Galling insects are bioindicators of environmental quality in a Conservation Unit
TL;DR: The diversity of galls at Parque Estadual Serra Verde reflects an area with high levels of stress but with moderate botanical diversity, which can support the status of conservation of an area as an urban park, once inventories are presented.
Abstract: Galls are well distributed across the World and among plant families. Their diversity can support the status of conservation of an area as an urban park, once inventories are presented. These inventories also help to understand the morphological patterns of the galls, based on their most common shape, color, host botanical families, inducers and galled organs. This study is about an inventory of galls at Parque Estadual Serra Verde, Brazil. This conservation unit is an urban park strongly anthropized in a transition area of Cerrado and Mata Atlântica. Galls from four different trails were observed, and collected monthly during one year. The terminology morphospecies was used to distinguish the galls because the identification of the inducers were not always possible. Seventy five morphospecies of galls belonging to 43 host plant species of 24 botanical families were observed. Mostly of the galls was induced by Diptera:Cecidomyiidae, in Fabaceae and Myrtaceae. The most common traits were the globoid shape and green color. The leaves were the most frequent galled organ and followed by the stems. All these tendencies had been already observed in other inventories. Comparing current results with other studies at similar areas, we can assume that the Parque Estadual Serra Verde is very important for conservation. Urban green areas are subject to high disturbance and degradation but also increase the quality of life for the population inhabiting the areas nearby. The diversity of galls at Parque Estadual Serra Verde reflects an area with high levels of stress but with moderate botanical diversity. These features make this protected area an important site for the continuous conservation and regeneration, and highlight the environmental value of Parque Estadual Serra Verde.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: The animal-induced galls have a striking anatomical diversity, concerning several patterns, which were reunited herein, and culminates in extant gall structural diversity.
Abstract: Galls are neoformed structures induced by specific animals, fungi, bacteria, virus or some parasitic plants on their host plant organs. Developmental processes are well known in Agrobacterium tumefasciens galls, but the animal-induced galls have a striking anatomical diversity, concerning several patterns, which were reunited herein. Anatomical traits observed in animal-induced galls involve manipulation of plant morphogenesis in convergent ways. Nematode, mite and insect galls usually contain homogeneous storage parenchyma and develop due to hyperplasia and cell hypertrophy. The development of typical nutritive tissues, giant cells, or hypertrophied vascular bundles may occur. Some other anatomical features may be usually restricted to galls induced by specific taxa, but they may eventually be related to the developmental potentialities of the host plants. The combination of distinct morphogenetic peculiarities in each gall system culminates in extant gall structural diversity. Convergent anatomical traits are observed according to the feeding mode of the gall inducers, representing potentiation or inhibition of similar events of host plant morphogenesis and cell redifferentiation, independent of gall-inducing taxa.
42 citations
Additional excerpts
...…psylloids, lepidopterans, hymenopterans, and cecidomyiids (Raman & Ananthakrishnan, 1983; Inbar et al., 1995; Nyman et al., 2000; Souza et al., 2000; Arduin et al., 2005; Rancic et al., 2006; Álvarez et al., 2009, 2016; Magalhães et al., 2014; Portugal-Santana & Isaias, 2014; Bedetti et al., 2013)....
[...]
TL;DR: In this paper, the main goal of research on bioindicators is to identify species that would reliably indicate disturbances in the environment, and the main focus is to find species that are reliable indicators of environmental pollution.
Abstract: Bioindicators have been generating great interest in environmental pollution research The main goal of research on bioindicators is to identify species that would reliably indicate disturbances in
21 citations
TL;DR: Such long-distance effects indicate that D. gallaeformans is a peculiar colonial parasite, which may compensate the damages of gall inducing mechanisms by favoring, at least partially, its host plant fitness.
18 citations
13 Mar 2019
TL;DR: The first register of Bauhinia holophylla as host plants of Cecidomyiidae is presented, and the occurrence of Rochadiplosis tibouchinae Tavares and Couridiplosis vena is expanded to São Paulo State.
Abstract: Herein, we studied the occurrence of insect galls from natural vegetation around the Itambe Cave, Altinopolis, SP, Brazil. A sampling effort of 7.5 hours resulted in 41 gall morphotypes on 21 host plant species from 14 families. The richest families of host plants in morphotypes were Fabaceae (N = 11), Euphorbiaceae (N = 7), and Malpighiaceae (N = 5). Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (N = 8), Croton floribundus Spreng. (N = 7), Diplopterys pubipetala (A. Juss.) W.R. Anderson & C.C. Davis (N = 5), and Bauhinia holophylla (Bong.) Steud. (N = 4) were the super host plant species. Among the gall makers obtained, cecidomyiids were reared in 81% of cases and Hemiptera (Diaspididae), Hymenoptera (Eurytomidae), Coleoptera (Apion sp./Apionidae), and Lepidoptera in 4.5% of cases, each. The parasitoids belong to the Chalcidoidea superfamily (Hymenoptera). One new species of Camptoneuromyiia (Cecidomyiidae) was found in Smilax oblongifolia Pohl ex Griseb. (Smilacaceae) as inquiline and a new species of Lestodiplosis in Diplopterys pubipetala (Malpighiaceae) was a predator. We also present the first register of Bauhinia holophylla as host plants of Cecidomyiidae, and we expand the occurrence of Rochadiplosis tibouchinae Tavares and Couridiplosis vena to Sao Paulo State. The results of this paper are a continuation of the description of gall morphotypes from the vegetation in Northeastern Sao Paulo State, and they also increase knowledge about the diversity of host plant and gall-maker associations in the Neotropical region.
11 citations
Cites result from "Galling insects are bioindicators o..."
...Our results indicated that the richer the host family, the richer their gall morphotypes, corroborating data previously obtained in the Neotropical region (Gagné, 1994; Araújo, 2011; Santana & Isaias, 2014)....
[...]
TL;DR: Despite the environmental stresses, the xeric features of the dunes of the ASP, and the high local plant diversity, the diversity of galling herbivores were low and the environmental effect seems to be neutral, either for the host plants or for the generation of gall morphotypes.
Abstract: The Atlantic Coast Restinga is a mosaic of plant communities with a distinct floristic and phytophysi- ognomy, exposed to luminous, thermal, and saline stresses. Plants of the restinga must have special features commonly associated to xeric environments, and are expected to host a high diversity of galling herbivores. We studied gall morphotypes, and recorded the diversity of galls on plants growing in sand dunes in a remnant area of restinga (Acarai State Park) in Sao Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The sampling was done in four plots (250 x 5 m), constituting a total area of 5 000 m², during April, May and June. Plant branches (n ≥ 5) with galls were sampled, identified, and the galls were photographed. The galls were classified into eight morphotypes, associated to eight host plants constituting 15 host plants - galling herbivores systems. The identification of the gall - inducers was based on literature, and on the species-specific feature of this kind of host plant-gall inducers interaction. There was a predominance of leaf galls, green in color. The most common morphotypes were the globoid, lenticular, conical, rosette, marginal, and fusiform galls, similarly to the inven- tories performed on other Brazilian biomes. Despite the environmental stresses, the xeric features of the dunes of the ASP, and the high local plant diversity, the diversity of galling herbivores were low. Varronia curassavica (Boraginaceae), Smilax campestris (Smilacaceae), and Guapira opposita (Nyctaginaceae) were superhosts of galling herbivores in the dunes, with about 70 % of the total associated parasites. The environmental effect seems to be neutral, either for the host plants or for the generation of gall morphotypes. Alternatively, the scarce nutritional resources could be restrictive for the establishment of the galling herbivores inside plant tissues. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (4): 959-970. Epub 2015 December 01.
10 citations
References
More filters
Book•
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: The aim of this work was to clarify the role of nutritive cells in the nutrition of cynipids and cecidomyiids and to investigate the relationships of insects inhabiting cynipid galls in the context of urbanization and gall-inducing arthropods.
Abstract: M.S. Mani: Introduction to cecidology F. Dreger-Jauffret: Diversity of gall-inducing arthropods J.C. Roskam: Evolution of the gall-inducing guild H.G. Larew: Fossil galls O. Rohfritsch: Patterns in gall development L. Rey: Developmental morphology of two hymenopteran galls O. Rohfritsch & M. Anthony: Strategies in gall induction by two groups of homopterans R. Bronner: The role of nutritive cells in the nutrition of cynipids and cecidomyiids E. Westphal: Ccecidogenesis and resistance phenomena in mite-induced galls K. Hori: Insect secretions and their effects on plant growth with special reference to hemipterans M.L. Birch, J.W. Brewer & O. Rohfritsch: Biology of dasineura affinis (cecidomyiidae) and influence of its gall on viola odorata T.N. Ananthakrishnan: Unique aspects in the biology of thrips-induced galls M. Skuhrava & V. Skuhravy: Ecology of gall midges on common reed P.W. Price: Evolution and ecology of gall-inducing sawflies T.G. Whitham: ecology of pemphious gall aphids A.A. Wiebes- Rijks & J.D. Shorthouse: Ecological relationships of insects inhabiting cynipid galls G.W. Frankie, D.L. Morgan & E.E. Grissell: Influence of urbanization on the ecology of cynipid galls.
291 citations
TL;DR: Over 280 samples of local species of galling herbivorous insects from fourteen countries on all continents except Antarctica revealed a strong pattern of highest richness in warm temperate latitudes, or their altitudinal equivalents, and results were consistent with the hypothesis.
Abstract: . We evaluate a three-part hypothesis explaining why gall-inducing insect species richness is so high in scleromorphic vegetation: (1) persistence of low nutrient status scleromorphic leaves facilitates the galling habit in warm temperate latitudes; (2) favourable colonization sites for gallers result from reduced hygrothermal stress, high phenolics in the outer cortex of the gall, and reduced carnivore and fungal attack in the gall; and (3) in more mesic sites, mortality is high due to carnivore attack and invasion of galls by fungi. Over 280 samples of local species of galling herbivorous insects from fourteen countries on all continents except Antarctica revealed a strong pattern of highest richness in warm temperate latitudes, or their altitudinal equivalents. The peak of galling species richness on the latitudinal gradient from the equator into the Arctic was between 25 to 38° N or S. Galling species were particularly diverse in sclerophyllous vegetation, which commonly had greater than twelve species per local sample. In mesic, non-sclerophyllous vegetation types the number of galling species was lower with twelve or fewer species present. Many sites in sclerophyllous vegetation supported between thirteen and forty-six galling species locally, including campina islands in Amazonia, cerrado savanna in central Brazil, the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and Mexico, shrubland in Israel, fynbos in South Africa and coastal scleromorphic vegetation in Australia. At the same latitude, or its elevational equivalent, galling species richness was significantly higher in relatively xeric sites when compared to riparian or otherwise mesic habitats, even when scleromorphic vegetation dominated the mesic sites. The results were consistent with the hypothesis and extend to a more general level the patterns and predictions on the biogeography of gall-inducing insects.
278 citations
"Galling insects are bioindicators o..." refers background in this paper
...Consequently, expressions such as morphospecies or gall morphotypes are proposed and widely used based on their external morphology in combination with the host organ or host plant species (Price et al. 1998, Carneiro et al. 2009, Costa, Fagundes & Neves 2010)....
[...]
TL;DR: There was a tendency towards lower mortality and consequently higher survival for populations inhabiting xeric habitats and reduced mortality caused by natural enemies and endophytic fungi has contributed to the speciation and radiation of galling insects in apparently harsh environments.
Abstract: We studied the relationship between habitat moisture and gall-forming insect populations. Population sizes for most galling taxa were significantly larger in xeric habitats compared with mesic habitats. Our results indicate that the differential abundance of galling insects in these habitats is due primarily to differential mortality and survivorship. Mortality factors acting upon eight insect galling species (belonging to eight genera and four families) were measured on six species (five genera and five families) of host plants. Survival was significantly higher for galling populations inhabiting xeric habitats compared with mesic habitats. Parasitism was higher in mesic habitats in seven of eight habitats and fungus-induced diseases were higher in five of seven habitats. Mortality due to predation and other (unknown) factors showed no clear trends. Overall, there was a tendency towards lower mortality and consequently higher survival for populations inhabiting xeric habitats. We hypothesize that reduced mortality caused by natural enemies and endophytic fungi has contributed to the speciation and radiation of galling insects in apparently harsh environments.
278 citations
"Galling insects are bioindicators o..." refers background in this paper
...Environments subject to greater nutritional and hygrothermal stresses are richer in species of galls (Fernandes & Price 1992)....
[...]
...The gall inducers are also good indicators of environmental conditions and biodiversity, especially where there is a mosaic of habitats established by water, heat and anthropogenic stresses (Fernandes & Price 1988, 1992, Fernandes et al. 1995, Resende et al. 2002, Moreira et al. 2007)....
[...]
TL;DR: Plants can show considerable phenotypic plasticity in mechanical traits, allowing adjustment to changing environments across a range of spatial and temporal scales, but it is not always clear whether a mechanical property is adaptive or a consequence of the physiology associated with stress.
Abstract: Fundamental plant traits such as support, anchorage, and protection against environmental stress depend substantially on biomechanical design. The costs, subsequent trade-offs, and effects on plant performance of mechanical traits are not well understood, but it appears that many of these traits have evolved in response to abiotic and biotic mechanical forces and resource deficits. The relationships between environmental stresses and mechanical traits can be specific and direct, as in responses to strong winds, with structural reinforcement related to plant survival. Some traits such as leaf toughness might provide protection from multiple forms of stress. In both cases, the adaptive value of mechanical traits may vary between habitats, so is best considered in the context of the broader growth environment, not just of the proximate stress. Plants can also show considerable phenotypic plasticity in mechanical traits, allowing adjustment to changing environments across a range of spatial and temporal scales. However, it is not always clear whether a mechanical property is adaptive or a consequence of the physiology associated with stress. Mechanical traits do not only affect plant survival; evidence suggests they have downstream effects on ecosystem organization and functioning (e.g., diversity, trophic relationships, and productivity), but these remain poorly explored.
274 citations
"Galling insects are bioindicators o..." refers background in this paper
...Read and Stokes (2006) have proposed that the mechanics design from the scale of cellular anatomy to whole-plant architecture, is fundamental to plant survival but their properties are not easily measured, interpreted or predicted....
[...]
TL;DR: This checklist of the Brazilian gall morphotypes proposes seven standardized morphotypes and five additional shapes that group the majority of the three-dimensional shapes reported in literature, and Criteria are proposed to standardize the terminology.
Abstract: The analysis on nine inventories on the richness and diversity of galling herbivores in Brazil accounted for 806 gall systems occurring in 443 host-plant species from 74 plant families This checklist of the Brazilian gall morphotypes proposes seven standardized morphotypes and five additional shapes that group the majority of the three-dimensional shapes reported in literature Criteria are proposed to standardize the terminology, and a critical analysis is provided aiming to avoid possible inconsistencies in order to generate easily comparable data in future inventories The morphotypes are herein catalogued in alphabetical order, accompanied by a conceptual definition, an illustration, and examples that best represent the shape It is proposed that the inventories should present at least the (1) host-plant species, (2) galling herbivore species or its identification to the lowest possible taxonomic level, (3) host-plant galled organ and gall position, (4) gall morphotype, (5) gall color and registration of indumentum when present, (6) gall phenological and developmental data, (7) association with other trophic levels, and (8) additional information, such as dimension, and number of chamber(s)
112 citations