Effects of Climate Warming on the Performance of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow
ABSTRACT The performance of invertebrate herbivores in grasslands can be influenced by climate warming, but there is a lack of experimental evidence, particularly in high elevation areas. We conducted two complementary experiments to investigate the effect of experimental warming on the performance...
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70978 |
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| author | Rui Cao Han Chen Kezhi Zheng Dajie Nong Menglei Jiang Ziyu Zhang Xinwei Wu Peng Xie |
| author_facet | Rui Cao Han Chen Kezhi Zheng Dajie Nong Menglei Jiang Ziyu Zhang Xinwei Wu Peng Xie |
| author_sort | Rui Cao |
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| description | ABSTRACT The performance of invertebrate herbivores in grasslands can be influenced by climate warming, but there is a lack of experimental evidence, particularly in high elevation areas. We conducted two complementary experiments to investigate the effect of experimental warming on the performance of the grassland caterpillar Gynaephora alpherakii, a notorious pest species in the alpine Tibetan meadow. The first field experiment examined the effect of warming (nonwarmed vs. warmed) on the feeding behavior, growth, and development rate of the caterpillars. The second chamber experiment explored the relationship between temperature and caterpillar appetite, excrement mass, respiration rate, or change of caterpillar weight. Results show that warming significantly decreased fresh body mass of caterpillars by 27.5%, cocoon volume by 61.1%, and egg production per female moth by 26.9% at the end of the field experiment. Warming did not affect cocooning time but significantly increased feeding time of caterpillars during the field experimental period. The independent chamber experiment revealed a significant and positive correlation between caterpillar appetite, excrement mass, respiration rate, and temperature. However, except the first examination, there was a significant negative correlation between changes in caterpillar weight and temperature. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that excrement mass had the greatest influence on caterpillar weight. The weight loss of caterpillars to warming might thus be attributed to elevated metabolic rates at higher temperatures, and the behavioral adaptations failed to compensate for the physiological‐induced weight loss. These findings suggest that climate warming can modify the performance and thus the fitness of invertebrate herbivores in high elevation areas. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-f9cf87ac776e452ea549a25c50e210ca2025-08-20T03:26:04ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-02-01152n/an/a10.1002/ece3.70978Effects of Climate Warming on the Performance of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae in a Tibetan Alpine MeadowRui Cao0Han Chen1Kezhi Zheng2Dajie Nong3Menglei Jiang4Ziyu Zhang5Xinwei Wu6Peng Xie7Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco‐Agricultural Biotechnology Around Hongze Lake, Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection Huaiyin Normal University Huaian ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco‐Agricultural Biotechnology Around Hongze Lake, Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection Huaiyin Normal University Huaian ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco‐Agricultural Biotechnology Around Hongze Lake, Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection Huaiyin Normal University Huaian ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco‐Agricultural Biotechnology Around Hongze Lake, Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection Huaiyin Normal University Huaian ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco‐Agricultural Biotechnology Around Hongze Lake, Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection Huaiyin Normal University Huaian ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco‐Agricultural Biotechnology Around Hongze Lake, Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection Huaiyin Normal University Huaian ChinaDepartment of Ecology, School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco‐Agricultural Biotechnology Around Hongze Lake, Collaborative Innovation Center of Regional Modern Agriculture & Environmental Protection Huaiyin Normal University Huaian ChinaABSTRACT The performance of invertebrate herbivores in grasslands can be influenced by climate warming, but there is a lack of experimental evidence, particularly in high elevation areas. We conducted two complementary experiments to investigate the effect of experimental warming on the performance of the grassland caterpillar Gynaephora alpherakii, a notorious pest species in the alpine Tibetan meadow. The first field experiment examined the effect of warming (nonwarmed vs. warmed) on the feeding behavior, growth, and development rate of the caterpillars. The second chamber experiment explored the relationship between temperature and caterpillar appetite, excrement mass, respiration rate, or change of caterpillar weight. Results show that warming significantly decreased fresh body mass of caterpillars by 27.5%, cocoon volume by 61.1%, and egg production per female moth by 26.9% at the end of the field experiment. Warming did not affect cocooning time but significantly increased feeding time of caterpillars during the field experimental period. The independent chamber experiment revealed a significant and positive correlation between caterpillar appetite, excrement mass, respiration rate, and temperature. However, except the first examination, there was a significant negative correlation between changes in caterpillar weight and temperature. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that excrement mass had the greatest influence on caterpillar weight. The weight loss of caterpillars to warming might thus be attributed to elevated metabolic rates at higher temperatures, and the behavioral adaptations failed to compensate for the physiological‐induced weight loss. These findings suggest that climate warming can modify the performance and thus the fitness of invertebrate herbivores in high elevation areas.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70978body sizefeeding activitygrassland caterpillarinvertebrateQinghai–Tibet plateau |
| spellingShingle | Rui Cao Han Chen Kezhi Zheng Dajie Nong Menglei Jiang Ziyu Zhang Xinwei Wu Peng Xie Effects of Climate Warming on the Performance of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow Ecology and Evolution body size feeding activity grassland caterpillar invertebrate Qinghai–Tibet plateau |
| title | Effects of Climate Warming on the Performance of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow |
| title_full | Effects of Climate Warming on the Performance of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Climate Warming on the Performance of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Climate Warming on the Performance of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow |
| title_short | Effects of Climate Warming on the Performance of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Larvae in a Tibetan Alpine Meadow |
| title_sort | effects of climate warming on the performance of gynaephora alpherakii lepidoptera lymantriidae larvae in a tibetan alpine meadow |
| topic | body size feeding activity grassland caterpillar invertebrate Qinghai–Tibet plateau |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70978 |
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