Infochemical Webs and Tritrophic Interactions

Abstract

Plant volatiles mediate tritrophic interactions between plants, herbivorous arthropods and the carnivorous natural enemies of herbivores in various ways. These volatiles are classified into two categories: herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) and constitutively emitted plant volatiles. Herbivores and carnivores use these plant volatiles as information for effective foraging. Consequently, infochemical webs based on the multifunctional aspects of HIPVs can be constructed. This article reviews the ecological function of plant volatiles in a single tritrophic system and the effects of the coupling of two tritrophic systems on the function of plant volatiles with emphasis on the infochemical webs in tritrophic systems. Furthermore, prospects for the application of HIPVs that attract specific natural enemies are discussed. Key Concepts: In response to herbivore‐induced damage, plants emit the so‐called ‘herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs)’ that are not naturally emitted from plants or in many cases emitted only in trace amounts. The mixtures of HIPVs vary according to the type of plants: herbivores and carnivores. Both HIPVs and constitutively emitted plant volatiles are separately and/or simultaneously used by both herbivores and carnivores to form infochemical webs. Coupling the two tritrophic systems on the same plants affects the infochemical webs of each tritrophic system either positively or negatively. HIPVs would be a new tool for biological control. This requires comprehensive studies on the target agroecosystem.

Olfactory response of the omnivorous mirid bug Nesidiocoris tenuis to eggplants infested by prey: Specificity in prey developmental stages and prey species

“…Here, we presented a case study showing that plants attract predators using prey-infested plant volatiles even when the damage was slight. Many carnivorous natural enemies of herbivorous arthropods are attracted to volatiles from plants infested by their prey (Takabayashi and Dicke, 1996;Pare and Tumlinson, 1999;Arimura et al, 2009;Dicke, 2009;Reddy, 2012;Takabayashi, 2014). Studies on the relationships between the damage levels and intensities of the predator attraction in agricultural fields are needed for the effective use of the plants' induced indirect defense for pest control.…”

“…Plants infested by herbivorous arthropods emit volatiles that attract carnivorous natural enemies of the herbivores (for reviews: Takabayashi and Dicke, 1996;Pare and Tumlinson, 1999;Arimura et al, 2009;Dicke, 2009;Reddy, 2012;Takabayashi, 2014). Infested plant volatiles indicate the presence of their prey on an infested plant, as volatiles can potentially convey information on species, abundance, and even the developmental-stage of the currently infesting herbivores (Takabayashi and Dicke, 1996;Arimura et al, 2009;Takabayashi, 2014).…”

“…Infested plant volatiles indicate the presence of their prey on an infested plant, as volatiles can potentially convey information on species, abundance, and even the developmental-stage of the currently infesting herbivores (Takabayashi and Dicke, 1996;Arimura et al, 2009;Takabayashi, 2014). Accumulating studies on the specific olfactory responses of natural enemies to prey-infested plant volatiles have focused on specialist natural enemies (De Moraes et al, 1998;Geervliet et al, 1996;Gohole et al, 2003;Pierre et al, 2011;Takabayashi et al, 1995;Yoneya et al, 2009).…”

Oviposition Experience by the Larval Parasitoid, Cotesia kariyai, on Nonhost, Spodoptera litura, Can Deter Subsequent Attacks

“…In the field, insect parasitoids are exposed to various volatile compounds from hosts, nonhosts, healthy plants, and plants infested by hosts and/or nonhosts, and they must locate their hosts in this complicated environment. Recently, a number of studies on host searching behavior of parasitoids in complicated environments have been conducted (reviewed in De Rijk et al 2013;Takabayashi 2014). In natural habitats, plants are often infested by several herbivore species.…”

Oviposition preference of cabbage white butterflies in the framework of costs and benefits of interspecific herbivore associations

“…For herbivore-induced indirect defence by attracting natural enemies, most previous studies have focused on a defence against a single herbivore species [12][13][14][15][16], and some focus on the extended aspect of herbivore-induced indirect defence that emerges when plants are infested by several herbivore species at the same time [11,[17][18][19]. Such studies show that the value of a host plant for one herbivorous species can be affected by indirect defence responses induced by other coexisting herbivores [11,[17][18][19]. In agricultural fields, cabbage plants are frequently simultaneously infested by larvae of Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) and Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).…”