Dataset Information

Stable isotope signatures reflect dietary diversity in European forest moths.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Information on larval diet of many holometabolous insects remains incomplete. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotope analysis in adult wing tissue can provide an efficient tool to infer such trophic relationships. The present study examines whether moth feeding guild affiliations taken from literature are reflected in isotopic signatures.

Results

Non-metric multidimensional scaling and permutational analysis of variance indicate that centroids of dietary groups differ significantly. In particular, species whose larvae feed on mosses or aquatic plants deviated from those that consumed vascular land plants. Moth ?(15)N signatures spanned a broader range, and were less dependent on species identity than ?(13)C values. Comparison between moth samples and ostensible food sources revealed heterogeneity in the lichenivorous guild, indicating only Lithosia quadra as an obligate lichen feeder. Among root-feeding Agrotis segetum, some specimens appear to have developed on crop plants in forest-adjacent farm land. Reed-feeding stem-borers may partially rely on intermediary trophic levels such as fungal or bacterial growth.

Conclusion

Diagnostic partitioning of moth dietary guilds based on isotopic signatures alone could not be achieved, but hypotheses on trophic relationships based on often vague literature records could be assessed with high resolution. Hence, the approach is well suited for basic categorization of moths where diet is unknown or notoriously difficult to observe (i.e. Microlepidoptera, lichen-feeders).

SUBMITTER: Adams MO

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4994389 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Stable isotope signatures reflect dietary diversity in European forest moths.

Adams Marc-Oliver MO Seifert Carlo Lutz CL Lehner Lisamarie L Truxa Christine C Wanek Wolfgang W Fiedler Konrad K

Frontiers in zoology 20160822 1

<h4>Background</h4>Information on larval diet of many holometabolous insects remains incomplete. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotope analysis in adult wing tissue can provide an efficient tool to infer such trophic relationships. The present study examines whether moth feeding guild affiliations taken from literature are reflected in isotopic signatures.<h4>Results</h4>Non-metric multidimensional scaling and permutational analysis of variance indicate that centroids of dietary groups diff ...[more]

PMID: 27555876

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Project description:Edge effects represent an inevitable and important consequence of habitat loss and fragmentation. These effects include changes in microclimate, solar radiation, or temperature. Such abiotic effects can, in turn, impact biotic factors. They can have a substantial impact on species, communities, and ecosystems. Here we examine clinal variations in stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values for trees along an edge-interior gradient in the dry deciduous forest at Ankarafantsika National Park. We predicted that soil respiration and differences in solar irradiance would result in stratified ?¹³C values where leaves collected close to the forest floor would have lower ?¹³C values than those growing higher up in the canopy. We also anticipated that plants growing at the savannah-forest boundary would have higher ?¹³C and ?¹?N values than plants growing in the forest interior. As expected, we detected a small but significant canopy effect. Leaves growing below 2 m from the forest floor exhibit ?¹³C values that are, on average, 1.1‰ lower than those growing above this threshold. We did not, however, find any relationship between foliar ?¹³C and distance from the edge. Unpredictably, we detected a striking positive relationship between foliar ?¹?N values and increasing distance into the forest interior. Variability in physiology among species, anthropogenic influence, organic input, and rooting depth cannot adequately explain this trend. Instead, this unexpected relationship most likely reflects decreasing nutrient or water availability, or a shift in N-sources with increasing distance from the savannah. Unlike most forest communities, the trees at Ampijoroa are growing in nutrient-limited sands. In addition to being nutrient poor, these well-drained soils likely decrease the amount of soil water available to forest vegetation. Continued research on plant responses to edge effects will improve our understanding of the conservation biology of forest ecosystems in Madagascar.

Dataset Information

Stable isotope signatures reflect dietary diversity in European forest moths.

Background

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Stable isotope signatures reflect dietary diversity in European forest moths.

Similar Datasets

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