Search results for "plant–insect interactions"

Parasitic wasp-associated symbiont affects plant-mediated species interactions between herbivores

2018

Abstract Microbial mutualistic symbiosis is increasingly recognised as a hidden driving force in the ecology of plant–insect interactions. Although plant-associated and herbivore-associated symbionts clearly affect interactions between plants and herbivores, the effects of symbionts associated with higher trophic levels has been largely overlooked. At the third-trophic level, parasitic wasps are a common group of insects that can inject symbiotic viruses (polydnaviruses) and venom into their herbivorous hosts to support parasitoid offspring development. Here, we show that such third-trophic level symbionts act in combination with venom to affect plant-mediated interactions by reducing colon…