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Independent and interactive effects of diet and entomopathogenic microsporidia on an outbreaking forest insect defoliator

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dc.contributor.authorFlaherty, Leah
dc.contributor.authorPreti, lavio
dc.contributor.authorIshangulyyeva, Guncha
dc.contributor.authorErbilgin, Nadir
dc.contributor.authorWhidden, Taylar
dc.contributor.authorEvenden, Maya
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-21T20:40:25Z
dc.date.available2024-02-21T20:40:25Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstract1. Insect herbivore diet mediates interactions with entomopathogens, yet this is relatively unexplored for microsporidia. Here, we examine a diet-mediated tri-trophic interaction between an outbreaking forest defoliator, forest tent caterpillar (FTC) Malacosoma disstria Hübner and Nosema sp. microsporidia. 2. We conducted two experiments where diet quality was manipulated by incorporating lyophilized aspen (Populus tremuloides Michaux) foliage into an artificial diet, which was compared to a standard artificial diet. Diet quantity varied between fully fed and partially starved conditions, simulating an outbreak scenario. Microsporidia infection occurred naturally or was induced via experimental inoculation. We assessed FTC survival, microsporidia infection and load, and sublethal effects of treatments on FTC traits. 3. Plant secondary metabolite concentrations in aspen-augmented diets varied between experiments. In Experiment 1, the aspen-augmented diet contained lyophilized aspen foliage with low concentrations of secondary metabolites, which increased FTC survival and reduced microsporidia infection. Diet quality and infection load also interactively influenced adult wing traits in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, the aspen-augmented diet contained lyophilized aspen foliage with higher concentrations of secondary metabolites, which negatively affected FTC. No diet mediated interactions with microsporidia were observed in Experiment 2. 4. Diet quality (Experiments 1 and 2), diet quantity (Experiment 2) and microsporidia infection (Experiments 1 and 2) directly influenced FTC survival and/or had sublethal effects on FTC that may have cascading effects on population dynamics and dispersal. 5. We demonstrated that diet quality can mediate interactions between FTC and microsporidia, but these interactions depend on the defensive chemistry of the FTC diet. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report diet-mediated interactions between an outbreaking forest pest and microsporidia and one of only a few studies to examine this tri-trophic interaction among Lepidoptera.
dc.identifier.citationFlaherty, L., Preti, F., Ishangulyyeva, G., Erbilgin, N., Whidden, T., & Evenden, M. (2024). Independent and interactive effects of diet and entomopathogenic microsporidia on an outbreaking forest insect defoliator. Agricultural & Forest Entomology, 1. https://doi.org/10.1111/afe.12616
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1111/afe.12616
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14078/3426
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subjectdiet quality
dc.subjectdiet quantity
dc.subjectforest tent caterpillar
dc.subjectNosema
dc.subjecttri-trophic interactions
dc.titleIndependent and interactive effects of diet and entomopathogenic microsporidia on an outbreaking forest insect defoliatorzxx
dc.typeArticle

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