title: Ecosystem engineering and manipulation of host plant tissues by the insect borer Oncideres albomarginata chamela.
abstract: Ecosystem engineering by insect herbivores occurs as the result of structural modification of plants manipulated by insects. However, only few studies have evaluated the effect of these modifications on the plant responses induced by stem-borers that act as ecosystem engineers. In this study, we evaluated the responses induced by the herbivory of the twig-girdler beetle Oncideres albomarginata chamela (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) on its host plant Spondias purpurea (Anacardiaceae), and its relationship with the ecosystem engineering process carried out by this stem-borer. Our results demonstrated that O. albomarginata chamela branch removal induced the development of lateral branches increasing the resources needed for the development of future insect generations, of its own offspring and of many other insect species. Detached branches represent habitats with high content of nitrogen and phosphorous, which eventually can be incorporated into the ecosystem, increasing nutrient cycling efficiency. Consequently, branch removal and the subsequent plant tissue regeneration induced by O. albomarginata chamela represent key mechanisms underlying the ecosystem engineering process carried out by this stem-borer, which enhances arthropod diversity in the ecosystem.
authors.affiliation: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Calderón-Cortés
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico.
authors.forename: Claudia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Uribe-Mú
authors.affiliation: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: A Karen
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Martínez-Méndez
authors.affiliation: Cátedras CONACYT-Instituto de Investigaciones sobre los Recursos Naturales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Escalera-Vázquez
authors.affiliation: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: E Jacob
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Cristobal-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García-Oliva
authors.affiliation: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico; Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico. Electronic address: mquesada@cieco.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quesada
mesh_terms: D027926:Anacardiaceae / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D060434:Herbivory; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000469:parasitology
keywords: Cerambycidae; Compensatory regrowth responses; Ecosystem engineering; Nutrient cycling; Plant–insect interactions; Twig-girdling