A trade-off between female lifespan and larval diet breadth at the interspecific level in Lepidoptera

Abstract

A prediction arising from several evolutionary diet breadth models is that, in insect herbivores whose adults practise adaptive host plant selection based on larval performance, female adult lifespan should be negatively correlated with larval diet breadth. In one category of models, female adult lifespan drives evolutionary changes in larval diet breadth; in the other category, larval diet breadth drives evolutionary changes in female adult lifespan. Applying the method of independent contrasts to a biologically and phylogenetically diverse array of Lepidoptera, we ask whether larval diet breadth-as measured by the number of larval food plant species reported in the literature-is negatively correlated with female adult lifespan at the interspecific level. We show that these two life history variables are indeed inversely related. Next, we relax the assumption, common to all of the models, that the female adult is the life stage responsible for the distribution of progeny among different host plants. By introducing into our data set three species whose females are incapable of flight (due to either aptery or brachyptery), and whose larvae are the dispersive stage, the negative correlation between female adult lifespan and larval diet breadth is lost, when using the independent contrasts method. We interpret this effect as supporting the models' common prediction. Ours is the first reported evidence of a lifespan/diet breadth trade-off at the interspecific level among insects, and it confirms the findings of a previous study in which the degree of habitat specialisation among arthropods was inversely related to proxy measures of the degree of search time constraint. In one of our ''diet breadth drives changes in lifespan'' models, the females' type of egg maturation strategy (as measured by the ovigeny index) is predicted to be positively correlated with larval diet breadth, and it mediates a female adult lifespan/larval diet breadth trade-off; however, we found no convincing support for such a role.

Cold Temperatures Increase Cold Hardiness in the Next Generation Ophraella communa Beetles

“…Subsequently, because high quality eggs impose an increase in the metabolic rates, females may additionally experience reduced longevity [13], [14], [15], [65], [66], [67]. Because previous studies explored only the effects of low temperatures on one generation, positive physiological adaptation transmitted to the next generation remained hidden.…”

“…development and fecundity) of the offspring [2], [3], [4], [9]. Many previous studies have shown that insect’s growth and population development in progeny were influenced by their mother’s experiences of temperature changes [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22]. For example, repeated exposition to cold temperatures in female flies resulted in a change in sex ratio and number of offspring [21], [22].…”

Reproductive Parameters of the Parthenogenetic PsocidLepinotus reticulatus(Psocoptera: Trogiidae) at Constant Temperatures

“…2005). At higher temperatures, they may also be allocating signiÞcantly more energy resources to egg production than maintenance of body functions, thereby resulting in reduced performance and survival (Papaj 2000;Carey 2001;Jervis et al 2005Jervis et al , 2007. It is plausible that at 22.5 and 35ЊC, L. reticulatus has a proportionately shorter egg-laying period than at optimal temperatures because of the diversion of resources from egg production and maturation that may occur at these suboptimal temperatures.…”

Temperature-dependent development and reproductive traits of Tetranychus macfarlanei (Acari: Tetranychidae)

“…Our results agree with the work of Bonato (1999) and Ullah et al (2011), who observed that the oviposition period and adult longevity of T. evansi, Table 2 T. merganser and T. kanzawai decreased in response to temperature increase. They found that lower temperatures extended the duration of the egg-laying period, which could be explained by reduced activity, less energy used for reproduction, or both (Papaj 2000;Carey 2001;Jervis et al 2005Jervis et al , 2007Berger et al 2008). Fecundity was highest at 25-30°C.…”