Historical and current climates affect the spatial distribution of herbivorous tree insects in China

Historical and current climate impacts reshape the evolutionary trajectory and ecological dynamics of entire vegetative communities,which can drive insect species distribution.Understanding the spatial distribution of insects can enhance forest management effectiveness.The effects of historical and current climates in the spatial distribution of herbivorous tree insects in China were explored.A species distribution model simulated insect spatial distribution based on 596 species and the distribution probability and richness of these species were assessed in forest ecoregions.The explanatory power of the historical climate was stronger than that of the current climate,particularly historical annual precipitation and annual mean temperatures,for the distribution of herbivorous insects.Under both historical and current climatic conditions,herbivorous tree insects were and are mainly distributed in the North China Plain and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Plain,namely in the Huang He Plain mixed forests,Changjiang Plain evergreen forests,and Sichuan Basin evergreen broadleaf forests.The Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and northeast China are regions with large impact differences between historical and current climates.The findings of this study provide valuable insights into herbivorous insect responses to sustained climate change and may contribute to long-term biodiversity conservation activities.

Plant Chemical Defenses against Insect Herbivores—Using theWild Tobacco as a Model

The Nicotiana genus, commonly known as tobacco, holds significant importance as a crucial economic crop. Confrontedwith an abundance of herbivorous insects that pose a substantial threat to yield, tobacco has developed adiverse and sophisticated array of mechanisms, establishing itself as a model of plant ecological defense. Thisreview provides a concise overview of the current understanding of tobacco’s defense strategies against herbivores.Direct defenses, exemplified by its well-known tactic of secreting the alkaloid nicotine, serve as a potent toxinagainst a broad spectrum of herbivorous pests. Moreover, in response to herbivore attacks, tobacco enhancesthe discharge of volatile compounds, harnessing an indirect strategy that attracts the predators of the herbivores.The delicate balance between defense and growth leads to the initiation of most defense strategies only after aherbivore attack. Among plant hormones, notably jasmonic acid (JA), play central roles in coordinating thesedefense processes. JA signaling interacts with other plant hormone signaling pathways to facilitate the extensivetranscriptional and metabolic adjustments in plants following herbivore assault. By shedding light on these ecologicaldefense strategies, this review emphasizes not only tobacco’s remarkable adaptability in its natural habitatbut also offers insights beneficial for enhancing the resilience of current crops.

Comparisons of Group-Size, Composition and Movement of Herbivorous Reef Fish in Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island

The decline in herbivorous fishes is an important contributing factor to the degradation of coral reefs, because their reduction contributes to macro algae overgrowth, which can have harmful effects on corals. Herbivorous fish often form mixed-species groups to locate foraging sites and for defense. The movements and compositions of these groups are dependent on the relative numbers of different species present. Some species, such as the striped parrotfish (Scarus iserti) and ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus), serve as core species that lead mixed-species groups. Others, such as the redband (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) and stoplight parrotfishes (Sparisoma viride), follow core species as their associates. Despite the potential importance and abundance of mixed-species groups on reefs, little attention has been given to their composition and movements. Our intent was to determine whether the social dynamics of mixed-species groups in Jamaica were similar to those of Grand Cayman. The overall sizes of mixed-species groups were smaller in Grand Cayman. Focal striped parrotfish in Grand Cayman formed smaller groups, changed composition less, and moved less frequently than in Jamaica. Although probably more abundant than striped parrotfish, the ocean surgeonfish in Grand Cayman did not function as a core species but rather attached themselves as associates to the smaller striped parrotfish groups. Redband parrotfish moved less often in Grand Cayman, and appeared to be more dependent on striped parrotfish groups than stoplight parrotfish. While previous studies on herbivorous reef fish have shown that changes in foraging patterns can change with location, perhaps related to structural heterogeneity and resource distribution, this study illustrates that social interactions between common members of mixed-species groups also change. We suggest that the intra and interspecific social interactions in Grand Cayman are less attuned to finding erratically located high quality resources than those in Jamaica. Other plausible explanations are also considered.

Effects of mechanical damage and herbivore wounding on H2O2 metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activities in hybrid poplar leaves

The changes of hydrogen peroxide （H2O2） metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activities in a hybrid poplar （Populus simonii xp. pyramidalis ＇Opera 8277＇） in response to rnechanical damage （MD） and herbivore wounding （HW） were investigated to determine whether H2O2 could function as the secondary messenger in the signaling of systemic resistance. Results show that H2O2 was generated in wounded leaves through MD and HW treatments and systemically in unwounded leaves around the wounded leaves. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT） and ascorbate peroxidase （APX） were also enhanced. However, the H2O2 accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activities were inhibited in MD leaves through the pretreatment with DPI （which is a specific inhibitor of NADPH oxidase）. The results of this study suggest that H2O2 could be systemically induced by MD and HW treatments, and H2O2 metabolism was closely related to the change in SOD, APX and CAT activities. A high level of antioxidant enzymes could decrease membrane lipid peroxidation levels and effectively induce plant defense responses.

Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Herbivores and Its Stimulation to Major Insect Pests in Rice

Nitrogen is one of the most important factors in development of herbivore populations. The application of nitrogen fertilizer in plants can normally increase herbivore feeding preference, food consumption, survival, growth, reproduction, and population density, except few examples that nitrogen fertilizer reduces the herbivore performances. In most of the rice growing areas in Asia, the great increases in populations of major insect pests of rice, including planthoppers （Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera）, leaffolder （ Cnaphalocrocis rnedinalis）, and stem borers （Scirpophaga incertulas, Chilo suppressalis, S. innotata, C. polychrysus and Sesarnia inferens） were closely related to the long-term excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers. The optimal regime of nitrogen fertilizer in irrigated paddy fields is proposed to improve the fertilizer-nitrogen use efficiency and reduce the environmental pollution.

Current understanding of maize and rice defense against insect herbivores

Plants have sophisticated defense systems to fend off insect herbivores. How plants defend against herbivores in dicotyledonous plants, such as Arabidopsis and tobacco, have been relatively well studied, yet little is known about the defense responses in monocotyledons. Here, we review the current un- derstanding of rice （Oryza sativa） and maize （Zea rnays） defense against insects. In rice and maize, elicitors derived from insect herbivore oral secretions or oviposition fluids activate phytohormone signaling, and transcriptomic changes mediated mainly by transcription factors lead to accumulation of defense-related secondary metabolites. Direct defenses, such as trypsin protein inhibitors in rice and benzoxazinoids in maize, have anti-digestive or toxic effects on insect herbivores. Herbivory-induced plant volatiles, such as terpenes, are indirect defenses, which attract the natural enemies of herbivores. R gene-mediated defenses against herbivores are also discussed.

Effects of mechanical damage and herbivore wounding on H_2O_2 metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activities in hybrid poplar leaves

The changes of hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activities in a hybrid poplar(Populus simonii ×P.pyramidalis ‘Opera 8277') in response to mechanical damage(MD) and herbivore wounding(HW) were investigated to determine whether H2O2 could function as the secondary messenger in the signaling of systemic resistance.Results show that H2O2 was generated in wounded leaves through MD and HW treatments and systemically in unwounded leaves around the wounded leaves.The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase(APX) were also enhanced.However, the H2O2 accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activities were inhibited in MD leaves through the pretreatment with DPI(which is a specific inhibitor of NADPH oxidase).The results of this study suggest that H2O2 could be systemically induced by MD and HW treatments, and H2O2 metabolism was closely related to the change in SOD, APX and CAT activities.A high level of antioxidant enzymes could decrease membrane lipid peroxidation levels and effectively induce plant defense responses.

Silencing JA hydroxylases in Nicotiana attenuata enhances jasmonic acid-isoleucine-mediated defenses against Spodoptera litura

Jasmonic acid(JA)plays important roles in plant resistance to insect herbivores.One important derivative of JA is 12-OH-JA,which is produced by two independent pathways:direct hydroxylation of JA by jasmonate-induced oxygenases(JOXs)or hydrolyzation of 12-OH-JA-Ile.Yet the function of 12-OH-JA in plant-herbivore interactions remains largely unknown.In this study,we silenced four JOX homologs independently in the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata by virus-induced gene silencing(VIGS),and found that all four JOX homologs are involved in JA hydroxylation.Simultaneously silencing the four JA hydroxylases in VIGS-NaJOXs plants decreased herbivory-induced 12-OH-JA by 33%,but JA and JA-Ile levels increased by 45%and 30%,respectively,compared to those in control plants.Compared to direct hydroxylation from JA,hydrolyzation from 12-OH-JA-Ile is equally important for herbivory-induced 12-OHJA accumulation:in the 12-OH-JA-Ile deficient irJAR4/6 plants,12-OH-JA decreased 34%.Moreover,VIGSNaJOXs plants exhibited enhanced resistance to the generalist herbivore Spodoptera litura.The poor larval performance was strongly correlated with high levels of several JA-Ile-dependent direct defense metabolites in the VIGS-NaJOXs plants.When we simultaneously silenced all four JA hydroxylases in the JAIle-deficient irJAR4/6 background,the enhanced herbivore resistance diminished,demonstrating that enhanced herbivore resistance resulted from elevated JA-Ile levels.Given that silencing these NaJOX-like genes did not detectably alter plant growth but highly increased plant defense levels,we propose that JOX genes are potential targets for genetic improvement of herbivore-resistant crops.

Animal plant warfare and secondary metabolite evolution

The enduring discussion,why plants produce secondary metabolites with pharmacologically and toxicologically active towards mammals traces back to the eminent role of medicinal plants in the millennia-old history of manhood.In recent years,the concept of an animal plant warfare emerged,which focused on the co-evolution between plants and herbivores.As a reaction to herbivory,plants developed mechanical defenses such as thorns and hard shells,which paved the way for adapted animal physiques.Plants evolved further defense systems by producing chemicals that exert toxic effects on the animals that ingest them.As a result of this selective pressure,animals developed special enzymes,e.g.cytochrome P450 monooxigenases(CYP450)that metabolize xenobiotic phytochemicals.As a next step in the evolutionary competition between plants and animals,plants evolved to produce non-toxic pro-drugs,which become toxic only after ingestion by animals through metabolization by enzymes such as CYP450.Because these sequestered evolutionary developments call to mind an arms race,the term animal plant warfare has been coined.The evolutionary competition between plants and animals may help to better understand the modes of action of medicinal plants and to foster the efficient and safe use of phytotherapy nowadays.

Volatile metabolites of willows determining host discrimination by adult Plagiodera versicolora

Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting is a highly damaging leaf beetle foraging on willow leaves.In willow germplasm collections,observation has shown that Salix suchowensis Cheng was severely foraged by this leaf beetle while Salix triandra L.was damage free or only slightly damaged.Results of olfactometer bioassays show that the headspace volatiles from leaves of S.triandra significantly repelled adult beetles,suggesting that this species produces volatile repellents against P.versicolora.S.suchowensis had no effect on the beetles.Gas chromatography-mass spec-trometry was carried out to profile the headspace volatile organic compounds and 23 compounds from leaves of the alternate species in significantly different concentrations were detected.The effects of 20 chemical analogs on host discrimination were examined.Olfactory response to these chemicals showed that o-cymene,a S.suchowensis specific constituent,significantly attracted adult P.versicolora.In contrast,cis-3-hexenyl acetate,a constituent concentrated more in S.triandra than in S.suchowensis,significantly repelled beetles.Mixing o-cymene and cis-3-hexenyl acetate in comparable concentrations as in the volatiles of S.suchowensis demonstrated that the latter could mask the attracting effect of the former,causing a neutral response by adult beetles to leaves of S.suchowensis against clean air.In addition,chemical analogs have the same effect as plants when resembling volatile organic compounds in real samples.Two volatile metabolites were detected triggering host discrimination by one of the most damaging insect pests to host and non-host willows.The two metabolites are of considerable potential for use as olfactory signs in manag-ing the beetles.

The Length and Density of Prickles on <i>Zanthoxylum ailanthoides</i>(Rutaceae): A Comparison of Japanese Islands with Different Sika Deer Browsing Pressures

To determine the effects of sika deer (Cervus nippon) browsing on the physical defences of the Japanese pricklyash “Zanthoxylum ailanthoides Sieb. et Zucc.” (Rutaceae), we compared the length and density of prickles on Japanese islands which were under different browsing pressures. We measured the length and density of prickles on the midribs, leaf rachis, and stems. We found that the prickles of Z. ailanthoides on Kashima island were not significantly longer or at higher densities than those in the neighbouring areas;the longest pickles at the highest densities were found on Akune island. The density of sika deer on Akune (ca. 520-600/km2) was higher than that on Kashima (ca. 38.5/km2), and consequently, Akune was under greater browsing pressure. Our results suggest that the increased length and density of prickles on Akune is a response by Z. ailanthoides to the high density of sika deer found on the island.

Design of a Vibration Sensor Based Train Arrival Detection System to Prevent Elephant-Train Accidents in Sri Lanka

At present,Sri Lanka is home to about 5,000-6,000 wild elephants roaming over close to 70%of the country’s land.Despite this blessing,around 150 elephants die each year due to many reasons.The main reasons for the altercations between humans and elephants are the drastic increase in the human population,human encroachment upon elephant territory for agriculture and settlements and unplanned development and transportation efforts.Elephants are long lived herbivores,and their survival depends upon regular migration over large distances to search for food,water,and social and reproductive partners.According to the Sri Lanka railways the average number of elephants that get killed due to elephant-railway accidents is about 9 per year.As a solution for this problem,we have proposed a novel system to pass a signal to indicate the train arrival.The proposed system detects the vibration of the locomotives and after detecting the vibration,alarm system will generate a high frequency signal within the frequency range,where the elephants are sensitive.The proposed system is a low cost device and this can be placed anywhere at any time.Moreover,this project aims to protect elephants from being harmed which usually happen due to various human activities.

A Study on Geophagy by Asian Elephants at Udawalawe National Park,Sri Lanka

Geophagy is the deliberate consumption of earth materials such as soils,clays or sediments by human and animals.The ingested soil is chosen based on its physical,chemical,and mineralogical nature.Early studies reveal that geophagy functions through(1) adsorption/absorption of ingested toxic plant compounds onto clay particles,(2)mineral supplementation (Na,Mn,K,and S as the possible candidates),and(3)

Spatiotemporal changes in antlerless proportion of culled Sika deer in relation to deer density

Population management of herbivores is widely applied to decrease damage to forests in the northern hemisphere. Culling more antlerless deer, including females and fawns, is an effective means of reducing the population and helps to improve management efficiency. To increase the efficiency of antlerless-biased culling, we assessed the spatiotemporal distribution of the antlerless ratio in culled sika deer (Cervus nippon) in relation to population density. We hypothesized that the antlerless ratio is higher at the center of the distribution than at the margins of the deer’s range, because dispersal processes differ according to sex and age: Young male deer first disperse into an unoccupied area, and then males may become established in the new area for approximately 10–15 years before the number of females increases. A statistical model revealed spatiotemporal changes in the antlerless ratio of culled sika deer. The change in the ratio basically fit the density distribution of the deer, which was estimated independently on the basis of fecal pellet count surveys. The antlerless ratio estimated from the model increased asymptotically as deer density rose. The results support our hypothesis and suggest that antlerless sika deer will be more easily culled at the center rather than at the margins of the distribution range. These findings should help to increase the efficiency of managing the deer via antlerless-biased culling.

Humans have intestinal bacteria that degrade the plant cell walls in herbivores

The cell walls of plants are mainly made of cellulose and contain a large number of calories.However,the main component,cellulose,is an indigestible plant fiber that is thought to be difficult for humans to use as energy.Herbivores acquire energy through the degradation of cell wall-derived dietary fiber by microorganisms in the digestive tract.Herbivores,especially horses,have a highly developed cecum and large intestine,and plants are fermented for their efficient use with the help of microorganisms.Humans also have an intestinal tract with a wide lumen on the proximal side of the large intestine,in which fermentation occurs.The digestive process of horses is similar to that of humans,and many of the intestinal bacteria found in horses that degrade plants are also found in humans.Therefore,it is thought that humans also obtain a certain amount of energy from cell wall-derived dietary fiber.However,the intake of dietary fiber by modern humans is low;thus,the amount of calories derived from indigestible plant fiber is considered to be very low.Cellulose in the plant cell wall is often accompanied by hemicellulose,pectin,lignin,suberin,and other materials.These materials are hard to degrade,and cellulose is therefore difficult for animals to utilize.If the cell wall can be degraded to some extent by cooking,it is thought that humans can obtain calories from cell wall-derived dietary fiber.If humans can use the calories from the cell wall for their diet,it may compensate for human food shortages.

Integrated Analysis of Metabolome and Transcriptome of Bambusa emeiensis Shoots in Response to Bamboo Snout Beetle Cyrtotrachelus buqueti(Coleoptera:Curculionidae)

Plants have evolved constitutive and inductive defense mechanisms to protect themselves from herbivorous insects.Metabolites in plants are thought to be involved in response to herbivores.Bambusa emeiensis is an important bamboo species widely distributed in Southwest China.It is easy to attract herbivores such as Cyrtotrachelus buqueti.Through the detection and analysis of metabolites in B.emeiensis metabolomic data,35 differential metabolites(biomarkers)were finally identified from 206 detection peaks,mainly primary metabolites.Subsequently,we conducted an association analysis between 35 biomarkers that annotated to be involved in 71 metabolic pathways in the metabolome and 324 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in 207 gene expression pathways distributed in the transcriptome of B.emeiensis after feeding by C.buqueti.We also discussed the relationship between the changes in gene expression levels and metabolite content variation.A total of 47 integrated pathways containing the corresponding DEGs and biomarkers were screened out,with the amino acid synthesis pathway(ko01230)containing the most DEGs and biomarkers.In these integrated pathways,the changes in biomarkers content and the expression levels of the corresponding genes were generally consistent.For example,the increase in tryptophan content was accompanied by an increase in the expression of the corresponding catalase in the tryptophan synthesis pathway.Similar to this was glucose and trehalose in carbohydrate metabolism.Therefore,this study further deepened our understanding of the defense mechanism of B.emeiensis against bamboo pests and provided new insights for the prevention and control of bamboo diseases and pests.

Suppression Subtractive Hybridization Reveals Different Responses of Two Varieties of Gossypium arboreum L. Under Apolygus lucorum Stress

Plants reshape their transcriptomes, proteomes and metabolomes in response to insect damage. In this study, we used suppression subtractive hybridization to investigate the transcriptomes of two cotton varieties （CCRI41 and CCRI23） under Apolygus lucorum damage. From the CCRI23 libraries we obtained 92 transcripts and from the CCRI41 libraries we obtained 96 transcripts. 26 and 63 of the transcripts from CCRI23 and CCRI41, respectively, had known functions. Using reverse transcription PCR, we detected expression proifle of genes with known functions. Ultimately, we identiifed eight signiifcantly regulated genes, including one downregulated and four upregulated genes from the CCRI41 libraries, and one downregulated and two upregulated genes from the CCRI23 libraries. Only the gene encoding the polyphenol oxidase （PPO） is involved in plant defense against insect herbivores, and the others are related to improving tolerance to insect damage. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to study changes in expression levels during A. lucorum damage in CCRI23 and CCRI41. Signiifcantly regulated genes from CCRI23 showed a response in CCRI23 but not response in CCRI41. Similarly, signiifcantly regulated genes from CCRI41 showed a response in CCRI41 but not response in CCRI23. The results showed that, among transcriptomes of cotton varieties, there are different responses to A. lucorum damage.

Feeding Habits of <i>Ctenochromis polli</i>Thys Van Den Audenaerde, 1964 (Labriformes, Cichlidae), From Low Course of Djoue River (Affluent of Right Bank of Congo River)

The diet of from the lower Djoue River was determined by the size of the specimens and the sampling season. Stomach contents of 662 specimens caught monthly from September 2012 to August 2013 were examined. The size of the individuals varies between 15.37 and 109.52 mm, for a mean 49.95 ± 8.3. Of the stomachs analyzed, 145 were empty, representing a vacuity coefficient of 22%. The food spectrum of C. polli consists mainly of algaes (Ip = 65%) and plant debris (Ip = 11%). A plasticity of the diet is observed according to the size, at sizes greater than 69.17mm (Classes 5-7), a gradual change in diet was observed with entomophagous and ichthyophagous tendency. The diet varies little according to the seasons;the algaes are the main preys in the dry season and insects during the rainy season. The food composition and the intestinal coefficient value showed that Ctenochromis polli is herbivorous.

Morphological Study of <i>Glochidion obovatum</i>under Heavy Browsing Pressure by Sika Deer

To clarify the modification of physical defences of Glochidion obovatum Sieb. et Zucc., we compared the length of spine-like branches and frequency of lateral branches of G. obovatum between Kashima Island, which supports a high density of sika deer (Cervus nippon), and its neighbouring areas. The length of spine-like branches of G. obovatum in Kashima Island was not significantly longer than that of the neighbouring areas, but the frequency of lateral branches on the island was higher than that of the neighbouring areas. Since the branches of G. obovatum are heavily foraged by the sika deer, the shrub form of the species has evolved into the bonsai form, suggesting increased frequency of occurrence of lateral branches, which could develop as shoot-like branches. Thus, the observed features are facultative defence mechanisms of G. obovatum against heavy browsing in a small-sized island with very high density of sika deer.

Interactions among Tamarix (Tamaricaceae), Opsius stactogalus (Cicadellidae), and Litter Fungi Limit Riparian Plant Establishment

One of the most significant plant invasions in the U.S. has been that of the Old World genus Tamarix. While Tamarix spp. is widely studied, surprisingly little is known about more complex trophically-linked community mechanisms influencing under-canopy succession. We investigated multi- trophic interactions among Tamarix spp., nonnative host-specific Opsius stactogalus leafhopper distribution and honeydew production, and the Tamarix spp. canopy floor fungal assemblage. We quantified leafhopper abundance and honeydew throughfall, and tested under-canopy seed viability and seedling mortality across a 1600 m elevation gradient in the lower Colorado River basin in 2007. We conducted field and laboratory experiments in 2007-08 to test the effects of Tamarix spp. litter fungi, synthetic honeydew, and the combination of those variables on germination and seedling survivorship of three common, co-occurring phreatophyte (riparian groundwater-dependent plant) species. Tamarix spp. litter and honeydew treatments reduced understory seed viability and recruitment of two native, woody riparian species (Populus fremontii and Baccharis salicina), as well as Tamarix spp. Four major patterns were detected. 1) Litter fungi alone and synthetic honeydew alone reduced seed viability and seedling survivorship of all three species by two- to four-fold. 2) Synthetic honeydew + litter reduced Tamarix spp. and P. fremontii seed and seedling viability by up to 10-fold. 3) Synthetic honeydew concentration and seedling mortality were positively related among all three plant species. 4) B. salicina was less susceptible to all treatments than Tamarix spp. and P. fremontii. These results indicate that complex interactions among nonnative Tamarix spp., nonnative Opsius leafhopper honeydew production, and soil fungi may influence riparian phreatophyte recruitment and succession.