title: Integrating temperature and nutrition--environmental impacts on an insect immune system.
abstract: Globally increasing temperatures may strongly affect insect herbivore performance. In contrast to direct effects of temperature on herbivores, indirect effects mediated via thermal effects on host-plant quality are only poorly understood, despite having the potential to substantially impact the herbivores' performance. Part of this performance is the organisms' immune system which may be of pivotal importance for local survival. We here use a full-factorial design to explore the direct (larvae were reared at 17°C or 25°C) and indirect effects (host plants were reared at 17°C or 25°C) of temperature on immune function of the temperate-zone butterfly Pieris napi. At the higher rearing temperature haemocyte numbers and prophenoloxidase activity were reduced. Plant temperature, in contrast, did not affect immune competence despite clear effects on insect growth patterns. Overall, thermal and dietary impacts on the insects' immune responses were weak and trait-specific.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University Medicine of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany. Electronic address: stephaniebauerfeind@web.de.
authors.forename: Stephanie S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bauerfeind
authors.affiliation: Zoological Institute & Museum, University of Greifswald, Johann-Sebastian-Bach Str. 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany. Electronic address: klaus.fischer@uni-greifswald.de.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002080:Butterflies / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D004156:Catechol Oxidase; D004032:Diet; D004777:Environment; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D005858:Germany; D006434:Hemocytes; D060434:Herbivory; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018515:Plant Leaves; D031226:Sinapis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004792:Enzyme Precursors; C038451:pro-phenoloxidase; D004156:Catechol Oxidase
keywords: Diet; Food quality; Haemocytes; Lysozyme; Phenoloxidase; Pieris napi