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Leaf damage of the Black Cherry, Prunus serotina Ehrh., by the leaf beetle, Gonioctena quinquepunctata Fabr. : an accidental foraging on a neophytic host, or an established trophic link?

Halarewicz A., Jackowski J.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2011

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Vol. 59, nr 3

589-597

EN

The Black Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), a North American forest tree, had been extensively planted for timber production in order to improve soil quality in pine plantations in European forests during the first half of the 20th century. Unfortunately, it failed to meet the foresters. expectations. It has instead spread rapidly in silvicultures becoming a notorious weed species, difficult to control. Although it still has alien plant status, it seems that 150 years of its presence on the European continent might suffice for this neophyte to become adopted as a host plant by the native fauna of insect herbivores. The observations of Prunus serotina were conducted in 2009-2010 in the Rudno Forest District, Lower Silesia, Poland, on Prunus serotina plants growing as a thick understorey shrub layer in fresh mixed deciduous forest. The analyses, performed in 7-10 day intervals from April until the end of July each year, aimed at monitoring the population dynamics of Gonioctena quinquepunctata on P. serotina plants, and the dynamics of leaf perforation caused by this herbivore, in order to determine the relation between these two species. The insects were observed on 100 shoots on 10 plants on each observation date, and were recorded in situ. Based on the estimates of the leaf damage, the mean perforation index (P[I]) (%) was calculated on each date for each plant shoot, expressed as the mean percentage of the perforated leaf blade area. P[I] (%) was subsequently correlated with the beetle and larvae density on the plants. It has been demonstrated that the feeding of G. quinquepunctata on Black Cherry plants is more closely associated with the presence of its larvae, than with that of the beetles. Although the mean PI value on each observation date was never higher than 12%, the maximum perforation of individual leaf blades occasionally exceeded 50%, whereas the maximum mean P[I] calculated for individual shoots on each observation date reached as much as 47%. The authors suggest that feeding of G. quinquepunctata on P. serotina may represent an example of a well established trophic link between a native herbivore and a plant species still considered a neophyte.

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Effect of the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi L. feeding on phytochemical responses within the bird cherry Prunus padus L.

Sytykiewicz H., Goławska S., Chrzanowski G.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2011

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Vol. 59, nr 2

329-338

EN

Host specialization plays a central role in physiological diversification of aphids and plant-insect co-evolution. Different morphs of the bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) are specialized and locally adapted to both primary and secondary hosts. The abundance of bird cherry-oat aphid population was estimated using the technique of direct counting of aphid individuals infesting 50 randomly selected, fully expanded 1-year side shoots of bird cherry (approx. 40 cm long) grown in the Municipal Park "Aleksandria" in Siedlce (central-eastern Poland). Entomological observations were conducted during three consecutive vegetation seasons: 2001.2003. The impact of R. padi feeding on composition of free amino acids within leaves of its primary host (the bird cherry, Prunus padus L.), infested and uninfested by aphids were studied. Eight essential amino acids (Val, Thr, Phe, Ileu, Leu, Met, His and Lys) and seven non-essential amino acids (Asp, Glu, Pro, Ser, Ala, Gly and Tyr) were identified in the bird cherry-oat leaves with the use of highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation. There were quantitative differences in free amino acids content between the tested bird cherry-oat leaves (infested and uninfested by aphids). Levels of the free amino acids were decreased in leaves attacked by R. padi, and detailed analyses revealed about 20% decline in the content of studied components during maximal aphid abundance in comparison with non-infested leaves. Additionally, the feeding behavior of the bird cherry-oat aphid seasonal morphs (fundatrix, fundatrigeniae, alatae) on the primary host was investigated. Using the electrical penetration graph (EPG) we showed differences in feeding behavior of bird cherry-oat aphid morphs on primary host. The total probing time was greatest for fundatrigeniae among all studied morphs. These individuals spent more time during phloem sap ingestion then others. Adults of alatae were not active in the phloem sap ingestion on the bird cherry. Among the tested morphs xylem sap ingestion activity was greatest for alatae. It is hypothesized that rejection of primary host and subsequent the bird cherry-oat aphid migration onto secondary hosts may be stimulated by the decline in levels of free amino acids within primary host leaves caused by long-term R. padi feeding. Comparative analyses of the aphid probing behavior additionally proved that P. padus leaves possessed high nutritive value of food for non-winged morphs (early stages of aphid infestation), while not sufficient for winged alatae (terminal phase of infestation).

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Competition between sessile oak (Quercus petraea) and black cherry (Padus serotina) : dynamics of seedlings growth

Robakowski P., Bielinis E.

Polish Journal of Ecology

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2011

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Vol. 59, nr 2

297-306

EN

Competition is an evolutionary mechanism which exerts a selection pressure on living organisms. Forest trees compete for light, water and nutrients, especially at a young age. It was observed that the Quercus petraea and Padus serotina natural regenerations occupied the same site growing under the canopy of Scots pine (Pinus silvestris L.). To simulate the competition between young sessile oaks and black cherries found in forest, a controlled experiment was conducted using one-year-old seedlings of both species. There were eight treatments of different competition intensity. The treatments were established varying the number of potted seedlings and adding fresh cherry leaves to the substrate to enhance allelopathic effects. It was hypothesized that black cherry would reduce the height growth and diameter at root collar of sessile oak seedlings and this inhibitory effect would be magnified by an increasing number of cherry seedlings and/or fresh leaves. Black cherry as an invasive, fast-growing species was presumed to win the growth competition with oak. However, the differences in growth parameters would not only depend on genetic differences between the species, but also on the number of competing seedlings in pots and an allelopathic effect of cherry leaves. During the whole vegetative season, each two weeks, the growth parameters of seedlings (height, height increment and diameter at root collar) were measured. The results did not support the hypothesis that cherry had an inhibitory effect on oak growth, at least after one vegetative season. Contrary, a presence of cherry seedlings enhanced the oak height increment (F = 8.6, P <0.001) which might be due to either the strong interspecific competition for light or, less plausibly, positive allelopathic effect, or an interaction of both. Our results indicated a negative auto-allelopathic effect of cherry seedlings and/or fresh cherry leaves on height of cherry seedlings (F = 47.7, P <0.001). This invader showed a continuous and steep height increment within the whole vegetative season, whereas oak seedlings grew rapidly only in July. When compared the mean initial heights in April with those after the bud set in September, cherry was four fold and oak only two fold higher. A very intensive height increment gives black cherry an advantage over sessile oak at a young age which can disturb the spontaneous conversion of pine stands into a mixed pine-oak forest with a greater share of oak and other native deciduous tree species.