1
|
Chen Y, Lafleur C, Smith RJ, Kaur D, Driscoll BT, Bede JC. Trichoplusia ni Transcriptomic Responses to the Phytosaponin Aglycone Hederagenin: Sex-Related Differences. J Chem Ecol 2024; 50:168-184. [PMID: 38443712 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-024-01482-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Many plant species, particularly legumes, protect themselves with saponins. Previously, a correlation was observed between levels of oleanolic acid-derived saponins, such as hederagenin-derived compounds, in the legume Medicago truncatula and caterpillar deterrence. Using concentrations that reflect the foliar levels of hederagenin-type saponins, the sapogenin hederagenin was not toxic to 4th instar caterpillars of the cabbage looper Trichoplusia ni nor did it act as a feeding deterrent. Female caterpillars consumed more diet than males, presumably to obtain the additional nutrients required for oogenesis, and are, thus, exposed to higher hederagenin levels. When fed the hederagenin diet, male caterpillars expressed genes encoding trypsin-like proteins (LOC113500509, LOC113501951, LOC113501953, LOC113501966, LOC113501965, LOC113499659, LOC113501950, LOC113501948, LOC113501957, LOC113501962, LOC113497819, LOC113501946, LOC113503910) as well as stress-responsive (LOC113503484, LOC113505107) proteins and cytochrome P450 6B2-like (LOC113493761) at higher levels than females. In comparison, female caterpillars expressed higher levels of cytochrome P450 6B7-like (LOC113492289). Bioinformatic tools predict that cytochrome P450s could catalyze the oxygenation of hederagenin which would increase the hydrophilicity of the compound. Expression of a Major Facilitator Subfamily (MFS) transporter (LOC113492899) showed a hederagenin dose-dependent increase in gene expression suggesting that this transporter may be involved in sapogenin efflux. These sex-related differences in feeding and detoxification should be taken into consideration in insecticide evaluations to minimize pesticide resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yinting Chen
- Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Christine Lafleur
- Department of Animal Science, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Ryan J Smith
- Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Diljot Kaur
- Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Brian T Driscoll
- Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Jacqueline C Bede
- Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sun S, Yang Z, Ren J, Liu T, Jing X. Fitness of Nutrition Regulation in a Caterpillar Pest Mythimna separata (Walker): Insights from the Geometric Framework. INSECTS 2023; 14:937. [PMID: 38132610 PMCID: PMC10743772 DOI: 10.3390/insects14120937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
In nature, plants can contain variable nutrients depending upon the species, tissue, and developmental stage. Insect herbivores may regulate their nutrient intake behaviorally and physio- logically when encountering different foods. This study examined the nutritional regulation of the oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata, for the first time. In one experiment, we allowed the cater-pillars to choose between two nutritionally balanced but complementary diets. The caterpillars did not randomly consume the paired foods, but instead chose between the nutritionally balanced but complementary diets. This intake behavior was found to change with their developmental stages. Furthermore, the nutrient concentrations in food significantly impacted the insect's performance. In the other experiment, caterpillars were given one of eleven diets that reflected the different nutrient conditions in the field. The results showed that proteins were significantly associated with developmental time and fecundity. For example, by consuming protein-biased food, the caterpillars developed faster and produced more eggs. In contrast, carbohydrates were more strongly linked to lipid accumulation, and caterpillars accumulated more lipids when consuming the carbohydrate-biased food. Moreover, the caterpillars were also found to actively regulate their intake of proteins and carbohydrates based on food quality and to physiologically prepare for subsequent life stages. These findings enhance our understanding of how M. separata feeds and responds to different nutritional environments in the field, which could have implications for managing insect herbivores in agricultural settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shaolei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (S.S.); (Z.Y.); (J.R.); (T.L.)
- Fishery College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China
| | - Zhen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (S.S.); (Z.Y.); (J.R.); (T.L.)
| | - Jinchan Ren
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (S.S.); (Z.Y.); (J.R.); (T.L.)
| | - Tongxian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (S.S.); (Z.Y.); (J.R.); (T.L.)
| | - Xiangfeng Jing
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China; (S.S.); (Z.Y.); (J.R.); (T.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Le Gall M, Beye A, Diallo M, Cease AJ. Generational variation in nutrient regulation for an outbreaking herbivore. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Le Gall
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State Univ. Tempe AZ USA
| | - Alioune Beye
- Direction de la Protection des Végétaux Nganda Sénégal (retired)
| | - Mamadou Diallo
- Direction de la Protection des Végétaux Nganda Sénégal (retired)
| | - Arianne J. Cease
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State Univ. Tempe AZ USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State Univ. Tempe AZ USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hawkes M, Lane SM, Rapkin J, Jensen K, House C, Sakaluk SK, Hunt J. Intralocus sexual conflict over optimal nutrient intake and the evolution of sex differences in life span and reproduction. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | - Sarah M. Lane
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences Animal Behaviour Research Group University of Plymouth Plymouth UK
| | - James Rapkin
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | - Kim Jensen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn UK
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Silkeborg Denmark
| | - Clarissa M. House
- School of Science Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| | - Scott K. Sakaluk
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section School of Biological Sciences Illinois State University Normal IL USA
| | - John Hunt
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn UK
- School of Science Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith NSW Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rho MS, Lee KP. Behavioural and physiological regulation of protein and carbohydrates in mealworm larvae: A geometric analysis. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 136:104329. [PMID: 34826391 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Protein-carbohydrate regulation in the larvae of the mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor L.) was analyzed using the Geometric Framework for nutrition. In this study, the ingestive and post-ingestive responses were measured from T. molitor larvae that were subjected to choice and no-choice experiments. In the choice experiment, T. moitor larvae were simultaneously presented with one of two protein-biased foods (p35:c7 or p28:c5.6) and one of two carbohydrate-biased foods (p7:c35 or p5.6:c28). T. molitor larvae selected protein and carbohydrate in a ratio close to 1:1 over the first 15 days since the start of the experiment (days 0-15), but exhibited preference for carbohydrate-biased food over the next 15 days. The average protein:carbohydrate ratio selected over days 0-30 was 1:1.24. In the no-choice experiment, T. molitor larvae were restricted to one of seven foods with different protein and carbohydrate content (p0:c42, p7:c35, p14:c28, p21:c21, p28:c14, p35:c7, or p42:c0). On the p0:c42 food, consumption was greatly suppressed and no larvae completed their development. Across a range of these foods except p0:c42, T. molitor larvae consistently over-ate the surplus nutrient in the foods and showed a pattern of nutrient balancing similar to that previously described for other nutritional generalists. Despite having consumed substantially different amounts and ratios of macronutrients as larvae, T. molitor pupae in the no-choice food treatments had similar body nutrient composition, suggesting the presence of strong homeostatic regulation for body nutrient growth. Larval survivorship was significantly lower on two extremely imbalanced foods (p7:c35 and p42:0) than on more balanced foods. T. molitor larvae reared on p7:c35 suffered reduced biomass growth and delayed development compared with those on foods with higher protein content.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myung Suk Rho
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Pum Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Austel N, Böttcher C, Meiners T. Chemical defence in Brassicaceae against pollen beetles revealed by metabolomics and flower bud manipulation approaches. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2021; 44:519-534. [PMID: 33190271 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Divergence of chemical plant defence mechanisms within the Brassicaceae can be utilized to identify means against specialized pest insects. Using a bioassay-driven approach, we (a) screened 24 different Brassica napus cultivars, B. napus resyntheses and related brassicaceous species for natural plant resistance against feeding adults of the pollen beetle (Brassicogethes aeneus), (b) tested for gender-specific feeding resistance, (c) analysed the flower bud metabolomes by a non-targeted approach and (d) tested single candidate compounds for their antifeedant activity. (a) In no-choice assays, beetles were allowed to feed on intact plants. Reduced feeding activity was mainly observed on Sinapis alba and Barbarea vulgaris but not on B. napus cultivars. (b) Males fed less and discriminated more in feeding than females. (c) Correlation of the metabolite abundances with the beetles' feeding activity revealed several glucosinolates, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids and saponins as potential antifeedants. (d) These were tested in dual-bud-choice assays developed for medium-throughput compound screening. Application of standard compounds on single oilseed rape flower buds revealed highly deterrent effects of glucobarbarin, oleanolic acid and hederagenin. These results help to understand chemical plant defence in the Brassicaceae and are of key importance for further breeding strategies for insect-resistant oilseed rape cultivars.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Austel
- Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institute, Berlin, Germany
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Böttcher
- Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Torsten Meiners
- Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Le Gall M, Word ML, Beye A, Cease AJ. Physiological status is a stronger predictor of nutrient selection than ambient plant nutrient content for a wild herbivore. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 1:100004. [PMID: 36003608 PMCID: PMC9387501 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2020.100004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
There is generally a close relationship between a consumer's food and its optimal nutrients. When there is a mismatch, it is hypothesized that mobile herbivores switch between food items to balance nutrients, however, there are limited data for field populations. In this study, we measured ambient plant nutrient content at two time points and contrasted our results with the nutrient ratio selected by wild female and male grasshoppers (Oedaleus senegalensis). Few plants were near O. senegalensis' optimal protein:carbohydrate ratio (P:C), nor were plants complementary. Grasshoppers collected earlier all regulated for a carbohydrate-biased ratio but females ate slightly more protein. We hypothesized that the long migration undertaken by this species may explain its carbohydrate needs. In contrast to most laboratory studies, grasshoppers collected later did not tightly regulate their P:C. These results suggest that field populations are not shifting their P:C to match seasonal plant nutrient shifts and that mobile herbivores rely on post-ingestive mechanisms in the face of environmental variation. Because this is among the first studies to examine the relationship between ambient nutrient landscape and physiological state our data are a key step in bridging knowledge acquired from lab studies to hypotheses regarding the role ecological factors play in foraging strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Le Gall
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Mira L. Word
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Alioune Beye
- Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, Nganda, Senegal
| | - Arianne J. Cease
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Giery ST, Layman CA. Ecological Consequences Of Sexually Selected Traits: An Eco-Evolutionary Perspective. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1086/702341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
9
|
Rapkin J, Jensen K, House CM, Wilson AJ, Hunt J. Genotype-by-sex-by-diet interactions for nutritional preference, dietary consumption, and lipid deposition in a field cricket. Heredity (Edinb) 2018; 121:361-373. [PMID: 30089778 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-018-0130-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in feeding behaviour, especially the overconsumption of calories, has led to a rise in the rates of obesity, diabetes, and other associated disorders in humans and a range of animals inhabiting human-influenced environments. However, understanding the relative contribution of genes, the nutritional environment, and their interaction to dietary intake and lipid deposition in the sexes still remains a major challenge. By combining nutritional geometry with quantitative genetics, we determined the effect of genes, the nutritional environment, and their interaction on the total nutritional preference (TP), total diet eaten (TE), and lipid mass (LM) of male and female black field crickets (Teleogryllus commodus) fed one of four diet pairs (DPs) differing in the ratio of protein to carbohydrate and total nutritional content. We found abundant additive genetic variance for TP, TE, and LM in both sexes and across all four DPs, with significant genetic correlations between TE and TP and between TP and LM in males. We also found significant genotype-by-DP and genotype-by-sex-by-DP interactions for each trait and significant genotype-by-sex interactions for TE and LM. Complex interactions between genes, sex, and the nutritional environment, therefore, play an important role in nutrient regulation and lipid deposition in T. commodus. This finding may also help explain the increasing rate of obesity and the maintenance of sex differences in obesity observed across many animal species, including humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James Rapkin
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Kim Jensen
- Department of Bioscience, Terrestrial Ecology, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Clarissa M House
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK.,School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bay 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - John Hunt
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK. .,School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia. .,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bay 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Filipiak M. A Better Understanding of Bee Nutritional Ecology Is Needed to Optimize Conservation Strategies for Wild Bees-The Application of Ecological Stoichiometry. INSECTS 2018; 9:E85. [PMID: 30021977 PMCID: PMC6165546 DOI: 10.3390/insects9030085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The observed decline in wild bees may be connected to the decreasing diversity of flowering plants. Changes in floral composition shape nutrient availability in inhabited areas, and bee larvae need food rich in body-building nutrients to develop into adults. Adult food, mainly composed of energy-rich nectar, differs from larval food, mainly composed of pollen, and adult bees forage on different plant species for nectar and pollen. Defining bee-friendly plants based on the quantities of food produced, and on the visitation rates of adult pollinating insects leads to the planting of bee habitats with poor-quality food for larvae, which limits their growth and development, and negatively affects the population. Consequently, failing to understand the nutritional needs of wild bees may lead to unintended negative effects of conservation efforts. Ecological stoichiometry was developed to elucidate the nutritional constraints of organisms and their colonies, populations, and communities. Here, I discuss how applying ecological stoichiometry to the study of the nutritional ecology of wild bees would help fill the gaps in our understanding of bee biology. I present questions that should be answered in future studies to improve our knowledge of the nutritional ecology of wild bees, which could result in better conservation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michał Filipiak
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Tessnow AE, Behmer ST, Walsh TK, Sword GA. Protein-carbohydrate regulation in Helicoverpa amigera and H. punctigera and how diet protein-carbohydrate content affects insect susceptibility to Bt toxins. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 106:88-95. [PMID: 28733239 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Many animals, including insects, demonstrate a remarkable ability to regulate their intake of key macronutrients (e.g., soluble protein and digestible carbohydrates), which allows them to optimize fitness and performance. Additionally, regulating the intake of these two macronutrients enhances an animal's ability to defend itself against pathogens, mitigate the effects of secondary plant metabolites, and decrease susceptibility to toxins. In this study, we first compared how Bt-resistant and -susceptible lines of Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa punctigera regulate their intake of protein (p) and digestible carbohydrates (c). We found that there was no difference in the self-selected protein-carbohydrate intake target between resistant and susceptible genotypes of either species. We then explored the extent to which food protein-carbohydrate content altered the susceptibility of these species to three Bt toxins: Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab, and Vip3Aa. We found that H. armigera on diets that had protein-carbohydrate profiles that matched their self-selected protein-carbohydrate intake target were significantly less susceptible to Cry1Ac. In contrast, diet protein-carbohydrate content did not affect H. punctigera susceptibility to Cry1Ac. For both H. armigera and H. punctigera, susceptibility to Cry2Ab and Vip3Aa toxins did not change as a function of diet protein-carbohydrate profile. These results, when combined with earlier work on H. zea, suggest food protein-carbohydrate content can modify susceptibility to some Bt toxins, but not others. An increased understanding of how the nutritional environment can modify susceptibility to different Bt toxins could help improve pest management and resistance management practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Tessnow
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| | - Spencer T Behmer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Interdisciplinary Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Tom K Walsh
- CSIRO, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Gregory A Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Interdisciplinary Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Rohner PT, Teder T, Esperk T, Lüpold S, Blanckenhorn WU. The evolution of male‐biased sexual size dimorphism is associated with increased body size plasticity in males. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick T. Rohner
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Tiit Teder
- Department of ZoologyInstitute of Ecology and Earth SciencesUniversity of Tartu Tartu Estonia
- Department of EcologyFaculty of Environmental SciencesCzech University of Life Sciences Prague Praha 6 – Suchdol Czech Republic
| | - Toomas Esperk
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Department of ZoologyInstitute of Ecology and Earth SciencesUniversity of Tartu Tartu Estonia
| | - Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Wolf U. Blanckenhorn
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Genetic variation in compensatory feeding for dietary dilution in a generalist caterpillar. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7461. [PMID: 28784992 PMCID: PMC5547126 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07822-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing the rate of food consumption is a common adaptive strategy that allows herbivores to compensate for declines in nutrient concentrations in plant tissues. Herbivores that are better able to compensate for dietary dilution may have selective advantages under nutritionally poor conditions. In order for compensatory feeding to respond to selection, there must be standing heritable variation for this trait. However, empirical data substantiating the adaptive significance and genetic variability of compensatory feeding are rare. By employing a full-sib, split-brood design, this study presents quantitative genetic analyses on the nutrient consumption rates of the generalist caterpillar, Spodoptera exigua, raised on semi-synthetic diets differing in nutrient concentrations. When encountering a diluted diet, caterpillars exhibited a compensatory increase in food consumption rate, but the extent of this increase was not sufficient to fully compensate for dietary dilution. A significant gene-environment interaction for consumption rate indicated that the capacity of caterpillars to compensate for dietary dilution varied across genotypes. The broad-sense heritability of compensatory feeding was 0.51. Caterpillar genotypes with a higher compensatory capacity suffered lower performance losses on the diluted diet than did those with a lower capacity. This study has implications for understanding how herbivores can evolutionarily respond to nutritional challenges.
Collapse
|
14
|
Han CS, Dingemanse NJ. You are what you eat: diet shapes body composition, personality and behavioural stability. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:8. [PMID: 28073352 PMCID: PMC5223362 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0852-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Behavioural phenotypes vary within and among individuals. While early-life experiences have repeatedly been proposed to underpin interactions between these two hierarchical levels, the environmental factors causing such effects remain under-studied. We tested whether an individual's diet affected both its body composition, average behaviour (thereby causing among-individual variation or 'personality') and within-individual variability in behaviour and body weight (thereby causing among-individual differences in residual within-individual variance or 'stability'), using the Southern field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus as a model. We further asked whether effects of diet on the expression of these variance components were sex-specific. METHODS Manipulating both juvenile and adult diet in a full factorial design, individuals were put, in each life-stage, on a diet that was either relatively high in carbohydrates or relatively high in protein. We subsequently measured the expression of multiple behavioural (exploration, aggression and mating activity) and morphological traits (body weight and lipid mass) during adulthood. RESULTS Dietary history affected both average phenotype and level of within-individual variability: males raised as juveniles on high-protein diets were heavier, more aggressive, more active during mating, and behaviourally less stable, than conspecifics raised on high-carbohydrate diets. Females preferred more protein in their diet compared to males, and dietary history affected average phenotype and within-individual variability in a sex-specific manner: individuals raised on high-protein diets were behaviourally less stable in their aggressiveness but this effect was only present in males. Diet also influenced individual differences in male body weight, but within-individual variance in female body weight. DISCUSSION This study thereby provides experimental evidence that dietary history explains both heterogeneous residual within-individual variance (i.e., individual variation in 'behavioural stability') and individual differences in average behaviour (i.e., 'personality'), though dietary effects were notably trait-specific. These findings call for future studies integrating proximate and ultimate perspectives on the role of diet in the evolution of repeatedly expressed traits, such as behaviour and body weight.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chang S Han
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany. .,Current address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia.
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Rho MS, Lee KP. Balanced intake of protein and carbohydrate maximizes lifetime reproductive success in the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 91-92:93-99. [PMID: 27405009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent developments in insect gerontological and nutritional research have suggested that the dietary protein:carbohydrate (P:C) balance is a critical determinant of lifespan and reproduction in many insects. However, most studies investigating this important role of dietary P:C balance have been conducted using dipteran and orthopteran species. In this study, we used the mealworm beetles, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), to test the effects of dietary P:C balance on lifespan and reproduction. Regardless of their reproductive status, both male and female beetles had the shortest lifespan at the protein-biased ratio of P:C 5:1. Mean lifespan was the longest at P:C 1:1 for males and at both P:C 1:1 and 1:5 for females. Mating significantly curtailed the lifespan of both males and females, indicating the survival cost of mating. Age-specific egg laying was significantly higher at P:C 1:1 than at the two imbalanced P:C ratios (1:5 or 5:1) at any given age throughout their lives, resulting in the highest lifetime reproductive success at P:C 1:1. When given a choice, beetles actively regulated their intake of protein and carbohydrate to a slightly carbohydrate-biased ratio (P:C 1:1.54-1:1.64 for males and P:C 1:1.3-1:1.36 for females). The self-selected P:C ratio was significantly higher for females than males, reflecting a higher protein requirement for egg production. Collectively, our results add to a growing body of evidence suggesting the key role played by dietary macronutrient balance in shaping lifespan and reproduction in insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myung Suk Rho
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Pum Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bunning H, Bassett L, Clowser C, Rapkin J, Jensen K, House CM, Archer CR, Hunt J. Dietary choice for a balanced nutrient intake increases the mean and reduces the variance in the reproductive performance of male and female cockroaches. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:4711-30. [PMID: 27547307 PMCID: PMC4979701 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection may cause dietary requirements for reproduction to diverge across the sexes and promote the evolution of different foraging strategies in males and females. However, our understanding of how the sexes regulate their nutrition and the effects that this has on sex‐specific fitness is limited. We quantified how protein (P) and carbohydrate (C) intakes affect reproductive traits in male (pheromone expression) and female (clutch size and gestation time) cockroaches (Nauphoeta cinerea). We then determined how the sexes regulate their intake of nutrients when restricted to a single diet and when given dietary choice and how this affected expression of these important reproductive traits. Pheromone levels that improve male attractiveness, female clutch size and gestation time all peaked at a high daily intake of P:C in a 1:8 ratio. This is surprising because female insects typically require more P than males to maximize reproduction. The relatively low P requirement of females may reflect the action of cockroach endosymbionts that help recycle stored nitrogen for protein synthesis. When constrained to a single diet, both sexes prioritized regulating their daily intake of P over C, although this prioritization was stronger in females than males. When given the choice between diets, both sexes actively regulated their intake of nutrients at a 1:4.8 P:C ratio. The P:C ratio did not overlap exactly with the intake of nutrients that optimized reproductive trait expression. Despite this, cockroaches of both sexes that were given dietary choice generally improved the mean and reduced the variance in all reproductive traits we measured relative to animals fed a single diet from the diet choice pair. This pattern was not as strong when compared to the single best diet in our geometric array, suggesting that the relationship between nutrient balancing and reproduction is complex in this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Harriet Bunning
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Tremough Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
| | - Lee Bassett
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Tremough Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
| | - Christina Clowser
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Tremough Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
| | - James Rapkin
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Tremough Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
| | - Kim Jensen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Tremough Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK; Department of Entomology North Carolina State University Gardner Hall Raleigh North Carolina 27695-7613
| | - Clarissa M House
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Tremough Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
| | - Catharine R Archer
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Tremough Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK; MaxNetAging School Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research Konrad-Zuse-Straße 118057 Rostock Germany
| | - John Hunt
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Tremough Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Deans CA, Sword GA, Behmer ST. Nutrition as a neglected factor in insect herbivore susceptibility to Bt toxins. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 15:97-103. [PMID: 27436738 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2016.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The widespread global adoption of Bt crops elevates concerns about the evolution of Bt resistance in insect pest species. Current insecticide resistance management (IRM) strategies focus solely on genetic variation as a causal factor in the evolution of resistance, but ignore the role that environmental factors, such as nutrition, may play. In this opinion paper, we discuss the benefits that insect herbivores gain from consuming foods with protein-carbohydrate content that matches their self-selected protein-carbohydrate intake, and show that even within monocultures there is amply opportunity for insect herbivores to regulate their macronutrient intake. Next we review new data that show that dietary protein and carbohydrates can: firstly, have predictably strong effects on the survival and performance of caterpillars challenged with Bt toxins, and secondly, mediate plasticity in susceptibility to Cry1Ac, which can account for large differences in LC50 values. Nutrition-Bt interactions such as these have important implications for IRM, particularly given that diet-incorporated Bt bioassays commonly use artificial diets that vary substantially from their self-selected optimal diets, which likely results in underestimates of resistance in the field. Failing to bioassay larvae on ecologically-relevant diets can seriously confound the results of Bt resistance monitoring bioassays and undermine our ability to detect resistance in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C A Deans
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - G A Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - S T Behmer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Eveleigh E, Silk P, Leclair G, Mayo P, Francis B, Williams M. Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Oral Secretions I: Biology and Function. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 44:1641-1651. [PMID: 26454475 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvv156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The potential roles of the oral secretions (OS) of spruce budworm (SBW; Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens) larvae and factors that may affect the volume of OS disgorged were investigated in the laboratory. Experiments revealed that diet-fed SBW larvae readily disgorge OS when induced ("milked"), with minimal overall cost to their development and eventual pupal weight. Exposure of conspecific larvae to OS throughout larval development negatively affected survival and male pupal weight; however, male development time was faster when exposed to OS. Female pupal weight and development time were not affected. Preliminary experiments suggested that OS had a repellent effect on a co-occurring herbivore, the false hemlock looper, Nepytia canosaria (Walker). OS produced by larvae that fed on three host tree species and on artificial diet significantly increased the grooming time of ants (Camponotus sp.), indicating that SBW OS have an anti-predator function. The volume of OS is significantly greater in L6 than in L4 or L5, with the volume produced by L6 depending on weight and age as well as feeding history at time of milking. These findings indicate that SBW OS function as both an intra- and interspecific epideictic pheromone and as an anti-predator defensive mechanism, while incurring minimal metabolic costs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eldon Eveleigh
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Forestry Centre, PO Box 4000, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5P7, Canada
| | - Peter Silk
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Forestry Centre, PO Box 4000, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5P7, Canada.
| | - Gaëtan Leclair
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Forestry Centre, PO Box 4000, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5P7, Canada
| | - Peter Mayo
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Forestry Centre, PO Box 4000, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5P7, Canada
| | - Brittany Francis
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Forestry Centre, PO Box 4000, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5P7, Canada
| | - Martin Williams
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Forestry Centre, PO Box 4000, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5P7, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Jang T, Lee KP. The genetic basis for mating-induced sex differences in starvation resistance in Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 82:56-65. [PMID: 26358400 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Multiple genetic and environmental factors interact to influence starvation resistance, which is an important determinant of fitness in many organisms, including Drosophila melanogaster. Recent studies have revealed that mating can alter starvation resistance in female D. melanogaster, but little is known about the behavioral and physiological mechanisms underlying such mating-mediated changes in starvation resistance. In the present study, we first investigated whether the effect of mating on starvation resistance is sex-specific in D. melanogaster. As indicated by a significant sex×mating status interaction, mating increased starvation resistance in females but not in males. In female D. melanogaster, post-mating increase in starvation resistance was mainly attributed to increases in food intake and in the level of lipid storage relative to lean body weight. We then performed quantitative genetic analysis to estimate the proportion of the total phenotypic variance attributable to genetic differences (i.e., heritability) for starvation resistance in mated male and female D. melanogaster. The narrow-sense heritability (h(2)) of starvation resistance was 0.235 and 0.155 for males and females, respectively. Mated females were more resistant to starvation than males in all genotypes, but the degree of such sexual dimorphism varied substantially among genotypes, as indicated by a significant sex×genotype interaction for starvation resistance. Cross-sex genetic correlation was greater than 0 but less than l for starvation resistance, implying that the genetic architecture of this trait was partially shared between the two sexes. For both sexes, starvation resistance was positively correlated with longevity and lipid storage at genetic level. The present study suggests that sex differences in starvation resistance depend on mating status and have a genetic basis in D. melanogaster.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taehwan Jang
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Pum Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Deans CA, Sword GA, Behmer ST. Revisiting macronutrient regulation in the polyphagous herbivore Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): New insights via nutritional geometry. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 81:21-27. [PMID: 26141409 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 06/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Insect herbivores that ingest protein and carbohydrates in physiologically-optimal proportions and concentrations show superior performance and fitness. The first-ever study of protein-carbohydrate regulation in an insect herbivore was performed using the polyphagous agricultural pest Helicoverpa zea. In that study, experimental final instar caterpillars were presented two diets - one containing protein but no carbohydrates, the other containing carbohydrates but no protein - and allowed to self-select their protein-carbohydrate intake. The results showed that H. zea selected a diet with a protein-to-carbohydrate (p:c) ratio of 4:1. At about this same time, the geometric framework (GF) for the study of nutrition was introduced. The GF is now established as the most rigorous means to study nutrient regulation (in any animal). It has been used to study protein-carbohydrate regulation in several lepidopteran species, which exhibit a range of self-selected p:c ratios between 0.8 and 1.5. Given the economic importance of H. zea, and it is extremely protein-biased p:c ratio of 4:1 relative to those reported for other lepidopterans, we decided to revisit its protein-carbohydrate regulation. Our results, using the experimental approach of the GF, show that H. zea larvae self-select a p:c ratio of 1.6:1. This p:c ratio strongly matches that of its close relative, Heliothis virescens, and is more consistent with self-selected p:c ratios reported for other lepidopterans. Having accurate protein and carbohydrate regulation information for an insect herbivore pest such as H. zea is valuable for two reasons. First, it can be used to better understand feeding patterns in the field, which might lead to enhanced management. Second, it will allow researchers to develop rearing diets that more accurately reflect larval nutritional needs, which has important implications for resistance bioassays and other measures of physiological stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A Deans
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, TAMU 2475, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| | - Gregory A Sword
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, TAMU 2475, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program, Texas A&M University, TAMU 2475, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Spencer T Behmer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, TAMU 2475, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program, Texas A&M University, TAMU 2475, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Abstract
There is increasing interest in the proximate factors that underpin individual variation in suites of correlated behaviours. In this paper, we propose that dietary macronutrient composition, an underexplored environmental factor, might play a key role. Variation in macronutrient composition can lead to among-individual differentiation in single behaviours (‘personality’ ) as well as among-individual covariation between behaviours (‘behavioural syndromes’ ). Here, we argue that the nutritional balance during any life stage might affect the development of syndrome structure and the expression of genes with pleiotropic effects that influence development of multiple behaviours, hence genetic syndrome structure. We further suggest that males and females should typically differ in diet-dependent genetic syndrome structure despite a shared genetic basis. We detail how such diet-dependent multivariate gene-environment interactions can have major repercussions for the evolution of behavioural syndromes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chang S Han
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.,Research Group Evolutionary Ecology of Variation, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Lee KP, Jang T, Ravzanaadii N, Rho MS. Macronutrient Balance Modulates the Temperature-Size Rule in an Ectotherm. Am Nat 2015; 186:212-22. [PMID: 26655150 DOI: 10.1086/682072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Most ectotherms mature at a larger body size in colder conditions, a phenomenon known as the temperature-size rule. While a number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain this rule, little work has been done to understand it from a nutritional perspective. We have used the final-instar caterpillars of Spodoptera litura to investigate how dietary protein∶carbohydrate (P∶C) balance influences the relationship between temperature and body size. The strength and direction of the thermal reaction norm for body size were significantly altered by dietary P∶C balance. The slope of the reaction norm was nearly flat for caterpillars raised on a balanced food ([Formula: see text]) but was significantly negative for those on nutritionally imbalanced foods (1∶5 or 5∶1), especially when carbohydrates were in considerable excess. These nutrient-dependent effects of temperature on body size were caused mainly by corresponding changes in body lipid storage. When allowed to choose between imbalanced diets, caterpillars increased their preference for carbohydrates to meet high energy demands at higher temperatures. The slope of the thermal reaction norm for body size was substantially reduced by such a temperature-driven shift in nutrient preference, indicating that the impact of high temperature on body size was buffered by altered food selection. This study highlights the importance of macronutrient balance as a key factor modulating the relationship between temperature and body size in ectotherms and provides a novel approach for understanding the temperature-size rule.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kwang Pum Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Rho MS, Lee KP. Geometric analysis of nutrient balancing in the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 71:37-45. [PMID: 25308181 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 09/21/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Geometric analysis of the nutritional regulatory responses was performed on an omnivorous mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) to test whether this beetle had the capacity to balance the intake of protein and carbohydrate. We also identified the pattern of ingestive trade-off employed when the insect was forced to balance the costs of over- and under-ingesting macronutrients. When allowed to mix their diet from two nutritionally imbalanced but complementary foods (protein-biased food: p35:c7 or p28:c5.6; carbohydrate-biased food: p7:c35 or p5.6:c28), beetles of both sexes actively regulated their intake of protein and carbohydrate to a ratio of 1:1. When confined to one of seven nutritionally imbalanced foods (p0:c42, p7:c35, p14:c28, p21:c21, p28:c14, p35:c7 or p42:c0), beetles over-ingested the excessive nutrient from these foods to such an extent that all the points of protein-carbohydrate intake aligned linearly in the nutrient space, a pattern that is characteristic of generalist feeders and omnivores. Under the restricted feeding conditions, males ate more nutrients but were less efficient at retaining their body lipids than females. Body lipid content was higher on carbohydrate-rich foods and was positively correlated with starvation resistance. Our results are consistent with the prediction based on the nutritional heterogeneity hypothesis, which links the nutritional regulatory responses of insects to their diet breadth and feeding ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myung Suk Rho
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Pum Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Roeder KA, Behmer ST. Lifetime consequences of food protein-carbohydrate content for an insect herbivore. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karl A. Roeder
- Department of Entomology; Texas A&M University; College Station TX 77843 USA
- Department of Biology; University of Oklahoma; Norman OK 73019 USA
| | - Spencer T. Behmer
- Department of Entomology; Texas A&M University; College Station TX 77843 USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Lee KP, Kim JS, Min KJ. Sexual dimorphism in nutrient intake and life span is mediated by mating in Drosophila melanogaster. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
|
26
|
Walker LK, Armstrong DP, Brekke P, Chauvenet ALM, Kilner RM, Ewen JG. Giving hihi a helping hand: assessment of alternative rearing diets in food supplemented populations of an endangered bird. Anim Conserv 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. K. Walker
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
| | - D. P. Armstrong
- Wildlife Ecology Group; Institute of Natural Resources; Massey University; Palmerston North New Zealand
| | - P. Brekke
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
| | - A. L. M. Chauvenet
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
- Division of Biology; Imperial College London; Ascot Berkshire UK
| | - R. M. Kilner
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
| | - J. G. Ewen
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Laukkanen L, Leimu R, Muola A, Lilley M, Mutikainen P. Genetic factors affecting food-plant specialization of an oligophagous seed predator. J Evol Biol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Laukkanen
- Department of Biology; Section of Ecology; University of Turku; Turku Finland
| | - R. Leimu
- Department of Plant Sciences; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | - A. Muola
- Department of Biology; Section of Ecology; University of Turku; Turku Finland
| | - M. Lilley
- Department of Biology; Section of Ecology; University of Turku; Turku Finland
| | - P. Mutikainen
- Institute of Integrative Biology; ETH-Zürich; ETH-Zentrum; Zürich Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lee KP, Kwon ST, Roh C. Caterpillars use developmental plasticity and diet choice to overcome the early life experience of nutritional imbalance. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
29
|
Jensen K, Mayntz D, Toft S, Clissold FJ, Hunt J, Raubenheimer D, Simpson SJ. Optimal foraging for specific nutrients in predatory beetles. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:2212-8. [PMID: 22237910 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.2410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary theory predicts that animals should forage to maximize their fitness, which in predators is traditionally assumed equivalent to maximizing energy intake rather than balancing the intake of specific nutrients. We restricted female predatory ground beetles (Anchomenus dorsalis) to one of a range of diets varying in lipid and protein content, and showed that total egg production peaked at a target intake of both nutrients. Other beetles given a choice to feed from two diets differing only in protein and lipid composition selectively ingested nutrient combinations at this target intake. When restricted to nutritionally imbalanced diets, beetles balanced the over- and under-ingestion of lipid and protein around a nutrient composition that maximized egg production under those constrained circumstances. Selective foraging for specific nutrients in this predator thus maximizes its reproductive performance. Our findings have implications for predator foraging behaviour and in the structuring of ecological communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kim Jensen
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Molina GAR, Trumper EV. Selection of soybean pods by the stink bugs, Nezara viridula and Piezodorus guildinii. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2012; 12:104. [PMID: 23437991 PMCID: PMC3605025 DOI: 10.1673/031.012.10401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2011] [Accepted: 07/23/2012] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Different biological parameters of the stink bugs, Nezara viridula L. and Piezodorus guildinii Westwood (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), are affected by the developmental stage of the soybean (Glycine max Merrill) pods they feed on. These effects of the soybean on the stink bugs could represent a selection pressure leading to the ability of these species to discriminate the phenological stage of soybean pods, and, therefore, to exhibit feeding preferences. We designed three studies: (1) Distant detection of soybean pods through an olfactometer; (2) Free choice tests to evaluate preferences for soybean pods of different developmental stages; (3) No choice tests to study effects of soybean pod development on feeding time and number of probes. Stink bugs showed no differential response to olfactometer arms with or without soybean pods, suggesting an inability to detect soybean volatiles. Free choice tests showed no species effects on pods selection, but significant differences among fifth instar nymphs, adult male, and adult females. Fifth instar nymphs fed more frequently on soybean pods of advanced development stages compared to female adults, despite previous evidence showing poor development of stink bugs fed pods of the same stage. No choice tests showed significant effects of stink bug species, stink bug stage and sex, and soybean pod phenology. N. viridula expressed shorter feeding times and higher numbers of probes than P. guildinii. The highest numbers of probes of both species were observed when they were fed soybean pods in early phenological stages. When placed in direct contact with food, fifth instar nymphs prefered to feed on more developed pods, despite these pods being suboptimal food items. These results suggest that for the ecological time framework of soybean-stink bugs coexistence, around thirty-five years in Argentina, the selection pressure was not enough for stink bugs to evolve food preferences that match their performance on soybean pods of different development stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo A. R. Molina
- EEA INTA Manfredi, Seccion Entomología. Ruta Nacional 9 Km 636, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Eduardo V. Trumper
- EEA INTA Manfredi, Seccion Entomología. Ruta Nacional 9 Km 636, Cordoba, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|