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Detoxication activity in the gypsy moth: Effects of host CO[sub 2] and NO[sub 3][sup [minus]] availability

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Ecology; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00993701· OSTI ID:6880089
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison (United States)

The authors investigated the effects of host species and resource (carbon dioxide, nitrate) availability on activity of detoxication enzymes in the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar. Larvae were fed foliage from quaking aspen or sugar maple grown under ambient or elevated atmospheric CO[sub 2], with low or high soil NO[sub 3][sup [minus]] availability. Enzyme solutions were prepared from larval midguts and assayed for activity of cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase, esterase, glutathione transferase, and carbonyl reductase enzymes. Activity of each enzyme system was influenced by larval host species, CO[sub 2] or NO[sub 3][sup [minus]] availability, or an interaction of factors. Activity of all but glutathione transferases was highest in larvae reared on aspen. Elevated atmospheric CO[sub 2] promoted all but transferase activity in larvae reared on aspen, but had little if any impact on enzyme activities of larvae reared on maple. High NO[sub 3][sup [minus]] availability enhanced activity of most enzyme systems in gypsy moths fed high CO[sub 2] foliage, but the effect was less consistent for insects fed ambient CO[sub 2] foliage. This research shows that gypsy moths respond biochemically not only to interspecific differences in host chemistry, but also to resource-mediated, intraspecific changes in host chemistry. Such responses are likely to be important for the dynamics of plant-insect interactions as they occur now and as they will be altered by global atmospheric changes in the future. 33 refs., 4 figs.

OSTI ID:
6880089
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Ecology; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Ecology; (United States) Vol. 19:2; ISSN JCECD8; ISSN 0098-0331
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English