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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Host-herbivore studies of Stenoscepa sp. (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae), a high-Ni herbivore of the South African Ni hyperaccumulator Berkheya coddii (Asteraceae)
Insect Science, Volume 14, No. 2, Year 2007
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Description
Nymphs of Stenoseepa sp. feed on leaves of the Ni hyperaccumulator Berkheya coddii at serpentine sites in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. These sites contain Ni hyperaccumulators, Ni accumulators, and plants with Ni concentrations in the normal range. We conducted studies to: (i) determine the whole-body metal concentration of nymphs (including those starved to empty their guts); (ii) compare Stenoscepa sp. nymphs against other grasshoppers in the same habitat for whole-body metal concentrations; and (iii) compare the suitability of Ni hyperaccumulator and Ni accumulator plants as food sources for Stenoscepa sp. and other grasshoppers. Stenoscepa nymphs had extremely high whole-body Ni concentrations (3 500 μg Ni/g). This was partly due to food in the gut, as starved insects contained less Ni (950 μg Ni/g). Stenoscepa nymphs survived significantly better than other grasshoppers collected from either a serpentine or a non-serpentine site when offered high-Ni plants as food. In a host preference test among four Berkheya species (two Ni hyperaccumulators and two Ni accumulators), Stenoscepa sp. preferred leaves of the Ni hyperaccumulator species. A preference experiment using leaves of three Senecio species (of which one species, Senecio coronatus, was represented by both a Ni hyperaccumulator and a Ni accumulator population) showed that Stenoscepa sp. preferred Ni accumulator Senecio coronatus leaves to all other choices. We conclude that Stenoscepa sp. is extremely Ni-tolerant. Stenoscepa sp. nymphs prefer leaves of hyperaccumulator Berkheya species, but elevated Ni concentration alone does not determine their food preference. We suggest that the extremely high whole-body Ni concentration of Stenoscepa nymphs may affect food web relationships in these serpentine communities. © Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Authors & Co-Authors
Boyd, Robert S.
United States, Auburn
Auburn University
Davis, Micheal A.
United States, Hattiesburg
University of Southern Mississippi
Wall, Michael A.
United States, San Diego
San Diego Natural History Museum
Balkwill, Kevin
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Statistics
Citations: 15
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/j.1744-7917.2007.00135.x
ISSN:
16729609
e-ISSN:
17447917
Research Areas
Food Security
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Study Locations
South Africa