Concurrent anthropogenic air pollutants enhance recruitment of a specialist parasitoid

Ryalls, J. M. W. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2015-3605, Bromfield, L. M., Bell, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2895-2030, Jasper, J., Mullinger, N. J., Blande, J. D. and Girling, R. D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8816-8075 (2022) Concurrent anthropogenic air pollutants enhance recruitment of a specialist parasitoid. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 289 (1986). 20221692. ISSN 1471-2954 doi: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1692

Abstract/Summary

Air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, emitted in diesel exhaust, and ozone, disrupt interactions between plants, the insect herbivore pests that feed upon them, and natural enemies of those herbivores (e.g., parasitoids). Using eight field-based rings that emit regulated quantities of diesel exhaust and ozone, we investigated how both pollutants, individually and in combination, altered the attraction and parasitism rate of a specialist parasitoid (Diaeretiella rapae) on aphid-infested and un-infested Brassica napus plants. Individual effects of ozone decreased D. rapae abundance and emergence by 37% and 55%, respectively, compared with ambient (control) conditions. When ozone and diesel exhaust were emitted concomitantly, D. rapae abundance and emergence increased by 79% and 181%, respectively, relative to control conditions. This attraction response occurred regardless of whether plants were infested with aphids and was associated with an increase in concentration of aliphatic glucosinolates, especially gluconapin (3-butenyl glucosinolate), within B. napus leaves. Plant defensive responses and their ability to attract natural aphid enemies may be beneficially impacted by pollution exposure. These results demonstrate the importance of incorporating multiple air pollutants when considering the effects of air pollution on plant-insect interactions.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/108275
Identification Number/DOI	10.1098/rspb.2022.1692
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Sustainable Land Management > Centre for Agri-environmental Research (CAER) Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Crop Science Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences > Human Nutrition Research Group
Publisher	The Royal Society
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