Article
Ecology
Nick L. Rasmussen, Louie H. Yang
Summary: Phenological shifts can have persistent and qualitatively different effects on different life stages of plants, with early and late-season herbivory having different impacts on plant growth and reproduction.
Article
Entomology
Cody Prouty, Paola Barriga, Andrew K. Davis, Vera Krischik, Sonia Altizer
Summary: Neonicotinoids are widely used insecticides in North America, with studies showing negative effects on bees. Monarch butterflies, known for their long-distance migrations, were found to be negatively impacted by neonicotinoids, with effects dependent on the milkweed species they feed on. Results suggest that monarchs can tolerate low neonicotinoid doses, but experience detrimental effects at higher doses, influenced by the type of milkweed host plant. This study highlights the potential role of host plant species in reducing insecticide residue and calls for further investigation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Lunlun Gao, Chunqiang Wei, Yifan He, Xuefei Tang, Wei Chen, Hao Xu, Yuqing Wu, Rutger A. Wilschut, Xinmin Lu
Summary: This study investigates the interactive effects of aboveground herbivores and soil biota on plant invasions through plant-soil feedbacks. The researchers found that increased herbivory did not affect the dominance of the invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides over native plants, but it did alter soil microbial communities and prolonged the negative plant-soil feedback, leading to decreased herbivore performance on the next-generation invasive plants.
Article
Ecology
Morgan N. Thompson, John M. Grunseich, Laura O. Marmolejo, Natalie M. Aguirre, Pius A. Bradicich, Spencer T. Behmer, Charles P. -C. Suh, Anjel M. Helms
Summary: It has been found that belowground larval herbivory enhances aboveground plant defenses and deters aboveground herbivores. The larvae-damaged plants emit higher amounts of a key volatile compound, and belowground herbivory may also influence aboveground herbivore foraging decisions through plant nutrient content.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Anna S. Westbrook, Masoume Amirkhani, Alan G. Taylor, Michael T. Loos, John E. Losey, Antonio DiTommaso
Summary: Intensive agricultural crop production often leads to low biodiversity, which may decrease ecosystem services and limit crop yield. To address this issue, farmers can enhance biodiversity by planting non-crop species near crop fields. We have developed a seed-molding method, using a conventional corn planter, that allows for the precise and efficient establishment of non-crop species. Our experiments with common milkweed as a model native species demonstrate the potential of this technology to increase agroecosystem biodiversity.
Article
Ecology
Anurag A. Agrawal, Amy P. Hastings, Christophe Duplais
Summary: This study found that monarch butterflies preferentially sequester compounds that are less toxic to themselves but still toxic to their enemies, reducing self-harm while maintaining protection from predators.
Article
Ecology
David E. Dussourd
Summary: The study compared the canal arrangements of common milkweed and prickly lettuce, finding that damaging primary or secondary veins on prickly lettuce did not reduce latex emission, while transecting the midrib of common milkweed significantly reduced latex exudation. This suggests that herbivore behaviors on these plants match their respective laticifer systems as influenced by canal architecture.
ARTHROPOD-PLANT INTERACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Leslie E. Decker, Christopher S. Jeffrey, Kaitlin M. Ochsenrider, Abigail S. Potts, Jacobus C. de Roode, Angela M. Smilanich, Mark D. Hunter
Summary: Animals rely on a balance of endogenous and exogenous sources of immunity to mitigate parasite attack, which is increasingly urgent to understand under rapid environmental change. In herbivores, immunity is influenced by environmental conditions, such as the consumption of plants with toxic steroids providing external immunity. Changes in milkweed phytochemistry induced by elevated CO2 alter the balance between exogenous and endogenous immunity sources, potentially leading to a shift in immune function under future atmospheric conditions.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anurag A. Agrawal, Katalin Boroczky, Meena Haribal, Amy P. Hastings, Ronald A. White, Ren-Wang Jiang, Christophe Duplais
Summary: Highly specialized insect herbivores can use plant chemical defenses as cues for oviposition and sequestration. Research has shown that variation in milkweed toxins can negatively impact the growth and sequestration of monarch butterflies, highlighting the evolution of novel plant defenses and the specific nature of plant defense mechanisms.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Amanda E. Martin, Greg W. Mitchell, Judith M. Girard, Lenore Fahrig
Summary: Research indicates that altering the landscape in agricultural regions, including reducing crop field sizes and increasing the cover of annual crops, can benefit milkweed populations. However, the effects of landscape-scale alterations on milkweed were found to be larger than those of within-field farming practices. Additionally, most variables had opposite effects on milkweed relative to other plants, suggesting that promoting milkweed abundance does not necessarily lead to an increase in overall weed cover.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Ecology
William C. Wetzel, Brian D. Inouye, Philip G. Hahn, Susan R. Whitehead, Nora Underwood
Summary: Plants and herbivores exhibit significant variability in space and time. Research on variability expands our understanding of plant-herbivore ecology and evolution, leading to new hypotheses and insights into the distribution of herbivory.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bernadette M. Mach, William Long, Jaret C. Daniels, Adam G. Dale
Summary: Anthropogenic disturbance is causing global biodiversity loss, affecting the monarch butterfly which relies on milkweed. Planting ornamental milkweed in urban landscapes seems beneficial for the conservation of monarch butterflies. However, sap-feeding insect herbivores, such as the oleander aphid, can negatively impact monarch conservation efforts by reducing plant quality and triggering plant defenses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bernadette M. Mach, William Long, Jaret C. Daniels, Adam G. Dale
Summary: Anthropogenic disturbance is causing global biodiversity loss, including the specialized monarch butterfly. In response, ornamental milkweed plantings are becoming more common in urban landscapes and have been shown to have conservation value for monarch butterflies. However, sap-feeding insect herbivores, such as the oleander aphid, often reach high densities on these plants. Aphid-infested milkweed may hinder monarch conservation efforts by reducing host plant quality and inducing plant defenses.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kelsey E. Fisher, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: Integrating larval lepidopteran behavior into conservation plans can enhance the impact of conservation efforts. This study found that milkweed ramet abandonment behavior is seemingly innate and is not affected by intraspecific competition. It suggests maintaining small milkweed patches for larval development when there is sufficient plant biomass and no predation, parasitism, or interspecific competition.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Xiao Sun, Yumei Sun, Ling Ma, Zhen Liu, Chujun Zhang, Wei Huang, Evan Siemann, Jianqing Ding
Summary: Plants mediate interactions within insect assemblages through herbivore-induced volatile chemicals, affecting host plant colonization by different herbivores. This study investigated the effects of simultaneous conspecific above-and belowground herbivory on multiple trophic levels. The results showed that herbivory by Bikasha collaris larvae and adults disrupted the behavior of Spodoptera litura moths and Holotrichia parallela grubs, while promoting the preference of Heterorhabditis megidis nematodes. Furthermore, the volatile profiles of leaves and roots varied among different feeding treatments.
ENTOMOLOGIA GENERALIS
(2022)