Larval crowding leads to unusual reaction norms for size and time at maturity in a geometrid moth (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Title:

Larval crowding leads to unusual reaction norms for size and time at maturity in a geometrid moth (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

Creator:

Vellau, Helen and Tammaru, Toomas

Identifier:

https://cdk.lib.cas.cz/client/handle/uuid:53c02b92-25bd-482d-8a7d-fc29bbbfc8b3
uuid:53c02b92-25bd-482d-8a7d-fc29bbbfc8b3

Subject:

Zoologie, zoologie, entomologie, Lepidoptera, Geometridae, reaction norm, larval crowding, size and time at maturity, Ematurga atomaria, 2, and 59

Type:

article, články, model:article, and TEXT

Description:

The theory of life history evolution generally predicts a negative across-environment correlation between development time and size at maturity in response to variations in environmental quality. Deviations from this pattern occur under specific circumstances. In particular, organisms may mature both early and at a small size when (1) some ultimate change (e.g. time constraint, resource exhaustion) in the environment precludes further growth, or (2) when there are predictable among-environment differences in mortality rates. The first scenario is frequently documented in insects but evidence for the second possibility is scarce. Here we report a crowding-induced plastic response resulting in a clear positive across-environment correlation between final weight and development time in a geometrid moth. The response was apparent during the entire larval period and in the last larval instar. Crowding also led to increased growth rates. As outbreaks have not been reported for this species it is unlikely that early pupation is a response to anticipated food shortage. Instead, we suggest that crowded larvae may perceive a higher risk of predation, perhaps because they are unable to distinguish conspecifics from potential predators. A possibility for a plastic increase in growth rate implies that the uncrowded larvae grow at submaximal rates, which indicates a cost of high growth rate., Helen Vellau, Toomas Tammaru., and Obsahuje seznam literatury

Language:

English

Rights:

http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
policy:public

Source:

European Journal of Entomology | 2012 Volume:109 | Number:2

Harvested from:

CDK

Metadata only:

false