Growth responses of gypsy moth larvae to elevated CO2： the influence of methods of insect rearing

• Published in: Insect science Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 409 - 418
• Main Authors: Ji, Lan-Zhu, An, Lin-Li, Wang, Xiao-Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Publishing Asia 01.08.2011
• Subjects: Age; Betula pendula subsp. mandshurica; Betula platyphylla; Carbohydrates; Carbon dioxide; elevated CO2; Feeding trials; frass; Host plants; insect larvae; insect rearing; insects; larval development; leaf quality; Leaves; Lymantria dispar; Nitrogen; nitrogen content; no-choice feeding; open-top chamber; phenolic compounds; Populus; proanthocyanidins; Sampling; Secondary metabolites; Starch; Sugar; sugars; Tannic acid; Trees; 二氧化碳浓度升高; 大气; 昆虫饲养; 次生代谢产物; 生长反应; 舞毒蛾幼虫; 非结构性碳水化合物; 饲养方法
• ISSN: 1672-9609; 1744-7917
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7917.2011.01419.x

Abstract The effects of elevated CO₂ on foliar chemistry of two tree species (Populus pseudo-simonii Kitag. and Betula platyphylla) and on growth of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) larvae were examined. Furthermore, we focused on the comparison of results on the growth responses of larvae obtained from two methods of insect rearing, the no-choice feeding trial performed in the laboratory or in situ in open-top chambers. On the whole, both primary and secondary metabolites in the leaves of the two tree species were significantly affected by main effects of time (sampling date), CO₂ and species. Elevated CO₂ significantly increased the C : N ratio and concentrations of the soluble sugar, starch, total nonstructural carbohydrates, total phenolics and condensed tannins, but significantly decreased the concentration of nitrogen. Higher contents of total phenolics and condensed tannins were detected in the frass of larvae reared in elevated CO₂ treatments. Overall, the growth of gypsy moth larvae were significantly inhibited by elevated CO₂ and CO₂-induced changes in leaf quality. Our study did not indicate the two methods of insect rearing could influence the direction of effects of elevated CO₂ on the growth of individual insects; however, the magnitude of negative effects of elevated CO₂ on larval growth did differ between the two insect rearing methods, and it seems that the response magnitude was also mediated by larval age and host plant species.