Temporal Variations of Chrysomelid Abundance and Herbivory in Hybrid Poplar (Populus x canadensis Moench) Plantation in Serbia

Abstract

Life cycles, feeding patterns and herbivory intensities of two chrysomelid species (Crepidodera pluta and Phratora vitellinae) were analysed in the poplar (Populus x canadensis Moench) plantation over the period of six months in 2014. Herbivory was measured as leaf area lost and a number of damaged leaves per branch. For C. pluta was found to have one generation per year, with peak abundance in August, while P. vitellinae had one or two generations and a maximum abundance in July. Both species expressed the lowest intensity of herbivory during the post hibernation period in April, and the highest levels of herbivory in July. Beetles completed their life cycles on P x canadensis but did not attain maximum potential growth rates by feeding on this plant, which we consider as a suboptimal food source. Chrysomelid damage was found to be insignificant and did not affect tree vitality.