Ecology and evolution of pathogens in natural populations of Lepidoptera

Evolutionary Applications

Judith H. Myers¹ 

[1] Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

关键词: disease ecology;    disease transmission;    forest Lepidoptera;    insect pathogens;    migration;    population regulation;    tritrophic interactions;    virulence;   

DOI  :  10.1111/eva.12328

来源: Wiley

【 摘 要 】

Abstract

Pathogens are ubiquitous in insect populations and yet few studies examine their dynamics and impacts on host populations. We discuss four lepidopteran systems and explore their contributions to disease ecology and evolution. More specifically, we elucidate the role of pathogens in insect population dynamics. For three species, western tent caterpillars, African armyworm and introduced populations of gypsy moth, infection by nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) clearly regulates host populations or reduces their outbreaks. Transmission of NPV is largely horizontal although low levels of vertical transmission occur, and high levels of covert infection in some cases suggest that the virus can persist in a nonsymptomatic form. The prevalence of a mostly vertically transmitted protozoan parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, in monarch butterflies is intimately related to their migratory behaviour that culls highly infected individuals. Virulence and transmission are positively related among genotypes of this parasite. These systems clearly demonstrate that the interactions between insects and pathogens are highly context dependent. Not only is the outcome a consequence of changes in density and genetic diversity: environmental factors, particularly diet, can have strong impacts on virulence, transmission and host resistance or tolerance. What maintains the high level of host and pathogen diversity in these systems, however, remains a question.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 The Authors. Evolutionary Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.