Indirect effects of deer on insect pests and soybean plants

1. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann) and insect pests negatively affect soybean production; however, little is known about how these herbivores potentially interact to affect soybean yield. Previous studies have shown deer browse on non-crop plants affects insect density and insect-mediated leaf damage, which together reduce plant reproductive output. In soybeans, reproductive output is influenced by direct and indirect interactions of different herbivores.
2. Here, we quantified indirect interactions between two groups of herbivores (mammals and insects) and their effects on soybean growth and yield. We examined responses of insect pest communities along a gradient of deer herbivory (29% to 49% browsed stems) in soybean monocultures.
3. Structural equation models showed that deer browse had direct negative effects on soybean plant height and yield. Deer browse indirectly decreased insect-mediated leaf damage by reducing plant height. Deer browse also indirectly increased pest insect abundance through reductions in plant height. Similarly, deer herbivory had an indirect positive effect on leaf carbon: nitrogen ratios through changes in plant height, thereby decreasing leaf nutrition.
4. These results suggest that pest insect abundance may be greater on soybean plants in areas of higher deer browse, but deer browse may reduce insect herbivory through reduced leaf nutrition.

     

Impacts of global warming on the interaction between host plants,insect pests and their natural enemies

全球气候变化是近来人类关注的焦点问题,其最显著的特征是气候变暖.因为昆虫具有生活周期短、繁殖率高等特点,所以,气候变暖对昆虫的发育、繁殖和存活会产生强烈的直接影响.气候变暖促使一些昆虫提前春天的物候现象,向高纬度或高海拔地区迁移.然而,昆虫在自然界并非孤立地存在,它们与寄主植物和自然天敌相互联系、相互作用,并在长期的进化过程中逐渐适应特定区域的气候条件.因此,全球气候变暖对“植物-害虫-天敌”的种间关系必然产生直接或间接的影响,导致不同昆虫之间以及昆虫与其相关营养层的物种之间的相互关系在气候变化下呈现出时间上的异步性和空间上的错位,从而影响植物的适应性和抗虫性、害虫的发生规律和危害程度以及天敌的种群消长和控害效能.昆虫除了可以通过休眠或滞育的方式在时间上避开高温的影响外,还可以通过迁飞或移动的方式在空间上避开高温的影响,在这种迁移和扩散不同步的情况下可能使害虫食性和取食植物的害虫及其天敌的种类发生变化,从而改变生物群落的组成与结构,影响生态系统的服务和功能.     

全球气候变暖对“植物-害虫-天敌”互作系统的影响

全球气候变化是近来人类关注的焦点问题,其最显著的特征是气候变暖。因为昆虫具有生活周期短、繁殖率高等特点,所以,气候变暖对昆虫的发育、繁殖和存活会产生强烈的直接影响。气候变暖促使一些昆虫提前春天的物候现象,向高纬度或高海拔地区迁移。然而,昆虫在自然界并非孤立地存在,它们与寄主植物和自然天敌相互联系、相互作用,并在长期的进化过程中逐渐适应特定区域的气候条件。因此,全球气候变暖对"植物-害虫-天敌"的种间关系必然产生直接或间接的影响,导致不同昆虫之间以及昆虫与其相关营养层的物种之间的相互关系在气候变化下呈现出时间上的异步性和空间上的错位,从而影响植物的适应性和抗虫性、害虫的发生规律和危害程度以及天敌的种群消长和控害效能。昆虫除了可以通过休眠或滞育的方式在时间上避开高温的影响外,还可以通过迁飞或移动的方式在空间上避开高温的影响,在这种迁移和扩散不同步的情况下可能使害虫食性和取食植物的害虫及其天敌的种类发生变化,从而改变生物群落的组成与结构,影响生态系统的服务和功能。     

Electrochemical healing similarities between animals and plants.

A brief summary of the major results in enhanced wound healing by electrolysis in animals and humans is presented along with the results of enhanced growth by electrolysis in plants. Hypotheses of normal and enhanced wound healing in animal and plants are reviewed. A comparison of the experimental results indicates strong similarities in the optimum magnitude and polarity of the externally applied galvanic current in animals and plants. There are, however, differences in optimum current densities, There are strong similarities in animal and plant electropotential changes during normal healing.     

Conservation of boundary extension mechanisms between plants and animals

Locomotion clearly sets plants and animals apart. However, recent studies in higher plants reveal cell-biological and molecular features similar to those observed at the leading edge of animal cells and suggest conservation of boundary extension mechanisms between motile animal cells and nonmotile plant cells.     

Community heterogeneity and the evolution of interactions between plants and insect herbivores

Plant communities vary tremendously in terms of productivity, species diversity, and genetic diversity within species. This vegetation heterogeneity can impact both the likelihood and strength of interactions between plants and insect herbivores. Because altering plant-herbivore interactions will likely impact the fitness of both partners, these ecological effects also have evolutionary consequences. We review several hypothesized and well-documented mechanisms whereby variation in the plant community alters the plant-herbivore interaction, discuss potential evolutionary outcomes of each of these ecological effects, and conclude by highlighting several avenues for future research. The underlying theme of this review is that the neighborhood of plants is an important determinant of insect attack, and this results in feedback effects on the plant community. Because plants exert selection on herbivore traits and, reciprocally, herbivores exert selection on plant-defense traits, variation in the plant community likely contributes to spatial and temporal variation in both plant and insect traits, which could influence macroevolutionary patterns.     

蔬菜害虫及其天敌昆虫群落多样性和相关性研究

在比较脆弱的菜田生态系统中,蔬菜害虫和天敌如果没有人为防治的干扰,天敌群落和害虫群落在结构上有动态的消长规律。江淮地区蔬菜害虫主要为菜缢管蚜(Brevicoryae brassicae)、瓜绢螟(Diaphania indica)、朱砂叶螨(Tetranychus cinnabarinus)及桃蚜(Myzus persicae)等;昆虫天敌主要为异色瓢虫(Harmonia axyndis)、广赤眼蜂(Trichogramma evanescens)及七星瓢虫(Coccinella septempunctata)等。8月下旬～9月下旬,菜田昆虫种类丰富、个体发生量大,多样性指数及均匀度指数较大。经典型相关分析,蔬菜害虫和天敌群落间典型相关系数达极显著水平,其中载荷较大的指标为多样性指数和均匀度,即两个群落结构间的相关,主要是多样性指数和均匀度的相关。     

害虫生物型及其遗传机理

以农作物上5种重要害虫的生物型为例,简单地概括了分子标记在害虫生物型研究中的应用,重点阐述几种重要害虫如黑森瘿蚊,麦二叉蚜,褐飞虱,稻瘿蚊和烟粉虱等的生物型遗传变异机理。黑森瘿蚊、麦二叉蚜和稻瘿蚊的生物型由单基因控制,特定害虫生物型与作物基因型之间存在“基因_基因”关系;褐飞虱的致害性为多基因控制的数量性状;烟粉虱生物型的遗传变异机理尚不明确。还指出生物型遗传研究中待进一步解决的问题如生物型的遗传组成差异与致害力的关系等。     

Native Mediterranean plants as potential food sources for natural enemies of insect pests in olive groves

The diversity of native non-crop (weed) vegetation in agricultural landscapes can provide arthropod natural enemies with food sources and shelter, thus improving natural pest control and reducing dependence on chemical pesticides. Moreover, native plants to a region are uniquely positioned to provide cultural ecosystem services such as wild food and wild medicinal plants, as well as aesthetics values. The Mediterranean Basin is one of the world’s richest places in terms of plant diversity. Olive cultivation is the basic tree cultivation in the Mediterranean and dominates its rural landscape. The olive grove ecosystem, whose flora presents a notable resemblance to the flora of Mediterranean type ecosystems, is home to a myriad of species of insects, spiders and other arthropods. This includes over one hundred phytophagous species, plus an uncounted number of entomophagous that help to reduce phytophagous populations. Here we present data on flowering plant species from the ground cover of olive groves, store information on characteristics of plant species namely physiognomic type and flowering period, geographic information and some statistical values on olive groves study area and records in the flora of visitor arthropods and cultural ecosystem services. The data include information on 36 olive groves, 100 flora species (taxa), of which 86 native in Portugal, 5 endemic to Iberian Peninsula and 4 endemic to Portugal Continental, and present also a summary of the records of visitor arthropods in these flora (i.e. 2 classes, 6 orders and 12 families).     

New alien insect pests to Portugal on urban ornamental plants and additional data on recently introduced species

The spread of invasive pests is an important topic in pest control and early detection is crucial for containment of invasive aliens. In this study the results of recent surveys on alien insects of ornamental urban plants in Portugal are reported. Overall, 13 alien species associated with allochthonous ornamental plants were recorded. Seven of these pests are new to the Portuguese fauna: Tinocallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy); Illinoia liriodendri (Monell); Appendiseta robiniae (Gillette) (Hemiptera: Aphididae); Acizzia jamatonica (Kuwayama) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae); Dasineura gleditchiae (Osten Sacken); Obolodiplosis robiniae (Haldeman) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae); and Phytoliriomyza jacarandae Steyskal & Spencer (Diptera: Agromyzidae). Additional distribution data are also provided for other recently introduced alien pests in Portugal: Myzocallis (Lineomyzocallis) walshii (Monell) (Hemiptera: Aphididae); Platycorypha nigrivirga Burckhardt; Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hemiptera: Psyllidae); Calophya schini Tuthill (Hemiptera: Calophyidae); Corythucha ciliata (Say) (Hemiptera: Tingidae); and Lantanophaga pusillidactylus (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae). Three species in particular (Illinoia liriodendri, Obolodiplosis robiniae and Phytoliriomyza jacarandae) were not previously found in the Iberian Peninsula. Details on current distribution, host plants and biological remarks are given for each species. Possible origin areas, pathways and impacts are also discussed.     

Movement of insect pests in agricultural landscapes

Insect pests continue to exact a high toll on agricultural production, in spite of intense agrochemical input. The movement of insect pests from one place to another underlies their abundance and distribution in space and time, hence, ultimately, the extent of the inflicted crop damage. An improved understanding of dispersal mechanisms assists the deployment of sustainable pest management practices. Here, we review the latest advances in the study of the dispersal of herbivore insect pests in contemporary agro‐ecosystems. We address the factors triggering dispersal in typical agricultural landscapes, the contribution of agro‐ecosystem design and management to dispersal patterns, and the wider implications of natural and human‐mediated dispersal. Integrating practical knowledge with evolutionary theory holds the potential to improve predictions on how insect pests respond to present and future challenges imposed by changes of climate and land use.     

Plasticity comparisons between plants and animals: Concepts and mechanisms

This review attempts to present an integrated update of the issue of comparisons of phenotypic plasticity between plants and animals by presenting the problem and its integrated solutions via a whole-organism perspective within an evolutionary framework. Plants and animals differ in two important aspects: mobility and longevity. These features can have important implications for plasticity, and plasticity may even have facilitated greater longevity in plants. Furthermore, somatic genetic mosaicism, intra-organismal selection, and genomic instability contribute to the maintenance of an adaptive phenotype that is especially relevant to long-lived plants. It is contended that a cross-kingdom phylogenetic examination of sensors, messengers and responses that constitute the plasticity repertoire would be more useful than dichotomizing the plant and animal kingdoms. Furthermore, physicochemical factors must be viewed cohesively in the signal reception and transduction pathways leading to plastic responses. Comparison of unitary versus modular organisms could also provide useful insights into the range of expected plastic responses. An integrated approach that combines evolutionary theory and evolutionary history with signal-response mechanisms will yield the most insights into phenotypic plasticity in all its forms.Key words: electrical signaling, genomic instability, mechanotransduction, phenotypic plasticity, plant volatiles, reactive oxygen species, ROS signaling     

广东国兰虫害发生调查

2009年12月至2013年3月,调查了广东省国兰虫害种类及其危害,调查结果表明：在广东为害国兰的节肢动物有：半翅目的牡蛎蚧Lepidosaphinae、褐软蜡蚧Coccus hesperidum (Linnaeus)和蚜虫Aphidae、缨翅目的兰花蓟马Dichromothrips corbetti (Priesner)、直翅目的Locustoidea、螽斯Tettigoniidae、鳞翅目的蓑蛾Psychidae以及软体动物蜗牛和蛞蝓等9种（类）有害生物,并对国兰虫害的为害状和发生情况进行了简要描述,以期为国兰虫害的诊断和预防提供指导。     

植物耐虫性研究进展

本文简要介绍了植物耐虫性的含义、发生范围、耐虫性的进化过程和遗传特性、耐虫性机理以及影响植物耐虫性表达的非生物和生物因子。植物耐虫性机理的研究涉及光合作用能力变化、同化产物的再分配、内源激素的变化、休眠分生组织的激活和补偿生长、储藏器官的利用、植物物候学和植株株型结构的变化等。研究表明,植物受害后光合作用强度的变化与其耐虫性没有相关性,有些耐虫植物受害后光合作用能力增加,有些植物光合作用强度无明显影响或者下降较少; 害虫取食为害可促进耐虫植物的同化产物得到最大程度利用,能激活耐虫植物的休眠分生组织,产生超补偿作用; 耐虫植物受害部位细胞分裂素含量显著升高; 虫害引起物候学变化小的植物具有较强的耐虫性; 植物的冠层结构、叶形态、根茎比、茎蘖数等植株株型变化与耐虫性有关。影响植物耐虫性表达的因子主要有温度、大气CO₂浓度、土壤营养水平、农用化学物质、植株年龄、害虫分布类型和取食方式、植物共生物等。不同植物在相同温度下对同一种害虫的耐害性差异大,其主要原因可能是由于温度的变化引起同化产物的分配和再分配以及气孔关闭对气体交换和光合作用能力的影响; 生长在高CO₂含量大气中的植物,对害虫的为害有较强耐受性。土壤营养水平对植物耐虫性表达的影响大于温度,增施磷、钾肥可增加植物的耐虫性。聚集分布型害虫为害对植物造成的损失大于随机分布型和均匀分布型害虫,害虫的取食方式、传粉昆虫的活动、植物内生真菌和菌根真菌的感染均影响到植物耐虫性的表达水平。文中最后讨论了植物耐虫性在害虫综合治理中的重要性及应用前景。     

Shared signals and the potential for phylogenetic espionage between plants and animals

Until recently, the study and understanding of plant and animalsignalling and response mechanisms have developed independently.Recent biochemical and molecular work is producing a growinglist of elements involved in responses to biotic and abioticstimuli that are very similar across kingdoms. Some of the moreinteresting examples of these include prostaglandin/octadecanoid-mediatedresponses to wounding, steroid-based signalling systems, andpathogen-recognition mechanisms. Some of these similaritiesprobably represent evolutionary convergence; others may be ancestralto plants and animals. Ecological and evolutionary implicationsof such overlaps include the existence of pathogens that cancause disease in plants and animals, the ability of herbivoresto manipulate plant responses, usurpation of microbial mechanismsand genes by herbivorous animals and plants, evolution of plantdefenses exploiting shared signals in animals, and the medicinaluse of plants by humans. Comparative study of the signallingand response mechanisms used by plants, animals, and microbesprovides novel and useful insights to the ecology and evolutionof interactions across kingdoms.