification of the species presence/absence matrix indicated that small woods (less than 1ha) did not have characteristic woodland moth communities. Woods larger than 5ha were judged to be more valuable for the long-term conservation of woodland moth diversity. The best predictor of moth species richness was the herbaceous plant species richness within woodlands. Species richness of the family Geometridae was positively related to woodland area, as well as to woodland shape (compact shapes being preferable to elongated shapes). Characteristic woodland species are influenced by isolation (less isolated woods being richer in species). The implications of different powers of dispersal between moth families are discussed. Farm woodlands will be of more value for the conservation of the Macrolepidoptera if they are large, compact and incorporate remnants of existing woodland with extant herbaceous vegetation. These should be factors which are taken into consideration when providing incentives to establish and manage farm woodlands.     

Cheating in mutualism: defection of Yucca baccata against its yucca moths

Yucca baccata cheats in its obligate pollination/seed predation mutualism with yucca moths. Although all individuals use the pollination services of yucca moths, many individuals do not reciprocate in sustaining yucca moth larvae. Cheating is associated with the morphology of Y. baccata pistils. In Y. baccata , the apex of the ovary contains only inviable ovules, and there are two distinct flower types, one of which has twice as many potentially viable ovules as the other. Because yucca moths oviposit at the apex of Y. baccata ovaries, larvae in flowers with few viable ovules fail to encounter viable ovules and therefore perish. Inflorescences generally have just one flower type, implying that some individuals cheat whereas others maintain the yucca moth population. Our most surprising observation, however, is that although the proportion of cheaters should be low, over 70% of Y. baccata individuals cheat. We hypothesize that both density- and frequency-dependent processes maintain a balance of cheaters and noncheaters in this system.