Sympatric host races of the European corn borer: adaptation to host plants and hybrid performance

The European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis, is a major pest of maize crops. In Europe, two sympatric host races are found: one feeds on maize (Zea mays) and the other mainly on mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). The two host races are genetically differentiated, seldom crossing in the laboratory or in the field, and females preferentially lay eggs on their native host species. We conducted two independent experiments, in field and greenhouse conditions, to determine whether the two host races are locally adapted to their host species. The effect of larval density and the performance of hybrids were also investigated. Despite some differences in overall larval feeding performance, both experiments revealed consistent patterns of local adaptation for survival and for larval weight in males. In females the same trend was observed but with weaker statistical support. F1 hybrids did not seem to be disadvantaged compared with the two parental races. Overall, our results showed that both host races are physiologically adapted to their native host. The fitness trade-off between the two host plants provides a potential driving force for ecological speciation in this species.     

The global invasion success of Central European plants is related to distribution characteristics in their native range and species traits

Aim Determining which traits predispose a species to become invasive is a fundamental question of invasion ecology, but traits affect invasiveness in concert with other factors that need to be controlled for. Here, we explore the relative effects of biological traits of plant species and their distributional characteristics in the native range on invasion success at two stages of invasion. Location Czech Republic (for native species); and the world (for alien species). Methods The source pool of 1218 species of seed plants native to Central Europe was derived from the flora of the Czech Republic, and their occurrence in 706 alien floras all over the world was recorded, distinguishing whether they were listed as an ‘alien’ or a ‘weed’ in the latest version of Randall’s ‘Global compendium of weeds’ database. The latter type of occurrence was considered to indicate species ability to invade and cause economic impact, i.e. a more advanced stage of invasion. Using the statistical technique of regression trees, we tested whether 19 biological traits and five distributional characteristics of the species in their native range can be used to predict species success in two stages of invasion. Results The probability of a species becoming alien outside its native distribution range is determined by the size of its native range, and its tolerance of a wide range of climates acquired in the region of origin. Biological traits play only an indirect role at this stage of invasion via determining the size of the native range. However, the ability of species to become a weed is determined not only by the above characteristics of native distribution, but also directly by biological traits (life form and strategy, early flowering, tall stature, generative reproduction, number of ploidy levels and opportunistic dispersal by a number of vectors). Species phylogenetic relatedness plays only a minor role; it is more important at the lowest taxonomic levels and at the later stage of invasion. Main conclusion The global success of Central European species as ‘weeds’ is determined by their distributional characteristics in the native ranges and by biological traits, but the relative importance of these determinants depends on the stage of invasion. Species which have large native ranges and are common within these ranges should be paid increased attention upon introductions, and the above biological traits should be taken into account in screening systems applied to evaluate deliberate introductions of alien plants to new regions.     

The effects of windthrow on plant species richness in a Central European beech forest

The effects of soil disturbance caused by the uprooting of a single or a few canopy trees on species richness and composition of vascular plant species and bryophytes were examined in a temperate beech forest (Fagus sylvatica) in northern Germany. We recorded the vegetation in 57 pairs of disturbed and adjacent undisturbed plots and established a chronosequence of mound ages to study the effect of time since microsite formation on plant species richness and composition. We found significant differences in plant species richness and composition between disturbed and adjacent undisturbed plots. Species richness of both vascular plants and bryophytes was higher in the disturbed than in the undisturbed plots, but these differences were more pronounced for bryophytes. We suggest that three main factors are responsible for this differential response. The availability of microsites on the forest floor that are suitable for the recruitment of bryophytes is lower than for vascular plants. Establishment of bryophytes in disturbed microsites is favoured by a greater abundance of propagules in the close vicinity and in the soil of the disturbed microsites, as well as by a greater variety of regeneration strategies in bryophytes than in vascular plants. Time since mound formation was a major factor determining plant species richness and composition. A significant decrease in the mean number of species was found from young mounds to intermediate and old mounds. However, differences were observed between vascular plants and bryophytes in the course of changes through time in species richness and composition. A large number of exclusive and infrequent vascular plant species was observed on young mounds, among them several disturbance specialists. We suggest that the establishment of many vascular plant species was infrequent and short-lived due to unfavourable light conditions and a low abundance of propagules. By contrast, the development of a litter layer was the main reason for the decreased mean number of bryophytes on old mounds. Our study supports the view that groups of species differing in important life history traits exhibit different responses to soil disturbance.     

Biodiversity of Asterina species on Neotropical host plants: new species and records from Panama

Two new species of the genus Asterina are described from living leaves collected in provinces Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro in western Panama. Asterina alloplecti on Alloplectus ichtyoderma (Gesneriaceae) differs from other Asterina on Gesneriaceae by its stalked appressoria and host relationship. Asterina compsoneurae on Compsoneura sprucei (Myristicaceae) can be distinguished from other members of Asterina on Myristicaceae by its larger ascomata, larger, prominently spinose ascospores and host relationship. New records for Panama are Asterina corallopoda from a new host plant species (Solanum trizygum, Solanaceae), A. diplopoda, A. ekmanii from a new host plant species (Gonzalagunia rudis, Rubiaceae), A. siphocampyli from a new host plant genus and species (Burmeistera vulgaris, Campanulaceae) and A. styracina from a new host-plant species (Styrax argenteus, Styracaceae). This study increases the number of species of Asterina known for Panama from 12 to 19 and the number of Asterinaceae from 14 to 21. Asterina corallopoda, A. diplopoda, A. ekmanii, A. siphocampyli and A. styracina are illustrated for the first time. A phylogeny inferred from the analysis of LSU rDNA sequences of species of Asterina is presented. The diversity and host-plant patterns of known Neotropical species of Asterina are discussed.     

Reproductive barriers between two sympatric beetle species specialized on different host plants

Knowledge on interspecific pre‐ and post‐zygotic isolation mechanisms provides insights into speciation patterns. Using crosses (F₁ and backcrosses) of two closely related flea beetles species, Altica fragariae and A. viridicyanea, specialized on different hosts in sympatry, we measured: (a) the type of reproductive isolation and (b) the inheritance mode of preference and host‐specific performance, using a joint‐scaling test. Each species preferred almost exclusively its host plant, creating strong prezygotic isolation between them, and suggesting that speciation may occur at least partly in sympatry. Reproductive isolation was intrinsic between females of A. fragariae and either A. viridicyanea or F₁ males, whereas the other crosses showed ecologically dependent reproductive isolation, suggesting ecological speciation. The genetic basis of preference and performance was at least partially independent, and several loci coded for preference, which limits the possibility of sympatric speciation. Hence, both ecological and intrinsic factors may contribute to speciation between these species.     

Identifying freshwater mussels (Unionoida) and parasitic glochidia larvae from host fish gills: a molecular key to the North and Central European species

Freshwater mussels (order Unionoida) represent one of the most severely endangered groups of animals due to habitat destruction, introduction of nonnative species, and loss of host fishes, which their larvae (glochidia) are obligate parasites on. Conservation efforts such as habitat restoration or restocking of host populations are currently hampered by difficulties in unionoid species identification by morphological means. Here we present the first complete molecular identification key for all seven indigenous North and Central European unionoid species and the nonnative Sinanodonta woodiana, facilitating quick, low-cost, and reliable identification of adult and larval specimens. Application of this restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) key resulted in 100% accurate assignment of 90 adult specimens from across the region by digestion of partial ITS-1 (where ITS is internal transcribed spacer) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products in two to four single digestions with five restriction endonucleases. In addition, we provide protocols for quick and reliable extraction and amplification of larval mussel DNA from complete host fish gill arches. Our results indicate that this new method can be applied on infection rates as low as three glochidia per gill arch and enables, for the first time, comprehensive, large-scale assessments of the relative importance of different host species for given unionoid populations.     

牧草盲蝽对七种寄主植物不同挥发物的EAG和行为反应

【目的】研究牧草盲蝽Lygus pmtensis对寄主植物挥发物的EAG及趋向行为反应,为研发牧草盲蝽引诱剂或趋避剂策略提供科学依据。【方法】利用固相微萃取方法收集7种寄主植物包括木地肤Kochia prostrata (L.) Schrad.、灰绿藜Chenopodium glaucum、花椰菜Brassica oleracea L.var.botrytis L.、小白菜Brassica campestris L.ssp.chinensis Makino、田旋花Convolvulus arvensis L.、小藜Chenopodium serotinum L.、番茄Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.的挥发物,通过室内气相-质谱联用系统(GC-MS)进行挥发物的定性及定量分析,最终测定了9种候选特征挥发物的触角电位(EAG)反应和嗅觉趋向行为反应。【结果】7种寄主植物共鉴定到的化合物有31种,且种类和含量有较大差异,差异显著。9种候选特征挥发物均能引起牧草盲蝽雌、雄成虫的EAG反应。其中牧草盲蝽雌、雄成虫对壬醛的EAG反应绝对值最大,雌、雄虫对不同植物挥发物质EAG反应相对值均有显著差异,且对同种化合物雌虫的反应相对值均大于雄虫的反应,乙酸顺式-3-己烯酯和壬醛引发的EAG反应值差异显著;趋向行为测定中,牧草盲蝽雌虫对壬醛、金合欢烯、α-蒎烯、1-石竹烯、乙酸顺式-3-己烯酯、2-甲基-1-醇的大部分浓度的行为反应差异显著,雄虫仅对α-蒎烯、壬醛的部分浓度的行为反应差异显著。【结论】7种寄主植物的挥发物对牧草盲蝽雌、雄成虫具有不同EAG和趋向行为反应影响,候选气味化合物可以作为设计牧草盲蝽引诱剂组分进行田间害虫防控实践。     

Locus-aware decomposition of gene trees with respect to polytomous species trees

Background

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), a process of acquisition and fixation of foreign genetic material, is an important biological phenomenon. Several approaches to HGT inference have been proposed. However, most of them either rely on approximate, non-phylogenetic methods or on the tree reconciliation, which is computationally intensive and sensitive to parameter values.

Results

We investigate the locus tree inference problem as a possible alternative that combines the advantages of both approaches. We present several algorithms to solve the problem in the parsimony framework. We introduce a novel tree mapping, which allows us to obtain a heuristic solution to the problems of locus tree inference and duplication classification.

Conclusions

Our approach allows for faster comparisons of gene and species trees and improves known algorithms for duplication inference in the presence of polytomies in the species trees. We have implemented our algorithms in a software tool available at https://github.com/mciach/LocusTreeInference.

     

A re-examination of the root cortex in wetland flowering plants with respect to aerenchyma

AIMS: We review literature and present new observations on the differences among three general patterns of aerenchyma origin and their systematic distributions among the flowering plants, and we clarify terminology on root aerenchyma. SCOPE: From our own previous works and some new observations, we have analysed the root cortex in 85 species of 41 families in 21 orders of flowering plants that typically grow in wetlands to determine the characteristic patterns of aerenchyma. FINDINGS: A developmental and structural pattern that we term expansigeny, as manifested by honeycomb aerenchyma, is characteristic of all aquatic basal angiosperms (the Nymphaeales) and basal monocots (the Acorales). Expansigenous aerenchyma develops by expansion of intercellular spaces into lacunae by cell division and cell expansion. Schizogeny and lysigeny, so often characterized in recent reviews as the only patterns of root cortex lacunar formation, are present in most wetland plants, but are clearly not present in the most basal flowering plants. CONCLUSION: We conclude that expansigeny is the basic type of aerenchyma development in roots of flowering plants and that the presence of expansigenous honeycomb aerenchyma in root cortices was fundamental to the success of the earliest flowering plants found in wetland environments.     

叶螨适应寄主植物的分子机制

叶螨作为一类重要的世界性农业害螨,是典型的r-对策生物,在生产中极难防控,易暴发成灾。由于叶螨个体小及迁移能力弱等生物学特性,致使叶螨对寄主植物的选择性较弱而适应性较强,如何尽快完成取食并抑制植物防御对叶螨的生存极为关键。叶螨以极小的口针刺吸植物表面的叶肉细胞获取营养物质,并通过肠道特有的巨型游离消化细胞完成营养物质的消化。长期进化中,叶螨形成了独特的取食及与寄主植物互作的策略。本文从叶螨取食不同寄主植物的种群适应性、解毒代谢和唾液效应子三个方面对该领域进行综述,旨在为叶螨与寄主植物互作的研究提供参考。     

寄生植物对寄主植物的化学识别

植物间寄生关系的研究近年来受到了广泛的重视。大量的研究表明,寄主释放的次生物质对植物间寄生关系的建立和维持起了重要的调节作用。寄主植物的次生物质对寄生植物的化学防御和昆虫授粉等生态功能起重要的作用,寄主植物次生物质对寄生植物生理与生态的调节作用是受寄生植物基因调节的。更为重要的是寄主植物释放的次生物质成为寄生植物的种子萌发和吸器发生的异源识别物质。能够刺激寄生植物种子萌发的次生物质主要是倍半萜和氢醌类物质,而诱导吸器发生的物质则是酚酸、醌和黄酮类化合物,诱导吸器发生的核心结构是对苯醌。这些异源识别物质大多是寄主植物释放的化感抑制物质,显示寄生植物在化学防御方面要比寄主植物高级。异源识别化合物的活性与其氧化潜力显著相关。由于寄生植物中存在一抑制异源识别物质诱导吸器发生的调节过程,因此吸器的产生与寄生植物根部接触异源识别物质的浓度与时间呈正相关关系,这一调节过程对寄生植物准确识别寄主并寄生其上是十分重要的。对寄生植物和寄主植物间的化学识别关系的揭示有助于人们防治有害寄生植物和开发利用有价值的寄生植物资源。     

棉花型和黄瓜型棉蚜对寄主植物的适合度

采用寄主转换建立生命表及触角电位 (EAG)方法比较了棉蚜两寄主专化型 (棉花型和黄瓜型 )对不同夏季作物的适合度。结果表明 ,棉花型蚜转到黄瓜上及黄瓜型蚜转接到棉花上均不能正常产仔繁殖和建立种群。两种蚜型均不能在茄子和苋菜上建立种群。黄瓜型蚜能在豇豆上建立种群 ,但棉花型蚜不能 ,表现出两种寄主型棉蚜对夏寄主利用上存在显著差异。受棉蚜为害 12～ 36 h后的黄瓜或棉花植株仍不适合于棉花型或黄瓜型蚜 ,表现出黄瓜型蚜不能在被棉花型蚜为害过的棉株上正常存活和繁殖 ,棉花型蚜也不能在被黄瓜型蚜为害过的黄瓜苗上存活和繁殖。两种寄主型蚜对不同寄主叶片丙酮提取物的触角电位表明 ,黄瓜型蚜对棉花、哈密瓜和马铃薯叶片提取物的反应显著强于棉花型蚜 ,而对黄瓜和甜瓜叶片提取物的反应上两种蚜型差异不显著。文中同时对棉花型和黄瓜型棉蚜产生的生态机制进行了讨论。     

Comparative embryology of threeGentianaceae species from the Central Caucasus and the European Alps

A comparative investigation was carried out on the ovule and seed development of three mountain species ofGentianaceae, the perennial speciesGentiana pyrenaica, and the two short-lived monocarpic speciesGentianella caucasea andG. germanica. In all three species most embryological characters conform to those generally found in the family of theGentianaceae. In some features, however,G. pyrenaica and the twoGentianella species differ from each other. InG. pyrenaica the ovule is anatropous, the integument 8–10 layered and the three reduced antipodals degenerate soon after fertilization. In contrast,G. caucasea andG. germanica form a hemitropous ovule, a 4–5 layered integument and up to 16 antipodal cells by secondary multiplication. All three species exhibit differences in synchronization between embryogenesis and endosperm development. Functional relations between the antipodal structure and the dynamics of seed development of the investigated species are postulated.     

Structure and dynamics of the parasitoid community shared by two herbivore species on different host plants

The structure of the parasitoid community on phytophagous insects can be affected by host plant properties, such as chemical compounds, trichomes, and glandular hairs. To clarify effects of host plants on herbivores and the parasitoid community, I examined the structure and dynamics of the parasitoid community associated with two species of Caloptilia moths (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) that feed on different Rhododendron species (Ericaceae) for 3 years in a temperate secondary forest in central Japan. Caloptilia azaleella had overlapping generations in summer and overwintered as larvae on leaves of R. macrosepalum. Caloptilia leucothoes also had overlapping generations in summer, but it did not overwinter on the deciduous shrub R. reticulatum. The parasitoid community of C. azaleella larvae and pupae was composed of 18 species, whereas that of C. leucothoes was composed of seven species. Five species of parasitoids attacked both Caloptilia species. The most abundant parasitoid, Apanteles cf. xanthostigma (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), more frequently attacked C. azaleella than C. leucothoes larvae. In contrast, another abundant parasitoid, Acrysocharoides sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), more frequently attacked C. leucothoes than C. azaleella larvae. This differential parasitism by the most abundant parasitoid species may be responsible for the differential structure and dynamics of the parasitoid community between the Caloptilia species. The host plant of C. azaleella, R. macrosepalum, more frequently trapped and killed parasitoids (of similar size to Acrysocharoides sp.) on the glandular hairs of leaves than did R. reticulatum. The differential effect of host plants on abundant parasitoids may be related to the differential parasitism by the two abundant parasitoids shared by the herbivore hosts.     

Differences in host selection and performance between B and Q putative species of Bemisia tabaci on three host plants

B and Q are two putative species of the Bemisia tabaci complex (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and are among the most invasive and destructive pests of crops and horticultural plants worldwide. In China, Q predominates and is displacing B. Although researchers have proposed that the higher capacity of Q to utilize host plants plays an important role in its replacement of B, there are few relevant field surveys and experimental studies. The difference in host assessment between B and Q in multiple‐choice rather than in no‐choice situations may be essential to understanding the displacement. Here, we compared settling and oviposition preferences, and adult and nymph performance, for the putative species B and Q of the B. tabaci complex on three common host species: poinsettia [Euphorbia pulcherrima Wild. ex Klotsch (Euphorbiaceae)], cotton [Gossypium hirsutum L. (Malvaceae)], and cabbage [Brassica oleracea L. (Brassicaceae)]. Although the preferred hosts for settling and oviposition were the same as those that supported maximum fitness (adult longevity, fecundity, and nymph survivorship), these hosts differed between B and Q. When given a choice, B preferred to settle and oviposit on cabbage over poinsettia and cotton, whereas Q preferred to settle and oviposit on poinsettia and cotton over cabbage. In a no‐choice experiment, adult longevity, fecundity, and nymphal survival for B were greater on cabbage than on poinsettia and cotton, but the opposite was true for Q.     

Species richness of herbivores on exotic host plants increases with time since introduction of the host

Aim Species richness of insect herbivores feeding on exotic plants increases with abundance as well as range size of the host in the area of introduction. The formation of these herbivore assemblages requires a certain amount of time, and the richness of insect faunas should also increase with the length of time an exotic plant has been present in the introduced range. Location Central Europe. Methods We analysed the variation in species richness of leaf‐chewing Lepidoptera larvae and sap‐sucking Auchenorrhyncha (Hemiptera) associated with 103 exotic woody plant species in Germany in relation to time since introduction, range size, growth form (trees versus shrubs), biogeographical origin (distance from Central Europe) and taxonomic isolation of the host plant (presence or absence of a native congener in the introduced area). Results Using simple correlation analyses we found for Lepidoptera and Auchenorrhyncha that species richness increased with time since introduction of the host plant. For the Lepidoptera the increase of species richness with time since introduction remained significant even after removing the effects of all other independent variables. Main conclusions Our results provide some evidence that assemblages of insects on exotic plants do not reach saturation within a time scale of few hundred years. This contrasts with previous findings for crop plants.     

烟粉虱在七种寄主植物上的生命表参数分析

在恒温25℃下,组建了烟粉虱在黄瓜、茄子、番茄、烟草、辣椒、甘蓝和菜豆等7种寄主植物上的实验种群生命表。结果表明,烟粉虱在不同寄主植物上的存活曲线差异明显,各寄主植物上以1,2龄若虫和成虫死亡率最高,3龄和伪蛹期死亡较少甚至不死亡;各寄主植物上烟粉虱的内禀增长率在0．2445～0．3424之间,以番茄上的rm最大,菜豆上的rm最小。讨论了烟粉虱的发展趋势和防治对策。     

Ecological significance of leaf life span among Central European grass species

Interspecific variation in leaf life span reflects the variation in nutrient conservation ability among different plant species and is considered to be associated with nutrient availability in the characteristic habitat. As defoliation interferes with nutrient conservation by the long-lived leaves, we hypothesized that disturbance rate is another important environmental factor working as a selective force on interspecific variation in leaf life span. In order to investigate this, we measured leaf life span of 32 grass species in mature garden-grown individuals. Variation in leaf life span was compared to measured leaf traits, to available data on species occurrence along gradients of nutrient availability and disturbance, and to published relative growth rates of the species. Leaf life span was associated positively with leaf tissue mass density and negatively with specific leaf area. Leaf life span correlated negatively with the disturbance rate in the characteristic habitat of a species, but not with nutrient availability. The latter relationship did not come about due to the long leaf life spans of species from nutrient-rich habitats with a relatively low disturbance rate, and to some extent also due to the short leaf life spans of annual species from relatively nutrient-poor sites. We conclude that although leaf longevity is an important means of reducing nutrient losses, this is a selective advantage only if the plant is not subjected to frequent defoliation. The frequently postulated association between leaf life span of a species and nutrient availability in its characteristic habitat may occur among species of habitats with positively correlated nutrient availability and disturbance rate. Leaf life span is negatively associated with seedling RGR, but there may be deviations in this relationship due to species with contrasting characteristics at seedling stage and at maturity.