Host location behavior of Cotesia plutellae Kurdjumov (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in ambient and moderately elevated ozone in field conditions.
In field O(3)-enrichment experiments increased herbivore densities have been reported, which could be due to negatively affected host location behavior of natural enemies. We addressed the impact of doubling background O(3) on the host location of the parasitoid Cotesia plutellae by conducting 24-h trials in an open-air O(3)-fumigation system during two consecutive years. Two circles (radii 1.40 and 4.00 m) of Plutella xylostella-infested potted cabbage plants were placed in the O(3) and ambient plots. Female wasps were released into each plot from the center, and observed 5 times over a 24-h period to assess their host location capability. Thereafter, plants were kept in laboratory conditions until larvae pupation to determine parasitism rates. No significant differences were detected between ambient and O(3)-enriched environments either in the number of wasps found in the field, or in the percentages of parasitized larvae. This suggests that moderately elevated O(3) will not affect the behavior of this parasitoid.
Pinto
D M
DM
Department of Environmental Science, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland. delia.pinto@uku.fi
Himanen
S J
SJ
Nissinen
A
A
Nerg
A-M
AM
Holopainen
J K
JK
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001937:Brassica; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D009036:Moths / Q000469:parasitology; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000494:pharmacology; D010126:Ozone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D014863:Wasps / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D000393:Air Pollutants; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone