Rain Downpours Affect Survival and Development of Insect Herbivores: The Specter of Climate Change?

Cong Chen,Rieta Gols,Arjen Biere,Jeffrey A Harvey

doi:10.1002/bes2.1604

Abstract

Rain Downpours Affect Survival and Development of Insect Herbivores: The Specter of Climate Change?

Highlights

Species interactions, such as those occurring between plants and insects, are affected by the biotic environment, and by the abiotic environment (Schoonhoven et al 2005)
In a previous study (Chen et al 2018), we showed that wind exposure can extend larval development time of two lepidopteran herbivores, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Plutellidae) and Pieris brassicae (L.) (Pieridae), respectively
Simulated rainfall, which mimicked downpours occurring during thunderstorms, had a profound direct negative effect on the survival of P. xylostella, and this effect was stronger when the frequency of downpour events increased from one to three daily

Summary

Introduction

Species interactions, such as those occurring between plants and insects, are affected by the biotic environment (e.g., presence of competitors and predators, quality and quantity of resources), and by the abiotic environment (Schoonhoven et al 2005). Abiotic factors such as temperature, wind, and rain can directly or indirectly affect insect herbivores feeding on their host plants (Schoonhoven et al 2005).

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Conclusion