The integration of invasive species into native food webs represent multifarious dynamics of ecological and evolutionary processes. We document incorporation of Prunus serotina (black cherry) into native insect food webs. We find that P. serotina harbours a herbivore community less dense but more diverse than its native relative, P. padus (bird cherry), with similar proportions of specialists and generalists. While herbivory on P. padus remained stable over the past century, that on P. serotina gradually doubled. We show that P. serotina may have evolved changes in investment in cyanogenic glycosides compared with its native range. In the leaf beetle Gonioctena quinquepunctata, recently shifted from native Sorbus aucuparia to P. serotina, we find divergent host preferences on Sorbus- versus Prunus-derived populations, and weak host-specific differentiation among 380 individuals genotyped for 119 SNP loci. We conclude that evolutionary processes may generate a specialized herbivore community on an invasive plant, allowing prognoses of reduced invasiveness over time. On the basis of the results presented here, we would like to caution that manual control might have the adverse effect of a slowing down of processes of adaptation, and a delay in the decline of the invasive character of P. serotina.

/pdf/incorporation-of-an-invasive-plant-into-a-native-insect-2hdm6h7w8i.pdf

Incorporation of an invasive plant into a native insect herbivore food web

Introduction of non-native species of plants affects the existence and feeding preferences of herbivorous insects. The bird cherry ermine moth (Yponomeuta evonymellus ) is considered a typical monophagous insect, which feeds only on bird cherry (Prunus padus) leaves. However, in recent years, we have observed Y. evonymellus larvae feeding on leaves of the non-native (in Europe) and highly invasive black cherry (Prunus serotina). We hypothesized that this insect can feed on P. serotina leaves with no negative ef- fects on its growth and development and that the main reason why it does not accept this plant as a host is the phenological difference between the two species of cherry. Moving individuals of the three larval instars (L1, L2 and L3) from bird cherry to black cherry did not affect the percentage of adults that emerged from the pupae or the masses of the moths. In addition, in one experiment, the moths were heavier and the percentage parasitized was lower on P. serotina than on P. padus. Thus, the leaves of black cherry were at least as good a food source as P. padus for Y. evonymellus. During the feeding period, there were low concentrations of defense compounds (phenolics and condensed tannins) in the leaves of both species. However, it is likely that the low success of Y. evonymellus in infesting P. serotina is due to spring frosts and heavy rains, which are deadly for larvae in an early stage of development on black cherry. In the field these weather conditions resulted in a very high mortality of larvae in our experiment. In conclusion, the use of bird cherry as a host by Y. evonymellus is mainly determined by its phenology.

/pdf/invasive-prunus-serotina-a-new-host-for-yponomeuta-3nfr0pjacr.pdf

Invasive Prunus serotina - a new host for Yponomeuta evonymellus (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae)?

The polyphagous beetle Gonioctena quinquepunctata Fabricius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a serious leaf pest of the native European bird cherry, Prunus padus L., and the invasive alien black cherry, Prunus serotina Ehrh. (Rosaceae). In the shade, leaf damage is extensive in both species, whereas in full light, it is extensive in P. padus, but very low in P. serotina. We determined the influence of Prunus species and light conditions on differences in performance of both sexes of this folivore. In a laboratory experiment in which larvae were fed with leaves of a single species grown under particular light conditions, we measured larval, pupal, and adult mass, efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), duration of development, total food eaten, and relative growth rate. In the field, we observed differences in beetle mass on shrubs of the two species growing under various light conditions. From the field observations, we hypothesised that leaves of the invasive P. serotina are not an equally good food source as leaves of P. padus for G. quinquepunctata, and the preference of these beetles for shaded shrubs is most favourable for their growth and development. Under laboratory conditions, we found that the beetle growth rate was not affected significantly by Prunus species or light conditions, despite the significant effect of light condition on the structure and chemical composition of Prunus seedlings. The lower ECI value for larvae feeding on sunlit leaves was compensated for by their higher level of consumption. In the field, adult insect mass was higher on P. padus than on P. serotina, and higher on sunlit shrubs of both species than on shaded ones. Under natural conditions, the mass of adult insects is probably also affected by other factors, such as predators and competition among folivores.

Influence of native and alien Prunus species and light conditions on performance of the leaf beetle Gonioctena quinquepunctata

Body mass and sex ratio (F/M) of folivorous insects are easily measured parameters that are commonly used to assess the effect of food quality, living conditions, and preferences on the selection of favourable sites for offspring. A study was conducted on the polyphagous beetle, Gonioctena quinquepunctata (a pest of the native Prunus padus and alien P. serotina) and on the monophagous beetle, Altica brevicollis coryletorum (a pest of Corylus avellana). Both species have a similar life cycle with emergence of current-year adults in summer, and reproduction of 1-year-old insects in spring. A. brevicollis coryletorum feeds primarily on sunlit shrubs, while G. quinquepunctata prefers shaded leaves. The present study assessed the effect of time of occurrence (insect age) on body mass in both sexes and on the sex ratio F/M, taking into account the influence of light conditions associated with their favoured food source (sunlit vs. shaded leaves). We hypothesized that a change in body mass in current-year insects would be determined by the amount of consumed food, while the sex ratio would be stable, when in 1-year-old insects females would die shortly after oviposition, while males would be active for a prolonged time. Results confirmed the hypothesis that changes in mass of current-year beetles was determined by the amount of food intake. We also found that in spring, unfertilized females coexist with fertilized ones and that the latter females live for some time after oviposition; resulting in fluctuations of the mean mass for females. In both species, 1-year-old beetles were heavier than current-year. The preference of A. brevicollis coryletorum for sunlit leaves results in a higher body weight than in G. quinquepunctata in both seasons. The data are consistent and indicate seasonal fluctuations in body mass and changes in the sex ratio in 1-year-old beetles, due to the entrance into their reproductive period.

/pdf/sex-ratio-and-body-mass-of-adult-herbivorous-beetles-depend-14in7xw4ey.pdf

Sex Ratio and Body Mass of Adult Herbivorous Beetles Depend on Time of Occurrence and Light Conditions.

Prunus serotina Ehrh. is a rapidly expanding invasive in European temperate forests, threatening native species biodiversity. Three alternative models, ‘the passenger’, ‘the driver’, and ‘the opportunist’ were used to determine the interactions between the invasive species, the native community, and features of the habitat. To assess the relationships between soil properties and species composition of a Scots pine forest invaded by P. serotina, we randomly selected twelve research plots in each of four stands in the south-western part of Poland. We used the phytosociological releve method and determined selected soil properties (total nitrogen, organic carbon, and pH value) in the organic and humus horizons. Based on redundancy analysis, we determined that selected soil properties explained 38% of the total variation in species composition of the Scots pine forest with P. serotina, indicating that community interactions followed the ‘passenger’ model. At the same time, we found that P. serotina invaded via the ‘driver’ model, since the decrease in soil C:N ratio correlated with black cherry presence, and showed a significant impact on the floristic diversity in the invaded phytocenoses. We conclude that soil parameters seem to facilitate the invasion of P. serotina, and comprise the consequences of this process.

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Invasion in a Scots Pine Forest : Relationships between Soil Properties and Vegetation

The Black Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), a North American forest tree, had been extensively planted for timber production in order to improve soil quality in pine plantations in European forests during the first half of the 20th century. Unfortunately, it failed to meet the foresters’ expectations. It has instead spread rapidly in silvicultures becoming a notorious weed species, difficult to control. Although it still has alien plant status, it seems that 150 years of its presence on the European continent might suffice for this neophyte to become adopted as a host plant by the native fauna of insect herbivores. The observations of Prunus serotina were conducted in 2009–2010 in the Rudno Forest District, Lower Silesia, Poland, on Prunus serotina plants growing as a thick understorey shrub layer in fresh mixed deciduous forest. The analyses, performed in 7–10 day intervals from April until the end of July each year, aimed at monitoring the population dynamics of Gonioctena quinquepunctata on P. serotina plants, and the dynamics of leaf perforation caused by this herbivore, in order to determine the relation between these two species. The insects were observed on 100 shoots on 10 plants on each observation date, and were recorded in situ. Based on the estimates of the leaf damage, the mean perforation index (PI) (%) was calculated on each date for each plant shoot, expressed as the mean percentage of the perforated leaf blade area. PI (%) was subsequently correlated with the beetle and larvae density on the plants. It has been demonstrated that the feeding of G. quinquepunctata on Black Cherry plants is more closely associated with the presence of its larvae, than with that of the beetles. Although the mean PI value on each observation date was never higher than 12%, the maximum perforation of individual leaf blades occasionally exceeded 50%, whereas the maximum mean PI calculated for individual shoots on each observation date reached as much as 47%. The authors suggest that feeding of G. quinquepunctata on P. serotina may represent an example of a well established trophic link between a native herbivore and a plant species still considered a neophyte.

Leaf damage of the Black Cherry, Prunus serotina Ehrh., by the leaf beetle, Gonioctena quinquepunctata Fabr.: an accidental foraging on a neophytic host, or an established trophic link?

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Leaf damage of the Black Cherry, Prunus serotina Ehrh., by the leaf beetle, Gonioctena quinquepunctata Fabr.: an accidental foraging on a neophytic host, or an established trophic link?