昆虫迁飞行为及其调控机制

Insect migration behavior and its regulation

迁飞是昆虫长期适应资源与环境的季节性变化所形成的一种行为策略。迁飞昆虫不仅通过迁飞逃避不良环境,也因其极高的繁殖力确保种群在新的生境中实现快速增长甚至暴发成灾,对整个自然生态系统和农业生态系统影响甚大。本文首先基于部分迁飞概念,描述了迁飞型和居留型个体在形态、行为、生理上的差异,重点介绍了迁飞与生殖的耦合关系,以及诱导迁飞的外界环境因子,最后综述了昆虫迁飞行为调控的分子机制方面的研究进展。从感受不良环境信号到决定迁飞,从起飞、飞行、降落到决定继续迁飞或终止迁飞,这一系列过程受昆虫内分泌、表观等诸多因素的调控,但其背后的分子机制有待深入研究。

Migration is a behavioral strategy that allows insects to respond to seasonal changes in resources and the environment.Insects not only escape adverse environmental conditions through migration,but their exceedingly high fecundity allows them to rapidly increase their population size on arrival in favorable new habitats,causing outbreaks that have a severe effect on both natural and agricultural ecosystems.Based on the concept of partial migration,this article firstly describes the differences in morphology,behavior,and physiology between migratory and resident insects,focusing on the relationship between migration and concomitant reproduction,as well as external environmental factors that induce migration.Finally,the authors review and summarize the progress in research on the molecular mechanisms regulating insect migratory behavior.From sensing adverse environmental signals to deciding to migrate,from take-off,flying and landing,to deciding to continue or terminate migration,the whole process largely depends on important internal factors,including endocrine and epigenetic regulatory factors.The underlying molecular mechanisms,however,require further investigation.