title: Seed Detection and Discrimination by Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Are Associated with Olfactory Cues.
abstract: Olfactory ability is an element of fitness in many animals, guiding choices among alternatives such as mating partners or food. Ground beetles (Coleoptera; Carabidae), exhibit preferences for prey, and some species are well-known weed seed predators. We used olfactometer-based bioassays to determine if olfactory stimuli are associated with detection of Brassica napus L., Sinapis arvensis L., and Thlaspi arvense L. seeds by ground beetles characteristic of agroecosystems, and whether behavioural responses to seed odors depended on seed physiological state (imbibed or unimbibed). Imbibed B.napus seeds were preferred over other weed species by two of the three carabid species tested. Only A. littoralis responded significantly to unimbibed seeds of B. napus. Sensitivity to olfactory cues appeared to be highly specific as all carabid species discriminated between the olfactory cues of imbibed brassicaceous weed seeds, but did not discriminate between weed seeds that were unimbibed. Overall, our data suggest that depending on seed physiological state, odours can play an important role in the ability of carabids to find and recognize seeds of particular weed species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Sharavari S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Lloyd M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dosdall
authors.affiliation: Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Spence
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9733-2252
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Willenborg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029741:Brassica rapa; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D012639:Seeds; D031226:Sinapis; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D031227:Thlaspi