The effect of wilting on palatability of plants to Schistocerca gregaria, the desert locust.
Oecologia
; 70(1): 132-135, 1986 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28311298
ABSTRACT
Previous work has shown that host choice by acridids (grasshoppers and locusts) is sensitive to alterations in host quality. In particular, reduced plant water content has been found to increase palatability of certain plant species. To determine if this phenomenon is general, and to gain preliminary information on causes, turgid and wilted plant material of forty-one species was tested using nymphs of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria. Twelve plant species (29%) had increased and five (12%) had decreased palatability (as measured by meal size) when wilted. Among fifteen families tested, the increases occurred in six, the decreases in three. The greatest change occurred in Taraxacum officinale; further tests on this plant revealed the increase to be continuous, rising with decreasing water content. The behavioral observations combined with the pattern of the results across plant species suggest that changes are due to alterations in specific deterrents or stimulants, rather than to decreased water content or increased concentrations of amino acids and/or sugars. The implications of these results for understanding drought-associated population outbreaks are discussed.
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1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
1986
Tipo de documento:
Article