Timing Is Everything. Temporal and Spatial Niche Segregation in <i>Curculio</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Oak Trees
Oak seed predatory weevils occurring in Poland are prone to increased interspecific competition due to the limited number of <i>Quercus</i> species, compared to southern Europe, in which they can develop. Therefore, analyses on the preferences of three weevil species for acorn sizes chos...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/8/687 |
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| author | Michał Reut Mariusz Chrabąszcz Hanna Moniuszko |
| author_facet | Michał Reut Mariusz Chrabąszcz Hanna Moniuszko |
| author_sort | Michał Reut |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Oak seed predatory weevils occurring in Poland are prone to increased interspecific competition due to the limited number of <i>Quercus</i> species, compared to southern Europe, in which they can develop. Therefore, analyses on the preferences of three weevil species for acorn sizes chosen for reproduction, as well as on reproductive period duration, were performed. Cafeteria-type experiments were set for females of three species associated with one oak species. Females were allowed to choose and oviposit in acorns of different sizes and growth stages. Research revealed statistically significant differences between the masses of acorns chosen for oviposition by females of <i>Curculio glandium</i> (the biggest), <i>C. pellitus</i> (medium), and <i>C. venosus</i> (the smallest). Studied weevils also differed in terms of the beginning of the reproductive period, which corresponded with the increasing mass of growing acorns. Moreover, <i>C. glandium</i> was observed to be the only species to perform radial egg galleries and lay a considerably higher and varied number of eggs. The results support the hypothesis of a strategy aimed at reducing interspecific competition between <i>Curculio</i> spp. in terms of limited host plant species number. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:42:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b7f5886489f48cdb2ca8e7011a15f73 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:42:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b7f5886489f48cdb2ca8e7011a15f732023-11-22T08:07:03ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502021-07-0112868710.3390/insects12080687Timing Is Everything. Temporal and Spatial Niche Segregation in <i>Curculio</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Oak TreesMichał Reut0Mariusz Chrabąszcz1Hanna Moniuszko2Section of Applied Entomology, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Ecology, Biogeochemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Kanonia 6-8, 50-328 Wrocław, PolandSection of Applied Entomology, Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, PolandOak seed predatory weevils occurring in Poland are prone to increased interspecific competition due to the limited number of <i>Quercus</i> species, compared to southern Europe, in which they can develop. Therefore, analyses on the preferences of three weevil species for acorn sizes chosen for reproduction, as well as on reproductive period duration, were performed. Cafeteria-type experiments were set for females of three species associated with one oak species. Females were allowed to choose and oviposit in acorns of different sizes and growth stages. Research revealed statistically significant differences between the masses of acorns chosen for oviposition by females of <i>Curculio glandium</i> (the biggest), <i>C. pellitus</i> (medium), and <i>C. venosus</i> (the smallest). Studied weevils also differed in terms of the beginning of the reproductive period, which corresponded with the increasing mass of growing acorns. Moreover, <i>C. glandium</i> was observed to be the only species to perform radial egg galleries and lay a considerably higher and varied number of eggs. The results support the hypothesis of a strategy aimed at reducing interspecific competition between <i>Curculio</i> spp. in terms of limited host plant species number.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/8/687competitionweevilsecologyphenology<i>Quercus</i>reproduction |
| spellingShingle | Michał Reut Mariusz Chrabąszcz Hanna Moniuszko Timing Is Everything. Temporal and Spatial Niche Segregation in <i>Curculio</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Oak Trees Insects competition weevils ecology phenology <i>Quercus</i> reproduction |
| title | Timing Is Everything. Temporal and Spatial Niche Segregation in <i>Curculio</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Oak Trees |
| title_full | Timing Is Everything. Temporal and Spatial Niche Segregation in <i>Curculio</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Oak Trees |
| title_fullStr | Timing Is Everything. Temporal and Spatial Niche Segregation in <i>Curculio</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Oak Trees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Timing Is Everything. Temporal and Spatial Niche Segregation in <i>Curculio</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Oak Trees |
| title_short | Timing Is Everything. Temporal and Spatial Niche Segregation in <i>Curculio</i> spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Associated with Oak Trees |
| title_sort | timing is everything temporal and spatial niche segregation in i curculio i spp coleoptera curculionidae associated with oak trees |
| topic | competition weevils ecology phenology <i>Quercus</i> reproduction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/8/687 |
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