What happens in insects while starvation?
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Insects exhibit various responses to starvation stress, including behavioral changes, metabolic adaptations, and physiological regulations. When facing hunger or starvation, insects may alter their behavior, maintain a low metabolic rate, and utilize different energy sources like sugars and lipids to sustain basic energy metabolism . Starvation can impact the immune response of insects, leading to changes in hemocyte numbers and phenoloxidase activity . Additionally, starvation can influence hormone regulation, such as insulin signaling, affecting juvenile hormone synthesis and reproductive output in insects . Furthermore, during starvation, insects mobilize energy reserves like glycogen, lipids, and proteins, while showing increased activity levels and changes in gene expression related to immunity and host-seeking behaviors . These adaptive strategies highlight the diverse ways insects cope with and survive periods of food scarcity.
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| Papers (5) | Insight |
|---|---|
35 Citations | Ticks utilize glycogen, lipids, and proteins as energy reserves during starvation. They show increased activity, questing behavior, and upregulation of genes related to chemosensing, immunity, and salivary gland proteins. |
| Starvation in insects leads to decreased juvenile hormone synthesis due to reduced insulin signaling, impacting reproductive trade-offs and lipid reserves, affecting overall reproductive output and nutrient stores. | |
| Starvation in insects leads to a decrease in hemocyte count and phenoloxidase activity, weakening their immune response and making them vulnerable to pathogens. | |
62 Citations | Insects under starvation stress exhibit behavioral changes, utilize fat reserves, and regulate physiological processes like blood sugar maintenance through trehalose and lipid breakdown for energy. |
33 Citations | During starvation, insects adjust reliance on endogenous lipids and proteins for energy. They exhibit diverse strategies, including reducing protein oxidation and increasing lipid oxidation, with varying sustainability. |
Related Questions
How does starvation influence anxiety?4 answersStarvation can have a complex relationship with anxiety. Research suggests that anxiety-like behavior before food restriction can lead to increased physical activity, making individuals more susceptible to weight loss. Chronic stress may cause individuals, especially females predisposed to anxiety, to seek a starvation-like state, potentially due to the anxiolytic effects of food restriction. Additionally, studies have shown that starvation can lead to intense physical and psychological changes, such as increased fatigue, irritability, and depression, highlighting the profound impact of nutrient deprivation on mental health. Furthermore, prolonged starvation-induced stress can affect memory processes, anxiolytic behavior, and psychosomatic responses, with varying impacts depending on the duration of feed deprivation. Starvation's influence on anxiety underscores the intricate interplay between nutritional status, stress, and mental well-being.
How does the presence of aphids affect the nutritional content of plants?5 answersThe presence of aphids can affect the nutritional content of plants. Aphids engage in "cytoplasmic feeding" by puncturing parenchyma cells and ingesting cytoplasm, which is rich in nutrients, before and after feeding on phloem sap. Additionally, aphids can alter the structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities in plants, which can influence nutrient uptake and plant resistance to stresses. Serratia symbiotica, a facultative symbiont of aphids, produces proteases that help aphids digest plant proteins, potentially suppressing plant defense mechanisms. Furthermore, the presence of AMF can indirectly deliver nitrogen (N) to aphids by accessing organic nutrient sources not readily available to plants. As aphids develop, the metabolic activity of their bacteriocytes, which house the symbiont Buchnera, changes, with higher activity early in nymphal development compared to later stages.
Do different insect body parts have different nutrients?5 answersDifferent insect body parts contain different nutrients. Insects have significant protein content, ranging from 20 to 76% of dry matter, depending on the type and development stage of the insect. Fat content in insects varies greatly, ranging from 2 to 50% of dry matter, and can be high in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Carbohydrates in insects are mainly represented by chitin, with content ranging from 2.7 mg to 49.8 mg per kg of fresh matter. Edible insects also contain minerals such as potassium, sodium, calcium, copper, iron, zinc, manganese, and phosphorus, as well as various vitamins. In terms of specific insect body parts, a study on ant-eating spiders found that different body parts of ants contain different nutrients, with the gaster containing more lipids and the foreparts containing more proteins. Overall, the nutrient composition of insects can vary depending on the species, life stage, and feeding history of the insect.
Why is diabetes refferd to as starvation in the midst of plenty?5 answersDiabetes is referred to as "starvation in the midst of plenty" because despite the presence of insulin, the liver fails to reduce gluconeogenesis and continues to act as if it is in a starved state, leading to hyperglycemia. This is due to the diminished effects of insulin in diabetes, such as hypoinsulinemia in type 1 and hepatic insulin resistance in type 2. The elevated serum levels of glucocorticoids and fatty acids during starvation further contribute to this phenomenon. The resistance of lean tissues to amino acids, which normally promote lean tissue anabolism, also plays a role in diabetes resembling starvation. These factors together create a state where the body is unable to effectively utilize nutrients despite their availability, leading to the characteristic hyperglycemia and other complications associated with diabetes.
How does captalism affect starvation?5 answersCapitalism affects starvation by creating conditions that impact food security. In countries struggling with conflict and violence, such as Nigeria affected by Boko Haram attacks, conflict intensity increases the number of days households have to rely on less preferred foods, limit food variety, and limit portion sizes. However, the number of days without eating anything is not affected. Additionally, capitalism's impact on starvation can be seen in the context of animals. Starvation tolerance is an important trait for animals, and sit-and-wait predators are better adapted to starvation due to their low encounter rate with prey. These predators demonstrate high starvation tolerance and low mortality rates even after extended periods of starvation. Overall, capitalism's effects on starvation are mediated through conflict-driven food insecurity in human societies and the adaptation of animals to survive in resource-scarce environments.
What is the effect of starvation on membrane vesicle release?2 answersStarvation has been found to have an effect on membrane vesicle release in various organisms. In Bacillus subtilis, membrane vesicles (MVs) are released under stress conditions such as starvation. This release of MVs is independent of the SOS response and is triggered by autolysis, which is mediated by host-encoded cell wall-lytic enzymes. The MVs released during starvation can serve as a protective mechanism for the cellular membrane, neutralizing the damaging effects of stressors such as surfactants. In rat intestinal epithelial cells, starvation has been shown to increase the surface area of microvilli (MV) and the fluidity of brush border membranes (BBM). These changes in MV and BBM properties contribute to an increase in d-glucose transport through the cells' membranes during starvation. Overall, starvation induces membrane vesicle release and alters membrane properties to facilitate nutrient uptake and protect against stress-induced damage.