What drives gallers and parasitoids interacting on a host plant? A network approach revealing morphological coupling as the main factor

Luz, Fernando Albuquerque; Goetz, Ana Paula Moraes; Mendonça, Milton de Souza

doi:10.1111/een.12967

Cited by 4 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…As previously reported, we found that the parasitoid communities were mostly composed of few very abundant generalist parasitoid species, whereas the specialist parasitoid species occurred in higher number, but in low abundance (De Araújo & Maia, 2021;Luz et al, 2021;Paniagua et al, 2009). Most of the generalist parasitoid species occurred in burned scenarios, as we expected, but we failed to detect any changes directly related to fire effects.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Some studies have found that parasitoid richness varies among galling insect communities that differ in species richness and composition (Dawah et al, 1995; Nyman et al, 2015; Paniagua et al, 2009). Moreover, according to the studies addressed in the Neotropical region, most of the galling insects appear to be attacked by specialist parasitoid species (De Araújo & Maia, 2021; Luz et al, 2021; Paniagua et al, 2009). Therefore, changes in galling insect species composition may be strongly reflected in the specific composition of the associated parasitoids (László & Tóthmérész, 2013; Nyman et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Galling insect communities mediate the effects of fire on their associated parasitoid communities

Kuzmanich,

Giorgis,

Bernaschini

et al. 2023

Insect Conserv Diversity

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Understanding fire effects on multitrophic levels is critical to the context of changes in fire regime and climate. Insects located at higher trophic levels, like parasitoids, are more vulnerable to habitat changes than insect herbivores because they need well‐established populations of their hosts to survive. Currently, fire effects on parasitoids and their interactions with their hosts are unknown. Our aim was to study the changes in abundance, richness and species composition, as well as the food web structure in a system involving parasitoids and galling insects under different fire scenarios. We asked whether potential changes in abundance, species richness and composition of parasitoid communities are explained by galled plant abundance, species richness and composition of galling insects, and how fire affects the structure of galling insect–parasitoid food webs. The highest parasitoid richness was found in the 9 years after fire scenario, whereas parasitoid abundance was not affected by fire. The parasitoid species composition in the 9 years after fire scenario was different from that in the unburned and 3 years after fire scenarios. Parasitoid communities were modulated by galled plant abundance, species richness and composition of galling insect communities. Vulnerability was significantly higher in 9 years after fire scenarios, but it increased with increasing network size. Fire affects the community of parasitoids through changes in their host communities. Differences in exclusivity to fire scenarios and diet specialisation of parasitoid species and galling insect richness may explain the patterns found. Our study supports evidence that fire creates habitats heterogeneous in the availability of hosts shaping the parasitoid communities, with a bottom‐up effect in food webs. Additionally, in burned areas were recorded unique galling insect–parasitoid interactions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Galling insect communities mediate the effects of fire on their associated parasitoid communities

Kuzmanich,

Giorgis,

Bernaschini

et al. 2023

Insect Conserv Diversity

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“…For each parasitoid morphospecies, we measured 1-3 individuals per region per host morphotype. We measured body size from the tip of the thorax to the end of the abdomen, the area of the wing, length of external ovipositor, width of thorax, and size of tibia (all in mm) (45). Since body size correlates with all other traits, we divided trait measurements by body size.…”

Section: Host-parasitoid Interaction Traits and Phenologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the same time selection favors traits in parasitoids that help them evade host defenses (42)(43)(44)(45). Traits include morphological features such as body size that can facilitate host defense or ovipositor size that can facilitate parasitoid attack (44)(45)(46). Phenology is also essential to interactions between insect hosts and parasitoids, as successful development for parasitoids requires that they attack hosts during discrete time windows, outside of which their development will not correspond with host resources (43,47).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Selection favors the evolution of defensive traits that reduce the success of parasitoid attacks in insect hosts. At the same time selection favors traits in parasitoids that help them evade host defenses (42)(43)(44)(45). Traits include morphological features such as body size that can facilitate host defense or ovipositor size that can facilitate parasitoid attack (44)(45)(46).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Host-enemy interactions provide limited biotic resistance for a range-expanding species via reduced apparent competition

Prior

Jones

Meadley‐Dunphy

et al. 2022

Preprint

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As species ranges shift in response to anthropogenic change, they lose coevolved or coadapted interactions and gain novel ones in recipient communities. Range-expanding species may lose or experience weak antagonistic interactions with competitors and enemies, and traits of interacting species will determine the strength of interactions. We leveraged a poleward range expansion of an oak gall wasp that co-occurs on its host plant with other gall wasp species and interacts with shared natural enemies (largely parasitoid wasps). We created quantitative host-parasitoid interaction networks by sampling galls on 400 trees. We compared network structure and function and traits of hosts and parasitoids in the native and expanded range. Interaction networks were less diverse in the expanded range, with low complementarity of parasitoid assemblages among hosts. While whole networks were more generalized in the expanded range, interactions with the range-expanding species were more specialized. This was not due to a loss of specialist enemies but weak apparent competition by shared generalist enemies. Phenological divergence of enemy assemblages attacking the novel and co-occurring hosts was greater in the expanded range that may contribute to weak apparent competition. Given the rate and extent of anthropogenic-driven range expansions, it is pressing to uncover how complex biotic interactions are reassembled.

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Host–enemy interactions provide limited biotic resistance for a range‐expanding species via reduced apparent competition

Prior,

Jones,

Meadley‐Dunphy

et al. 2023

Diversity and Distributions

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AimAs species' ranges shift poleward in response to anthropogenic change, they may lose antagonistic interactions if they move into less diverse communities, fail to interact with novel populations or species effectively, or if ancestral interacting populations or species fail to shift synchronously. We leveraged a poleward range expansion in a tractable insect host–enemy community to uncover mechanisms by which altered antagonistic interactions between native and recipient communities contributed to ‘high niche opportunities’ (limited biotic resistance) for a range‐expanding insect.LocationNorth America, Pacific Northwest.MethodsWe created quantitative insect host–enemy interaction networks by sampling oak gall wasps on 400 trees of a dominant oak species in the native and expanded range of a range‐expanding gall wasp species. We compared host–enemy network structure between regions. We measured traits (phenology, morphology) of galls and interacting parasitoids, predicting greater trait divergence in the expanded range. We measured function relating to host control and explored if altered interactions and traits contributed to reduced function, or biotic resistance.ResultsInteraction networks had fewer species in the expanded range and lower complementarity of parasitoid assemblages among host species. While networks were more generalized, interactions with the range‐expanding species were more specialized in the expanded range. Specialist enemies effectively tracked the range‐expanding host, and there was reduced apparent competition with co‐occurring hosts by shared generalist enemies. Phenological divergence of enemy assemblages interacting with the range‐expanding and co‐occurring hosts was greater in the expanded range, potentially contributing to weak apparent competition. Biotic resistance was lower in the expanded range, where fewer parasitoids emerged from galls of the range‐expanding host.Main ConclusionsChanges in interactions with generalist enemies created high niche opportunities, and limited biotic resistance, suggesting weak apparent competition may be a mechanism of enemy release for range‐expanding insects embedded within generalist enemy networks.

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What drives gallers and parasitoids interacting on a host plant? A network approach revealing morphological coupling as the main factor

Cited by 4 publications

References 40 publications

Galling insect communities mediate the effects of fire on their associated parasitoid communities

Galling insect communities mediate the effects of fire on their associated parasitoid communities

Host-enemy interactions provide limited biotic resistance for a range-expanding species via reduced apparent competition

Host–enemy interactions provide limited biotic resistance for a range‐expanding species via reduced apparent competition

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