Title: | Perception of solar UVB radiation by phytophagous insects: behavioral responses and ecosystem implications |
Author(s): | Mazza CA; Zavala J; Scopel AL; Ballare CL; |
Address: | "IFEVA, (Agricultural Plant Physiology and Ecology Research Institute), Facultad de Agronomia, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Avenida San Martin 4453, 1417 Buenos Aires, Argentina" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0027-8424 (Print) 1091-6490 (Electronic) 0027-8424 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Most of our present knowledge about the impacts of solar UVB radiation on terrestrial ecosystems comes from studies with plants. Recently, the effects of UVB on the growth and survival of consumer species have begun to receive attention, but very little is known about UVB impacts on animal behavior. Here we report that manipulations of the flux of solar UVB received by field-grown soybean crops had large and consistent effects on the density of the thrips (Caliothrips phaseoli, Thysanoptera: Thripidae) populations that invaded the canopies, as well as on the amount of leaf damage caused by the insects. Solar UVB strongly reduced thrips herbivory. Thrips not only preferred leaves from plants that were not exposed to solar UVB over leaves from UVB-exposed plants in laboratory and field choice experiments, but they also appeared to directly sense and avoid exposure to solar UVB. Additional choice experiments showed that soybean leaf consumption by the late-season soybean worm Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was much less intense in leaves with even slight symptoms of an early thrips attack than in undamaged leaves. These experiments suggest that phytophagous insects can present direct and indirect behavioral responses to solar UVB. The indirect responses are mediated by changes in the plant host that are induced by UVB and, possibly, by other insects whose behavior is affected by UVB" |
Keywords: | Animals Diet *Ecosystem Insecta/*physiology/radiation effects Lepidoptera/physiology Perception Plants *Sunlight *Ultraviolet Rays; |
Notes: | "MedlineMazza, C A Zavala, J Scopel, A L Ballare, C L eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. 1999/02/03 Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Feb 2; 96(3):980-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.96.3.980" |