The Effects of Larval Density on Several Strains of the House Fly

Sullivan, Robert; Sokal, Robert R.

doi:10.2307/1933186

Cited by 87 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The success of insect larvae over mould is determined by larval density, with survival probability being positively related to larval density (Sullivan and Sokal, 1963;Courtney et al, 1990;Rohlfs and Hoffmeister, 2003), by priority effects for fungal growth (Hodge et al, 1999), and by the combination of these factors and fungal species (Rohlfs et al, 2005). In addition to these ecological parameters, important insect life history traits, such as developmental time might be involved in controlling developmental success in the presence of competing moulds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Variation and the Role of Insect Life History Traits in the Ability of Drosophila Larvae to Develop in the Presence of a Competing Filamentous Fungus

Rohlfs

2006

Evol Ecol

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Competitive interactions between organisms from distantly related phylogenetical branches have been suggested as being one of the most pervasive forms of interspecific competition. However, so-called inter-kingdom competition has rarely been the focus of ecological and evolutionary studies. Thus, a relatively novel hypothesis has been proposed on the basis that saprophagous insects might intensively compete with filamentous fungi for ephemeral resources (e.g. decaying plant tissue). Consideration that life history traits (e.g. developmental time) are adaptive in determining developmental success in the presence of con-or hetero-specifics competitors implies that these traits have been progressively established by natural selection. Because a similar scenario may apply to antagonistic interactions between saprophagous insects and filamentous fungi, one can expect the existence of heritable variation in developmental success when insect larvae are forced to grow in the presence of noxious mould. Therefore, this study aimed at discovering whether a local population of Drosophila melanogaster indeed harbours genetic variation in developmental success in the presence of the mould Aspergillus niger. By using the isofemale line technique, single larvae forced to feed on fungal infected or uninfected substrate were analysed for variation in survival probability to the adult stage, developmental time and body size of emerged adults. I found genetic variation in survival probability in fungal infected substrates but not in uninfected larval food sources. Mean developmental time and body size varied significantly among isofemale lines in both types of larval environment. Survival was negatively correlated with developmental time on fungal infected substrate, but variation in developmental time on fungalfree substrates was not correlated with survival on fungal infected food patches. Within-trait correlation between fungal infected and uninfected substrates was surprisingly weak, and developmental time was not correlated with body size. The results of this study demonstrate (a) the existence of genetic variation for larval developmental success in the presence of A. niger in a Drosophila population, and (b) heritability of important insect life history traits differed as a function of the larval environment (fungal infected or uninfected feeding substrate). I discuss models that might explain heritability differences and the evolutionary consequences of these results.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Variation and the Role of Insect Life History Traits in the Ability of Drosophila Larvae to Develop in the Presence of a Competing Filamentous Fungus

Rohlfs

2006

Evol Ecol

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“…Vários estudos anteriores com moscas-varejeiras já demonstraram que a redução no tamanho e peso do adulto é uma conseqüência da limitação de alimento e espaço, refletindo a quantidade e qualidade do alimento consumido durante o está-gio larval (Kamal, 1958;Sullivan & Sokal, 1963;Williams & Richardson, 1983;Slansky & Rodriguez, 1987;Goodbrod & Goff, 1990;Reis et al, 1994). Altos níveis de competição larval em populações naturais de moscas-varejeiras geralmente produzem um grande número de indivíduos de pequeno tamanho e baixa fecundidade.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…Em comparação com insetos maiores, mas em menor número, aqueles indivíduos têm condições de ocupar grande quantidade de nichos disponí-veis, com conseqüências no tamanho e na dinâmi-ca de populações (Sullivan & Sokal, 1963;Putman, 1977).…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…A correlação positiva entre tamanho e fecundidade tem sido demonstrada em vários Diptera, entre eles C. megacephala (Wijesundara, 1957;Von Zuben, 1993;Reis et al, 1994), Lucilia sericata, C. chloropyga e C. albiceps (Ullyett, 1950), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (So & Dudgeon, 1989a), C. putoria (Reis et al, 1994), Musca domestica (Sullivan & Sokal, 1963;Ribeiro, 1990), Musca autumnalis (Cilek & Knapp, 1989), Ephydra cinerea (Collins, 1980) e Drosophila (Bakker, 1961(Bakker, , 1969Mueller, 1985). Já o investimento reprodutivo apresentou diferentes tendências de variação com o aumento da densidade larval, diminuindo no sarcofagídeo Boettcherisca formosensis (So & Dudgeon, 1989b) e no califorídeo Calliphora stygia (Williams & Richardson, 1983), aumentando nos califorídeos Hemipyrellia ligurriens, Calliphora vicina, C. putoria e Lucilia cuprina (Williams & Richardson, 1983;So & Dudgeon, 1989a;Reis et al, 1994), e apresentando variação marginalmente significativa em C. megacephala (Reis et al, 1994).…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

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Competição larval em Chrysomya megacephala (F.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae): efeitos de diferentes níveis de agregação larval sobre estimativas de peso, fecundidade e investimento reprodutivo

2000

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Larval competition in Chrysomya megacephala (F.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae): effects of different levels of larval aggregation on estimates of weight, fecundity and reproductive investmentIn insects that utilize patchy and ephemeral resources for feeding and egg laying, the outcome of larval competition for food resources depends on the amount of resources and the spatial distribution of immatures among patches of food. In the present study, the results of larval competition for food in Chrysomya megacephala, in traits such as female weight, fecundity and reproductive investment, were different in situations where the level of larval aggregation (proportion of competitors per amount of food) was the same, but with densities of competitors and amounts of food proportionally different. These results are indicative that the larval competition may depend both on the larval density and the amount of food, in different situations with the same proportion of larvae per gram of food.Key words: Chrysomya megacephala, fecundity, female weight, larval aggregation, reproductive investment. RESUMOEm insetos que se utilizam de substratos discretos e efêmeros para a alimentação e postura de ovos, o resultado da competição larval por alimento depende da quantidade de recursos e da distribuição espacial dos imaturos nos substratos alimentares. No presente estudo, os resultados da competição larval por alimento em Chrysomya megacephala, em caracteres como peso de fêmeas, fecundidade e investimento reprodutivo, foram diferentes em situações em que o nível de agregação larval (proporção de competidores por quantidade de alimento) é o mesmo, mas com densidades de competidores e quantidades de alimento proporcionalmente diferentes. Esses resultados indicam que a competição larval pode depender tanto da densidade larval como da quantidade de alimento, em situações diferentes com a mesma proporção de larvas por grama de alimento.Palavras-chave: Chrysomya megacephala, fecundidade, peso de fêmeas, agregação larval, investimento reprodutivo.

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“…insects, fungi and bacteria, have become adapted to use these types of resources as a hub for growth and reproduction. For example, saprophagous insect larvae have often been observed to suVer from infestation of their feeding habitat with Wlamentous fungi (Sullivan and Sokal 1963;Atkinson 1981;Courtney et al 1990;Hodge 1996;Hodge Communicated by Thomas HoVmeister.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host–parasitoid interaction as affected by interkingdom competition

Rohlfs

2007

Oecologia

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Although still underrepresented in ecological research, competitive interactions between distantly related organisms (so-called "interkingdom competition") are expected to be widespread in various ecosystems, with yet unknown consequences for, e.g. trophic interactions. In the model host-parasitoid system Drosophila melanogaster-Asobara tabida, toxic filamentous fungi have been shown to be serious competitors that critically affect the density-dependent survival of host Drosophila larvae. This study investigates the extent to which the competing mould Aspergillus niger affects key properties of the well-studied Drosophila-parasitoid system and how the host-parasitoid interaction influences the microbial competitor. In contrast to slightly positive density-dependent host mortality under mould-free conditions, competing A. niger mediated a strong Allee effect for parasitised larvae, i.e. mortality decreased with increasing larval density. It was found that the common toxic fungal metabolite kojic acid is not responsible for higher death rates in parasitised larvae. Single parasitised Drosophila larvae were less harmful to fungal reproduction than unparasitised larvae, but this effect vanished with an increase in larval density. As predicted from the negative effect of fungi on host survival and thus on parasitoid fitness at low larval densities, A. tabida females spent less time foraging in fungus-infested patches. Interestingly, even though high host larval densities increased host survival, parasitoids still reduced their search efforts in fungus-infested patches, indicating a benefit for host larvae from feeding in the presence of noxious mould. Thus, this experimental study provides evidence of the potentially important role of interkingdom competition in determining trophic interactions in saprophagous animal communities and the dynamics of both host-parasitoid and microbial populations.

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The Effects of Larval Density on Several Strains of the House Fly

Cited by 87 publications

References 5 publications

Genetic Variation and the Role of Insect Life History Traits in the Ability of Drosophila Larvae to Develop in the Presence of a Competing Filamentous Fungus

Genetic Variation and the Role of Insect Life History Traits in the Ability of Drosophila Larvae to Develop in the Presence of a Competing Filamentous Fungus

Competição larval em Chrysomya megacephala (F.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae): efeitos de diferentes níveis de agregação larval sobre estimativas de peso, fecundidade e investimento reprodutivo

Host–parasitoid interaction as affected by interkingdom competition

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