Herbivory in <i>Myrtillocactus geometrizans</i> (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage?
Plants respond to herbivory in diverse, complex ways, ranging from avoidance or tolerance to indirect defense mechanisms such as attracting natural enemies of herbivores, i.e., parasitoids or predators, to strengthen their defense. Defense provided by parasitoids to cultivated plants is well documen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/47 |
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| author | Alicia Callejas-Chavero Diana Guadalupe Martínez-Hernández Carlos Fabian Vargas-Mendoza Arturo Flores-Martínez |
| author_facet | Alicia Callejas-Chavero Diana Guadalupe Martínez-Hernández Carlos Fabian Vargas-Mendoza Arturo Flores-Martínez |
| author_sort | Alicia Callejas-Chavero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plants respond to herbivory in diverse, complex ways, ranging from avoidance or tolerance to indirect defense mechanisms such as attracting natural enemies of herbivores, i.e., parasitoids or predators, to strengthen their defense. Defense provided by parasitoids to cultivated plants is well documented and is used in biological control programs. However, its effectiveness on wild plants under natural conditions has been little studied. Such is the case of the cactus <i>Myrtilllocactus geometrizans</i> (known in Mexico as <i>garambullo</i>), which is consumed by the soft-scale insect <i>Toumeyella martinezae</i> (herbivore) which, in turn, is host to the parasitoid wasp <i>Mexidalgus toumeyellus</i>, and mutualist with the ant <i>Liometopum apiculatum,</i> that tenders and protects it. This study explores the role of the parasitoid as an indirect defense, by examining its effect on both the herbivore and the plant, and how this interaction is affected by the presence of the mutualistic ant. We found that scales adversely affect the cactus’ growth, flower, and fruit production, as well as its progeny’s performance, as seedlings from scale-infested <i>garambullo</i> plants were shorter, and it also favors the presence of fungus (sooty mold). The parasitoid responded positively to herbivore abundance, but the presence of ants reduced the intensity of parasitism. Our results show that parasitoids can function as an indirect defense, but their effectiveness is reduced by the presence of the herbivore’s mutualistic ant. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:27:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b40bdb5e2ff84312824b6a967760f6af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:27:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-b40bdb5e2ff84312824b6a967760f6af2023-12-03T15:00:12ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-12-011214710.3390/plants12010047Herbivory in <i>Myrtillocactus geometrizans</i> (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage?Alicia Callejas-Chavero0Diana Guadalupe Martínez-Hernández1Carlos Fabian Vargas-Mendoza2Arturo Flores-Martínez3Laboratorio de Ecología Vegetal, Departamento de Botánica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Vegetal, Departamento de Botánica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoLaboratorio de Variación Biológica y Evolución, Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Vegetal, Departamento de Botánica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, MexicoPlants respond to herbivory in diverse, complex ways, ranging from avoidance or tolerance to indirect defense mechanisms such as attracting natural enemies of herbivores, i.e., parasitoids or predators, to strengthen their defense. Defense provided by parasitoids to cultivated plants is well documented and is used in biological control programs. However, its effectiveness on wild plants under natural conditions has been little studied. Such is the case of the cactus <i>Myrtilllocactus geometrizans</i> (known in Mexico as <i>garambullo</i>), which is consumed by the soft-scale insect <i>Toumeyella martinezae</i> (herbivore) which, in turn, is host to the parasitoid wasp <i>Mexidalgus toumeyellus</i>, and mutualist with the ant <i>Liometopum apiculatum,</i> that tenders and protects it. This study explores the role of the parasitoid as an indirect defense, by examining its effect on both the herbivore and the plant, and how this interaction is affected by the presence of the mutualistic ant. We found that scales adversely affect the cactus’ growth, flower, and fruit production, as well as its progeny’s performance, as seedlings from scale-infested <i>garambullo</i> plants were shorter, and it also favors the presence of fungus (sooty mold). The parasitoid responded positively to herbivore abundance, but the presence of ants reduced the intensity of parasitism. Our results show that parasitoids can function as an indirect defense, but their effectiveness is reduced by the presence of the herbivore’s mutualistic ant.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/47<i>garambullo</i>soft scaleparasitoids and ants |
| spellingShingle | Alicia Callejas-Chavero Diana Guadalupe Martínez-Hernández Carlos Fabian Vargas-Mendoza Arturo Flores-Martínez Herbivory in <i>Myrtillocactus geometrizans</i> (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage? Plants <i>garambullo</i> soft scale parasitoids and ants |
| title | Herbivory in <i>Myrtillocactus geometrizans</i> (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage? |
| title_full | Herbivory in <i>Myrtillocactus geometrizans</i> (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage? |
| title_fullStr | Herbivory in <i>Myrtillocactus geometrizans</i> (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Herbivory in <i>Myrtillocactus geometrizans</i> (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage? |
| title_short | Herbivory in <i>Myrtillocactus geometrizans</i> (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage? |
| title_sort | herbivory in i myrtillocactus geometrizans i cactaceae do parasitoids provide indirect defense or a direct advantage |
| topic | <i>garambullo</i> soft scale parasitoids and ants |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/47 |
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