A potential spider natural enemy against virus vector leafhoppers in agricultural mosaic landscapes – Corroborating ecological and behavioral evidence

Samu, Ferenc; Orsolya, Beleznai; Tholt, Gergely

doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2013.08.016

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Incidentally, natural enemies, including T . oblongus , are in higher densities in these marginal areas than in crop fields 51 and can conduct their predatory and non-consumptive effects at a vulnerable stage of the vector populations. Predators can induce increased movement of vectors which may result in a reduction of disease risk when extended feeding bouts are required for pathogen transmission 14 , 25 , 26 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Could vectors’ fear of predators reduce the spread of plant diseases?

Tholt

Kis

Medzihradszky

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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Predators influence the behaviour of prey and by doing so they potentially reduce pathogen transmission by a vector. Arthropod predators have been shown to reduce the consumption of plant biomass by pest herbivores, but their cascading non-consumptive effect on vector insects’ feeding behaviour and subsequent pathogen transmission has not been investigated experimentally before. Here we experimentally examined predator-mediated pathogen transmission mechanisms using the plant pathogen Wheat Dwarf Virus that is transmitted by the leafhopper, Psammotettix alienus. We applied in situ hybridization to localize which leaf tissues were infected with transmitted virus DNA in barley host plants, proving that virus occurrence is restricted to phloem tissues. In the presence of the spider predator, Tibellus oblongus, we recorded the within leaf feeding behaviour of the herbivore using electrical penetration graph. The leafhopper altered its feeding behaviour in response to predation risk. Phloem ingestion, the feeding phase when virus acquisition occurs, was delayed and was less frequent. The phase when pathogen inoculation takes place, via the secretion of virus infected vector saliva, was shorter when predator was present. Our study thus provides experimental evidence that predators can potentially limit the spread of plant pathogens solely through influencing the feeding behaviour of vector organisms.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Could vectors’ fear of predators reduce the spread of plant diseases?

Tholt

Kis

Medzihradszky

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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“…Tibellus oblongus (Araneae, Philodromidae) is the most abundant plant-dwelling non-web-weaver spider in Central European agro-ecosystems (Samu & Szinetár, 2002). In our previous studies we have provided evidence that this spider species is potentially an important predator of P. alienus (Samu, Beleznai & Tholt, 2013). Besides predation, its presence caused important non-consumptive effect (NCE) on the leafhopper leading to delayed and reduced sap feeding (Beleznai et al, 2015; Samu, Beleznai & Tholt, 2013; Tholt et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In our previous studies we have provided evidence that this spider species is potentially an important predator of P. alienus (Samu, Beleznai & Tholt, 2013). Besides predation, its presence caused important non-consumptive effect (NCE) on the leafhopper leading to delayed and reduced sap feeding (Beleznai et al, 2015; Samu, Beleznai & Tholt, 2013; Tholt et al, 2018). In spite of laboratory feeding trials and massive field co-occurrence data, traditional sampling methods could not directly prove that T. oblongus regularly preys on P. alienus in the field.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consuming alternative prey does not influence the DNA detectability half-life of pest prey in spider gut contents

Fülöp

Szita

Gerstenbrand

et al. 2019

PeerJ

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BackgroundKey natural enemy-pest interactions can be mapped in agricultural food webs by analysing predator gut content for the presence of a focal pest species. For this, PCR-based approaches are the most widely used methods providing the incidence of consumption of a focal pest in field sampled predators. To interpret such data the rate of prey DNA decay in the predators’ gut, described by DNA detectability half-life (t1/2), is needed. DNA decay may depend on the presence of alternative prey in the gut of generalist predators, but this effect has not been investigated in one of the major predatory arthropod groups, spiders.MethodsIn a laboratory feeding experiment, we determined t1/2 of the key cereal pest virus vector leafhopper Psammotettix alienus in the digestive tracts of its natural enemy, the spider Tibellus oblongus. We followed the fate of prey DNA in spiders which received only the focal prey as food, or as an alternative prey treatment they also received a meal of fruit flies after leafhopper consumption. After these feeding treatments, spiders were starved for variable time intervals prior to testing for leafhopper DNA in order to establish t1/2.ResultsWe created a PCR protocol that detects P. alienus DNA in its spider predator. The protocol was further calibrated to the digestion speed of the spider by establishing DNA decay rate. Detectability limit was reached at 14 days, where c. 10% of the animals tested positive. The calculated t1/2 = 5 days value of P. alienus DNA did not differ statistically between the treatment groups which received only the leafhopper prey or which also received fruit fly. The PCR protocol was validated in a field with known P. alienus infestation. In this applicability trial, we showed that 12.5% of field collected spiders were positive for the leafhopper DNA. We conclude that in our model system the presence of alternative prey did not influence the t1/2 estimate of a pest species, which makes laboratory protocols more straightforward for the calibration of future field data.

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“…Without a web, it ambush hunts for a wide variety of prey [ 23 – 25 ]. The species mostly occurs in the foliage of grassy vegetation [ 26 ], perching on grass or cereal leaves, precisely in the microhabitat where P . alienus feeds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cool Headed Individuals Are Better Survivors: Non-Consumptive and Consumptive Effects of a Generalist Predator on a Sap Feeding Insect

et al. 2015

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Non-consumptive effects (NCEs) of predators are part of the complex interactions among insect natural enemies and prey. NCEs have been shown to significantly affect prey foraging and feeding. Leafhopper's (Auchenorrhyncha) lengthy phloem feeding bouts may play a role in pathogen transmission in vector species and also exposes them to predation risk. However, NCEs on leafhoppers have been scarcely studied, and we lack basic information about how anti-predator behaviour influences foraging and feeding in these species. Here we report a study on non-consumptive and consumptive predator-prey interactions in a naturally co-occurring spider–leafhopper system. In mesocosm arenas we studied movement patterns during foraging and feeding of the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus in the presence of the spider predator Tibellus oblongus. Leafhoppers delayed feeding and fed much less often when the spider was present. Foraging movement pattern changed under predation risk: movements became more frequent and brief. There was considerable individual variation in foraging movement activity. Those individuals that increased movement activity in the presence of predators exposed themselves to higher predation risk. However, surviving individuals exhibited a ‘cool headed’ reaction to spider presence by moving less than leafhoppers in control trials. No leafhoppers were preyed upon while feeding. We consider delayed feeding as a “paradoxical” antipredator tactic, since it is not necessarily an optimal strategy against a sit-and-wait generalist predator.

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A potential spider natural enemy against virus vector leafhoppers in agricultural mosaic landscapes – Corroborating ecological and behavioral evidence

Cited by 12 publications

References 47 publications

Could vectors’ fear of predators reduce the spread of plant diseases?

Could vectors’ fear of predators reduce the spread of plant diseases?

Consuming alternative prey does not influence the DNA detectability half-life of pest prey in spider gut contents

Cool Headed Individuals Are Better Survivors: Non-Consumptive and Consumptive Effects of a Generalist Predator on a Sap Feeding Insect

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