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Effects of elevated ultraviolet-B radiation on a plant–herbivore interaction

  • Plant-Animal interactions - Original Paper
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Abstract

Enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation may have multiple effects on both plants and animals and affect plant–herbivore interactions directly and indirectly by inducing changes in host plant quality. In this study, we examined combined effects of UV-B and herbivory on the defence of the mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii) and also the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation on a geometrid with an outbreak cycle: the autumnal moth (Epirrita autumnata). We established an experiment mimicking ozone depletion of 30% (a relevant level when simulating ozone depletion above Northern Lapland). Both arctic species responded only slightly to the enhanced level of UV-B radiation, which may indicate that these species are already adapted to a broader range of UV-B radiation. UV-B exposure slightly induced the accumulation of myricetin glycosides but had no significant effect on the contents of quercetin or kaempferol derivatives. Mountain birch seedlings responded more efficiently to herbivory wounding than to enhanced UV-B exposure. Herbivory induced the activities of foliar oxidases that had earlier been shown to impair both feeding and growth of moth larvae. In contrast, the contents of foliar phenolics did not show the same response in different clones, except for a decrease in the contents of tannin precursors. The induction of foliar phenoloxidase activities is a specific defence response of mountain birches against insect herbivory. To conclude, our results do not support the hypothesis that the outbreak cycle of the autumnal moth can be explained by the cycles of solar activity and UV-B.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Hanni Sikanen and other members of the staff of Punkaharju Research Station (the Finnish Forest Research Institute Metla) for help and assistance in the research work. We also want to express our warmest gratitude to Jaakko Heinonen for guidance in statistical analyses. Jo Short kindly checked the English of the manuscript. This study was financially supported by the Academy of Finland and the foundation of Kone and Väinö Tanner, Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Suomen Perhostutkijainseura ry and Suomen Biologian Seura Vanamo ry. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Our experiments comply with the current laws of Finland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science and Forestry, School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Joensuu Campus, P.O. Box 111, 80101, Joensuu, Finland

    Teija Ruuhola

  2. Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland

    Ulla Anttila & Markus J. Rantala

  3. Section of Biology, Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Joensuu Campus, 80101, Joensuu, Finland

    Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto

  4. Finnish Forest Research Institute Metla, Jokiniemenkuja 1, BOX 18, 01301, Vantaa, Finland

    Matti Rousi

  5. Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Shiyong Yang

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  1. Ulla Anttila
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  2. Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto
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  5. Markus J. Rantala
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Correspondence to Teija Ruuhola.

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Communicated by Evan DeLucia.

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Anttila, U., Julkunen-Tiitto, R., Rousi, M. et al. Effects of elevated ultraviolet-B radiation on a plant–herbivore interaction. Oecologia 164, 163–175 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-010-1658-5

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