Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants

Autores
Lescano, María Natalia; Quintero, Carolina; Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel
Año de publicación
2022
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Enhanced soil nutrient availability often favours herbivore performance by bringing the carbon:nutrient ratio of plants closer to herbivore requirements. However, a surplus of nutrients can promote a too low carbon:nutrient ratio in plants, making them of poor quality for herbivores. In addition, increased soil nutrients can trigger cascading effects altering higher trophic levels, resulting in indirect costs for herbivores. Through experiments under three increasing fertilization levels (unfertilized, NPK-rich, and 2NPK-rich soils), we studied how the enhancement of soil nutrient availability, by modifying the C:N ratio of thistles, affects the performance and homeostatic response of the aphids, and the consequent ant attraction. Fertilized soils increased the biomass and reduced the C:N ratio of thistles, also increasing aphid abundance. The stoichiometric homeostasis of aphids was modulated through changes in honeydew production and composition; fertilization treatments reduced by more than half the quantity of honeydew secreted and lead to 2.5–6.4 times higher honeydew N concentration compared with the unfertilized treatment. In addition, in the highest fertilization treatment, the aphids increased the content of uric acid (a waste toxic compound involved in amino acid deamination) excreted in their honeydew. Aphid-infested thistles had the highest number of aphid-tending ants when they grew on intermediate rich-substrates. Ants selected honeydew with a lower C:N ratio (compared to unfertilized plants), but fewer workers patrolled plants with the highest fertilization treatment likely due to increased uric acid in the honeydew. We showed that enhanced soil nutrients brought plant C:N ratio closer to aphid requirements, enhancing their performance and promoting ant attendance. But a disproportionate increase in fertilization did not further improve aphid performance while it decreases the attraction of protective ants, which would make aphid populations more vulnerable to attack by natural enemies, inducing an ecological cost. This study highlights the complex role of bottom-up cascading effects triggered by increases in soil nutrient availability and the importance of evaluating not only the physiological and population cost and benefits of it but also the ecological ones; especially when it alters mutualistic interactions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Fil: Lescano, María Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Quintero, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Materia
ANTS
APHIDS
BOTTOM-UP CASCADES
ECOLOGICAL STOICHIOMETRY
FERTILIZATION
KNIFE-EDGE HYPOTHESIS
TROPHIC INTERACTIONS
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/202276
Acceder
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oai_identifier_str oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/202276
network_acronym_str CONICETDig
repository_id_str 3498
network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist antsLescano, María NataliaQuintero, CarolinaFarji Brener, Alejandro GustavoBalseiro, Esteban GabrielANTSAPHIDSBOTTOM-UP CASCADESECOLOGICAL STOICHIOMETRYFERTILIZATIONKNIFE-EDGE HYPOTHESISTROPHIC INTERACTIONShttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Enhanced soil nutrient availability often favours herbivore performance by bringing the carbon:nutrient ratio of plants closer to herbivore requirements. However, a surplus of nutrients can promote a too low carbon:nutrient ratio in plants, making them of poor quality for herbivores. In addition, increased soil nutrients can trigger cascading effects altering higher trophic levels, resulting in indirect costs for herbivores. Through experiments under three increasing fertilization levels (unfertilized, NPK-rich, and 2NPK-rich soils), we studied how the enhancement of soil nutrient availability, by modifying the C:N ratio of thistles, affects the performance and homeostatic response of the aphids, and the consequent ant attraction. Fertilized soils increased the biomass and reduced the C:N ratio of thistles, also increasing aphid abundance. The stoichiometric homeostasis of aphids was modulated through changes in honeydew production and composition; fertilization treatments reduced by more than half the quantity of honeydew secreted and lead to 2.5–6.4 times higher honeydew N concentration compared with the unfertilized treatment. In addition, in the highest fertilization treatment, the aphids increased the content of uric acid (a waste toxic compound involved in amino acid deamination) excreted in their honeydew. Aphid-infested thistles had the highest number of aphid-tending ants when they grew on intermediate rich-substrates. Ants selected honeydew with a lower C:N ratio (compared to unfertilized plants), but fewer workers patrolled plants with the highest fertilization treatment likely due to increased uric acid in the honeydew. We showed that enhanced soil nutrients brought plant C:N ratio closer to aphid requirements, enhancing their performance and promoting ant attendance. But a disproportionate increase in fertilization did not further improve aphid performance while it decreases the attraction of protective ants, which would make aphid populations more vulnerable to attack by natural enemies, inducing an ecological cost. This study highlights the complex role of bottom-up cascading effects triggered by increases in soil nutrient availability and the importance of evaluating not only the physiological and population cost and benefits of it but also the ecological ones; especially when it alters mutualistic interactions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.Fil: Lescano, María Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Quintero, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaWiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc2022-08info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/202276Lescano, María Natalia; Quintero, Carolina; Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel; Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Functional Ecology; 36; 10; 8-2022; 2661-26720269-8463CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.14163info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.14163info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-10-15T15:21:35Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/202276instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-10-15 15:21:35.757CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants
title Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants
spellingShingle Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants
Lescano, María Natalia
ANTS
APHIDS
BOTTOM-UP CASCADES
ECOLOGICAL STOICHIOMETRY
FERTILIZATION
KNIFE-EDGE HYPOTHESIS
TROPHIC INTERACTIONS
title_short Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants
title_full Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants
title_fullStr Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants
title_full_unstemmed Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants
title_sort Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Lescano, María Natalia
Quintero, Carolina
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel
author Lescano, María Natalia
author_facet Lescano, María Natalia
Quintero, Carolina
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel
author_role author
author2 Quintero, Carolina
Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo
Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv ANTS
APHIDS
BOTTOM-UP CASCADES
ECOLOGICAL STOICHIOMETRY
FERTILIZATION
KNIFE-EDGE HYPOTHESIS
TROPHIC INTERACTIONS
topic ANTS
APHIDS
BOTTOM-UP CASCADES
ECOLOGICAL STOICHIOMETRY
FERTILIZATION
KNIFE-EDGE HYPOTHESIS
TROPHIC INTERACTIONS
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Enhanced soil nutrient availability often favours herbivore performance by bringing the carbon:nutrient ratio of plants closer to herbivore requirements. However, a surplus of nutrients can promote a too low carbon:nutrient ratio in plants, making them of poor quality for herbivores. In addition, increased soil nutrients can trigger cascading effects altering higher trophic levels, resulting in indirect costs for herbivores. Through experiments under three increasing fertilization levels (unfertilized, NPK-rich, and 2NPK-rich soils), we studied how the enhancement of soil nutrient availability, by modifying the C:N ratio of thistles, affects the performance and homeostatic response of the aphids, and the consequent ant attraction. Fertilized soils increased the biomass and reduced the C:N ratio of thistles, also increasing aphid abundance. The stoichiometric homeostasis of aphids was modulated through changes in honeydew production and composition; fertilization treatments reduced by more than half the quantity of honeydew secreted and lead to 2.5–6.4 times higher honeydew N concentration compared with the unfertilized treatment. In addition, in the highest fertilization treatment, the aphids increased the content of uric acid (a waste toxic compound involved in amino acid deamination) excreted in their honeydew. Aphid-infested thistles had the highest number of aphid-tending ants when they grew on intermediate rich-substrates. Ants selected honeydew with a lower C:N ratio (compared to unfertilized plants), but fewer workers patrolled plants with the highest fertilization treatment likely due to increased uric acid in the honeydew. We showed that enhanced soil nutrients brought plant C:N ratio closer to aphid requirements, enhancing their performance and promoting ant attendance. But a disproportionate increase in fertilization did not further improve aphid performance while it decreases the attraction of protective ants, which would make aphid populations more vulnerable to attack by natural enemies, inducing an ecological cost. This study highlights the complex role of bottom-up cascading effects triggered by increases in soil nutrient availability and the importance of evaluating not only the physiological and population cost and benefits of it but also the ecological ones; especially when it alters mutualistic interactions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Fil: Lescano, María Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Quintero, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
description Enhanced soil nutrient availability often favours herbivore performance by bringing the carbon:nutrient ratio of plants closer to herbivore requirements. However, a surplus of nutrients can promote a too low carbon:nutrient ratio in plants, making them of poor quality for herbivores. In addition, increased soil nutrients can trigger cascading effects altering higher trophic levels, resulting in indirect costs for herbivores. Through experiments under three increasing fertilization levels (unfertilized, NPK-rich, and 2NPK-rich soils), we studied how the enhancement of soil nutrient availability, by modifying the C:N ratio of thistles, affects the performance and homeostatic response of the aphids, and the consequent ant attraction. Fertilized soils increased the biomass and reduced the C:N ratio of thistles, also increasing aphid abundance. The stoichiometric homeostasis of aphids was modulated through changes in honeydew production and composition; fertilization treatments reduced by more than half the quantity of honeydew secreted and lead to 2.5–6.4 times higher honeydew N concentration compared with the unfertilized treatment. In addition, in the highest fertilization treatment, the aphids increased the content of uric acid (a waste toxic compound involved in amino acid deamination) excreted in their honeydew. Aphid-infested thistles had the highest number of aphid-tending ants when they grew on intermediate rich-substrates. Ants selected honeydew with a lower C:N ratio (compared to unfertilized plants), but fewer workers patrolled plants with the highest fertilization treatment likely due to increased uric acid in the honeydew. We showed that enhanced soil nutrients brought plant C:N ratio closer to aphid requirements, enhancing their performance and promoting ant attendance. But a disproportionate increase in fertilization did not further improve aphid performance while it decreases the attraction of protective ants, which would make aphid populations more vulnerable to attack by natural enemies, inducing an ecological cost. This study highlights the complex role of bottom-up cascading effects triggered by increases in soil nutrient availability and the importance of evaluating not only the physiological and population cost and benefits of it but also the ecological ones; especially when it alters mutualistic interactions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
publishDate 2022
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2022-08
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/202276
Lescano, María Natalia; Quintero, Carolina; Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel; Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Functional Ecology; 36; 10; 8-2022; 2661-2672
0269-8463
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/202276
identifier_str_mv Lescano, María Natalia; Quintero, Carolina; Farji Brener, Alejandro Gustavo; Balseiro, Esteban Gabriel; Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Functional Ecology; 36; 10; 8-2022; 2661-2672
0269-8463
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.14163
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.14163
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
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rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
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instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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