Insects can vary greatly in whole-body elemental concentrations. Recent investigations of insects associated with Ni hyperaccumulator plants have identified insects with relatively elevated whole-body Ni levels. Evalu...Insects can vary greatly in whole-body elemental concentrations. Recent investigations of insects associated with Ni hyperaccumulator plants have identified insects with relatively elevated whole-body Ni levels. Evaluation of the limited data available indicates that a whole-body Ni concentration of 500μg Ni/g is exceptional： I propose that an insect species with a mean value of 500μg Ni/g or greater, in either larval/nymphal or adult stages, be considered a ＂high-Ni insect＂. Using the 500μg Ni/g criterion, 15 species ofhigh-Ni insects have been identified to date from studies in Mpumalanga （South Africa）, New Caledonia and California （USA）. The highest mean Ni concentration reported is 3 500 μg Ni/g for nymphs of a South African Stenoscepa species （Orthoptera： Pyrgomorphidae）. The majority of high-Ni insects （66%） are heteropteran herbivores. Studies of high-Ni insect host preference indicate they are monophagous （or nearly so） on a particular Ni hyperaccumulator plant species. Much of the Ni in bodies of these insects is in their guts （up to 66%-75%）, but elevated levels have also been found in Malpighian tubules, suggesting efficient elimination as one strategy for dealing with a high-Ni diet. Tissue levels of Ni are generally much lower than gut concentrations, but up to 1200μg Ni/g has been reported from exuviae, suggesting that molting may be another pathway of Ni elimination. One ecological function of the high Ni concentration of these insects may be to defend them against natural enemies, but to date only one experimental test has supported this ＂elemental defense＂ hypothesis. Community-level studies indicate that high-Ni insects mobilize Ni into food webs but that bioaccumulation of Ni does not occur at either plant-herbivore or herbivorepredator steps. Unsurprisingly, Ni bioaccumulation indices are greater for high-Ni insects compared to other insect species that feed on Ni hyperaccumulator plants. There is some evidence of Ni mobilization into food webs by insect visitors to flowers ofNi hyperaccumulator plants, but no high-Ni insect floral visitors have been reported.展开更多
Environmental contamination with metals such as manganese （Mn） and nickel （Ni） often results in elevated concentrations of these metals in plant tissues. At high concentrations, these metals are known to have detr...Environmental contamination with metals such as manganese （Mn） and nickel （Ni） often results in elevated concentrations of these metals in plant tissues. At high concentrations, these metals are known to have detrimental effects on certain insect herbivores. Using laboratory bioassays and artificial diet, we investigated the development and survival of a cosmopolitan insect detritivore, Megaselia scalaris （Diptera： Phoridae）, exposed to concentrations of Mn and Ni reaching 2 600 mg Mn/kg and 5 200 mg Ni/kg dry mass （dm） in artificial diet. Surprisingly, Ni and Mn at the concentrations tested did not harm this fly. Treatment groups from diets with 260-2 600 mg Mn/kg dm and 1 300-5 200 mg Ni/kg dm had significantly shorter larval development times, overall times to adult emergence, and both pupariation and pupal eclosion times compared to a control group. Wing length of females, a correlate of adult fitness, was also greater in metal treatment groups. Other measures including rate of egg hatch, percentage of emerging flies that were female, and wing length of male flies, were not significantly different in metal treatment groups. We conclude that Megaselia scalaris is tolerant of exceptionally high levels of Mn and Ni.展开更多
Nickel hyperaccumulator plants contain unusually elevated levels of Ni （〉 1 000 μg Ni/g）. Some insect herbivores, including Lygus hesperus （Western tarnished plant bug）, have been observed feeding on the Califor...Nickel hyperaccumulator plants contain unusually elevated levels of Ni （〉 1 000 μg Ni/g）. Some insect herbivores, including Lygus hesperus （Western tarnished plant bug）, have been observed feeding on the California Ni hyperaccumulator Streptanthus polygaloides. This bug may be able to utilize S. polygaloides as a host either through its feeding behavior or by physiological tolerance of Ni. This experiment determined the Ni tolerance of L hesperus by offering insects artificial diet amended with 0, 0.4, 1, 2, 4.5, 10, 20 and 40 mmol Ni/L and recording survival. Survival varied due to Ni concentration, with diets containing 10 mmol Ni/L and greater resulting in significantly lower survival compared to the control （0 mmol Ni/L） treatment. Insects tolerated diet containing as much as 4.5 mmol Ni/L, a relatively elevated Ni concentration. I conclude that L hesperus can feed on S. polygaloides because it is Ni-tolerant, probably due to physiological mechanisms that provide it with resistance to plant chemical defenses including elemental defenses such as hyperaccumulated Ni.展开更多
文摘Insects can vary greatly in whole-body elemental concentrations. Recent investigations of insects associated with Ni hyperaccumulator plants have identified insects with relatively elevated whole-body Ni levels. Evaluation of the limited data available indicates that a whole-body Ni concentration of 500μg Ni/g is exceptional： I propose that an insect species with a mean value of 500μg Ni/g or greater, in either larval/nymphal or adult stages, be considered a ＂high-Ni insect＂. Using the 500μg Ni/g criterion, 15 species ofhigh-Ni insects have been identified to date from studies in Mpumalanga （South Africa）, New Caledonia and California （USA）. The highest mean Ni concentration reported is 3 500 μg Ni/g for nymphs of a South African Stenoscepa species （Orthoptera： Pyrgomorphidae）. The majority of high-Ni insects （66%） are heteropteran herbivores. Studies of high-Ni insect host preference indicate they are monophagous （or nearly so） on a particular Ni hyperaccumulator plant species. Much of the Ni in bodies of these insects is in their guts （up to 66%-75%）, but elevated levels have also been found in Malpighian tubules, suggesting efficient elimination as one strategy for dealing with a high-Ni diet. Tissue levels of Ni are generally much lower than gut concentrations, but up to 1200μg Ni/g has been reported from exuviae, suggesting that molting may be another pathway of Ni elimination. One ecological function of the high Ni concentration of these insects may be to defend them against natural enemies, but to date only one experimental test has supported this ＂elemental defense＂ hypothesis. Community-level studies indicate that high-Ni insects mobilize Ni into food webs but that bioaccumulation of Ni does not occur at either plant-herbivore or herbivorepredator steps. Unsurprisingly, Ni bioaccumulation indices are greater for high-Ni insects compared to other insect species that feed on Ni hyperaccumulator plants. There is some evidence of Ni mobilization into food webs by insect visitors to flowers ofNi hyperaccumulator plants, but no high-Ni insect floral visitors have been reported.
文摘Environmental contamination with metals such as manganese （Mn） and nickel （Ni） often results in elevated concentrations of these metals in plant tissues. At high concentrations, these metals are known to have detrimental effects on certain insect herbivores. Using laboratory bioassays and artificial diet, we investigated the development and survival of a cosmopolitan insect detritivore, Megaselia scalaris （Diptera： Phoridae）, exposed to concentrations of Mn and Ni reaching 2 600 mg Mn/kg and 5 200 mg Ni/kg dry mass （dm） in artificial diet. Surprisingly, Ni and Mn at the concentrations tested did not harm this fly. Treatment groups from diets with 260-2 600 mg Mn/kg dm and 1 300-5 200 mg Ni/kg dm had significantly shorter larval development times, overall times to adult emergence, and both pupariation and pupal eclosion times compared to a control group. Wing length of females, a correlate of adult fitness, was also greater in metal treatment groups. Other measures including rate of egg hatch, percentage of emerging flies that were female, and wing length of male flies, were not significantly different in metal treatment groups. We conclude that Megaselia scalaris is tolerant of exceptionally high levels of Mn and Ni.
文摘Nickel hyperaccumulator plants contain unusually elevated levels of Ni （〉 1 000 μg Ni/g）. Some insect herbivores, including Lygus hesperus （Western tarnished plant bug）, have been observed feeding on the California Ni hyperaccumulator Streptanthus polygaloides. This bug may be able to utilize S. polygaloides as a host either through its feeding behavior or by physiological tolerance of Ni. This experiment determined the Ni tolerance of L hesperus by offering insects artificial diet amended with 0, 0.4, 1, 2, 4.5, 10, 20 and 40 mmol Ni/L and recording survival. Survival varied due to Ni concentration, with diets containing 10 mmol Ni/L and greater resulting in significantly lower survival compared to the control （0 mmol Ni/L） treatment. Insects tolerated diet containing as much as 4.5 mmol Ni/L, a relatively elevated Ni concentration. I conclude that L hesperus can feed on S. polygaloides because it is Ni-tolerant, probably due to physiological mechanisms that provide it with resistance to plant chemical defenses including elemental defenses such as hyperaccumulated Ni.
