Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Performance of first instarChrysophtharta bimaculata larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on nine families ofEucalyptus regnans (Myrtaceae)

  • Research papers
  • Published:
CHEMOECOLOGY Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

In bagged and unbagged shoot experiments, we investigated the survival and growth rate of first instar larvae ofChrysophtharta bimaculata on 9 families of a natural host,Eucalyptus regnans. Families used had been previously assessed as being either of low or high susceptibility toC. bimaculata damage. In conjunction with larval experiments, we measured 24 tree and leaf characteristics (including foliar elemental concentrations, foliar terpenes, leaf toughness and tree growth rates) and attempted to correlate the plant characters measured with differences in larval performance and previous scorings ofE. regnans family susceptibility.

First instar larval growth and survival did not differ significantly across families or between low and high susceptibility family groups (=susceptibility classes), although survival was significantly greater in bagged than unbagged treatments. As predators were in low abundance at the study site, we attribute higher survival rates of larvae in bagged treatments to increased protection from adverse weather conditions. Only one plant character measured, an unidentified foliar phlorglucinol, was significantly negatively correlated with larval survival. Of the 24 plant characters measured, 11 were significantly different between families and 10 were signficantly different between susceptibility classes. Only 4 plant characters were significantly different at both the family and susceptibility class levels;viz. proportion red leaves, tree height at end of season, trunk volume at end of season and relative growth rate based on tree height. Principle Component Analysis using all plant characters measured, or subsets of them, could not separate individual families or susceptibility classes. Our results suggest that herbivore resistance mechanisms inE. regnans do not affectC. bimaculata larvae, but may influence adult feeding and/or oviposition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baker S (1995) A comparison of feeding, development and survival of larvae of the leaf beetleChrysophtharta bimaculata (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) onEucalyptus nitens andEucalyptus regnans. 1995 Open Forum and Symposium Conference, Ecological Society of Australian, Hobart, 27–29th September. Pg. 26.

  • Beckmann R (1992) Trees that resist insect attack. Ecos 70:23–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boland DJ, Brophy JJ, House APN (1991)Eucalyptus Leaf Oils — Use, Chemistry Distillation and Marketing. Melbourne: Inkata Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Candy SG, Elliott HJ, Bashford R, Greener A (1992) Modelling the impact of defoliation by the leaf beetle,Chrysophtharta bimaculata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), on height growth ofEucalyptus regnans. Forest Ecol Manage 54:69–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Casotti G, Bradley JS (1991) Leaf nitrogen and its effects on the rate of herbivory on selected eucalypts in the jarrah forest. Forest Ecol Manage 41:167–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Courtney SP, Kibota TT (1990) Mother doesn't know best: Selection of hosts by ovipositing insects. Pp 161–188in Bernays EA (ed.) Insect Plant Interactions. Vol II. Boca Raton CA: CRC Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox ML (1994) Egg bursters in the Chrysomelidae, with a review of their occurrence in the Chrysomeloidea (Coleoptera). Pp 75–110in Jolivet PH, Cox ML, Petitpierre E (eds) Novel Aspects of the Biology of Chrysomelidae. NL-Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers

    Google Scholar 

  • Cremer KW (1966) Dissemination of seed fromEucalyptus regnans. Aust For 30:33–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Cremer KW (1977) Distance of seed dispersal inEucalyptus estimated from seed weights. Aust For Res 7:225–228

    Google Scholar 

  • de Little DW (1983) Life cycle and aspects of the biology of TasmanianEucalyptus leaf beetle,Chrysophtharta bimaculata (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). J Aust ent Soc 22:15–18

    Google Scholar 

  • de Little DW (1989) Paropsine chrysomelid attack on plantations ofEucalyptus nitens in Tasmania. New Zealand J Forest Sci 19:223–227

    Google Scholar 

  • de Little DW, Elliott HJ, Madden JL, Bashford R (1990) Stage-specific mortality in two field populations of immatureChrysophtharta bimaculata (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). J Aust ent Soc 29:51–55

    Google Scholar 

  • de Little DW, Madden JL (1975) Host preference in the Tasmanian eucalypt defoliating Paropsini (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with particular reference toChrysophtharta bimaculata (Olivier) andC. agricola (Chapuis). J Aust ent Soc 14:387–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards PB, Wanjura WJ, Brown WV (1993) Selective herbivory by Christmas beetles in responses to intraspecific variation inEucalyptus terpenoids. Oecologia 95:551–557

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott HJ, Bashford R, Greener A, Candy SG (1992) Integrated pest management of the Tasmanian Eucalyptus beetleChrysophtharta bimaculata (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Forest Ecol Manage 53:29–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott HJ, Bashford R, Greener A (1993). Effects of defoliation by the leaf-beetleChrysophtharta bimaculata on growth ofE. regnans plantations in Tasmania. Aust Forest 56:22–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Floyd RB, Farrow RA (1994) The potential role of natural insect resistance in the integrated pest management of eucalypt plantations in Australia. Pp 55–76in Halos SC, Natividad FF, Escote-Carlson LJ, Enriquez GL, Umboh I (eds) Forest Pest and Disease Management. Bogor: Seameo Biotrop (Biotrop Special Publication No. 53)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox LR, Macauley BJ (1977) Insect grazing onEucalyptus in response to variation in leaf tannins and nitrogen. Oecologia 29:145–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Greaves RTG (1966) Insect defoliation of eucalypt regrowth in the Florentine Valley, Tasmania. Appita 19:119–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Heffernan B (1985) A Handbook of Inorganic Chemical Analysis for Forest Soils, Foliage and Water. Canberra: CSIRO Division of Forest Research

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsson S, Ohmart CP (1988) Leaf age and larval performance of the leaf beetle,Paropsis atomaria. Ecol Entomol 13:19–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Li H (1993) Phytochemistry ofEucalyptus spp. and its role in insect-host-tree selection. PhD thesis, University of Tasmania, Hobart

    Google Scholar 

  • Li H, Madden JL, Potts BM (1995) Variation in volatile leaf oils of the TasmanianEucalyptus species. I. SubgenusMonocalyptus. Biochem Syst Ecol 23:299–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowther JR (1980) Use of a single acid-hydrogen peroxide digest for the analysis ofPinus radiata needles. Comm Soil Sci Plant Anal 11:175–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazanec Z (1985) Resistance ofEucalyptus marginata toPerthida glyphopa (Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae). J Aust ent Soc 24:209–221

    Google Scholar 

  • McLeod S (1992) Determination of total soil and plant nitrogen using a micro-distillation unit in a continuous flow analyser. Anal Chem Acta 266:113–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrow PA, Fox LR (1980) Effects of variation inEucalyptus essential oils yield on insect growth and grazing damage. Oecologia 45:209–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmart CP (1991) Role of food quality in the population dynamics of chrysomelid beetles feeding onEucalyptus. Forest Ecol Manage 39:35–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmart CP, Edwards PB (1991) Insect herbivory onEucalyptus. Annu Rev Entomol 36:637–657

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmart CP, Larsson S (1989) Evidence for absorption of eucalypt essential oils byParopsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). J Aust ent Soc 28:201–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmart CP, Stewart LG, Thomas JR (1985) Effects of food quality, particularly nitrogen concentrations, ofEucalyptus blakelyi foliage on the growth ofParopsis atomaria larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Oecologia 65:543–549

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohmart CP, Thomas JR, Stewart LG (1987) Nitrogen, leaf toughness and the population dynamics ofParopsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) — a hypothesis. J Aust ent Soc 26:203–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Oyeyele SO, Zalucki MP (1990) Cardiac glycosides and oviposition byDanaus plexippus onAsclepias fruticosa in south-east Queensland (Australia) with notes on the effect of plant nitrogen content. Ecol Entomol 15:177–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Raymond CA (1995) Genetic variation inEucalyptus regnans andEucalyptus nitens for levels of observed defoliation caused by theEucalyptus leaf beetle,Chrysophtharta bimaculata Olivier, in Tasmania. For Ecol Manage 72:21–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Raymond CA (1996) Role of leaf developement and colour change in differential defoliation ofEucalyptus regnans families by the leaf eating beetleChrysophtahrta bimaculata (Olivier). Forest Ecol Manage: in press

  • Rayment GE, Higginson FR (1992) Australian Laboratory Handbook of Soils and Water Chemical Methods. Melbourne: Inkata Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Sands DPA, Brancatini VA (1991) A portable penetrometer for measuring leaf toughness in insect herbivory studies. Proc Entomol Soc Wash 93:786–788

    Google Scholar 

  • Scriber JM, Slansky F Jr (1981) The nutritional ecology of immature insects. Annu Rev Entomol 26:183–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Selman BJ (1994) The biology of the paropsine eucalyptus beetles of Australia. Pp 555–565in Jolivet PH, Cox ML, Petitpierre E (eds) Novel Aspects of the Biology of Chrysomelidae. NL-Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers

    Google Scholar 

  • Southwell IA, Maddox CDA, Zalucki MP (1995) Metabolism of 1,8-cineole in tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia andM. linariifolia) by pyrgo beetle (Paropsisterna tigrina). J Chem Ecol 21:439–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Springett BP (1978) On the ecological role of insects in Australian eucalypt forests. Aust J Ecol 3:129–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone C, Bacon PE (1994) Relationships among moisture stress, insect herbivory, foliar cineole content and the growth of river red gumEucalyptus camaldulensis. J Appl Ecol 31:604–612

    Google Scholar 

  • Strauss SY, Morrow PA (1988) Movement patterns of an Australian chrysomelid beetle in a stand of twoEucalyptus host species. Oecologia 77:231–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Zalucki MP, Brower LP, Malcolm SB (1990) Oviposition byDanaus plexippus in relation to cardenoloid content of threeAsclepias species in southeastern USA. Ecol Entomol 15:231–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Zalucki MP, Brower LP (1992) Survival of first instar larvae ofDanaus plexippus (Lepidoptera: Danainae) in relation to cardiac glycoside and latex content ofAsclepias humistrata (Ascelpiadaceae). Chemoecology 3:81–93

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Co-operative Research Centre for Temperate Hardwood Forestry, Locked Bag No. 2, P.O. Sandy Bay, 7005, Tasmania, Australia

    Kathryn C. Patterson, Anthony R. Clarke & Carolyn A. Raymond

  2. CSIRO Division of Forestry, Locked Bag No. 2, P.O. Sandy Bay, 7005, Tasmania, Australia

    Carolyn A. Raymond

  3. Department of Entomology and Co-operative Research Centre for Tropical Pest Management, The University of Queensland, 4072, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Myron P. Zalucki

Authors
  1. Kathryn C. Patterson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anthony R. Clarke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Carolyn A. Raymond
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Myron P. Zalucki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Patterson, K.C., Clarke, A.R., Raymond, C.A. et al. Performance of first instarChrysophtharta bimaculata larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on nine families ofEucalyptus regnans (Myrtaceae). Chemoecology 7, 94–106 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01239486

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01239486

Key words

Search

Navigation