Effects of variation among plant species on the interaction between a herbivore and its parasitoid

Abstract.  1. Previous studies have demonstrated that phenotypic traits of plants have the potential to affect interactions between herbivores and their natural enemies. Consequently, the impact of natural enemies on herbivore vital rates and population dynamics may vary among plant species. This study was designed to investigate the potential for density-dependent parasitism of an aphid herbivore feeding on six different host plant species.
2. Population densities of the aphid Aphis nerii B de F (Homoptera: Aphididae) and its parasitoid Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were recorded within a single growing season on six different species of milkweed in the genus Asclepias L. (Asclepiadaceae). Asclepias species are known to vary in their quality as food for herbivores. Although data on plant quality were not available in this study, population data were analysed to determine the effects of different Asclepias species on rates of parasitism and aphid population growth.
3. Parasitism rates of A. nerii varied among Asclepias species but were temporally density dependent over at least some range of aphid density on all plant species. Aphid population growth rates also varied among Asclepias species, and declined with an increase in the maximum parasitism rates among plant species; however, in no case was density-dependent parasitism sufficient to prevent exponential population growth of aphids within the growing season. The results serve to emphasise that, if natural enemies are to regulate herbivore populations, density-dependent mortality is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for regulation.     

Parasitoids as drivers of symbiont diversity in an insect host

Immune systems have repeatedly diversified in response to parasite diversity. Many animals have outsourced part of their immune defence to defensive symbionts, which should be affected by similar evolutionary pressures as the host’s own immune system. Protective symbionts provide efficient and specific protection and respond to changing selection pressure by parasites. Here we use the aphid Aphis fabae, its protective symbiont Hamiltonella defensa, and its parasitoid Lysiphlebus fabarum to test whether parasite diversity can maintain diversity in protective symbionts. We exposed aphid populations with the same initial symbiont composition to parasitoid populations that differed in their diversity. As expected, single parasitoid genotypes mostly favoured a single symbiont that was most protective against that particular parasitoid, while multiple symbionts persisted in aphids exposed to more diverse parasitoid populations, which in turn affected aphid population density and rates of parasitism. Parasite diversity may be crucial to maintaining symbiont diversity in nature.     

Host genotype affects the relative success of competing lines of aphid parasitoids under superparasitism

1. In solitary parasitoids, only one individual can complete development in a given host. Therefore, solitary parasitoids tend to prefer unparasitised hosts for oviposition, yet under high parasitoid densities, superparasitism is frequent and results in fierce competition for the host's limited resources. This may lead to selection for the best intra‐host competitors. 2. Increased intra‐host competitive ability may evolve under a high risk of superparasitism if this trait exhibits genetic variation, and if competitive differences among parasitoid genotypes are consistent across environments, e.g. different host genotypes. 3. These assumptions were addressed in the aphid parasitoid Lysiphlebus fabarum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) and its main host, the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae (Scopoli) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Three parthenogenetic lines of L. fabarum were allowed to parasitise three aphid clones singly and in all pairwise combinations (superparasitism). The winning parasitoid in superparasitised aphids was determined by microsatellite analysis. 4. The proportions of singly parasitised aphids that were mummified were similar for the three parasitoid lines and did not differ significantly among host clones. 5. Under superparasitism, significant biases in favour of one parasitoid line were observed for some combinations, indicating that there is genetic variation for intra‐host competitive ability. However, the outcome of superparasitism was inconsistent across aphid clones and thus influenced significantly by the host clone in which parasitoids competed. 6. Overall, this study shows that the fitness of aphid parasitoids under superparasitism is determined by complex interactions with competitors as well as hosts, possibly hampering the evolution of improved intra‐host competitive ability.     

豆柄瘤蚜茧峰的嗅觉定向反应(英文)

豆柄瘤蚜茧蜂Lysiphlebusfabarum对能寄生于包括大豆蚜Aphisglycines和豆蚜A.craccivora的多种蚜虫中。本实验研究了豆柄瘤蚜茧蜂在风洞中对以下气味源的嗅觉走向反应：未受损伤的寄主食料植株（UD）、机械损伤的寄主食料植株（MD）、蚜害植株（AD ,带蚜虫;AD～,不带蚜虫）、以及致害蚜虫。发现以豆蚜为寄主的豆柄瘤好茧蜂对AD 和AD~的正走向率高于对UD和MD的正走向率,以大豆蚜为寄主的豆柄瘤蚜虽峰对AD 的趋性高于对UD和大豆蚜。同时,豆柄瘤蚜茧蜂对UD、MD和致害蚜虫的定向反应率没有显著差异。这说明植食性昆虫的取食活动能诱导被害植株提高自身对害虫天敌的吸引力。此外还发现大豆是否受蚜害并不直接影响大豆蚜进行寄主定位。     

Kairomonal effect of an aphid cornicle secretion onLysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae).

In laboratory bioassays, whole-body homogenates and fresh cornicle wax of Rhopalosiphum padi(L.) (the bird-cherry oat aphid) elicited antennal examination and attack behavior in naive females of the polyphagous aphidiid parasitoid, Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson). No such response was elicited by either homogenates or cornicle wax of Aphis nerii(Boyer de Fonscolombe) (another known host of the parasitoid) or by preparations of the aphid alarm pheromone, (E)--farnesene. The response to R. padiproducts was independent of rearing host and appears to be innate. Application of R. padicornicle wax to the dorsum of a nonhost aphid [Acythosiphum pisum(Harris)] increased the frequency with which this species was attacked by L. testaceipes.There was a tendency for the kairomonal activity of the cornicle secretion to decline as the wax dried, although parasitoid attack behavior was still elicited by wax which had been allowed to dry for up to 30 min before testing.     

可疑柄瘤蚜茧蜂对高温下不同龄期黑豆蚜的寄生及其适合度表现

研究寄生蜂对寄主不同龄期的寄生策略通常采用适温下（≈25℃）培养的寄主进行试验。 为探究蚜茧蜂对高温下生长的寄主蚜虫的寄生反应及其适合度表现,在30℃条件下饲养寄主孤雌胎生无翅黑豆蚜Aphis fabae Scopli,获得不同龄期若蚜和刚羽化的成蚜,分别提供给可疑柄瘤蚜茧蜂Lysiphlebus ambiguous Haliday寄生,观察蚜茧蜂的寄生率以及后代性比、体型大小和发育时间等适合度相关特性。结果表明： 可疑柄瘤蚜茧蜂对1至4龄若蚜及成蚜均寄生,但偏向寄生较早龄期的若蚜,对成蚜的寄生率为28.0％,显著低于对1龄（400％）和2龄（42.8%）寄主若蚜的寄生率。后代雌蜂比例和体型随寄主龄期（体型）增大而减小,而发育历期则呈现“中间低,两头高”的格局。后代性比、体型大小及发育历期等适合度表现与此前适温（≈25℃）下得到的结果截然相反。因此推测,寄主黑豆蚜体型或龄期可能不是或不全部是可疑柄瘤蚜茧蜂评价寄主质量的依据,其他与寄主蚜虫内共生菌动态相关的线索（如行为的,化学的等）可能才是其评价寄主质量的依据。     

日本柄瘤蚜茧蜂与其寄主豆蚜的相互作用：寄主龄期选择及其对发育的影响

在25℃下研究了日本柄瘤蚜茧蜂Lysiphlebus japonicus Ashmead对寄主豆蚜Aphis craccivora Koch龄期的选择和被寄生豆蚜的龄期对蚜茧蜂发育的影响。结果表明：在混合虫态寄主中,日本柄瘤蚜茧蜂通常选择较小龄期的若蚜寄生,其中2龄若蚜的相对被寄生率最高,为26.4%;其次是1龄若蚜,为20.6%;无翅成蚜与3、4龄有翅若蚜和成蚜的相对被寄生率较低。日本柄瘤蚜茧蜂的寄生延长了豆蚜若蚜的发育,其中1龄若蚜被寄生后,１～３龄历期显著延长;有翅3龄若蚜被寄生后,３、４龄历期明显延长;但无翅和有翅4龄若蚜被寄生后的发育历期均不受影响。各龄若蚜被寄生后羽化的成蚜寿命明显缩短,其中,被寄生的1龄若蚜不能发育至成蚜,其它较早龄期被寄生的若蚜羽化的成蚜繁殖力均显著降低。寄生时寄主的发育期也影响寄生蜂的发育,2龄豆蚜被寄生时的日本柄瘤蚜茧蜂个体发育最快,为194.10 h;1龄寄主被寄生时蚜茧蜂的发育最慢,需215.80 h。并对不同发育期蚜虫总蛋白质和总糖原含量进行了测定。     

Microsatellites from Lysiphlebus hirticornis Mackauer (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a specialist primary parasitoid attacking the specialist tansy aphid, Metopeurum fuscoviride Stroyan (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Nine polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated from the specialist aphid parasitoid, Lysiphlebus hirticornis. In addition, two published loci from closely related Lysiphlebus species were also used. Allelic diversity and heterozygosity were quantified in samples collected from eight tansy plants growing in an area of approximately 150 m² in Jena, Germany.     

Introduction,colonization and establishment ofLysiphlebus testaceipes [Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae], in Argentina

The introduction, colonization, and establishment ofLysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) for the biological control ofSchizaphis graminum (Rondani). in Argentina is briefly discussed.