Syracuse

Host-mediated, cross-generational intraspecific competition in a multivoltine herbivore species

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Castagneyrol, Bastien | van Halder, Inge | Kadiri, Yasmine | Schillé, Laura | Jactel, Hervé

Edité par CCSD -

Conspecific insect herbivores co-occurring on the same host plant interact both directly through interference competition and indirectly through exploitative competition, plant-mediated interactions and enemy-mediated interactions. However, the situation is less clear when the interactions between conspecific insect herbivores are separated in time within the same growing season, as it is the case for multivoltine species. We hypothesized that early season herbivory would result in reduced egg laying and reduced performance of the next generation of herbivore on previously attacked plants. We tested this hypothesis in a choice experiment with box tree moth females, Cydalima perspectalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), to which box trees, Buxus sempervirens L. (Buxaceae), were proposed that had or had not been previously defoliated by BTM larvae earlier in the season. We then compared the performance of the next generation larvae on previously damaged vs undamaged plants. Previous herbivory had no effect on oviposition behaviour, but the weight of next generation larvae was significantly lower in previously damaged plants. There was a negative correlation between the number of egg clutches per plant and larval performance. Overall, our findings reveal that early season herbivory reduces the performance of conspecific individuals on the same host plant later in the growing season, and that this time-lagged intraspecific competition results from a mismatch between the oviposition preference of females and the performance of their offspring.

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