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Insect herbivore nutrient regulation
1Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station Texas, 77845-2475, USA. s-behmer@tamu.edu
Annual Review of Entomology
|September 4, 2008
Summary
Insect herbivores precisely regulate nutrient intake for growth and reproduction, adapting to imbalanced diets and plant chemicals. These feeding behaviors, influenced by nutrient composition and natural selection, shape their survival and ecological roles.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Animals, including insect herbivores, consume food primarily to obtain essential nutrients for growth, development, and reproduction.
- Insect herbivores exhibit strong nutrient intake regulation, employing specific rules to manage diets imbalanced in nutrients.
- Dietary nutrient composition influences how insect herbivores interact with plant allelochemicals, affecting both nutrient regulation and overall performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the intricate mechanisms of nutrient regulation in insect herbivores.
- To understand how environmental factors like diet composition and allelochemicals interact with nutrient regulation.
- To investigate the ecological and evolutionary implications of nutrient regulation in insect herbivores.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of existing comparative studies on nutrient regulation in insect herbivores.
- Analysis of how nutrient imbalances and allelochemicals affect feeding behavior and performance.
- Examination of evidence for pre- and postingestive regulatory mechanisms, learning, and natural selection.
Main Results:
- Insect herbivores actively regulate nutrient intake, particularly when faced with imbalanced diets.
- The impact of plant allelochemicals on insect herbivores is significantly modulated by the food's nutrient profile.
- Coexisting generalist herbivores may occupy distinct nutritional niches, and top-down pressures influence nutrient intake patterns.
Conclusions:
- Insect herbivores possess sophisticated nutrient regulation strategies, involving physiological and behavioral mechanisms, including learning.
- These regulatory mechanisms are subject to evolutionary pressures, indicating adaptation to specific dietary conditions and environmental challenges.
- Understanding nutrient regulation is crucial for comprehending insect herbivore ecology, evolution, and their interactions within ecosystems.
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