Forest Defoliation by and Invasive Outbreak Insect: Catastrophic Consequences for a Charismatic Mega Moth

Authors

Richard L. Lindroth, University of Wisconsin - MadisonFollow
Mark R. Zierden, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Clay J. Morrow, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Patricia C. Fernandez, Universidad de Buenos AiresFollow

Document Type

Article

Author ORCID Identifier

Richard L. Lindroth https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4587-7255

Mark R. Zierden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4575-8283

Clay J. Morrow https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3069-3296

Patricia C. Fernandez https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4360-6761

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Ecology and Evolution

Volume

14

Issue

8

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

First Page

1

Last Page

12

Publication Date

8-19-2024

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Abstract

Earth is now experiencing declines in insect abundance and diversity unparalleled in human history. The drivers underlying those declines are many, complex, and incompletely known. Here, using a natural experiment, we report the first test of the hypothesis that forest defoliation by an invasive outbreak insect compromises the fitness of a native insect via damage-induced increases in toxicity of the forest canopy. We demonstrate that defoliation by the invasive spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) elicits an average 8.4-fold increase in foliar defense expression among aspen (Populus tremuloides) genotypes. In turn, elevated defense dramatically reduces survivorship, feeding, and growth of a charismatic mega moth (Anthereae polyphemus). This work suggests that changes to the phytochemical landscape of forests, mediated by invasive outbreak insects, are likely to negatively impact native insects, with potential repercussions for community diversity and ecosystem function across expansive scales.

Recommended Citation

Lindroth, R. L., Zierden, M. R., Morrow, C. J., & Fernandez, P. C. (2024). Forest defoliation by an invasive outbreak insect: Catastrophic consequences for a charismatic mega moth. Ecology and Evolution, 14, e70046. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70046