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Oviposition plant choice maximizes offspring fitness in an aquatic predatory insect

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Abstract

Evidence for the adaptive value of oviposition site selection in terms of increased offspring fitness is rare in predatory insects. We tested this in the damselfly Lestes macrostigma that prefers the plant Bolboschoenus maritimus. We carried out two experiments with shoots containing eggs: we flooded (1) some shoots of the same type (i.e. combination of species and desiccation state) at different dates and (2) different shoot types at the same date. Earlier flooding increased hatching success. Because B. maritimus grows in deeper parts of temporary ponds, it is flooded before other plants after the drought season, suggesting that adult oviposition site selection is driven by lower egg desiccation risk. Independently of flooding date, hatching success was higher and larvae hatched earlier when eggs were laid in B. maritimus. Faster embryonic development enhances chances to complete larval development before pond desiccation and reduces costs associated with time stress. Offspring higher fitness was more constant between shoots of B. maritimus compared to the other types of shoot, suggesting that laying eggs in one shoot of this plant leads offspring to high fitness more surely. Our results indicate that adults choose oviposition plants maximizing offspring fitness (higher hatching success and faster embryonic development).

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Amis des Marais du Vigueirat and to the Regional Natural Reserve of the Tour du Valat, for the permission to access the protected areas. We thank Jared Knowles for his advice regarding the assessment of the effects of the random factor. Marc Solari translated the paper of Horst Grunert into French. Alexandre Vilain helped us in the field. We are also grateful to Associate Editor Dani Boix and two anonymous reviewers, whose comments and suggestions helped us to improve an earlier version of the manuscript.

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  1. Tour du Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, Le Sambuc, 13200, Arles, France

    Philippe Lambret, Imogen Rutter & Patrick Grillas

  2. Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, Deberiotstraat 32, 3000, Louvain, Belgium

    Philippe Lambret & Robby Stoks

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  1. Philippe Lambret
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Correspondence to Philippe Lambret.

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Lambret, P., Rutter, I., Grillas, P. et al. Oviposition plant choice maximizes offspring fitness in an aquatic predatory insect. Hydrobiologia 823, 1–12 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3663-3

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