6533b883fe1ef96bd12dba5d
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Data from: Plant – herbivorous beetle networks: molecular characterization of trophic ecology within a threatened steppic environment
ŁUkasz KajtochDaniel KubiszWaldemar HeiseMiłosz A. MazurWieslaw Babiksubject
Larinus obtususOtiorhynchus fulloCassida lineolaWildlife ManagementDibolia schillingiiSitona languidusBruchela rufipesPseudoprotapion elegantulumArgoptochus quadrisignatusAphthona czwalinaiCassida panzeriLongitarsus tabidusCryptocephalus fulvusAphthona cyparissiaeMecinus pascuorumCryptocephalus pygmaeusLife Sciencesfood and beveragesGaleruca pomonaeExapion elongatulumAphthona lacertosaZacladus geraniiGonioctena olivaceaMedicineTychius medicaginisPodagrica fuscicornisOmias globulusTychius crassirostrisSitona inopsCryptocephalus flavipesSphaeroderma testaceumPaophilus afflatusCryptocephalus violaceusAphthona pygmaeaMogulones javetiiLongitarsus exsoletusSibinia subellipticaCryptocephalus quadriguttatusLarinus turbinatusCentricnemus leucogrammusPhilopedon plagiatumRhinusa tetraChrysomelidaefungiLuperus xanthopodaGaleruca tanacetiCleopomiarus graminisCryptocephalus bilineatusSpecies InteractionsEntomoscelis adonidisCryptocephalus bameuliStenocarus ruficornisParafourcartia squamulataHemitrichapion pavidumCleopomiarus distinctusCryptocephalus vittatusLachnaia sexpunctataTychius aureolusSitona lateralisLabidostomis humeralisSmicronyx jungermanniaeEusomus ovulumSitona waterhouseimedicine and health careTychius sharpiPolydrusus inustusCurculionidaeCryptocephalus chrysopusPhyllotreta nodicornisCalomicrus circumfususLarinus sturnusCionus clairvilleiPolydrusus confluensStrophosoma faberCrioceris quinquepunctataTrichosirocalus troglodytesAphthona beckeriSmaragdina auritaSmaragdina affinisPachybrachis hippophaesTychius schneideriCyanapion plataleaHypera fuscocinereaLongitarsus quadriguttatusSitona striatellusPhrydiuchus tauCassida pannonicaLabidostomis longimanaHypocassida subferrugineaCycloderes pilosulusPseudoprotapion ergenenseCryptocephalus virensAphthona euphorbiaePhyllobius brevisSitona longulusChrysochus asclepiadeusPachybrachis tesselatusCrioceris quatuordecimpunctataTrichosirocalus barnevilleiPachybrachis fimbriolatusChrysolina cerealisPseudorchestes ermischiOmias puberulusThamiocolus signatusMesotrichapion punctirostreDiet AnalysisCoptocephala unifasciataSibinia tibialisPsylliodes cucullataMogulones geographicusCassida margaritaceaAphthona ovataSitona humeralisAphthona venustulaSquamapion elongatulumGonioctena fornicataSibinia vittataDibolia cryptocephalaPseudoperapion brevirostreCheilotoma musciformisCoevolutionNeocrepidodera ferrugineaChrysolina sanguinolentadescription
DNA barcoding facilitates many evolutionary and ecological studies, including the examination of the dietary diversity of herbivores. In this study, we present a survey of ecological associations between herbivorous beetles and host plants from seriously threatened European steppic grasslands. We determined host plants for the majority (65%) of steppic leaf beetles (55 species) and weevils (59) known from central Europe using two barcodes (trnL and rbcL) and two sequencing strategies (Sanger for mono/oligophagous species and Illumina for polyphagous taxa). To better understand the ecological associations between steppic beetles and their host plants, we tested the hypothesis that leaf beetles and weevils differ in food selection as a result of their phylogenetic relations (within genera and between families) and interactions with host plants. We found 224 links between the beetles and the plants. Beetles belonging to seven genera feed on the same or related plants. Their preferences were probably inherited from common ancestors and/or resulted from the host plant's chemistry. Beetles from four genera feed on different plants, possibly reducing intrageneric competition and possibly due to an adaptation to different plant chemical defences. We found significant correlations between the numbers of leaf beetle and weevil species feeding on particular plants for polyphagous taxa, but not for nonpolyphagous beetles. Finally, we found that the previous identifications of host plants based on direct observations are generally concordant with host plant barcoding from insect gut. Our results expand basic knowledge about the trophic relations of steppic beetles and plants and are immediately useful for conservation purposes.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-06-17 |