Nutriciona ekologija gubara: efekat populacionog porekla i promene biljke domaćina na indekse rasta i ishrane
Nutritional ecology of the gypsy moth: Effects of population origin and Host switching on growth and nutritional indices
Abstract:
To contribute to understanding behavioral and physiological mechanisms underlying host plant specialization a comparative study of food consumption and utilization was performed on 4th instar gypsy moth larvae (Lymantria dispar) originating from the two populations (oak and acacia forest) and switched from oak (Quercus cerris) to unsuitable acacia leaves (Robinia pseudoacacia). Switching to acacia leaves led to prolonged feeding period reduced relative growth and consumption rate (RGR, RCR), and lowered growth efficiencies (ECI, ECD) while assimilation efficiency (AD) remained unchanged. Local specialization was not revealed for any of examined nutritional indices i.e. population x host interaction was not significant. Larvae originating from acacia forest had significantly higher RCR comparing to larvae from oak forest. We presume that selection favored compensatory behavioral responses to nutritionally inadequate food and lower sensitivity to deterrents in acacia leaves.