Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T04:29:32.109Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Tent caterpillars are robust to variation in leaf phenology and quality in two thermal environments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2013

Rana M. Sarfraz ,
Heather M. Kharouba  and
Judith H. Myers
Rana M. Sarfraz*
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaV6T 1Z4
Heather M. Kharouba
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaV6T 1Z4
Judith H. Myers
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaV6T 1Z4
*
*Author for correspondence Phone: (604) 822-2131 Fax: (604) 822-2416 E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The synchrony between emergence of spring-active, insect herbivores and the budburst of their host plants could be affected by warming temperatures with influences on the availability and quality of foliage as it undergoes physical and chemical changes. This can affect the growth and survival of insects. Here, we used sun-exposed and shaded trees to determine whether the synchrony between egg hatch of western tent caterpillar, Malacosoma californicum pluviale Dyar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) and budburst of its host red alder, Alnus rubra Bongard (Betulaceae) changes with different thermal environments (temperature and light together). To explore the potential outcome of a shift in phenological synchrony, we used laboratory assays of larval growth and survival to determine the effect of variation in young, youthful and mature leaves from sun-exposed and shaded trees. While the average higher temperature of sun-exposed trees advanced the timing of budburst and egg hatch, synchrony was not disrupted. Leaf quality had no significant influence on growth or survival in the laboratory for early instars reared as family groups. Later instar larvae, however, performed best on mature leaves from sun-exposed trees. The robust relationship between leaf and larval development of western tent caterpillars suggests that warming climates may not have a strong negative impact on their success through shifts in phenological synchrony, but might influence other aspects of leaf quality and larval condition.

Keywords

phenologysynchronyinsect fitnessleaf qualityclimate warmingforest Lepidopterawestern tent caterpillars
Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 103 , Issue 5 , October 2013 , pp. 522 - 529
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aizen, M.A. & Patterson, W.A. (1995) Leaf phenology and herbivory along a temperature gradient: a spatial test of the phenological window hypothesis. Journal of Vegetable Science 6, 543–550.Google Scholar
Ayres, M.P. & MacLean, S.F. (1987) Development of birch leaves and the growth energetics of Epirrita autumnata (Geometridae). Ecology 68, 558–568.Google Scholar
Both, C., van Asch, M., Bijlsma, R.G., van den Burg, A.B. & Visser, M.E. (2009) Climate change and unequal phenological changes across four trophic levels: constraints or adaptations? Journal of Animal Ecology 78, 73–83.Google Scholar
Briggs, J.B. (1957) Some features of the biology of the winter moth (Operophtera brumata (L.)) on top fruits. Journal of Horticultural Science 32, 108–125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, C.E. (1962) The life history and dispersal of the Bruce spanworm, Operophtera bruceata (Hulst.) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). Canadian Entomologist 94, 1103–1107.Google Scholar
Brunner, J.F. (1993) Tent Caterpillars. Available online at http://jenny.tfrec.wsu.edu/opm/displaySpecies.php?pn=580. (accessed 3 October 2012).Google Scholar
Close, D.C. & McArthur, C. (2002) Rethinking the role of many plant phenolics – protection from photodamage not herbivores? Oikos 99, 166–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coley, P.D. (1980) Effects of leaf age and plant life history patterns on herbivory. Nature 284, 545–546.Google Scholar
Coley, P.D., Bryant, J.P. & Chapin, F.S. III (1985) Resource availability and plant antiherbivore defense. Science 230, 895–899.Google Scholar
Crone, E.E. & Jones, C.G. (1999) The dynamics of carbon–nutrient balance: effects of cottonwood acclimation to short- and long-term shade on beetle feeding preferences. Journal of Chemical Ecology 25, 635–656.Google Scholar
Donnelly, A., Caffarra, A. & O'Neill, B.F. (2011) A review of climate-driven mismatches between interdependent phenophases in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. International Journal of Biometeorology 55, 805–817.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dudt, J.F. & Shure, D.J. (1994) The influence of light and nutrients on foliar phenolics and insect herbivory. Ecology 75, 86–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dury, S.J., Good, F.G., Perrins, C.M., Buse, A. & Kaye, T. (1998) The effects of increasing CO2 and temperature on oak leaf palatability and the implications for herbivorous insects. Global Change Biology 4, 55–61.Google Scholar
Edland, T. (1971) Wind dispersal of the winter moth larvae Operophtera brumata L. (Lep., Geometridae) and its relevance to control measures. Norsk Entomologisk Tidsskrift (Norwegian Journal of Entomology) 18, 103–107.Google Scholar
Edwards, M. & Richardson, A.J. (2004) Impact of climate change on marine pelagic phenology and trophic mismatch. Nature 430, 881–884.Google Scholar
Endara, M.J. & Coley, P.D. (2011) The resource availability hypothesis revisited: a meta-analysis. Functional Ecology 25, 389–398.Google Scholar
Feeny, P. (1970) Seasonal changes in oak leaf tannins and nutrients as a cause of spring feeding by winter moth caterpillars. Ecology 51, 565–581.Google Scholar
Fitzgerald, T.D. (1995) The Tent Caterpillars. Ithaca, New York, USA. Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Fortin, M. & Mauffette, Y. (2001) Forest edge effects on the biological performance of the forest tent caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) in sugar maple stands. Ecoscience 8, 164–172.Google Scholar
Frid, L. & Myers, J.H. (2002) Thermal ecology of western tent caterpillars, Malacosoma californicum pluviale and infection by nucleopolyhedrovirus. Ecological Entomology 27, 665–673.Google Scholar
González-Hernández, M., Starkey, E. & Karchesy, J. (2000) Seasonal variation in concentrations of fiber, crude protein, and phenolic compounds in leaves of red alder (Alnus rubra): nutritional implications for cervids. Journal of chemical Ecology 26, 293–301.Google Scholar
Harrington, C.A., Zasada, J.C. & Allen, E.A. (1994) Biology of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.). pp. 3–22in Hibbs, D.E. & Tarrant, R.F. (Eds) The Biology and Management of Red Alder. Corvallis, Oregon State University Press.Google Scholar
Haukioja, E., Ossipov, V. & Lempa, K. (2002) Interactive effects of leaf maturation and phenolics on consumption and growth of a geometrid moth. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 104, 125–136.Google Scholar
Henriksson, J., Haukioja, E., Ossipov, V., Ossipova, S., Sillanpää, S., Kapari, L. & Pihlaja, K. (2003) Effects of host shading on consumption and growth of the geometrid Epirrita autumnata: interactive roles of water, primary and secondary compounds. Oikos 103, 3–16.Google Scholar
Herms, D.A. & Mattson, W.J. (1992) The dilemma of plants – to grow or defend? Quarterly Review of Biology 67, 283–335.Google Scholar
Hicks, B.J., Aegerter, J.N., Leather, S.R. & Watt, A.D. (2007) Asynchrony in larval development of the pine beauty moth, Panolis flammea, on introduced host plant may affect parasitoid efficacy. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 1, 213–220.Google Scholar
Hunter, A.F. & Elkinton, J.S. (2000) Effects of synchrony with host plant on populations of a spring-feeding lepidopteran. Ecology 81, 1248–1261.Google Scholar
Jones, B.C. & Despland, E. (2006) Effects of synchronization with host plant phenology occur early in the larval development of a spring folivore. Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, 628–633.Google Scholar
Kerslake, J.E. & Hartley, S.E. (1997) Phenology of winter moth feeding on common heather: effects of source population and experimental manipulation of hatch dates. Journal of Animal Ecology 66, 375–385.Google Scholar
Knapp, R. & Casey, T.M. (1986) Thermal ecology, behavior and growth of gypsy moth and eastern tent caterpillars. Ecology 67, 598–608.Google Scholar
Koricheva, J., Larsson, S., Haukioja, E. & Keinanen, M. (1998) Regulation of woody plant secondary metabolism by resource availability: hypothesis testing by means of meta-analysis. Oikos 83, 212–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Larsson, S. & Ohmart, C.P. (1988) Leaf age and larval performance of the leaf beetle Paropis atomaria. Ecological Entomology 13, 19–24.Google Scholar
Levesque, K.R., Fortin, M. & Mauffette, Y. (2002) Temperature and food quality effects on growth, consumption, and postingestive utilization efficiencies of the forest tent caterpillar Malacosoma disstria (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 92, 127–136.Google Scholar
Lincoln, D.E. & Mooney, H.A. (1984) Herbivory on Diplacus aurantiacus shrubs in sun and shade. Oecologia 64, 173–176.Google Scholar
Lindroth, R.L., Reich, P.B., Tjoelker, M.G., Volin, J.C. & Oleksyn, J. (1993) Light environment alters response to ozone stress in seedlings of Acer saccharum Marsh. and hybrid Populus L. III. Consequences for performance of gypsy moth. New Phytologist 124, 647–651.Google Scholar
Louda, S.M. & Rodman, J.E. (1996) Insect herbivory as a major factor in the shade distribution of a native crucifer (Cardamine cardifolia, A. Grey, bittercress). Journal of Ecology 84, 229–238.Google Scholar
Lowman, M.D. & Box, J.D. (1983) Variation in leaf toughness and phenolic content among five species of Australian rain forest trees. Australian Journal of Ecology 8, 17–25.Google Scholar
Miller, J.C., Hanson, P.E. & Kimberling, D.N. (1991) Development of the gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) on Douglas-fir foliage. Journal of Economic Entomology 84, 461–465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moon, D.C., Rossi, A.M. & Stiling, P. (2000) The effects of abiotically induced changes in host plant quality (and morphology) on a salt marsh planthopper and its parasitoid. Ecological Entomology 25, 325–331.Google Scholar
Moore, L.V., Myers, J.H. & Eng, R. (1988) Western tent caterpillars prefer the open side of the tree, but why? Oikos 51, 321–326.Google Scholar
Moran, P.J. & Showler, A.T. (2005) Plant responses to water deficit and shade stresses in pigweed and their influence on feeding and oviposition by the beet armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Environmental Entomology 34, 929–937.Google Scholar
Muth, N.Z., Kluger, E., Levy, J.H., Edwards, M.J. & Niesenbaum, R.A. (2008) Increased per capita herbivory in the shade: necessity, feedback, or luxury consumption? Ecoscience 15, 182–188.Google Scholar
Myers, J.H. (1992) Experimental manipulation of the phenology of egg hatch in cyclic populations of tent caterpillars. Canadian Entomologist 124, 737–742.Google Scholar
Myers, J.H. (2000) Population fluctuations of western tent caterpillars in southwestern British Columbia. Population Ecology 42, 231–241.Google Scholar
Nichols-Orians, C.M. (1991) The effects of light on foliar chemistry, growth and susceptibility of seedlings of a canopy tree to an attine ant. Oecologia 86, 552–560.Google Scholar
Niesenbaum, R.A. & Kluger, E.C. (2006) When studying the effects of light on herbivory, should one consider temperature? The case of Epimecis hortaria F. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) feeding on Lindera benzoin L. (Lauraceae). Environmental Entomology 35, 600–606.Google Scholar
Parmesan, C. (2007) Influences of species, latitudes and methodologies on estimates of phenological response to global warming. Global Change Biology 13, 1860–1872.Google Scholar
Parry, D., Spence, J.R. & Volney, W.J.A. (1998) Budbreak phenology and natural enemies mediate survival of first-instar forest tent caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae). Environmental Entomology 27, 1368–1374.Google Scholar
Quiring, D.T. (1992) Rapid change in suitability of white spruce for a specialist herbivore, Zeiraphera canadensis, as a function of leaf age. Canadian Journal of Zoology 70, 2132–2138.Google Scholar
R Development Core Team (2012) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. Available online at http://www.R-project.org. (accessed 3 October 2012).Google Scholar
Raupp, M.J., Werren, J.H. & Sadof, C.S. (1988) Effects of short-term phenological changes in leaf suitability on the survivorship, growth and development of gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) larvae. Environmental Entomology 17, 316–319.Google Scholar
Reynolds, L.V., Ayres, M.P., Siccama, T.G. & Holmes, R.T. (2007) Climatic effects on caterpillar fluctuations in northern hardwood forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37, 481–491.Google Scholar
Roberts, M.R. & Paul, N.D. (2006) Seduced by the dark side: integrating molecular and ecological perspectives on the influence of light on plant defence against pests and pathogens. New Phytologist 170, 677–699.Google Scholar
Rowe, W.J. & Potter, D.A. (2000) Shading effects on susceptibility of Rosa spp. to defoliation by Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Environmental Entomology 29, 502–508.Google Scholar
SAS Institute Inc (2010) SAS User's Guide: Statistics. Cary, NC, USA, SAS Institute.Google Scholar
Singer, M.C. & Parmesan, C. (2010) Phenological asynchrony between herbivorous insects and their hosts: signal of climate change or pre-existing adaptive strategy? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 365, 3161–3176.Google Scholar
Sipura, M. & Tahvanainen, J. (2000) Shading enhances the quality of willow leaves to leaf beetles – but does it matter? Oikos 91, 550–558.Google Scholar
Slansky, F. Jr. (1993) Nutritional ecology: the fundamental quest for nutrients. pp. 29–91in Stamp, N.E. & Casey, T.M. (Eds) Caterpillars: Ecological and Evolutionary Constraints on Foraging. New York, NY, USA, Chapman & Hall.Google Scholar
Stamp, N.E. & Bowers, M.D. (1994) Effect of temperature and leaf age on growth versus moulting time of a generalist caterpillar fed plantain (Plantago lanceolata). Ecological Entomology 19, 199–206.Google Scholar
Taylor, R.A.J. & Reling, D. (1986) Density/height profile and long-range dispersal of first instar gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). Environmental Entomology 15, 431–435.Google Scholar
van Asch, M. & Visser, M.E. (2007) Phenology of forest caterpillars and their host trees: the importance of synchrony. Annual Review of Entomology 52, 37–55.Google Scholar
van Dongen, S., Backeljau, T., Matthysen, E. & Dhondt, A.A. (1997) Synchronization of hatching date with budburst of individual host trees (Quercus robur) in the winter moth (Operophtera brumata) and its fitness consequences. Journal of Animal Ecology 66, 113–121.Google Scholar
Watt, A.D. & McFarlane, A.M. (1991) Winter moth on Sitka spruce: synchrony of egg hatch and budburst, and its effect on larval survival. Ecological Entomology 16, 387–390.Google Scholar
Winder, M. & Schindler, D.E. (2004) Climate change uncouples trophic interactions in an aquatic ecosystem. Ecology 85, 2100–2106.Google Scholar
Wint, W. (1983) The role of alternative host-plant species in the life of a polyphagous moth, Operophtera brumata (Lepidoptera: Geomatridae). Journal of Animal Ecology 52, 439–450.Google Scholar
Yang, Y., & Stamp, N.E. (1996) Simultaneous effects of temperature and multiple allelochemicals on the performance of a Solanaceae specialist caterpillar (Manduca sexta). Ecoscience 3, 81–92.Google Scholar
Zalucki, M.P., Clarke, A.R. & Malcolm, S.B. (2002) Ecology and behavior of first instar Lepidoptera. Annual Review of Entomology 47, 361–393.Google Scholar