Nutrient stress, host plant quality and herbivore performance of a leaf-mining fly on grass

Luc De Bruyn, J Scheirs, R Verhagen

    Onderzoeksoutput: Bijdrage aan tijdschriftA1: Web of Science-artikelpeer review

    2353 Downloads (Pure)

    Uittreksel

    Environmental stresses affect plant growth and performance in nature. Host plant quality in turn affects herbivore performance and population dynamics. In view of these interactions, two major hypotheses were formulated. The plant stress hypothesis proposes that physiologically stressed plants become more susceptible to herbivores. The plant vigour hypothesis proposes that plants that grow vigorously are favourable to herbivores. Here we test the plant stress/plant vigour hypotheses for a leaf miner, Agromyza nigripes (Diptera; Agromyzidae), on the grass Holcus lanatus. We assessed larval performance (survival, developmental time, pupal mass) on grasses growing under different levels of nutrients (Hoagland solution) and drought stress, under controlled field and greenhouse conditions. Plant vigour and nutrient content were high on soils with an intermediate nutrient concentration and lower under drought stress and soil nutrient shortage and overdose. Larval performance was also highest on wet soils with intermediate nutrient supply. The results of the mining flies support the plant vigour hypothesis (density, survival and development better on vigorous plants). Herbivore performance is higher on leaves with a higher protein content. Keywords
    Oorspronkelijke taalEngels
    TijdschriftOecologia
    Volume130
    Exemplaarnummer4
    Pagina's (van-tot)594-599
    Aantal pagina’s6
    DOI's
    PublicatiestatusGepubliceerd - 2002

    Taxonomische lijst

    • vliegen (Diptera)

    Vingerafdruk

    Bekijk de onderzoeksthema's van 'Nutrient stress, host plant quality and herbivore performance of a leaf-mining fly on grass'. Samen vormen ze een unieke vingerafdruk.

    Dit citeren