Systematic and Applied Acarology (2016) 21, 295-306

Guo Hao Zhang, Ya Ying Li, Kai Jun Zhang, Jin Jun Wang, Yi Qing Liu and Huai Liu (2016)
Effects of heat stress on copulation, fecunditiy and longevity in newly-emerged adults of the predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri (Acari: Phytoseiidae)
Systematic and Applied Acarology 21 (3), 295-306
Abstract: Climate change predictions depict scenarios where arthropods will be more intensely and frequently exposed to extreme high temperatures. A short period of heat stress is unlikely to cause directly mortality but may modify population dynamics via impacting life history traits. In this study, the newly-emerged female and male adults of the predatory mite, Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were exposed to 42 ºC for 4 hours to investigate the heat effects on the copulation, longevity, fecundity and egg hatchability through parental effects of the mite. The results showed that after heat stress, the females had a markedly extended pre-oviposition period, shortened oviposition period, and reduced fecundity and longevity. At the meantime, when females mated with the heat stressed males, the pre-oviposition period was prolonged, the oviposition period was shortened and the fecundity was reduced. A sex-specific effect of short term heat exposure on mating behavior was further observed in males where copulation duration of the stressed individuals were somewhat prolonged. In addition, a trade-off between survival and reproduction was observed in heat stressed females. However, heat stress had no effects on immediate mortality, pre-copulation period, post-oviposition period, male longevity and egg hatchability of the progeny generations. Our results confirmed that heat stress had a detrimental effect on reproduction, particularly by delaying the onset of oviposition and reducing reproductive output and thereby influencing the population dynamics of N. barkeri.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Jin-Jun Wang

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
environment/habitat manipulation

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Neoseiulus barkeri (predator)