title: Parasitoid nutritional ecology in a community context: the importance of honeydew and implications for biological control.
abstract: One focus of conservation biological control studies has been to improve the nutritional state and fitness of parasitoids by adding nectar and artificial sugars to agroecosystems. This approach has largely overlooked the presence of honeydew, which is likely the primary carbohydrate source available to parasitoids in many agroecosystems. Over the last decade, it has been demonstrated that parasitoids often utilize this sugar source and there is evidence that honeydew can indirectly impact the population dynamics of herbivores through its nutritional value for parasitoids. The consumption of honeydew by parasitoids can shape direct and indirect interactions with other arthropods. The strength of these effects will depend on: first, parasitoid biology, second, the presence of other sugar sources (mainly nectar), third, the quality and quantity of the honeydew, and fourth, the presence and competitive strength of other honeydew consumers such as ants. The combination of these four factors is expected to result in distinct scenarios that should be analyzed for each agroecosystem. This analysis can reveal opportunities to increase the biocontrol services provided by parasitoids. Moreover, honeydew can be a resource-rich habitat for insect pathogens; or contain plant secondary chemicals sequestered by hemipterans or systemic insecticides toxic for the parasitoid. Their presence and effect on parasitoid fitness will need to be addressed in future research.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Asociada de Entomología UJI-IVIA, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones, Agrarias, IVIA, Spain. Electronic address: atena@ivia.es.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tena
authors.affiliation: Biobest, Ilse Velden 18, 2260 Westerlo, Belgium; Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK.
authors.forename: Felix L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Wäckers
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States.
authors.forename: George E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Heimpel
authors.affiliation: Unidad Asociada de Entomología UJI-IVIA, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones, Agrarias, IVIA, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbaneja
authors.affiliation: Biobest, Ilse Velden 18, 2260 Westerlo, Belgium; Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pekas
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D010271:Parasites / Q000502:physiology*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D057048:Plant Nectar / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D057048:Plant Nectar