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Upper thermal limits differ among and within component species in a tritrophic host-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid system
Salvatore J Agosta1,2, Kanchan A Joshi2, Karen M Kester2
1Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America.
Plos One
|June 13, 2018
Summary
Climate change impacts host-parasite systems. This study compared thermal tolerance in a host-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid system, finding varied critical thermal maximums (CTmax) among species, suggesting complex climate change disruptions.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Change Biology
- Physiological Ecology
Background:
- Climate change poses significant threats to ecosystems, economies, and human health.
- Understanding host-parasite dynamics under changing climate conditions is crucial.
- Thermal physiology of interacting species offers insights into these complex systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the upper thermal tolerance of species within a natural host-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid system.
- To assess the ecological relevance of thermal tolerance data by comparing it with historical air temperature records.
- To investigate how climate change may affect the stability and function of host-parasite interactions.
Main Methods:
- Measured the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of the caterpillar host Manduca sexta, the parasitic wasp Cotesia congregata, and the hyperparasitic wasp Conura sp.
- Analyzed 124 years of maximum daily air temperature data from the study region.
- Examined differences in CTmax among insect instars and between parasitized and non-parasitized hosts.
Main Results:
- Manduca sexta exhibited a CTmax approximately 4°C higher than Cotesia congregata.
- Conura sp. had a CTmax approximately 6°C higher than Cotesia congregata.
- Historical maximum air temperatures were close to or below the CTmax of the studied species, indicating potential thermal stress.
Conclusions:
- Significant variations in thermal tolerance exist within and among interacting host and parasite species.
- Climate change may disrupt host-parasite systems in complex and unpredictable ways.
- The findings highlight the need for further research into species-specific responses to thermal stress in ecological interactions.
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