Article
Ecology
Chris R. R. Smith
Summary: Ant societies are primarily composed of females, with reproductive and non-reproductive castes. Male ants are often neglected in research, but their differences from workers and queens may facilitate novel variation. This study found that worker variation paralleled male-queen variation, and sexual dimorphism correlated with worker polymorphism across species. Molecular evidence suggests that genes involved in sex determination may also play a role in queen-worker caste determination, and sexual dimorphism may have facilitated the evolution of distinct worker castes.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Lindsay S. Miles, David Murray-Stoker, Vanessa J. Nhan, Marc T. J. Johnson
Summary: Urbanization has different effects on species diversity and species interactions in urban areas. Urban habitats have higher abundance of herbivore species but lower leaf herbivory, with effects varying among cities and seasons. Urbanization alters insect community composition, with low dispersal ability species being most affected. Urbanization reduces herbivory but does not alter species interactions among herbivorous insects.
Article
Ecology
Michal Segoli, Paul K. Abram, Jacintha Ellers, Gili Greenbaum, Ian C. W. Hardy, George E. Heimpel, Tamar Keasar, Paul J. Ode, Asaf Sadeh, Eric Wajnberg
Summary: Identifying traits associated with success in controlling pest insects has been a challenge for researchers and practitioners in biological control. Previous efforts have not revealed consistent patterns, preventing effective ranking of potential control agents. The quality of current datasets is insufficient to detect complex relationships, but further exploration is likely to be worthwhile.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Eeva M. Soininen, Magne Neby
Summary: This article summarizes the hypotheses regarding whether plants can cause rodent population cycles. The current literature is insufficient to confidently discard or confirm any of the hypotheses due to scattered and insufficient research. The best-studied topic is the quantitative effects of rodents on vegetation, but the rapid regrowth of vegetation prevents the maintenance of low population densities. Further research is needed to test specific predictions regarding dietary variations in order to determine the effects of plant-herbivore interactions on rodent population dynamics.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Po-An Lin, Yintong Chen, Duverney Chaverra-Rodriguez, Chan Chin Heu, Nursyafiqi Bin Zainuddin, Jagdeep Singh Sidhu, Michelle Peiffer, Ching-Wen Tan, Anjel Helms, Donghun Kim, Jared Ali, Jason L. Rasgon, Jonathan Lynch, Charles T. Anderson, Gary W. Felton
Summary: This study demonstrates that caterpillars inhibit the emission of plant volatiles and cause stomatal closure by secreting salivary enzymes, thus preventing plants from initiating defensive responses.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xose Lopez-Goldar, Amy Hastings, Tobias Zuest, Anurag Agrawal
Summary: The coevolution between plants and herbivores often involves the escalation of defence-offence strategies. This study found that different tissues of the tropical milkweed have increasing concentrations of toxins, and specialized herbivores show proportionate tolerance to these toxins. However, there are variations in insect adaptation to tissue-specific toxins. These findings suggest the presence of tissue-specific coevolutionary dynamics between the plant and its specialized herbivores.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jiao Qu, Dries Bonte, Martijn L. Vandegehuchte
Summary: Urban environments present challenges to species survival, but species can cope through evolution and phenotypic plasticity. This study found that aphid densities increased with urbanization levels, while plant size remained unchanged. Offspring of urban mothers were larger, had lower trichome density and seed set, but higher caterpillar tolerance. However, no urban evolution was detected in defenses against aphids.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Fernandez-Nicolas, Gabriela Machaj, Alba Ventos-Alfonso, Viviana Pagone, Toshinori Minemura, Takahiro Ohde, Takaaki Daimon, Guillem Ylla, Xavier Belles
Summary: The early embryo of the cockroach Blattella germanica shows high expression of E93, which is essential for both adult morphogenesis and early embryogenesis. The depletion of E93 leads to developmental defects in the germ band formation and significant changes in gene expression during the early embryo stage. E93 expression varies across different insect species, suggesting its role in the evolution of metamorphosis.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Vacher Corinne, Castagneyrol Bastien, Jousselin Emmanuelle, Schimann Heidy
Summary: Recent studies have shown that herbivore damage in forest ecosystems is influenced by interactions between trees, insects, and their microbiomes. Research on the plant microbiome suggests that managing microbial communities in trees can improve resistance to insect pests in forest plantations. Holistic goals should be combined with reductionist approaches to better understand how microbial fluxes impact forest ecosystems.
CURRENT FORESTRY REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Entomology
Po-An Lin, Sulav Paudel, Pin-Chu Lai, Raj K. Gc, Dan-Hong Yang, Gary W. Felton
Summary: This review summarizes current knowledge on the ecology of water-plant-insect interactions and agricultural practices that integrate water management in pest management. It discusses the importance of these practices at a global scale and in different farming types and regional differences. A better understanding of the interactions between water and pest management can increase synergy and prevent antagonism among different management practices. The review informs future studies on integrating water and pest management and highlights current knowledge gaps.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Anna Pompka, Elzbieta Szulinska, Alina Kafel
Summary: This study aimed to assess how insect populations with a history of long-term metal exposure can better manage metal stress and starvation at different developmental stages by using energetic substrates. The results showed that individuals from the cadmium strain exhibited changes in the concentration of soluble carbohydrates and proteins, partly due to earlier starvation. Additionally, changes in carbohydrate concentration seemed to serve as a sensitive biomarker of metal stress, independent of individual age and starvation period. The effects on total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation level depended on the strain origin.
Article
Ecology
Qingqing Yang, Xiaohua Chen
Summary: Mixed plantations play a crucial role in regulating pest herbivory in agroecosystems, but the effectiveness is influenced by the phylogenetic relatedness of plants and the specialization of herbivores.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Katherine Y. Barragan-Fonseca, Liana O. Greenberg, Gerrit Gort, Marcel Dicke, Joop J. A. Van Loon
Summary: Using black soldier fly exuviae as a soil amendment can enhance the growth, resistance, and seed production of Brassica nigra plants. Compared with plants growing in soil without the addition of exuviae, plants grown in amended soil exhibit better tolerance to herbivores. Additionally, amended soil attracts more pollinators and positively affects plant-pollinator mutualism and seed yield. Therefore, utilizing by-products from insect production as soil amendments contributes to sustainable agricultural practices.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ellen A. R. Welti, Michael Kaspari
Summary: Sodium is essential for all animals, but not for plants. Increased sodium availability in soil can benefit insect herbivores and plant fungal pathogens. The uptake of sodium by plants may attract beneficial partners, but also make them more susceptible to herbivore damage.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ella DeWolf, Marcus T. Brock, William John Calder, Daniel J. Kliebenstein, Ella Katz, Baohua Li, Hilary G. Morrison, Lois Maignien, Cynthia Weinig
Summary: The rhizosphere microbiome affects plant traits and plants can modulate the composition of the microbial community. Genetic variation in glucosinolate (GLS) production influences the composition of the rhizosphere microbiome. Microbial inoculation affects GLS production, but does not influence insect damage.
Review
Plant Sciences
Meghan L. Avolio, Elisabeth J. Forrestel, Cynthia C. Chang, Kimberly J. La Pierre, Karin T. Burghardt, Melinda D. Smith
Article
Ecology
Zachary Hajian-Forooshani, Lauren Schmitt, Nicholas Medina, John Vandermeer
Article
Ecology
John L. Devaney, Jamie Pullen, Susan C. Cook-Patton, Karin T. Burghardt, John D. Parker
Article
Ecology
Lauren Schmitt, Bolivar Aponte-Rolon, Ivette Perfecto
Article
Ecology
Lauren Schmitt, Ivette Perfecto
Article
Ecology
Andrew P. Landsman, Karin T. Burghardt, Jacob L. Bowman
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Soil Science
Lauren Schmitt, Ivette Perfecto
Summary: This study assessed the decomposition of coffee leaves in different environments and found that decomposition was faster in the home environment. This suggests the presence of home-field advantage (HFA) in agricultural systems, where substrate decomposition is more efficient in home environments.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Karin T. T. Burghardt, Meghan L. L. Avolio, Dexter H. H. Locke, J. Morgan Grove, Nancy F. F. Sonti, Christopher M. M. Swan
Summary: This study found that neighborhoods in Baltimore that were redlined in the past have lower street tree diversity and higher proportion of young trees, which heavily rely on a single tree species. However, recent investments in tree planting activities have been observed in these redlined neighborhoods.
Article
Ecology
Kimberly J. Komatsu, Nicole L. Esch, Kathryn J. Bloodworth, Karin T. Burghardt, Kelsey McGurrin, Jamie D. Pullen, John D. Parker
Summary: The diversity of rhizobial strains can enhance soybean resistance to chewing insect herbivores and aphids under drought conditions. However, it does not have an effect on defoliation by rabbits or overall soybean growth and yield.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Elizabeth M. Butz, Lauren M. Schmitt, John D. Parker, Karin T. Burghardt
Summary: Human actions are reducing forest diversity and complexity. Understanding how these changes affect predators is important for maintaining ecosystem services. A tree diversity experiment showed that spiders responded differently to different tree species and that diverse plots supported more spiders. Planting strategies focused on species mixtures may be more effective in maintaining higher trophic levels and ecosystem functions.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Lauren Schmitt, Russell Greenberg, Guillermo Ibarra-Nunez, Peter Bichier, Caleb E. Gordon, Ivette Perfecto
Summary: The study highlights the important role of volant vertebrate insectivores such as birds and bats in regulating herbivores in forests and agro-ecosystems. Both intertrophic predation and intraguild predation are found to have significant impacts on herbivores. Seasonality may affect the relative importance of these predation interactions.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Eric A. Griffin, Joshua G. Harrison, Melissa K. McCormick, Karin T. Burghardt, John D. Parker
Article
Biology
Erika Machtinger, Karen C. Poh, Risa Pesapane, Danielle M. Tufts
Summary: Vector-borne diseases, transmitted by insects, are a significant threat to global human and animal health. Their emergence is influenced by factors such as environmental changes, host characteristics, and human behavior. The One Health approach is necessary to comprehensively investigate tick-borne diseases and understand the complex interactions between environmental, animal, and human health.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Biology
Pablo Urbaneja-Bernat, Alejandro Tena, Joel Gonzalez-Cabrera, Cesar Rodriguez-Saona
Summary: This article reviews the potential role of plant guttation as a food source for natural enemies, discussing its nutritional value, effects on insect communities, and potential use in conservation biological control.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Biology
Alina A. Mikhailova, Sarah Rinke, Mark C. Harrison
Summary: The genomes of eusocial insects allow the production and regulation of highly distinct phenotypes, largely independent of genotype. Eusociality has evolved convergently in at least three insect orders, but eusocial phenotypes show remarkable similarity. Increased regulatory complexity and the adaptive evolution of chemical communication are common genomic signatures of eusociality. Colony life itself can shape genomes of divergent taxa in a similar manner.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Biology
Dequn Teng, Wei Zhang
Summary: Butterfly wings, with their rich phenotypic diversity and complex biological functions, serve as a crucial system for studying the genetic basis and evolution of phenotypic diversification. Recent studies have revealed the complex functions and genetic and environmental factors involved in determining wing patterns. These factors lead to inter-specific divergence, genetic polymorphism, and phenotypic plasticity, often controlled by key genes. Gene co-option has also been identified as an important mechanism for functional complexity and evolutionary novelty. However, further research is needed for a systematic and comprehensive understanding.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2024)