Pest Insect Olfaction in an Insecticide-Contaminated Environment: Info-Disruption or Hormesis Effect

Most animals, including pest insects, live in an “odor world” and depend strongly on chemical stimuli to get information on their biotic and abiotic environment. Although integrated pest management strategies including the use of insect growth regulators (IGRs) are increasingly developed, most insect pest treatments rely on neurotoxic chemicals. These molecules are known to disrupt synaptic transmission, affecting therefore sensory systems. The wide-spread use of neurotoxic insecticides and the growing use of IGRs result in residual accumulation of low concentrations in the environment. These insecticide residues could act as an “info-disruptor” by modifying the chemical communication system, and therefore decrease chances of reproduction in target insects. However, residues can also induce a non-expected hormesis effect by enhancing reproduction abilities. Low insecticide doses might thus induce adaptive processes in the olfactory pathway of target insects, favoring the development of resistance. The effect of sublethal doses of insecticides has mainly been studied in beneficial insects such as honeybees. We review here what is known on the effects of sublethal doses of insecticides on the olfactory system of insect pests

Effects of climate and land use changes on migratory waterbirds : a mechanistic approach in an emblematic bird, the White stork

Comprendre les adaptations qui permettent aux espèces de vivre dans des environnements variables, temporellement et spatialement, est essentiel pour prédire la façon dont elles peuvent répondre aux changements globaux actuels et futurs. De nombreuses études à long terme ont montré que les fluctuations climatiques affectaient la dynamique des populations, mais l'influence relative des processus de sélection d'habitat et de densité-dépendance sur la sélection d'habitat est encore mal connue et expliquée. L'objectif de cette thèse est donc d'étudier, d'une part, par une approche corrélative, la sélection d'habitat densité-dépendante à quatre échelles spatiales différentes, chez une population de cigognes blanches (Ciconia ciconia) en augmentation; et d'autre part, par une approche mécaniste, d'étudier les effets relatifs du climat, de l'habitat et de l'expérience des reproducteurs en termes de fitness (nombre de jeunes produits, condition corporelle des jeunes et sexe-ratio) chez cet oiseau, suivi depuis 30 ans dans un milieu sensible, les zones humides de l'ouest de la France, en Charente-Maritime. Ce travail a contribué à identifier des mécanismes qui conduisent aux décisions de sélection d'habitat de nidification qui restaient encore mal compris, et appuie les travaux qui montrent que la dégradation des habitats par les activités humaines peut influer sur les décisions de sélection d'habitat. De plus, ces résultats apportent des informations essentielles à la compréhension des adaptations de cette population dans un environnement variable, ce qui permet de prédire plus efficacement le devenir de la population face aux changements environnementaux futurs.Understanding adaptations that allow species to live in temporally and spatially variable environments is crucial to predict how species may respond to current and future global changes. Long-term studies have shown that climatic variations affect the dynamic of populations. However, the relative influence of habitat selection and density-dependence processes is still poorly understood and explained. The aim of this thesis is, firstly by a correlative approach, to investigate the density-dependent habitat selection at varying spatial scales in an increasing white stork (Ciconia ciconia) population. Secondly, by a mechanistic approach, we studied the relative effects of climate, habitat and breeder experience in terms of reproductive fitness (fledging success, body condition and sex ratio) in this population monitored for 30 years in a sensitive wetland in Charente-Maritime, western France. This work helped identifying the mechanisms that lead to nesting habitat selection. This work supports research showing that habitat degradation by human activities may affect habitat selection decisions. In addition, these results provide crucial information to understand the adaptations of this population in a changing environment, which allows predicting more efficiently the response of the population to future environmental changes

Les effets des changements climatiques et des changements d'usages sur les oiseaux d'eau migrateurs : une approche mécaniste chez un oiseau emblématique, la Cigogne blanche

Understanding adaptations that allow species to live in temporally and spatially variable environments is crucial to predict how species may respond to current and future global changes. Long-term studies have shown that climatic variations affect the dynamic of populations. However, the relative influence of habitat selection and density-dependence processes is still poorly understood and explained. The aim of this thesis is, firstly by a correlative approach, to investigate the density-dependent habitat selection at varying spatial scales in an increasing white stork (Ciconia ciconia) population. Secondly, by a mechanistic approach, we studied the relative effects of climate, habitat and breeder experience in terms of reproductive fitness (fledging success, body condition and sex ratio) in this population monitored for 30 years in a sensitive wetland in Charente-Maritime, western France. This work helped identifying the mechanisms that lead to nesting habitat selection. This work supports research showing that habitat degradation by human activities may affect habitat selection decisions. In addition, these results provide crucial information to understand the adaptations of this population in a changing environment, which allows predicting more efficiently the response of the population to future environmental changes.Comprendre les adaptations qui permettent aux espèces de vivre dans des environnements variables, temporellement et spatialement, est essentiel pour prédire la façon dont elles peuvent répondre aux changements globaux actuels et futurs. De nombreuses études à long terme ont montré que les fluctuations climatiques affectaient la dynamique des populations, mais l'influence relative des processus de sélection d'habitat et de densité-dépendance sur la sélection d'habitat est encore mal connue et expliquée. L'objectif de cette thèse est donc d'étudier, d'une part, par une approche corrélative, la sélection d'habitat densité-dépendante à quatre échelles spatiales différentes, chez une population de cigognes blanches (Ciconia ciconia) en augmentation; et d'autre part, par une approche mécaniste, d'étudier les effets relatifs du climat, de l'habitat et de l'expérience des reproducteurs en termes de fitness (nombre de jeunes produits, condition corporelle des jeunes et sexe-ratio) chez cet oiseau, suivi depuis 30 ans dans un milieu sensible, les zones humides de l'ouest de la France, en Charente-Maritime. Ce travail a contribué à identifier des mécanismes qui conduisent aux décisions de sélection d'habitat de nidification qui restaient encore mal compris, et appuie les travaux qui montrent que la dégradation des habitats par les activités humaines peut influer sur les décisions de sélection d'habitat. De plus, ces résultats apportent des informations essentielles à la compréhension des adaptations de cette population dans un environnement variable, ce qui permet de prédire plus efficacement le devenir de la population face aux changements environnementaux futurs

Effects of subletal doses of a neonicotinoid insecticide on the olfactory system of the moth Agrotis ipsilon

International audienc

An insecticide further enhances experience-dependent increased behavioural responses to sex pheromone in a pest insect

Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used to protect plants against pest insects, and insecticide residues remaining in the environment affect both target and non-target organisms. Whereas low doses of neonicotinoids have been shown to disturb the behaviour of pollinating insects, recent studies have revealed that a low dose of the neonicotinoid clothianidin can improve behavioural and neuronal sex pheromone responses in a pest insect, the male moth Agrotis ipsilon, and thus potentially improve reproduction. As male moth behaviour depends also on its physiological state and previous experience with sensory signals, we wondered if insecticide effects would be dependent on plasticity of olfactory-guided behaviour. We investigated, using wind tunnel experiments, whether a brief pre-exposure to the sex pheromone could enhance the behavioural response to this important signal in the moth A. ipsilon at different ages (sexually immature and mature males) and after different delays (2 h and 24 h), and if the insecticide clothianidin would interfere with age effects or the potential pre-exposure-effects. Brief pre-exposure to the pheromone induced an age-independent significant increase of sex pheromone responses 24 h later, whereas sex pheromone responses did not increase significantly 2 h after exposure. However, response delays were significantly shorter compared to naive males already two hours after exposure. Oral treatment with clothianidin increased sex pheromone responses in sexually mature males, confirming previous results, but did not influence responses in young immature males. Males treated with clothianidin after pre-exposure at day 4 responded significantly more to the sex pheromone at day 5 than males treated with clothianidin only and than males pre-exposed only, revealing an additive effect of experience and the insecticide. Plasticity of sensory systems has thus to be taken into account when investigating the effects of sublethal doses of insecticides on behaviour

Species- and sex-specific differences in foraging behaviour and foraging zones in blue-footed and brown boobies in the Gulf of California

International audienceWhen 2 closely related species co-occur, each exhibiting sex-specific differences in size, resource partitioning is expected. We studied sex-specific foraging behaviour of 2 sympatric seabird species in the Gulf of California to disentangle the respective influence of species and sex, but also mass and size of individuals, on observed foraging behaviour. We used highly accurate data loggers to study movements, diving behaviour and activity of brown and blue-footed boobies rearing young chicks. Interspecific differences were limited; brown boobies had longer foraging trips and spent less time on the water than blue-footed boobies. The major differences observed were sex-specific; females of each species tended to have longer foraging trips, foraged farther from the colony, flew greater distances and had larger zones of area-restricted search. These sex-specific differences were more prominent in brown than in blue-footed boobies. Diet and stable isotope analyses showed that, during the study period, both species fed mainly on sardines, at similar trophic levels and in similar zones; outside the breeding season, the carbon and nitrogen signatures from feathers were also similar on average. In these sympatric species that feed on a superabundant prey, sex-specific differences appear to have a greater role than species-specific differences. We suggest that sex-specific differences may be mainly related to breeding involvement, as males are more involved in nest attendance and defence and females are greater provisioners. However, we show that several sex-specific differences in observed foraging behaviour were partly or totally explained by body size (flight speeds, foraging range, flapping frequency) or by body mass (depths attained during diving, duration of dives), which are parameters influenced by biomechanical constraints such as flight and diving

Species- and sex-specific differences in foraging behaviour and foraging zones in blue-footed and brown boobies in the Gulfo of California

When two closely related species, with each species presenting strong sex specific differences in size, coexist resource partitioning can be expected. We studied the sex specific foraging behaviour of two sympatric seabird species in the Gulf of California to disentangle the respective role of the species, of the sex and of the size in the differences in foraging behaviour observed. We used high precision data loggers to study foraging movements as well as diving behaviour and activity of brown and blue-footed boobies rearing young chicks. The study shows that some differences observed in foraging behaviour are mainly due to size, in particular the depths attained during diving, the flight speeds and flapping frequency. The differences between species were limited, brown boobies having longer foraging trips and spending less time on the water than blue-footed boobies. The major differences observed were sex specific, in each species females tend to have longer foraging trips, to forage farther from the colony and to cover longer distances, to have larger zones of area restricted search. The sex specific differences are more pronounced in brown than in blue-footed boobies. Analysis of diet and stable isotopes shows that during the study period both species feed on sardines, and that outside the breeding season the Carbone and nitrogen signatures are similar. In these sympatric species feeding on a super abundant prey, the sex specific differences are more pronounced that species specific differences, suggesting that sex specific differences may be mainly related to breeding involvement, males being more involved in nest attendance and defence, and females in provisioning. The role of size is particularly important in the parameters influenced by biomechanics constraints such as flight and diving

Effect of the 10-ng and 0.25-ng low doses of clothianidin on oriented responses (A) and general flight activity (B) of <i>A. ipsilon</i> males in presence of a linden flower extract.

<p>Responses to the linden flower extract were not significantly different between clothianidin- and DMSO-treated males for both 0.25 ng and 10 ng clothianidin. N>50 for all groups, G-test, P<0.05.</p