Effects of food quality on trade-offs among growth, immunity and survival in the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella.
The resources available to an individual in any given environment are finite, and variation in life history traits reflect differential allocation of these resources to competing life functions. Nutritional quality of food is of particular importance in these life history decisions. In this study, we tested trade-offs among growth, immunity and survival in 3 groups of greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae fed on diets of high and average nutritional quality. We found rapid growth and weak immunity (as measured by encapsulation response) in the larvae of the high-energy food group. It took longer to develop on food of average nutritional quality. However, encapsulation response was stronger in this group. The larvae grew longer in the low-energy food group, and had the strongest encapsulation response. We observed the highest survival rates in larvae of the low-energy food group, while the highest mortality rates were observed in the high-energy food group. A significant negative correlation between body mass and the strength of encapsulation response was found only in the high-energy food group revealing significant competition between growth and immunity only at the highest rates of growth. The results of this study help to establish relationships between types of food, its nutritional value and life history traits of G. mellonella larvae.
Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, 5401, Daugavpils, Latvia.|Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 51014 Tartu, Estonia.
Indrikis
I
Krams
Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, 5401, Daugavpils, Latvia.
Sanita
S
Kecko
Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland.
Katariina
K
Kangassalo
School of Psychology, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK.
Fhionna R
FR
Moore
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, 1067 Rīga, Latvia.
Eriks
E
Jankevics
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, 1067 Rīga, Latvia.
Inna
I
Inashkina
Institute of Systematic Biology, University of Daugavpils, 5401, Daugavpils, Latvia.|Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Science, Tartu, Estonia.
Tatjana
T
Krama
Rīga Stradins University, 1007 Rīga, Latvia.
Vilnis
V
Lietuvietis
Rīga Stradins University, 1007 Rīga, Latvia.
Laila
L
Meija
Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland.
Markus J
MJ
Rantala
D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005502:Food; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D009036:Moths / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology*
Galleria mellonella; growth; immunity; life history; nutrition; survival