Phenotypic plasticity in insect chemical communication: an ecophysiological approach

这项研究的目的是了解在各种类型的昆虫化学交流(配偶位置，寄主位置)中驱动可塑性的因素。我们研究的系统是蛾类(鳞翅目)，雄性通过争夺竞争来争夺雌性，雄性接收器上有密集的选择，以第一个定位到呼唤的雌性。鳞翅目昆虫的种内性信息素通讯可能是从定位植物寄主的感觉和定向机制的预适应进化而来的，我们的研究包括除了同种信息素信号外，还对植物化学信号的可塑性进行了研究。昆虫化学交流的可塑性可以由生理状态的逐渐或突然变化产生。我们将评估昆虫年龄/激素水平、饱和水平和病原体负载引起的生理状态变化如何影响生产的可塑性和对种内和种间化学线索的反应。交配后发生的更直接的生理状态变化以及对先前接触化学物质的反应的影响将在具有不同繁殖策略的飞蛾身上进行评估。由于化学通信中依赖于状态的可塑性将与环境条件相互作用，影响气味介导的飞行行为，我们的评估将包括实验室和自然现场条件下的行为分析。蛾研究系统将有一系列繁殖策略(收入与资本繁育者)和成虫生活史特征(短与长；取食者与非取食者)，以最大限度地利用生态特征，这些特征应该促进化学交流中的可塑性。表型可塑性在昆虫化学交流中的重要性仍然知之甚少。我们将揭示在不同的生态条件下，信号器和响应器的生理状态对化学交流和气味中介行为变化的影响。在神经生态背景下促进可塑性的生理和生态成分的整合将促进我们对昆虫使用环境信息的理解，环境信息决定了行为并塑造了生物组织各级的相互作用。此外，这项工作中使用的蛾研究系统具有生态(北方森林的本地落叶者)和经济(入侵物种)的重要性，因此了解化学交流的可塑性将有助于开发利用这些天然塑料化学中介行为的替代控制策略。

The goal of this research is to understand factors that drive plasticity in various types of insect chemical communication (mate location, host location). Our study systems are moths (Lepidoptera) in which males compete for females by scramble competition and there is intense selection on the male receiver to be the first to locate a calling female. Intraspecific sex pheromone communication in the Lepidoptera likely evolved from a preadaptation of sensory and orientation mechanisms for locating plant hosts and our research includes investigation into plasticity in response to plant-based chemical cues in addition to conspecific pheromone signals. ******Plasticity in chemical communication in insects can result from gradual or sudden changes in physiological state. We will assess how variation in physiological state due to insect age/hormone levels, satiation level, and pathogen load influence plasticity in production and response to intra- and interspecific chemical cues. The effect of more immediate changes in physiological state that occur after mating and in response to previous exposure to chemical cues will be assessed in moths with different reproductive strategies. As state-dependent plasticity in chemical communication will interact with environmental conditions to affect odour-mediated flight behaviour, our assessments will include behavioural analyses in the lab and under natural field conditions. Moth study systems will have a range of reproductive strategies (income vs. capital breeders) and adult life history traits (short vs. long-lived; feeders vs. non-feeders) to maximise the ecological traits that should promote plasticity in chemical communication. The importance of phenotypic plasticity in chemical communication of insects remains poorly understood. We will unravel the impact of physiological state of signalers and responders on variation of chemical communication and odour-mediated behaviour under various ecological conditions. Integration of physiological and ecological components that promote plasticity in a neuroecological context will advance our understanding of insect use of environmental information that dictates behaviour and moulds interactions at various levels of biological organization. Further, the moth study systems used in this work are of ecological (native defoliators of the boreal forest) and economic (invasive species) importance so that understanding plasticity of chemical communication will contribute to the development of alternative control strategies that exploit these naturally plastic chemically-mediated behaviours.