TY - JOUR
T1 - Differential performance of a specialist and two generalist herbivores and their parasitoids on Plantago lanceolata
AU - Reudler Talsma, J.H.
AU - Biere, A.
AU - Harvey, J.A.
AU - van Nouhuys, S.
N1 - Reporting year: 2011
Metis note: 5051; WAG; TE
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - The ability to cope with plant defense chemicals
differs between specialist and generalist species. In this
study, we examined the effects of the concentration of the
two main iridoid glycosides (IGs) in Plantago lanceolata,
aucubin and catalpol, on the performance of a specialist and
two generalist herbivores and their respective endoparasitoids.
Development of the specialist herbivore Melitaea
cinxia was unaffected by the total leaf IG concentration in
its host plant. By contrast, the generalist herbivores
Spodoptera exigua and Chrysodeixis chalcites showed
delayed larval and pupal development on plant genotypes
with high leaf IG concentrations, respectively. This result is
in line with the idea that specialist herbivores are better
adapted to allelochemicals in host plants on which they are
specialized. Melitaea cinxia experienced less post-diapause
larval and pupal mortality on its local Finnish P. lanceolata
than on Dutch genotypes. This could not be explained by
differences in IG profiles, suggesting that M. cinxia has
adapted in response to attributes of its local host plants
other than to IG chemistry. Development of the specialist
parasitoid Cotesia melitaearum was unaffected by IG
variation in the diet of its host M. cinxia, a response that
was concordant with that of its host. By contrast, the
development time responses of the generalist parasitoids
Hyposoter didymator and Cotesia marginiventris differed
from those of their generalist hosts, S. exigua and C.
chalcites. While their hosts developed slowly on high-IG
genotypes, development time of H. didymator was
unaffected. Cotesia marginiventris actually developed
faster on hosts fed high-IG genotypes, although they then
had short adult longevity. The faster development of C.
marginiventris on hosts that ate high-IG genotypes is in
line with the “immunocompromized host” hypothesis,
emphasizing the potential negative effects of toxic allelochemicals
on the host’s immune response.
AB - The ability to cope with plant defense chemicals
differs between specialist and generalist species. In this
study, we examined the effects of the concentration of the
two main iridoid glycosides (IGs) in Plantago lanceolata,
aucubin and catalpol, on the performance of a specialist and
two generalist herbivores and their respective endoparasitoids.
Development of the specialist herbivore Melitaea
cinxia was unaffected by the total leaf IG concentration in
its host plant. By contrast, the generalist herbivores
Spodoptera exigua and Chrysodeixis chalcites showed
delayed larval and pupal development on plant genotypes
with high leaf IG concentrations, respectively. This result is
in line with the idea that specialist herbivores are better
adapted to allelochemicals in host plants on which they are
specialized. Melitaea cinxia experienced less post-diapause
larval and pupal mortality on its local Finnish P. lanceolata
than on Dutch genotypes. This could not be explained by
differences in IG profiles, suggesting that M. cinxia has
adapted in response to attributes of its local host plants
other than to IG chemistry. Development of the specialist
parasitoid Cotesia melitaearum was unaffected by IG
variation in the diet of its host M. cinxia, a response that
was concordant with that of its host. By contrast, the
development time responses of the generalist parasitoids
Hyposoter didymator and Cotesia marginiventris differed
from those of their generalist hosts, S. exigua and C.
chalcites. While their hosts developed slowly on high-IG
genotypes, development time of H. didymator was
unaffected. Cotesia marginiventris actually developed
faster on hosts fed high-IG genotypes, although they then
had short adult longevity. The faster development of C.
marginiventris on hosts that ate high-IG genotypes is in
line with the “immunocompromized host” hypothesis,
emphasizing the potential negative effects of toxic allelochemicals
on the host’s immune response.
U2 - 10.1007/s10886-011-9983-7
DO - 10.1007/s10886-011-9983-7
M3 - Article
SN - 0098-0331
VL - 37
SP - 765
EP - 778
JO - Journal of Chemical Ecology
JF - Journal of Chemical Ecology
IS - 7
ER -