Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Herbivory by leaf miners in response to experimental shading of a native crucifer

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

We tested the hypothesis that light intensity was the direct, proximal mechanism causing significantly higher vulnerability of Bittercress (Cardamine cordifolia A. Gray) clones in the sun to herbivory by a leaf-mining fly (Scaptomyza nigrita Wheeler). Clones in the sun were experimentally shaded. Plant performance and losses to leaf miners were compared to controls in the sun and natural willow shade. Leaf-mining damage was significantly higher on artificially-shaded plants (P<0.01), opposite of our expectation. Shading sun plants shifted their growth pattern toward that of naturally-shaded plants. No significant differences were detected in leaf water status or glucosinolate concentrations, eliminating water stress and variation in defensive posture for mediating the between habitat differences in levels of herbivory. Although soluble sugars varied significantly, they were higher in sun than either shade treatment. Total and free amino nitrogen concentrations were highest in the artificially-shaded plants and lowest in naturally-occurring sun plants. Adult flies were more abundant on sun and on artificially-shaded plants than on naturally-shaded plants. Thus, relative abundance of ovipositing flies in the sun-exposed area, combined with the higher nitrogen availability in artificially-shaded plants, form the most plausible hypothesis for factors mediating the experimentally documented pattern of herbivory.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 1975. Methods of Analysis. 12th ed.

  • Bach CE (1984) Plant spatial pattern and herbivore population dynamics: plant factors affecting the movement patterns of a tropical cucurbit specialist (Acalymma innubum). Ecology 65:175–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Bultman TL, Faeth SH (1988) Abundance and mortality of leaf miners on artificially-shade emory oak. Ecol Ent (in press)

  • Chew FS (1975) Coevolution of pierid butterflies and their cruciferous foodplants. I. The relative quality of available resources. Oecologia (Berlin) 20:117–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chew FS (1977) Coevolution of pierid butterflies and their cruciferous foodplants. II. The distribution of eggs on potential foodplants. Evolution 31:568–579

    Google Scholar 

  • Chew FS (1980) Foodplant preferences ofPieris caterpillars (Lepidoptera). Oecologia (Berlin) 46:347–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Collinge SK, Louda SM (1988a) Patterns of resource use by a drosophilid (Diptera) leaf miner on a native crucifer. Ann Entomol Soc (in press)

  • Collinge SK, Louda SM (1988b)Scaptomyza nigrita Wheeler (Diptera: Drosophilidae), a leaf miner of the native crucifer,Cardamine cordifolia A. Gray (Bittercress). J Ks Ent Soc (in press)

  • Courtney SP (1982) Coevolution of pierid butterflies and their cruciferous foodplants. IV. Crucifer apparency andAnthocharis cardamines (L.) oviposition. Oecologia (Berlin) 52:258–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Courtney SP, Courtney S (1982) The edge effect in butterfly oviposition: causality inAnthocharis cardamines. Ecol Entomol 7:131–137

    Google Scholar 

  • David WAL, Gardiner BOC (1962) Oviposition and the hatching of the eggs ofPieris brassicae L. in a laboratory culture. Bull Entomol Res 53:91–109

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • David WAL, Gardiner BOC (1966) Mustard oil glucosides as feeding stimulants forPieris brassicae larvae in a semi-synthetic diet. Entomol Exp et Appl 9:247–255

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Faeth SH, Mopper S, Simberloff D (1981) Abundances and diversity of leaf-mining insects on three oak host species: effects of host plant phenology and nitrogen content of leaves. Oikos 37:238–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Feeny P (1976) Plant apparency and chemical defense. Rec Adv Phytochem 10:1–40

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feeny P (1977) Defensive ecology of the Cruciferae. Ann Missouri Bot Gard 64:221–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Feeny P, Paauwe KL, Demong NJ (1970) Flea beetles and mustard oils: Host plant specificity ofPhyllotreta cruciferae andPhyllotreta striolata adults (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 63:832–841

    Google Scholar 

  • Gulmon SL, Chu CC (1981) The effects of light and nitrogen on photosynthesis, leaf characteristics, and dry matter allocation in the chaparral shrub,Diplacus aurantiacus. Oecologia (Berlin) 49:207–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanson FE (1983) The behavioural and neurophysiological basis of food plant selection by lepidopterous larvae. In: Ahmad S (ed) Herbivorous Insects: Host-Seeking Behavior and Mechanisms. Academic Press, New York, pp 3–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Harper JL (1969) The role of predation in vegetational diversity. Brookhaven Symposium in Biology No. 22. Diversity and Stability in Ecological Systems, pp 48–61

  • Harper JL (1977) The Population Biology of Plants. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrington HD (1954) Manual of the Plants of Colorado. Sage Books, Denver, CO

    Google Scholar 

  • Hicks KL (1974) Mustard oil glucosides: Feeding stimulants for adult cabbage flea beetles,Phyllotreta cruciferae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 67:261–264

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hovanitz W, Chang VCS (1963a) Comparison of the selective effect of two mustard oils and their glucosides toPieris larvae. J Res Lepidop 2:281–288

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hovanitz W, Chang VCS (1963a) Selection of allyl isothiocyanate by larvae ofPieris rapae and the inheritance of this trait. J Res Lepidop 1:169–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Huffaker CB, Kennett CE (1959) A ten year study of vegetational changes associated with biological control of Klamath weed. J Range Mgmt 12:69–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Kingsolver JG (1983) Thermoregulation and flight inColias butterflies: elevational patterns and mechanistic limitations. Ecology 64:534–545

    Google Scholar 

  • Langenheim JH (1955) Flora of the Creasted Butte Quadrangle, Colorado. Madrono 13:64–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Langenheim JH (1962) Vegetation and environmental patterns in the Crested Butte Area, Gunnison County, Colorado. Ecol Monogr 32:249–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln DE, Langenheim JH (1979) Variation ofSatureja douglasii monoterpenoids in relation to light intensity and herbivory. Biochem Syst Ecol 7:289–298

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln DE, Mooney HA (1984) Herbivory onDiplacus aurantiacus shrubs in sun and shade. Oecologia (Berlin) 64:173–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM (1982a) Limitation of the recruitment of the shrubHaplopappus squarrosus (Asteraceae) by flower- and seed-feeding insects. J Ecol 70:43–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM (1982b) Distribution ecology: variation in plant recruitment over a gradient in relation to insect seed predation. Ecol Monogr 52:25–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM (1983) Seed predation and seedling mortality in the recruitment of a shrub,Haplopappus venetus (Asteraceae), along a climatic gradient. Ecology 64:511–521

    Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM (1984) Herbivore effect on stature, fruiting, and leaf dynamics of a native crucifer. Ecology 65:1379–1386

    Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM (1986) Insect herbivory in response to root cutting and flooding stress on a native crucifer under field conditions. Acta Oecologia, Oecologia Generalis 7:37–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM (1988) Insect pest and plant stress as considerations for revegetation of disturbed ecosystems. In: Cairns J (ed), Rehabilitation of Disturbed Ecosystems. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM, Rodman JE (1983a) Ecological patterns in the glucosinolate content of a native mustard,Cardamine cordifolia, in the Rocky Mountains. J Chem Ecol 9:397–421

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM, Rodman JE (1983b) Concentration of glucosinolates in relation to habitat and insect herbivory for the native cruciferCardamine cordifolia. Biochem Syst Ecol 11:199–207

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM, Dixon PM, Huntly NJ (1987a) Herbivory in sun versus shade at a natural meadow-woodland ecotone in the Rocky Mountains. Vegetatio 72:141–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM, Huntly NJ, Dixon PM (1987b) Insect herbivory in response to experimentally-inducedin situ plant stress: sun versus shade. Acta Oecologia, Oecologia Generalis 8:357–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Louda SM, Handel SN, Mishkin J (1988) A test of predispersal seed predation in the habitat distribution ofAster divaricatus. In review

  • MacGarvin M, Lawton JH, Heads PH (1986) The herbivorous insect communities of open and woodland bracken: observations, experiments and habitat manipulations. Oikos 47:135–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Maiorana VC (1981) Herbivory in sun and shade. Biol J Linn Soc 15:151–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattson WJ Jr (1980) Herbivory in relation to plant nitrogen content. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 11:119–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNeil S, Southwood TRE (1978) The role of nitrogen in the development of insect/plant relationships. In: Harbourne JB (ed), Biochemical Aspects of Plant and Animal Coevolution. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles PW, Aspinall D, Correll AT (1982a) The performance of two chewing insects on water-stressed food plants in relation to changes in their chemical composition. Aust J Zool 30:347–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles PW, Aspinall D, Rosenberg L (1982b) Performance of the cabbage aphid,Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), on water-stressed rape plants, in relation to changes in their chemical composition. Aust J Zool 30:337–345

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moore S, Stein WH (1954) A modified ninhydrin reagent for the photometric determination of amino acids and related compounds. J Biol Chem 211:907–913

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy DD, Launer AE, Ehrlich PR (1983) The role of adult feeding in egg production and population dynamics of the checkerspot butterflyEuphydryas editha. Oecologia (Berlin) 56:257–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen JK (1978) Host plant discrimination within Cruciferae: Feeding responses of four leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to glucosinolates, cucurbitacins and cardenolides. Entomol Exp et Appl 24:41–54

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quade D (1966) On analysis of variance for the k-sample problem. Ann Math Stat 37:1747–1758

    Google Scholar 

  • Rausher MD (1979) Larval habitat suitability and oviposition preference in three related butterflies. Ecology 60:503–511

    Google Scholar 

  • Risch SJ (1981) Insect herbivore abundance in tropical monocultures and polycultures: an experimental test of the two hypotheses. Ecology 62:1325–1340

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodman JE (1978) Glucosinolates: methods of analysis and some chemosystematic problems. Phytochem Bull 11:6–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodman JE, Louda SM (1984) Phenology of glucosinolate concentrations in roots, stems and leaves ofCardamine cordifolia. Biochem Syst Ecol 12:37–46

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodman JE, Louda SM (1985) Season flux of isothiocyanate-yielding glucosinolates in roots, stems and leaves ofCardamine cordifolia. Biochem Syst Ecol 13:405–412

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute Inc (1985) SAS User's Guide: Statistics, 1985 Edition. Cary, NC

  • Schoonhoven LM (1967) chemoreception of mustard oil glucosides in larvae ofPieris brassicae. Proc Royal Acad Sci, Amsterdam, 700:556–568

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith D (1969) Removing and analyzing total non-structural carbohydrates from plant tissue. Res Dept Univ Wisconsin College of Agric. and Life Sciences, Madison, WI

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker RH, Feeny P (1971) Allelochemics: Chemical interactions between species. Science 171:757–770

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Williams KS (1983) The coevolution ofEuphydryas chalcedona butterflies and their larval host plants. III. Oviposition behavior and host plant quality. Oecologia (Berlin) 56:336–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Winer BJ (1971) Statistical principles in experimental design. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. S. K. Collinge

    Present address: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 02138, Cambridge, MA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, 68588-0118, Lincoln, NE, USA

    S. K. Collinge & S. M. Louda

  2. Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, 81224, Gothic, CO, USA

    S. K. Collinge & S. M. Louda

Authors
  1. S. K. Collinge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. M. Louda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Collinge, S.K., Louda, S.M. Herbivory by leaf miners in response to experimental shading of a native crucifer. Oecologia 75, 559–566 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00776420

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00776420

Key words

Search

Navigation