Multiple infestation by seed predators: the effect of loculate fruits on intraspecific insect larval competition |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Seed Physiology Lab, Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan;2. Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan;3. Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA;1. Laboratory of Ecological Information, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan;2. Agriculture Zoology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, 35516 El-Mansoura, Egypt;3. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Chiyoda, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan;4. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, 71526 Assiut, Egypt;5. Group of Arthropod Ecology and Behavior, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Peter Jordanstrasse 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria;6. Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki 300-0393, Japan;1. RSK ADAS Ltd, Battle Gate Road, Cambridge CB234NN, United Kingdom;2. RSK ADAS Ltd, Gleadthorpe, Meden Vale, Mansfield, Nottingham NG20 9PD, United Kingdom;3. RSK ADAS Ltd, High Mowthorpe Duggleby, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 8BP, United Kingdom;1. Pest Physiology Department, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt;2. Stored Product Department, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre Dokki, Giza, Egypt |
| |
| Abstract: | Many morphological features of fruits are important factors affecting predispersal seed predation by insects. This paper analyses the predispersal seed predation process of a major predator (a Noctuidae lepidopteran larvae) in loculate fruits of a bushy perennial plant, Cistus ladanifer. The main aim of the study is to assess the potential effect of internal valvae (which partition groups of seeds) in the intraspecific competition between larvae in multiple-infested fruits.Our results show that larvae do not reject already infested fruits, but they avoid the proximity of other larvae within the fruit, keeping an average minimum distance of one locule. In multiple-infested fruits, larval mortality increases and the proportion of seeds consumed by each larvae decreases. In those situations in which valvae keep apart larvae within a fruit, these only suffer the cost of exploitation competition with a low acquisition of resources. However, when all valvae between them are pierced by the larvae, competition switches to an interference component and larval mortality increases markedly. The existence of valvae within a fruit allows larvae to diminish the cost of intraspecific competition, obtaining high life expectancies (70%), even in triple-infested fruits. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
