Journal of Pest Science (2007) 80, 139-143
J. Gross, N. E. Fatouros, S. Neuvonen, M. Hilker (2007)
The role of competitors for Chrysomela lapponica, a north Eurasian willow pest, in pioneering a new host plant.
Journal of Pest Science 80 (3), 139-143
Abstract: The Palaearctic leaf beetle Chrysomela lapponica
usually feeds upon willows in the northern region of its
occurrence. However, in Central Europe, some populations
are known that have specialised on birch. In this study, we
investigated the signiWcance of other herbivores occurring
together on the same host plants as possible exploitative
competitors of C. lapponica. Two populations were
studied: a population from Finland specialised on the willow
Salix borealis, and a population from the Czech
Republic, specialised on the birch Betula pubescens. Abundances
of folivorous and suctivorous insects on both host
plants were recorded at both population sites. The willow
leaf beetle Phratora vitellinae was the most abundant herbivorous
insect at both study sites on willow. A Weld study
was conducted to examine the eVects of P. vitellinae on the
performance of C. lapponica. The presence of P. vitellinae
larvae on the same twig upon which C. lapponica larvae
were feeding did not aVect increase of body weight in
C. lapponica larvae. Thus, the high resource availability of
both willows and birches suggest that interspeciWc competition
is unlikely to be a selection factor driving the evolution
of host shift in C. lapponica.
(The abstract has been supplied by the author or ISPI and is excluded from the Creative Commons licence.)
Database assignments for author(s): Jürgen Gross, Monika Hilker
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysomela lapponica | Willow (Salix) | Germany | ||
| Phratora vitellinae | Willow (Salix) | Germany |
