Adaptation mechanisms of forest insects to novel hosts : an integrative approach

Avec l'intensification de la sylviculture et des échanges internationaux (introductions d'insectes ou plantations d'essences exotiques), les arbres forestiers sont de plus en plus confrontés à des attaques de nouveaux insectes phytophages. La compréhension des mécanismes d’adaptation de ces insectes à de nouveaux hôtes représente un enjeu scientifique majeur faisant intervenir de nombreux facteurs et des processus biologiques complexes. Dans ce contexte, nous nous sommes focalisés sur l’étude du rôle de deux facteurs : (1) la proximité taxonomique entre hôtes naturels et nouveaux de l'insecte ; (2) l’étendue du spectre d’hôtes naturels de l’insecte. Quatre approches complémentaires (méta-analyse, inventaire terrain, tests comportementaux, analyses génétiques), réalisées à différentes échelles taxonomiques et géographiques, ont été développées, les trois dernières approches se focalisant sur les relations scolytes indigènes - conifères introduits. Les objectifs étaient, d'une part d’approfondir les connaissances sur les capacités des insectes forestiers à étendre leur gamme d’hôtes, d'autre part d'apporter des informations utiles au gestionnaire forestier pour évaluer les risques économiques et écologiques qui découlent de ces adaptations. Les résultats des quatre approches concordent pour démontrer l’importance des deux facteurs testés dans les relations insectes-arbres en général et scolytesconifères en particulier. Les insectes à large spectre d’hôtes naturels seraient plus aptes à coloniser de nouveaux hôtes que ceux dont la gamme d’hôtes est plus restreinte. Parallèlement, la présence d'hôtes nouveaux proches taxonomiquement des hôtes naturels faciliterait le changement d’hôte. L’ensemble de nos résultats a contribué à compléter les connaissances sur l’évolution de la gamme d’hôtes des insectes forestiers phytophages en présence de nouveaux hôtes et par conséquent sur la sensibilité relative de ces hôtes par rapport aux hôtes autochtones.With the intensification of forestry and global trade (insect introductions or plantations of exotic trees), forest trees have increasingly to face attacks by novel phytophagous insects. Understanding the adaptation mechanisms of these insects to their novel hosts, represents a crucial scientific issue involving many factors and complex biological processes. In this general topic, we focused on the role of two factors: (1) the taxonomic proximity between natural and novel hosts of the insects; (2) the host specificity of the insect. Four complementary approaches (meta-analysis, field inventory, behavioral tests and genetic analyses) at different taxonomic and geographical scales have been developed, the last three approaches focusing on the adaptation of indigenous bark beetles to exotic conifers. The objectives were, firstly to improve knowledge on the ability of forest insects to extend their natural host range, and secondly to provide useful information to forest managers, in order they can assess ecological and economic risks arising from these adaptations. Results from the four approaches agree to demonstrate the importance of both tested factors in the insect-tree relationships in general and conifer-bark beetle in particular. Forest insects with a broad natural host range appear to be better colonizers of novel hosts than insects with a narrow host range. The presence of novel tree species taxonomically related to native hosts seems to favor insect host shift. This work has also contributed to improve knowledge on the evolution of the host range of phytophagous forest insects in presence of novel host trees species, and consequently on the sensitivity of these hosts relatively to native ones

Couleur végétale: valorisation d’un savoir-faire ancestral.

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Adaptation mechanisms of forest insects to novel hosts (an integrative approach)

Avec l'intensification de la sylviculture et des échanges internationaux (introductions d'insectes ou plantations d'essences exotiques), les arbres forestiers sont de plus en plus confrontés à des attaques de nouveaux insectes phytophages. La compréhension des mécanismes d adaptation de ces insectes à de nouveaux hôtes représente un enjeu scientifique majeur faisant intervenir de nombreux facteurs et des processus biologiques complexes. Dans ce contexte, nous nous sommes focalisés sur l étude du rôle de deux facteurs : (1) la proximité taxonomique entre hôtes naturels et nouveaux de l'insecte ; (2) l étendue du spectre d hôtes naturels de l insecte. Quatre approches complémentaires (méta-analyse, inventaire terrain, tests comportementaux, analyses génétiques), réalisées à différentes échelles taxonomiques et géographiques, ont été développées, les trois dernières approches se focalisant sur les relations scolytes indigènes - conifères introduits. Les objectifs étaient, d'une part d approfondir les connaissances sur les capacités des insectes forestiers à étendre leur gamme d hôtes, d'autre part d'apporter des informations utiles au gestionnaire forestier pour évaluer les risques économiques et écologiques qui découlent de ces adaptations. Les résultats des quatre approches concordent pour démontrer l importance des deux facteurs testés dans les relations insectes-arbres en général et scolytesconifères en particulier. Les insectes à large spectre d hôtes naturels seraient plus aptes à coloniser de nouveaux hôtes que ceux dont la gamme d hôtes est plus restreinte. Parallèlement, la présence d'hôtes nouveaux proches taxonomiquement des hôtes naturels faciliterait le changement d hôte. L ensemble de nos résultats a contribué à compléter les connaissances sur l évolution de la gamme d hôtes des insectes forestiers phytophages en présence de nouveaux hôtes et par conséquent sur la sensibilité relative de ces hôtes par rapport aux hôtes autochtones.With the intensification of forestry and global trade (insect introductions or plantations of exotic trees), forest trees have increasingly to face attacks by novel phytophagous insects. Understanding the adaptation mechanisms of these insects to their novel hosts, represents a crucial scientific issue involving many factors and complex biological processes. In this general topic, we focused on the role of two factors: (1) the taxonomic proximity between natural and novel hosts of the insects; (2) the host specificity of the insect. Four complementary approaches (meta-analysis, field inventory, behavioral tests and genetic analyses) at different taxonomic and geographical scales have been developed, the last three approaches focusing on the adaptation of indigenous bark beetles to exotic conifers. The objectives were, firstly to improve knowledge on the ability of forest insects to extend their natural host range, and secondly to provide useful information to forest managers, in order they can assess ecological and economic risks arising from these adaptations. Results from the four approaches agree to demonstrate the importance of both tested factors in the insect-tree relationships in general and conifer-bark beetle in particular. Forest insects with a broad natural host range appear to be better colonizers of novel hosts than insects with a narrow host range. The presence of novel tree species taxonomically related to native hosts seems to favor insect host shift. This work has also contributed to improve knowledge on the evolution of the host range of phytophagous forest insects in presence of novel host trees species, and consequently on the sensitivity of these hosts relatively to native ones.ORLEANS-SCD-Bib. electronique (452349901) / SudocSudocFranceF

What is Next in Bark Beetle Phylogeography?

Bark beetle species within the scolytid genera Dendroctonus, Ips, Pityogenes and Tomicus are known to cause extensive ecological and economical damage in spruce and pine forests during epidemic outbreaks all around the world. Dendroctonus ponderosae poses the most recent example having destroyed almost 100,000 km2 of conifer forests in North America. The success and effectiveness of scolytid species lies mostly in strategies developed over the course of time. Among these, a complex system of semiochemicals promotes the communication and aggregation on the spot of infestation facilitating an en masse attack against a host tree’s defenses; or an association with fungi that evolved either in the form of nutrition (ambrosia fungi) or even by reducing the resistance of host trees (blue-stain fungi). Although often specific to a tree genus or species, some bark beetles are polyphagous and have the ability to switch on to new hosts and extend their host range (i.e., between conifer genera such as Pityogenes chalcographus or even from conifer to deciduous trees as Polygraphus grandiclava). A combination of these capabilities in concert with life history or ecological traits explains why bark beetles are considered interesting subjects in evolutionary studies. Several bark beetle species appear in phylogeographic investigations, in an effort to improve our understanding of their ecology, epidemiology and evolution. In this paper investigations that unveil the phylogeographic history of bark beetles are reviewed. A close association between refugial areas and postglacial migration routes that insects and host trees have followed in the last 15,000 BP has been suggested in many studies. Finally, a future perspective of how next generation sequencing will influence the resolution of phylogeographic patterns in the coming years is presented. Utilization of such novel techniques will provide a more detailed insight into the genome of scolytids facilitating at the same time the application of neutral and non-neutral markers. The latter markers in particular promise to enhance the study of eco-physiological reaction types like the so-called pioneer beetles or obligate diapausing individuals

Sphagnum physiological responses to elevated temperature, nitrogen, CO2 and low moisture in laboratory and in situ microhabitats: a review

International audienceSphagnum mosses are considered peatland engineers because of their ability to create conditions inducing carbon accumulation. Here, we report on a review of the effects of four environmental variables (elevated temperature, N and CO2 and reduced moisture) on the capitulum biomass, length increment, respiration, photosynthetic capability, N and P exchange and content of the 3 most studied Sphagnum subgenera (Acutifolia, Cuspidata, Sphagnum). Overall, we observe that, when compared to in situ experiments, laboratory experiments tend to exacerbate length increments and underestimate maximum photosynthesis in most of the studies inventoried. This review underscores some differences among results that can be associated with the used of different protocols (e.g. exposure time, instrumental analysis). Studies that investigated the impact of elevated temperature (2-5 degrees C) on Sphagnum reveal an increase in length, respiration and photosynthesis regardless of the experimental conditions and subgenus. Elevated N (3-23 g Nm(-2)y(-1)) on the other hand appears to reduce the length increment but had contrasting effects on photosynthesis. Some divergent responses are found with Cuspidata species because of their tolerance to high doses of N. Low moisture reduces the length increment and photosynthesis of species of the Cuspidata and Sphagnum subgenera but has different effects on species of the Acutifolia subgenus, which are relatively tolerant to water fluctuations. Responses to elevated CO2 have no clear trends reported. Allelochemical interactions between Sphagnum, their microbiome or surrounding mosses or other plants were found to be determinant to Sphagnum responses under those variables and reinforce the interest of such investigations

Taxonomic and functional diversity of insects within nettle-poplar plantation on a sediment landfill.

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Strong phylogeographic pattern in the pine cone weevil: The relative contributions of vicariance versus evolutionary histories of pine hosts

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Phytomanagement of chlor-alkali tailings dumps using trees : transfer of Hg, plant productivity and impact on microbial communities.

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