Genetic variation in resistance to leaf fungus indirectly affects spider density

Relationships between the Pathogen Erysiphe alphitoides, the Phytophagous Mite Schizotetranychus garmani (Acari: Tetranychidae) and the Predatory Mite Euseius finlandicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Oak

Simple Summary

Knowledge about the relationships between plant pathogens, arthropods, and their natural enemies is scarce. We studied the relationships between the plant fungal pathogen, Erysiphe alphitoides, the phytophagous mite Schizotetranychus garmani, and the predatory mite Euseius finlandicus in leaves of pedunculate oak. In June, July and August 2016, in 30 trees located in three forests near Belgrade, Serbia, the presence of E. alphitoides, S. garmani and E. finlandicus was assessed. The occurrence of E. alphitoides was high where the population of S. garmani was high. However, the presence of the leaf pathogen E. alphitoides was not related to the amount of the predatory mite E. finlandicus. The relationships between powdery mildew and the two mite species were stable across time and space, and the presence of one mite was not influenced by the presence of the other mite.

Abstract

Food webs on forest trees include plant pathogens, arthropods, and their natural enemies. To increase the understanding of the impact of a plant pathogen on herbivore-natural enemy interactions, we studied the powdery mildew fungus Erysiphe alphitoides, the phytophagous mite Schizotetranychus garmani, and the predatory and mycophagous mite Euseius finlandicus in pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) leaves. In June, July and August of 2016, we assessed the severity of powdery mildew, mite population density and adult female mite size in 30 trees in three forests near Belgrade, Serbia. In August, the infection severity of E. alphitoides related positively to the population density of S. garmani and negatively to the body size of S. garmani females. Throughout the vegetative season, the infection severity of E. alphitoides related positively to the population density of E. finlandicus but not to its body size. The effect of E. alphitoides on the population density and adult size of S. garmani was not mediated by the population density of E. finlandicus, and vice versa. Interactions were consistent in all forests and varied with the summer month. Our findings indicate that E. alphitoides can influence the average body size and population densities of prey and predatory mites studied, irrespective of predator-prey relationships.

Soil precipitation legacies influence intraspecific plant-soil feedback

Feedbacks between plants and soil microbial communities can play an important role in structuring plant communities. However, little is known about how soil legacies caused by environmental disturbances such as drought and extreme precipitation events may affect plant-soil feedback or whether plant-soil feedback operates within species as it does between species. If soil legacies alter plant-soil feedback among genotypes within a plant species, then soil legacies may alter the diversity within plant populations. We conducted a fully factorial pairwise plant-soil feedback experiment to test how precipitation legacies influenced intraspecific plant-soil feedbacks among three genotypes of a dominant grass species, Panicum virgatum. Panicum virgatum experienced negative intraspecific plant-soil feedback, i.e., genotypes generally performed worse on soil from the same genotype than different genotypes. Soil precipitation legacies reversed the rank order of the strength of negative feedback among the genotypes. Feedback is often positively correlated with plant relative abundance. Therefore, our results suggest that soil precipitation legacies may alter the genotypic composition of P. virgatum populations, favoring genotypes that develop less negative feedback. Changes in intraspecific diversity will likely further affect community structure and ecosystem functioning, and may constrain the ability of populations to respond to future changes in climate.