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Lemos F, Bajda S, Duarte MVA, Alba JM, Van Leeuwen T, Pallini A, Sabelis MW, Janssen A. Imperfect diet choice reduces the performance of a predatory mite. Oecologia 2023; 201:929-939. [PMID: 36947271 PMCID: PMC10113300 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05359-0] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Two mutually unexclusive hypotheses prevail in the theory of nutritional ecology: the balanced diet hypothesis states that consumers feed on different food items because they have complementary nutrient and energy compositions. The toxin-dilution hypothesis poses that consumers feed on different food items to dilute the toxins present in each. Both predict that consumers should not feed on low-quality food when ample high-quality food forming a complete diet is present. We investigated the diet choice of Phytoseiulus persimilis, a predatory mite of web-producing spider mites. It can develop and reproduce on single prey species, for example the spider mite Tetranychus urticae. A closely related prey, T. evansi, is of notorious bad quality for P. persimilis and other predator species. We show that juvenile predators feeding on this prey have low survival and do not develop into adults. Adults stop reproducing and have increased mortality when feeding on it. Feeding on a mixed diet of the two prey decreases predator performance, but short-term effects of feeding on the low-quality prey can be partially reversed by subsequently feeding on the high-quality prey. Yet, predators consume low-quality prey in the presence of high-quality prey, which is in disagreement with both hypotheses. We suggest that it is perhaps not the instantaneous reproduction on single prey or mixtures of prey that matters for the fitness of predators, but that it is the overall reproduction by a female and her offspring on an ephemeral prey patch, which may be increased by including inferior prey in their diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Lemos
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Acarology, Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, 36, Viçosa, MG, 570-000, Brazil
- Ecofit- Bioinsumos, Araxá, MG, Brazil
| | - Sabina Bajda
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marcus V A Duarte
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Acarology, Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, 36, Viçosa, MG, 570-000, Brazil
- R&D Department, Biobest Group NV, Westerlo, Belgium
| | - Juan M Alba
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Angelo Pallini
- Laboratory of Acarology, Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, 36, Viçosa, MG, 570-000, Brazil
| | - Maurice W Sabelis
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arne Janssen
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Acarology, Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, 36, Viçosa, MG, 570-000, Brazil.
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Martinek P, Kula E, Hedbávný J. Reactions of Melolontha hippocastani adults to high manganese content in food. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 148:37-43. [PMID: 29031117 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.10.020] [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: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Rapid adaptation of insect species to environmental changes can be advantageous for their development. Forest cockchafer (Melolontha hippocastani) is herbivorous insect species with high food intake that has been widely studied within European conditions. It can cause huge economic and ecological losses especially in oak-dominated forest stands. Food preference of this species is mainly comprised of trees with a potential to accumulate manganese in their assimilation apparatus. In order to determine cockchafer's reactions to increased Mn concentration in its food, the adults were reared in laboratory conditions controlled for temperature, humidity, and light on a natural diet of oak (Quercus petraea) leaves. Food was contaminated by soaking in solutions of MnCl2·4H2O in concentrations from 0.5 to 10mgml-1. Food consumption, activity period of adults, quantity of eggs laid, body weights of individuals, as well as Mn concentrations in unconsumed food, excrement, and the bodies of cockchafers were determined to indicate how these change in reaction to food quality altered in terms of Mn content. The results showed that very high Mn content in the diet significantly influenced food consumption by M. hippocastani adults and thereby their development. This was in spite of the tendency of individuals to expel Mn through the faeces and incorporate it into undetermined parts of their bodies. Negative reactions of the experimental population were determined in treatments fed leaves with Mn concentration of 1800ppm and more. Our experiment proved that Mn can greatly influence the phytophagous cockchafer (decreased feeding time, food consumption, and fertility).
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Martinek
- Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Emanuel Kula
- Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Hedbávný
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
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Santos KFA, Zanuzo Zanardi O, de Morais MR, Jacob CRO, de Oliveira MB, Yamamoto PT. The impact of six insecticides commonly used in control of agricultural pests on the generalist predator Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 186:218-226. [PMID: 28780449 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.07.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Hippodamia convergens is an important predator found in different agroecosystems. We evaluated the impacts of six insecticides on eggs, larvae and adults of this predator. For eggs, all insecticides reduced larval hatching rates, but did not affect egg duration. Chlorpyrifos and phosmet reduced larval survival; and chlorpyrifos, etofenprox and phosmet prolonged the larva development time. The survival and duration of pupae were not affected by all insecticides tested. Chlorpyrifos reduced fecundity, fertility and longevity when eggs were sprayed. For first-instar larvae, chlorpyrifos, etofenprox, phosmet and imidacloprid caused 100% mortality, while azadirachtin and thiamethoxam caused 35.0 and 52.7% mortality, respectively. However, azadirachtin and thiamethoxam did not affect the other biological parameters of the predator. In adults, chlorpyrifos, etofenprox and phosmet reduced adult survival. Chlorpyrifos, etofenprox, and phosmet reduced fecundity and longevity, but did not affect fertility. Azadirachtin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam did not affect fecundity, fertility or longevity. Based on demographic parameters, all insecticides reduced the net reproductive rate (Ro), intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) of the predator when eggs were treated directly. Azadirachtin, chlorpyrifos, etofenprox and phosmet increased the mean generation time (T), while the effects of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam were similar to the control. When first-instar larvae were treated, azadirachtin and thiamethoxam reduced the Ro, r and λ. Thiamethoxam increased the T value, while the effects of the other insecticides were similar to the control. These insecticides should be used with caution, in order to reduce their harmful effects on the predator in agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenia Fernanda Aguiar Santos
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), 13418-900, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Odimar Zanuzo Zanardi
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), 13418-900, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Matheus Rovere de Morais
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), 13418-900, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cynthia Renata Oliveira Jacob
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), 13418-900, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Monique Bárbara de Oliveira
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), 13418-900, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro Takao Yamamoto
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture/University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), 13418-900, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
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