scholarly journals Mechanisms of non-consumptive effects of parasitoid wasps on aphid populations : enhancing aphid suppression by increasing natural enemy and plant diversity

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kathryn Suzanne Ingerslew
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Pea Aphid ◽  
Aphidius Ervi ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Pea Aphids ◽  
Aphid Populations

Predators are typically evaluated for their potential effectiveness as natural biological control agents by examining traits related to their consumptive relationship with an herbivore. For example, voracious predators with a high prey attack rate or predators that specialize in consuming a particular pest species are considered ideal for biological control. However, there is a growing body of research demonstrating that predators also influence herbivore population size through non-consumptive interactions. Non-consumptive interactions include changes in prey behavior, morphology, or life-history traits in response to the presence of a predator that allow prey to survive a predator encounter but result in declines in prey fitness due to reduced availability of resources or expending energy that would have been otherwise used for growth or reproduction. The existence of non-consumptive effects is significant because it raises the possibility that a non-lethal organism (i.e. non-enemy) in the environment can also contribute to herbivore suppression if an herbivore inaccurately perceives an organism as a threat and engages in a defensive response. The goal of my dissertation research was to determine whether non-enemies contribute to natural biological control and enhance herbivore suppression beyond levels accomplished by consumptive natural enemies alone. Previous work in our lab demonstrated that pea aphids Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) respond to the non-enemy wasp Aphidius colemani Viereck by stopping feeding and dropping off of their host plant, resulting in a decline in pea aphid abundance even though pea aphids are not a host for A. colemani. My work evaluated whether this behavioral suppression of pea aphid populations by the non-enemy wasp is complementary with pea aphid suppression by the consumptive enemy Aphidius ervi Haliday. I investigated 1) the mechanisms responsible for and the magnitude of the non-consumptive effects of A. colemani and A. ervi on pea aphid populations, 2) the contributions of non-consumptive interactions to short-term and long-term suppression of aphid populations in the presence of consumptive natural enemies, and 3) the feasibility of increasing plant diversity in the field to enhance pea aphid suppression by facilitating behavioral non-consumptive interactions. I found that pea aphids respond to interactions with both wasp species, but they more frequently engaged in defensive behaviors such as dropping in the presence of the enemy A. ervi than the non-enemy A. colemani. The behavioral response of the pea aphid to the presence of the non-enemy was strong enough for A. colemani to suppress pea aphid populations in the short term, but this suppression was not maintained over the long term. When the non-enemy A. colemani was combined with the consumptive enemy A. ervi, there was some evidence for antagonism between the wasps over the short term. However, the non-enemy and enemy were complementary in their suppression of pea aphid populations over the long term, with more consistent and stable suppression when both wasps were present. I also demonstrated that increasing plant diversity in a field setting enhances suppression of pea aphid populations by promoting interactions between pea aphids and non-enemies. My work demonstrates that non-lethal organisms, or non-enemies, in the environment have an important role to play in influencing herbivore abundance, and that the addition of non-enemies to a community of lethal predators and parasitoids can lead to greater and more consistent suppression of herbivores in the long term.

scholarly journals Conserving carnivorous arthropods: an example from early-season cranberry (Ericaceae) flooding

2018 ◽  
Vol 150 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-273
Author(s):  
J. van Zoeren ◽  
C. Guédot ◽  
S.A. Steffan
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Pest Management ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Cultural Control ◽  
Generalist Predators ◽  
Early Season ◽  
Insecticide Application ◽  
Insecticide Spray

AbstractBiological control plays an important role in many integrated pest management programmes, but can be disrupted by other control strategies, including chemical and cultural controls. In commercial cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton; Ericaceae) production, a spring flood can replace an insecticide application, providing an opportunity to study the compatibility of the flood (a cultural control) with biological control. We suspect that chemical controls will tend to reduce the number of natural enemies, while the flood, through removal of detritus and detritivores, may cause generalist predators to prey-switch to consume proportionally more pest individuals. We measured the abundance of herbivores (Lepidoptera), detritivores, Arachnida, and parasitoids (Hymenoptera) every week for six weeks in Wisconsin (United States of America) cranberry beds following either an insecticide spray or a cultural control flood. We found that detritivore populations rapidly declined in both flood and spray treatments; conversely, carnivore populations (spiders and parasitoids) were more abundant in the flooded beds than in sprayed beds. Populations of key cranberry pests were similar between flooded and sprayed beds. Our results showed that early-season flooding preserved more natural enemies than an insecticide application. This increase in natural enemy abundance after the flood may allow for greater continuity in herbivore suppression, potentially providing a basis for long-term cranberry pest management.

scholarly journals Ichneumonids (Hymenoptera) and Tachinid Flies (Diptera) Associated to Leptidopterans in Soybean Crops

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angélica Massarolli ◽  
Ana Regina Lucena Hoffmann ◽  
Bruna Magda Favetti ◽  
Alessandra Regina Butnariu
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
New Species ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Neotropical Region ◽  
The State ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Lepidopteran Pest

Studies on natural enemies are important to find new species and to develop management strategies to preserve them to help control pests in biological control programs. For the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, which comprises the Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal biomes, few studies have been conducted on the diversity of these parasitoids, possible endemic and/or new species, as well as their potential as natural enemies. Thus, the present study was aimed at describing the diversity of parasitoids of the families Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) and Tachinidae (Diptera) associated with pest lepidopterans in soybean crops. Weekly sampling of pest lepidopterans was carried out during four soybean seasons (2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013). Parasitoid larvae were observed in the main lepidopteran pest species of soybean during the four soybean seasons. Three genera of the Ichneumonidae family, belonging to the genera Microcharops Roman, Ophionellus Westwood, and Podogaster Brullé. Six genera of the Tachinidae family occur in the state of Mato Grosso in soybean fields. The following genera were recorded: Archytas spp. Jaennicke, Phorocera spp. Robineau-Desvoidy, Gymnocarcelia spp. Townsend, Lespesia spp. Robineau-Desvoidy, Eucelatoria spp. Townsend, Chetogena spp. Rondani. These parasitoids were found parasitizing caterpillars of the Noctuidae (Lepidoptera), in species that had not yet been reported as hosts for the Neotropical region. Further studies are needed on the beneficial entomofauna and their preservation in agricultural environments.

scholarly journals Epiphytic strains of Pseudomonas syringae kill diverse aphid species.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie R. Smee ◽  
Imperio Real-Ramirez ◽  
Catalina Zuluaga Arias ◽  
Tory A. Hendry
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Pseudomonas Syringae ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Rhopalosiphum Padi ◽  
Aphid Species ◽  
Pea Aphid ◽  
Oral Exposure ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Epiphytic Bacteria

Interactions between epiphytic bacteria and herbivorous insects are ubiquitous on plants, but little is known about their ecological implications. Aphids are devastating crop pests worldwide, and so understanding how epiphytic bacteria impact aphid populations is critically important. Recent evidence demonstrates that plant-associated bacteria, such as Pseudomonas syringae, can be highly virulent to one species of aphid, the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum). Yet currently we have no knowledge on how broad this phenomenon is across diverse aphid species that are of high agricultural concern. In controlled experiments using oral exposure in artificial diet, we challenged five aphid species of agricultural importance with three strains of P. syringae that vary in virulence to the pea aphid. These strains also vary in epiphytic ability and comprise two phytopathogens and one non-plant pathogenic strain. In general, differences in virulence to aphids remained relatively constant across strains regardless of the aphid species, except for the bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi) which is significantly less susceptible to two P. syringae strains. We demonstrate that lower infection incidence likely plays a role in the reduced susceptibility. Importantly, these data support previous results showing that interactions with epiphytic bacteria are important for aphids and may play a large, but underappreciated, role in insect population dynamics. Our study illustrates a potential role of epiphytic bacteria in the biological control of aphid pests broadly, but suggests the need for more research encompassing a greater diversity of pest species. Importance Sap-sucking aphids are insects of huge agricultural concern, not only because of direct damage caused by feeding, but also because of their ability to transmit various plant pathogens. Some bacteria that grow on leaf surfaces, such as Pseudomonas syringae, can infect and kill aphids, making them potentially useful in biological control of pest aphids. However, only one aphid species, the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) has been tested for infection by P. syringae. Here we challenged five aphid species of agricultural importance with three strains of P. syringae that vary in virulence to the pea aphid. We found that four of these aphid species were susceptible to infection and death, suggesting that these bacteria could be broadly useful for biological control. However, one aphid species was much more resistant to infection, indicating that more testing on diverse aphid species is needed.

scholarly journals Emergence sexual maturation and oviposition of Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera Aphidiidae)

2004 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 214-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
X.Z. He ◽  
Q. Wang ◽  
D.A.J. Teulon
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Sexual Maturation ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Aphid Species ◽  
Pea Aphid ◽  
Aphidius Ervi ◽  
Oviposition Period ◽  
Courtship Display ◽  
Dark Conditions

Aphidius ervi Haliday is an important parasitoid of several aphid species and information is needed for the development of massrearing techniques and better understanding of biological control ecology The emergence sexual maturation and oviposition of A ervi on pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) was studied in the laboratory at 201deg;C and 6070 RH with 168 h lightdark About 95 of parasitoids emerged during the photophase Females needed a significantly longer time than males to complete their life cycle Newly emerged males were able to perform their courtship display but failed to mate until they were 4 h old; newly emerged females were able to respond to males courtship display and mate Females attacked aphids in both light and dark conditions The number of eggs laid and parasitism (number of aphids parasitised) per oviposition bout (2 h oviposition period) were significantly greater in the photophase than in the scotophase

scholarly journals The importance of antennae for pea aphid wing induction in the presence of natural enemies

2005 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Kunert ◽  
W.W. Weisser
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Pea Aphid ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
Wing Formation ◽  
Tactile Stimuli ◽  
Pea Aphids ◽  
General Response

AbstractThe pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisumHarris has been shown to produce an increasing proportion of winged morphs among its offspring when exposed to natural enemies, in particular hoverfly larvae, lacewing larvae, adult and larval ladybirds and aphidiid parasitoids. While these results suggest that wing induction in the presence of predators and parasitoids is a general response of the pea aphid, the cues and mechanisms underlying this response are still unclear. Tactile stimuli and the perception of chemical signals as well as visual signals are candidates for suitable cues in the presence of natural enemies. In this paper the hypothesis that the aphids' antennae are crucial for the wing induction in the presence of natural enemies is tested. Antennae of pea aphids were ablated and morph production was scored when aphids were reared either in the presence or the absence of predatory lacewing larvae over a six-day period. Ablation of antennae resulted in a drastic drop in the proportion of winged morphs among the offspring, both in the presence and the absence of a predator whereas predator presence increased wing induction in aphids with intact antennae, as reported in previous experiments. The results show that antennae are necessary for wing induction in the presence of natural enemies. Critical re-examination of early work on the importance of aphid antennae and tactile stimuli for wing induction suggests that a combination of tactile and chemical cues is likely to be involved not only in predator-induced wing formation but also for wing induction in response to factors such as crowding in the aphid colony.

scholarly journals Attract, reward and disrupt: responses of pests and natural enemies to combinations of habitat manipulation and semiochemicals in organic apple

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joakim Pålsson ◽  
Mario Porcel ◽  
Teun Dekker ◽  
Marco Tasin
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Generalist Predators ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Insect Community ◽  
Biological Pest Control

AbstractThe widespread use of pesticides along with the simplification of the landscape has had undesirable effects on agroecosystems, such as the loss of biodiversity and the associated ecosystem service biological control. How current production systems can be remodelled to allow for a re-establishment of biological pest control, while preserving productivity, is a major challenge. Here, we tested whether a combination of tools could augment or synergize biological control of insect pests in apple (Malus domestica), comprised of a tortricid pest complex, a geometrid pest complex and the rosy apple aphid. The tools aimed at disrupting mating behaviour of multiple pest species (multispecies mating disruption, “Disrupt”, MMD), attracting natural enemies (a blend of herbivory-induced volatiles, “Attract”, A), or providing refuge and rewards for a diverse insect community (perennial flower strip, “Reward”, R) over a 3-year period. Suction samples were consistently richer in generalist predators but not in parasitoids when multiple tools including MMD + A + R or MMD + A were employed. In addition, lepidopteran pest levels were significantly lower in these plots than in MMD or MMD + R at the end of the 3-year experiment. This was, however, not reflected in survival of artificially established aphid colonies. Our data indicates that multiple, complementary tools can greatly enhance natural enemy level, but also that long-term implementation is needed to fully realize the augmentatory or synergistic potential of complementary components and restore biological control as an ecosystem service of practical relevance.

Influence of temperature on pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisum(Hemiptera: Aphididae) resistance to natural enemy attack

2002 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.A. Stacey ◽  
M.D.E. Fellowes
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Natural Enemy ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Pea Aphid ◽  
Aphidius Ervi ◽  
Life History Trait ◽  
Clonal Variation ◽  
Escape Behaviour ◽  
Aphid Clone

AbstractThe ability to resist or avoid natural enemy attack is a critically important insect life history trait, yet little is understood of how these traits may be affected by temperature. This study investigated how different genotypes of the pea aphidAcyrthosiphon pisumHarris, a pest of leguminous crops, varied in resistance to three different natural enemies (a fungal pathogen, two species of parasitoid wasp and a coccinellid beetle), and whether expression of resistance was influenced by temperature. Substantial clonal variation in resistance to the three natural enemies was found. Temperature influenced the number of aphids succumbing to the fungal pathogenErynia neoaphidisRemaudière & Hennebert, with resistance increasing at higher temperatures (18 vs. 28°C). A temperature difference of 5°C (18 vs. 23°C) did not affect the ability ofA. pisumto resist attack by the parasitoidsAphidius erviHaliday andA. eadyiStarý, González & Hall. Escape behaviour from foraging coccinellid beetles (Hippodamia convergensGuerin-Meneville) was not directly influenced by aphid clone or temperature (16 vs. 21°C). However, there were significant interactions between clone and temperature (while most clones did not respond to temperature, one was less likely to escape at 16°C), and between aphid clone and ladybird presence (some clones showed greater changes in escape behaviour in response to the presence of foraging coccinellids than others). Therefore, while larger temperature differences may alter interactions betweenAcyrthosiphon pisumand an entomopathogen, there is little evidence to suggest that smaller changes in temperature will alter pea aphid–natural enemy interactions.

scholarly journals Non-consumptive effects stabilize herbivore control over multiple generations

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0241870
Author(s):  
Kathryn S. Ingerslew ◽  
Deborah L. Finke
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemy ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Pea Aphid ◽  
Aphidius Ervi ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Aphidius Colemani ◽  
Pea Aphids ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Aphid Abundance

Understanding the factors that influence predator-prey dynamics requires an investigation of oscillations in predator and prey population sizes over time. However, empirical studies are often performed over one or fewer predator generations. This is particularly true for studies addressing the non-consumptive effects of predators on prey. In a previous study that lasted less than one predator generation, we demonstrated that two species of parasitoid wasps additively suppressed aphid populations through a combination of consumptive and non-consumptive effects. However, the non-consumptive effects of one wasp reduced the reproductive success of the other, suggesting that a longer-term experiment may have revealed antagonism between the wasps. The goal of our current study is to evaluate multi-generation consumptive and non-consumptive interactions between pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and the wasps Aphidius ervi and Aphidius colemani. Aphidius ervi is a common natural enemy of pea aphids. Aphidius colemani is a non-consumptive enemy that does not consume pea aphids, but negatively affects pea aphid performance through behavioral disturbance. Large field cages were installed to monitor aphid abundance in response to the presence and absence of both species of wasp over four weeks (two parasitoid generations). We found that the non-consumptive enemy A. colemani initially controlled the pea aphid population, but control in the absence of parasitism was not sustainable over the long term. Aphidius ervi suppressed pea aphids through a combination of consumptive and non-consumptive effects. This suppression was more effective than that of A. colemani, but aphid abundance fluctuated over time. Suppression by A. ervi and A. colemani together was complementary, leading to the most effective and stable control of pea aphids. Therefore, promoting a diverse natural enemy community that contributes to pest control through consumptive and non-consumptive interactions may enhance the stability of herbivore population suppression over time.

Invasive Aphid Strikes Sorghum in the U.S.

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 250-253
Author(s):  
Adrianna Szczepaniec
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Invasive Pest ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Invasive Insects ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Parthenogenetic Reproduction ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Alien Insect

Invasions of alien insect pests often result in dramatic shifts in the entire ecosystems brought about by severe outbreaks of the pests exploiting new and frequently defenseless host plants. The explosive population dynamics of invasive insects often enable them to outcompete native pest species and alter both the abundance and diversity of communities of their natural enemies. These impacts are probably the most conspicuous and notorious when the invaded host plant is a key commodity crop and the invasive pest an aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Aphids have a remarkable ability to overwhelm their plant hosts extremely rapidly owing to their parthenogenetic reproduction (i.e., daughters are clones of their mothers), live birth, and telescoping generations (i.e., the offspring of unborn aphids are already developing within their bodies). Aphids also attract exceptionally diverse communities of predators and parasitoids, which are strongly attracted to the volatiles emitted from plants attacked by aphids, albeit the natural enemies' attraction to invasive aphids often requires a period of adaption to recognize a new prey. Hence, when new species of aphids invade a new agroecosystem, their presence frequently creates an ?ecosystem earthquake' that can have profound implications for long-term stability of the system most directly affected by the invasive aphid as well as neighboring crops.

Impact of Solenopsis invicta Buren Suppression on Arthropod Ground Predators and Pest Species in Soybean

2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Seagraves ◽  
Robert M. McPherson ◽  
John R. Ruberson
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Solenopsis Invicta ◽  
Untreated Control ◽  
Ground Beetles ◽  
Fire Ants ◽  
Fire Ant ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Solenopsis Invicta Buren

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, reportedly contributes to the biological control of key soybean pests. However, S. invicta may negatively affect ground-dwelling natural enemies such as ground beetles and earwigs. Information on the interactions between natural enemies is important for anticipating the success of biological control in agroecosystems with multiple interacting entomophagous species. Ground arthropods were monitored in soybean using pitfall traps in the 2000 and 2001 growing seasons to determine their response to selected fire ant controls. Three treatments were examined: an untreated check, Amdro™ (hydramethylnon) bait (ant-specific), and Lorsban™ (chlorpyriphos) (broad spectrum) plus Amdro. Fire ant captures in pitfall traps were lower in the Amdro and in the Amdro plus Lorsban treatments compared to the untreated control. Reduced fire ant density plus chemical treatment impacted the abundance of certain ground predators. Spiders, primarily Lycosidae, were significantly more abundant in the untreated control plots on some sampling dates; whereas, the earwig Labidura riparia Pallas was more abundant in the Lorsban and Amdro plots, presumably due to the removal of fire ants and other natural enemies. Ground beetles (Carabidae) were not different between treatments on any sampling dates. This study supports the assumption that spiders are compatible with fire ants as natural enemies and that earwigs are not compatible with fire ants. Numbers of lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus Zeller, were not affected by the suppression of fire ant predation or the chemical treatments in 2000, the only year when they were captured. Crickets (Gryllidae), mole crickets (Gryllotalpridae), click beetles (Elateridae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), and false darkling beetles (Melandryidae) also were not different between the fire ant suppression treatments.

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