Laboratory and field evidence of post-release changes to the ecological host range of Diorhabda elongata: Has this improved biological control efficacy?

Thomas, Hillary Quinn; Zalom, Frank G.; Roush, Richard T.

doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2010.02.011

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…The preference for T. ramosissima has been frequently reported in previous laboratory testing DeLoach 2006, Herr et al 2009). However, the conÞrmation of T. ramosissima preference in our Þeld test tends to run counter to the Þndings ofThomas et al (2010), who used laboratory and Þeld-based choice tests to suggest that the D. elongata population established in the Cache Creek watershed has undergone a shift in preference, allowing more successful utilization of T. parviflora.The results of all three Þeld experiments presented in this article conÞrm previous conclusions of laboratory studies that showed that the nontarget plant F. salina was not a preferred host for D. elongata when compared with Tamarix spp. in paired choice and multiple choice situations…”

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confidence: 53%

Field TestingDiorhabda elongata(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) From Crete, Greece, to Assess Potential Impact on Nontarget Native California Plants in the GenusFrankenia

2014

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When laboratory host specificity tests on weed biological control agents produce ambiguous results or are suspected of producing false-positive findings, field cage or open field tests can be used to help determine the true ecological host range of the agent. The leaf beetle Diorhabda elongata (Brullé) from Crete, imported to the United States for the control of saltcedar (Tamarix spp., Tamaricaceae), showed a low but variable ovipositional response to nontarget Frankenia spp. (Frankeniaceae) in previous laboratory tests conducted in small cages, where up to 11.4% of eggs were laid on these native plants. Results from field tests presented in this article show that no eggs were laid on Frankenia palmeri S. Watson and significantly more eggs were always laid on Tamarix ramosissima Ledebour than Frankenia salina (Molina) I. M. Johnston. Furthermore, the ovipositional response to F. salina was substantially lower than that recorded in laboratory tests. The percent of eggs laid on F. salina in field tests was 3.7 in a paired choice cage test, 4.3 in a multiple choice cage test, and 2.5 in a multiple choice open field test, suggesting that the true acceptance rate of the nontarget by D. elongata in the field will be lower than laboratory tests predicted. However, some damage was caused to F. salina by adult and larval feeding in the field, although this occurred only at the very end of the open field test, when D. elongata densities were extremely high, and all of the surrounding saltcedar had been totally defoliated. Scientific representatives from various stakeholder organizations (state, county, university, and environmental groups) viewed the open field test when in progress and reviewed the final results before advising State regulatory agencies on beetle redistribution. These test results, and the open review process, led regulators to conclude that redistribution of D. elongata in California was warranted owing to its significant ability to defoliate saltcedar, and its low rate of feeding on nontarget Frankenia spp. The introduction of D. elongata provides an interesting case study for risk assessment of a potentially efficacious weed biocontrol agent that may also be capable of using nontarget native plants.

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confidence: 53%

Field TestingDiorhabda elongata(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) From Crete, Greece, to Assess Potential Impact on Nontarget Native California Plants in the GenusFrankenia

2014

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“…These studies provide some support for the prediction that generalists maximize their fitness by feeding on a variety of resources rather than selecting only one (Bernays et al. , 1994; Allard & Yeargan, 2005; Michaud & Jyoti, 2008), and conversely that specialists experience a reduction in fitness when they switch to an atypical host and/or mix their diet between host species (Thomas et al. , 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 73%

The impact of uniform and mixed species blood meals on the fitness of the mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae s.s: does a specialist pay for diversifying its host species diet?

Lyimo

Keegan

Ranford-Cartwright

et al. 2012

J of Evolutionary Biology

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We investigated the fitness consequences of specialization in an organism whose host choice has an immense impact on human health: the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae s.s. We tested whether this mosquito’s specialism on humans can be attributed to the relative fitness benefits of specialist vs. generalist feeding strategies by contrasting their fecundity and survival on human‐only and mixed host diets consisting of blood meals from humans and animals. When given only one blood meal, An. gambiae s.s. survived significantly longer on human and bovine blood, than on canine or avian blood. However, when blood fed repeatedly, there was no evidence that the fitness of An. gambiae s.s. fed a human‐only diet was greater than those fed generalist diets. This suggests that the adoption of generalist host feeding strategies in An. gambiae s.s. is not constrained by intraspecific variation in the resource quality of blood from other available host species.

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“…Rapid evolution can affect outcomes in the application of biological control (see July 2012 special issue of Evolutionary Applications). Curiously, the tamarisk system has been an example of two such cases, both involving the biology of the insect (Thomas et al 2010;Bean et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hybridization of an invasive shrub affects tolerance and resistance to defoliation by a biological control agent

Williams

Friedman

Gaskin

et al. 2014

Evolutionary Applications

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Evolution has contributed to the successful invasion of exotic plant species in their introduced ranges, but how evolution affects particular control strategies is still under evaluation. For instance, classical biological control, a common strategy involving the utilization of highly specific natural enemies to control exotic pests, may be negatively affected by host hybridization because of shifts in plant traits, such as root allocation or chemical constituents. We investigated introgression between two parent species of the invasive shrub tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) in the western United States, and how differences in plant traits affect interactions with a biological control agent. Introgression varied strongly with latitude of origin and was highly correlated with plant performance. Increased levels of T. ramosissima introgression resulted in both higher investment in roots and tolerance to defoliation and less resistance to insect attack. Because tamarisk hybridization occurs predictably on the western U.S. landscape, managers may be able to exploit this information to maximize control efforts. Genetic differentiation in plant traits in this system underpins the importance of plant hybridization and may explain why some biological control releases are more successful than others.

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Laboratory and field evidence of post-release changes to the ecological host range of Diorhabda elongata: Has this improved biological control efficacy?

Cited by 13 publications

References 35 publications

Field TestingDiorhabda elongata(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) From Crete, Greece, to Assess Potential Impact on Nontarget Native California Plants in the GenusFrankenia

Field TestingDiorhabda elongata(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) From Crete, Greece, to Assess Potential Impact on Nontarget Native California Plants in the GenusFrankenia

The impact of uniform and mixed species blood meals on the fitness of the mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae s.s: does a specialist pay for diversifying its host species diet?

Hybridization of an invasive shrub affects tolerance and resistance to defoliation by a biological control agent

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