DOCSLIB.ORG

Do Ants Enhance Diversification in Lycaenid Butterflies? Phylogeographic Evidence from a Model Myrmecophile, Jalmenus Evagoras

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Do Ants Enhance Diversification in Lycaenid Butterflies? Phylogeographic Evidence from a Model Myrmecophile, Jalmenus Evagoras Evolution, 60(2), 2006, pp. 315±327 DO ANTS ENHANCE DIVERSIFICATION IN LYCAENID BUTTERFLIES? PHYLOGEOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE FROM A MODEL MYRMECOPHILE, JALMENUS EVAGORAS ROD EASTWOOD,1,2 NAOMI E. PIERCE,3,4 R. L. KITCHING,1,5 AND JANE M. HUGHES1,6 1Australian School of Environmental Studies, Grif®th University, Nathan 4111, Queensland, Australia 2E-mail: r.eastwood@grif®th.edu.au 3Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 4E-mail: [email protected] 5E-mail: r.kitching@grif®th.edu.au 6E-mail: jane.hughes@grif®th.edu.au Abstract. The ant-tended Australian butter¯y, Jalmenus evagoras, has been a model system for studying the ecology and evolution of mutualism. A phylogeographic analysis of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I sequences from 242 butter¯ies (615 bp) and 66 attendant ants (585 bp) from 22 populations was carried out to explore the relationship between ant association and butter¯y population structure. This analysis revealed 12 closely related butter¯y haplotypes in three distinct clades roughly corresponding to three allopatric subpopulations of the butter¯ies. Minimal genetic diversity and widespread haplotypes within biogeographical regions suggest high levels of matrilineal gene ¯ow. Attendant ants are signi®cantly more diverse than was previously thought, with at least seven well-de®ned clades corresponding to independent morphological determinations, distributed throughout the range of the butter¯ies. Nested analysis of molecular variance showed that biogeography, host plant, and ant associate all contribute signi®cantly in explaining variation in butter¯y genetic diversity, but these variables are not independent of one another. Major in¯uences appear to come from fragmentation due to large-scale biogeographical barriers, and diversi®cation following a shift in habitat preference. A consequence of such a shift could be codiversi®cation of the butter¯y with habitat- adapted ants, resulting in apparent phylogenetic concordance between butter¯ies and ants. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of possible effects of ant attendance on the diversi®cation of Lycaenidae as a whole. Key words. Ant association, biogeography, habitat specialist, Iridomyrmex, mutualism, myrmecophily, obligate. Received July 26, 2005. Accepted November 8, 2005. The butter¯y family Lycaenidae (including the Riodinidae, A second hypothesis suggests that a shift in ant association, often considered a subfamily of the Lycaenidae) contains an particularly a radical shift, may result in an escape-and-ra- estimated 30% of all butter¯y species (Shields 1989; Ackery diation mode of diversi®cation (Pierce et al. 2002). Shifts in et al. 1998) and exhibits a diverse array of life-history strat- attendant ants would be important events for obligately ant- egies (Hinton 1951; Cottrell 1984; Fiedler 1991; Pierce et al. associated lycaenids since most have highly specialized ant 2002). The early stages of about 75% of all lycaenids as- associations (Fiedler 1991; Eastwood and Fraser 1999). The sociate with ants to varying degrees, ranging from casual conservative nature of these associations is highlighted in facultative coexistence to obligate association where the phylogenetic studies by a correlation of discrete ant taxa long-term survival of the butter¯y is dependent on the pres- associating with highly myrmecophilous lycaenids at the spe- ence of its attendant ants. Attendant ants guard the butter¯ies cies and higher clade levels (Maculinea, Thomas et al. 1989; against predators and parasites during their vulnerable period Elmes et al. 1994; Jalmenus, Pierce and Nash 1999; Chry- of larval growth and pupation. The caterpillars, in return, soritis, Rand et al. 2000; Acrodipsas, Eastwood and Hughes reward the ants by providing attractive secretions from spe- 2003a; Arhopala, Megens et al. 2005). However, the ap- cialized glands in the cuticle (Malicky 1969, 1970; Mas- pearance of butter¯y sister taxa associating with different ant chwitz et al. 1975; Pierce and Nash 1999). species may be explained by at least three processes, only The prevalence of caterpillar-ant associations in the spe- one of which would be causative. These mechanisms would cies-rich Lycaenidae is in contrast with other Lepidoptera, exhibit different phylogeographic patterns that could be de- where ant association appears only rarely and in disparate tected in a population of obligately ant-associated lycaenids lineages (Hinton 1951). This has led to the proposal that ant as follows: (1) A shift to an ecologically different ant species association may have accelerated diversi®cation in the group (Pierce 1984; Pierce et al. 2002). At least two mechanisms or to an attendant ant species from another genus or subfamily have been proposed: ®rst, the stringent requirements of both could result in ecological diversi®cation with the novel ant. suitable host plants and appropriate attendant ant species may If this were to occur, it should be detectable at the population have resulted in smaller population sizes and population frag- level as genetic breaks in butter¯y subpopulations coinciding mentation of ant-associated lycaenids (Pierce 1984; Costa et with radically different ant associates, particularly if the dif- al. 1996). This would increase the likelihood of isolation, ferent associations were to occur in sympatry or parapatry. leading to allopatric speciation (Mayr 1942). At the popu- (2) Butter¯y sister species associating with different ant spe- lation level, a signal of such fragmentation could be detect- cies could be observed coincidentally in a phylogeny if frag- able as high levels of genetic differentiation and signi®cant mentation of an oligomyrmecophilous butter¯y population levels of isolation by distance among butter¯y subpopula- (associating with several closely related species of ants across tions. its range) coincided with a geographically restricted or locally 315 q 2006 The Society for the Study of Evolution. All rights reserved. 316 ROD EASTWOOD ET AL. preferred ant partner. This could be detected at the population tains to Binjour (see Fig. 1) where there may be a stepped level if an isolated butter¯y subpopulation, associating with cline or intermediate populations (Braby 2000). In general, the local ant, was genetically divergent from the remaining nominotypical specimens from eastern Queensland are paler butter¯y population. (3) Butter¯y sister taxa associating with than their southern counterparts, and the very pale subspecies ant sister taxa (parallel cladogenesis) could occur if a butter¯y J. e. eubulus is regarded as the morphological extreme. population tended by a single ant species across its range Female J. evagoras eclose with a large complement of underwent fragmentation together with its attendant ant. In mature eggs (Hill and Pierce 1989) and are often mated upon time, this could result in cospeciation of the two partners. eclosion, before they have even expanded their wings (Pierce Evidence at the population level would be seen if a frag- and Nash 1999). They exhibit high levels of site ®delity and mented subgroup of butter¯ies showed genetic differences in preferentially deposit eggs on suitable Acacia host plants in parallel with a subgroup of its attendant ant. or around their natal colony (Elgar and Pierce 1988). Larvae An earlier attempt at unraveling the relationships between feed gregariously and are recorded as having an obligate ants and butter¯ies at the population level found little evi- mutualistic relationship with Iridomyrmex ants (Dolichod- dence in favor of ant-associated effects on population size erinae), primarily I. anceps and I. rufoniger (Eastwood and and structure (Costa et al. 1996). Estimates of Wright's FST Fraser 1999; Pierce and Nash 1999). Attendant ants protect using multilocus allozyme data from 1052 specimens of Jal- the caterpillars from predators and parasitoids and act as an menus evagoras sampled from 15 geographically separated important stimulus for female J. evagoras to deposit their sites in an area of about 150 km2 revealed low amounts of eggs on the host plant (Pierce and Elgar 1985; Pierce et al. genetic structure at the level of geographic subpopulation, 1987; Pierce and Nash 1999; Fraser et al. 2002). and no evidence of population differentiation corresponding to the two species of ant associate common to these sites. Specimens However, this study was conducted at a small spatial scale The 242 J. evagoras specimens used in this analysis were relative to the overall species range of J. evagoras, and did collected from 22 sites across the range of both subspecies not consider the degree of differentiation of the associated extending from Wallan in southern Victoria to Taroom in ants. Moreover, subsequent behavioral observations showing central Queensland (Appendix 1). Where possible, at each that J. evagoras females preferentially deposit eggs on plants site, adults, larvae, or pupae were collected from different containing their locally predominant attendant ant species, trees to maximize the potential for sampling genetic diversity. even when the butter¯ies are reared in the absence of ants Latitude and longitude coordinates were determined for all (Fraser et al. 2002), further raised the question of whether sites, and place names shown in Figure 1 are the nearest town this behavior might be re¯ected in the population structure to the sampling site. Specimens at all life stages were pre- of the butter¯ies.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • SHORT-TERM EFFECTS of SPRINGTIME PRESCRIBED FIRES on ADULT POPULATIONS of SOIL-EMERGING WEEVILS in CENTRAL APPALACHIAN HARDWOOD STANDS David P
    SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF SPRINGTIME PRESCRIBED FIRES ON ADULT POPULATIONS OF SOIL-EMERGING WEEVILS IN CENTRAL APPALACHIAN HARDWOOD STANDS David P. McGann, David W. McGill, Thomas M. Sehuler, and W Mark Ford' Absmct-Numerous biotic and abtotic factors Interact to affect oak regeneration in the central Appalachians. F~re,whtte- tailed deer, rodents, other vertebrate seed predators, inmlve plants, Insects, fungi, climate, and tree physrology contribute singularly or addit~velyto oak regeneration problems. Moreaver, fire suppressron has signifi~antlyenhanced the deleter~ous impacts of several of these brotrc tnfluences. The relattonshrp between fire and acorn werrJils IS unknom, but acorn weevils are significant contributors to regeneraon problems in some oak stands and may be vuineraMe to fire at certain life stages. As part of a broader tnvest~gationof ftre use as a silvicuitural tool, we examined presctibed fire impacts on acorn weevils (genera: Cumuiio and Conotractieius)that inhibit oak (Quemus spp.! regeneration by lam! consumption of embryonic or newly dropped acorns. We prescribe burned two stands on the Fernow Experimental Forest in north-central West Virginia: One was burned April, 2002, and the other Aprii, 2003. We placed soil emergence traps under oak and other tree species on five plots within each burn treatment and four adjacent unburned plots. Arthropod samples were collected April to October in 2003 and 2004. We collected 233 weevils representing 11 species from 9 genera. CuwIio and Cyrtepistomus species predominated; Gono~chelusspecies were notable. Our preliminary data indicates that acorn weevil emergence may not be reduced following a stngle spring fire. Herein, we describe the pattern and intensity of acorn weevil emergence during the first 2 years of our study.
    [Show full text]
  • Congeneric Phylogeography of Australian Ogyris Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
    Congeneric Phylogeography of Australian Ogyris Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Author Schmidt, Daniel J Published 2007 Thesis Type Thesis (PhD Doctorate) School School of Environmental Science DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/2207 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366723 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au Congeneric phylogeography of Australian Ogyris butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Daniel J. Schmidt B.Sc. (Hons) Australian Rivers Institute Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Griffith University Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, October 2006 ii iii Summary This study investigated spatial genetic structuring of two groups of Australian Ogyris butterflies (Lycaenidae). Ogyris represents one of several Australian endemic butterfly radiations that is well characterised in terms of basic biology but lacking in data useful for discriminating among the potential factors promoting divergence and speciation. A phylogeographic approach was used to document structuring in mitochondrial DNA markers (mtDNA) across the geographic range of two groups of closely related taxa. These include a pair of sister species: Ogyris zosine and O. genoveva, and the polytypic species O. amaryllis which is comprised of four subspecies. Topological relationships among recognised taxonomic units were tested and polyphyletic patterns investigated as a potential source of information relating to divergence and speciation. Sister species Ogyris zosine and O. genoveva were found to exhibit a polyphyletic relationship based on mtDNA. The deepest divergence within the group separated allopatric populations of O. zosine in northern Australia which do not correspond to a recognised taxonomic entity.
    [Show full text]
  • Exploitation of Lycaenid-Ant Mutualisms by Braconid Parasitoids
    31(3-4):153-168,Journal of Research 1992 on the Lepidoptera 31(3-4):153-168, 1992 153 Exploitation of lycaenid-ant mutualisms by braconid parasitoids Konrad Fiedler1, Peter Seufert1, Naomi E. Pierce2, John G. Pearson3 and Hans-Thomas Baumgarten1 1 Theodor-Boveri-Zentrum für Biowissenschaften, Lehrstuhl Zoologie II, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany 2 Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-2902, USA 3 Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Western State College, Gunnison, CO 81230, USA Abstract. Larvae of 17 Lycaenidae butterfly species from Europe, North America, South East Asia and Australia were observed to retain at least some of their adaptations related to myrmecophily even after parasitic braconid larvae have emerged from them. The myrme- cophilous glandular organs and vibratory muscles of such larval carcasses remain functional for up to 8 days. The cuticle of lycaenid larvae contains extractable “adoption substances” which elicit anten- nal drumming in their tending ants. These adoption substances, as well, appear to persist in a functional state beyond parasitoid emer- gence, and the larval carcasses are hence tended much like healthy caterpillars. In all examples, the braconids may receive selective advantages through myrmecophily of their host larvae, instead of being suppressed by the ant guard. Interactions where parasitoids exploit the ant-mutualism of their lycaenid hosts have as yet been recorded only from the Apanteles group in the Braconidae- Microgasterinae. KEY WORDS: Lycaenidae, Formicidae, myrmecophily, adoption sub- stances, parasitoids, Braconidae, Apanteles, defensive mechanisms INTRODUCTION Parasitoid wasps or flies are major enemies of the early stages of most Lepidoptera (Shaw 1990, Weseloh 1993).
    [Show full text]
  • BCSA Aug 05 21
    BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SA Inc. NEWSLETTER No. 21: August, 2005. SURVEY OF THE DALHOUSIE SPRINGS AREA Inside this issue: • BCSA Chairman Roger Grund made a trip to the Dalhousie Survey of the Dalhousie Springs area Springs area in the Far North Region of South Australia during (Roger Grund) the period 21-28 September 2004, to survey for butterflies in an • Excursions area that has not received historical attention from lepidopterists. • Field and other Notes (Andy Young) The weather was good with temperatures in the 30's to high 20's • Butterfly Campaign degrees centigrade. It was intended to be a much longer and update broader survey but was curtailed by a medical emergency. The • Grant success • email area had received some good early-winter rains and so it was • thought there would be a good chance of a floral blooming and New Members • Diary dates along with it a good flight of butterflies, even though the rainfall (Continued on page 2) Fig 1 Fig 3 Fig 4 Fig 5 Fig 6 and 7 Fig 8 Fig 9 Fig 2 Fig 10 BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SA Inc. for membership enquiries and annual membership payments ($10): Treasurer, 13/4 Randolph Avenue, PARKSIDE. 5063 BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SA Inc. NEWSLETTER August, 2005 Issue 21 Page 2 was poor during July and August. In fact, it was found the area was already in the mid stages of drying out by the time the survey was undertaken and the local butterfly fauna was very active and often very ragged. The country is mainly gibber plain (Fig. 1) and breakaway but some nice vegetated red dune habitat is present just to the south of Hamilton and again to the northeast of Mt Dare near the Finke River.
    [Show full text]
  • Frontiers in Zoology Biomed Central
    Frontiers in Zoology BioMed Central Research Open Access Does the DNA barcoding gap exist? – a case study in blue butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Martin Wiemers* and Konrad Fiedler Address: Department of Population Ecology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria Email: Martin Wiemers* - [email protected]; Konrad Fiedler - [email protected] * Corresponding author Published: 7 March 2007 Received: 1 December 2006 Accepted: 7 March 2007 Frontiers in Zoology 2007, 4:8 doi:10.1186/1742-9994-4-8 This article is available from: http://www.frontiersinzoology.com/content/4/1/8 © 2007 Wiemers and Fiedler; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Abstract Background: DNA barcoding, i.e. the use of a 648 bp section of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase I, has recently been promoted as useful for the rapid identification and discovery of species. Its success is dependent either on the strength of the claim that interspecific variation exceeds intraspecific variation by one order of magnitude, thus establishing a "barcoding gap", or on the reciprocal monophyly of species. Results: We present an analysis of intra- and interspecific variation in the butterfly family Lycaenidae which includes a well-sampled clade (genus Agrodiaetus) with a peculiar characteristic: most of its members are karyologically differentiated from each other which facilitates the recognition of species as reproductively isolated units even in allopatric populations.
    [Show full text]
  • Coleoptera) (Excluding Anthribidae
    A FAUNAL SURVEY AND ZOOGEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE CURCULIONOIDEA (COLEOPTERA) (EXCLUDING ANTHRIBIDAE, PLATPODINAE. AND SCOLYTINAE) OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF TEXAS A Thesis TAMI ANNE CARLOW Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE August 1997 Major Subject; Entomology A FAUNAL SURVEY AND ZOOGEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE CURCVLIONOIDEA (COLEOPTERA) (EXCLUDING ANTHRIBIDAE, PLATYPODINAE. AND SCOLYTINAE) OF THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF TEXAS A Thesis by TAMI ANNE CARLOW Submitted to Texas AgcM University in partial fulltllment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Approved as to style and content by: Horace R. Burke (Chair of Committee) James B. Woolley ay, Frisbie (Member) (Head of Department) Gilbert L. Schroeter (Member) August 1997 Major Subject: Entomology A Faunal Survey and Zoogeographic Analysis of the Curculionoidea (Coleoptera) (Excluding Anthribidae, Platypodinae, and Scolytinae) of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. (August 1997) Tami Anne Carlow. B.S. , Cornell University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Horace R. Burke An annotated list of the Curculionoidea (Coleoptem) (excluding Anthribidae, Platypodinae, and Scolytinae) is presented for the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas. The list includes species that occur in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Wigacy counties. Each of the 23S species in 97 genera is tteated according to its geographical range. Lower Rio Grande distribution, seasonal activity, plant associations, and biology. The taxonomic atTangement follows O' Brien &, Wibmer (I og2). A table of the species occuning in patxicular areas of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, such as the Boca Chica Beach area, the Sabal Palm Grove Sanctuary, Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park, and the Falcon Dam area is included.
    [Show full text]
  • (Aedes Vigilax) Using Mitochondrial Sequences and Microsatellite Loci
    An investigation of patterns of connectivity among populations of the Australian mosquito (Aedes vigilax) using mitochondrial sequences and microsatellite loci Author Shibani, Naema S. Published 2010 Thesis Type Thesis (PhD Doctorate) School Griffith School of Environment DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/945 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366811 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au An investigation of patterns of connectivity among populations of the Australian mosquito (Aedes vigilax) using mitochondrial sequences and microsatellite loci Naema S. Shibani B. Sc. (M. Sc.) Griffith School of Environment Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology Griffith University And Australian Rivers Institute Aedes vigilax (Photo courtesy QLD Museum, photographer Jeffrey Wright) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October 2009 Summary The fluctuating changes in climate during the Pleistocene period played an important role in population genetic structure of many species in northern and southern Australia. I investigated the population structure and history of a widespread Ross River Virus vector, the Australian saltmarsh mosquito (Aedes vigilax) across the continent. The main aim of this study was to determine levels of connectivity among sites across the continent. This information is important for disease control, because it can inform about the likely spread of pesticide resistance, as well as the scale at which control measures should be undertaken. In this study, the genetic structure of 379 individuals of this vector (Ae. vigilax) (Skuse) was examined and a comparative approach was taken in analysing patterns of genetic variation.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    OPEN ACCESS The Journal of Threatened Taxa is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows unrestricted use of artcles in any medium, reproducton, and distributon by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publicaton. Journal of Threatened Taxa Building evidence for conservaton globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Communication A preliminary checklist of butterflies from the northern Eastern Ghats with notes on new and significant species records including three new reports for peninsular India Rajkamal Goswami, Ovee Thorat, Vikram Aditya & Seena Narayanan Karimbumkara 26 November 2018 | Vol. 10 | No. 13 | Pages: 12769–12791 10.11609/jot.3730.10.13.12769-12791 For Focus, Scope, Aims, Policies and Guidelines visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-0 For Artcle Submission Guidelines visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions For Policies against Scientfc Misconduct visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-2 For reprints contact <[email protected]> Publisher & Host Partners Member Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 November 2018 | 10(13): 12769–12791 A preliminary
    [Show full text]
  • A Thesis Entitled Influence of Soil-Quality on Coffee-Plant Quality
    A Thesis entitled Influence of Soil-Quality on Coffee-Plant Quality and a Complex Tropical Insect Food Web by David J. Gonthier Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Biology (Ecology track) Dr. Stacy Philpott, Committee Chair Dr. Scott Heckathorn, Committee Member Dr. Ivette Perfecto, Committee Member Dr. Patricia Komuniecki, Dean College of Graduate Studies The University of Toledo May 2010 Copyright 2010, David J. Gonthier This document is copyrighted material. Under copyright law, no parts of this document may be reproduced without the expressed permission of the author. An Abstract of Influence of Soil-Quality on Coffee-Plant Quality and a Complex Tropical Insect Food Web by David J. Gonthier Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Biology (Ecology track) The University of Toledo May 2010 Tropical systems are complex, species diverse, and are often regulated by top-down forces (higher trophic levels control lower trophic levels). In many ecosystems insects, especially herbivores and their mutualists, may be strongly affected by plant quality and other bottom-up controls (nutrient availability, plant genetic variation, ect.). Yet few have asked how plant quality (nutritional and defensive plant traits) can contribute to the population regulation and the complexity of these systems. In this thesis, I investigate the importance of soil-quality to both the elemental and secondary metabolite content in coffee and ask how changes to plant quality can influence hemipteran herbivores, their ant-mutualists, predators, and insect communities in a tropical coffee agroecosystem.
    [Show full text]
  • CPY Document Title
    OIKOS 62: 363-369. Copenhagen 1991 Cost and evolution of a facultative mutualism between ants and lycaenid larvae (Lepidoptera) Robert K. Robbins Robbins, R.K. 1991. Cost and evolution of a facultative mutualism between ants and lycaenid larvae (Lepidoptera). - Oikos 62: 363-369. Larvae of Arawacus lincoides (Lycaenidae) reared in the lab with ants took 0.68 d longer to complete development than larvae without ants. Pupal weight was inde- pendent of whether a larva had been ant-tended. A 0.68 d delay in reaching age of first reproduction represents an estimated 1.0%-2.2% lowered intrinsic rate of increase for this continuously brooded species. I show that mutualism will be favored when the ratio of larval survival with ants to that without ants is greater than exp (dr), where d is the additional larval development time caused by feeding ants and r is the intrinsic rate of increase. Other things being equal, species with higher intrinsic rates of increase will be less likely to be mutualistic than their relatives with lower rates of increase. R. K. Robbins, Entomology, NHB Stop 127, Smithsonian Inst., Washington, DC 20560, USA. Butterfly larvae in the families Lycaenidae and Riodini- difficulties are partially overcome by examining facul- dae may interact mutualistically with ants (Pierce and tative mutualisms in which larvae in nature are some- Young 1986, Friedler and Maschwitz 1989a, Thomas et times tended and sometimes not tended by ants. al. 1989, DeVries 1990a). The benefit for ants is that Facultative larva-ant mutualisms vary among eu- they may obtain a significant portion of their energy maeine hairstreak butterflies (Lycaenidae: Theclinae: budget by eating larval secretions (Fiedler and Masch- Eumaeini) (DeVries 1990a).
    [Show full text]
  • The Consequences of a Management Strategy for the Endangered Karner Blue Butterfly
    THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE ENDANGERED KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLY Bradley A. Pickens A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE August 2006 Committee: Karen V. Root, Advisor Helen J. Michaels Juan L. Bouzat © 2006 Bradley A. Pickens All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Karen V. Root, Advisor The effects of management on threatened and endangered species are difficult to discern, and yet, are vitally important for implementing adaptive management. The federally endangered Karner blue butterfly (Karner blue), Lycaeides melissa samuelis inhabits oak savanna or pine barrens, is a specialist on its host-plant, wild blue lupine, Lupinus perennis, and has two broods per year. The Karner blue was reintroduced into the globally rare black oak/lupine savannas of Ohio, USA in 1998. Current management practices involve burning 1/3, mowing 1/3, and leaving 1/3 of the lupine stems unmanaged at each site. Prescribed burning generally kills any Karner blue eggs present, so a trade-off exists between burning to maintain the habitat and Karner blue mortality. The objective of my research was to quantify the effects of this management strategy on the Karner blue. In the first part of my study, I examined several environmental factors, which influenced the nutritional quality (nitrogen and water content) of lupine to the Karner blue. My results showed management did not affect lupine nutrition for either brood. For the second brood, I found that vegetation density best predicted lupine nutritional quality, but canopy cover and aspect had an impact as well.
    [Show full text]
  • Science for Saving Species Research Findings Factsheet Project 2.1
    Science for Saving Species Research findings factsheet Project 2.1 Butterflies on the brink: identifying the Australian butterflies most at risk of extinction In brief Background Terrestrial invertebrates and their Invertebrates are declining globally in high (greater than 30%) chance of habitats are increasingly threatened both diversity and abundance, with extinction. We also identified key by human disturbances, particularly potentially serious consequences threatening processes affecting habitat loss and fragmentation, for ecosystem functioning. Many these species (chiefly inappropriate invasive species, inappropriate fire Australian butterflies are imperilled fire regimes, habitat loss and regimes and climate change. or declining but few are listed fragmentation, invasive species and Continuing declines and extinctions for protection by legislation. climate change), and the research in native terrestrial invertebrate We identified the 26 Australian and management actions needed communities are likely to negatively butterflies at most immediate risk to save them. Mapping of the 26 affect ecosystem functioning. This is of extinction within a 20-year time butterflies’ distributions revealed that because invertebrates play a central frame. We found that one butterfly most are now found only in a single role in many ecological processes, is facing a greater than 90% chance state or territory and many occupy including pollination, herbivory, the of extinction in the next 20 years narrow ranges. Increased resourcing consumption of dead plant and (and may already be extinct), and and management intervention is animal matter, and nutrient cycling, four species have a moderate to required to avert future extinctions. as well as providing a good source of food for other animals. There is urgent need to explore the causes of these declines, and the implications for ecosystems and ecosystem services.
    [Show full text]