Changes in leaf chlorophyll content associated with flowering and its role in the diversity of phytophagous insects in a tree species from a semiarid Caatinga

PeerJ

article

Leandro Sousa-Souto¹  Adriana Bocchiglieri¹  Douglas de M. Dias²  Anthony S. Ferreira³  José P. de L. Filho² 

[1] Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal de Sergipe;Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais;Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia

关键词: Inflorescence;    Chlorophyll content;    Phenology;    Poincianella pyramidalis;    Tropical dry forest;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.5059

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Phytophagous insects choose their feeding resources according to their own requirements, but their feeding preferences in the semiarid Caatinga have rarely been studied. Flowering trees leads to a greater diversity of flower visitors and their predators in the host plant, but little is known about why the diversity of phytophagous insects not associated with flowers is also increased. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diversity of sap-sucking, wood-boring and leaf-chewing insects associated with leaf chlorophyll content in flowering and non-flowering plants of Poincianella pyramidalis, an endemic tree of Caatinga. We used a leaf chlorophyll index (LCI) as a surrogate for resource quality, and an entomological umbrella to collect phytophagous insects. We show that trees which bloomed demonstrated higher chlorophyll content, greater abundance and a significant difference in the composition of phytophagous insect species when compared to non-flowering trees (p < 0.05). The results suggest that not only the presence of flowers themselves, but also the higher nutritional quality of leaf tissue, can explain the differences in species diversity and abundance of phytophagous insects. Exceptional flowering trees in the Caatinga area studied may thus act as spots of high quality resources, favouring changes in the diversity of insects in this environment.

【 授权许可】

CC BY