Budburst Phenology Research Articles

Are polyphagous geometrid moths with flightless females adapted to budburst phenology of local host species?

The majority of studies demonstrating local adaptation of insect herbivores involve sessile species, particularly those with a parthenogentic phase to their life history or endophagous “parasites” of plants. Current arguments suggest the strength of selection determines whether local adaptation can or cannot take place. Therefore local adaptation should not be limited to species with such traits. We studied the ability of three polyphagous geometrid moths with flightless adult females (Erannisdefoliaria, Operophtera brumata and O. fagata) to synchronise their egg hatching with the budburst of a local host species in north east Scotland. A strong selection for hatching time is expected among generalist moths given the large variation in budburst phenology and an inability to hatch in synchrony with budburst decreases moth fitness substantially. In two successive seasons, we trapped emerging females from patches of five host species and recorded the temperature sum needed for 50% egg hatch of each brood laid by the trapped females. The hatching times of broods were compared against the average budburst time of the maternal host species in the study area. In addition, the trapping dates of each female were recorded. Only O. brumata showed synchrony with egg hatch and budburst which suggests local phenological adaptation to different host species. This could be maintained by selection and partial reproductive isolation between populations dwelling on different host species. No phenological adaptation was found in the other common geometrids of the study area.

Frozen-stored conifer container stock can be outplanted without thawing

In this study, we outplanted frozen-stored container stock in operational settings and found minimal effects of thawing regime on seedling performance over 2 y. We monitored the performance of 1+0 container stock of 3 coniferous species (lodgepole pine [Pinus contorta var. latifolia (Pinaceae)], western larch [Larix occidentalis (Pinaceae)], and interior spruce [Picea glauca and P. engelmannii hybrid complex (Pinaceae)]) planted with frozen or thawed root plugs at 2 sites. Differences in chlorophyll fluorescence between frozen and thawed seedlings disappeared within 3 d of outplanting, and differences in budburst phenology disappeared within 6 wk of outplanting. Frozen seedlings had slightly lower diameter and biomass than thawed seedlings but did not differ in condition, height, or sturdiness ratio over 2 growing seasons. Interspecific and environmental differences accounted for much more of the variation in measured attributes than did plug temperature treatment. Eliminating the thaw stage from the seedling production process can yield significant operational advantages.

Frozen-stored conifer container stock can be outplanted without thawing

Abstract In this study, we outplanted frozen-stored container stock in operational settings and found minimal effects of thawing regime on seedling performance over 2 y. We monitored the performance of 1+0 container stock of 3 coniferous species (lodgepole pine [Pinus contorta var. latifolia (Pinaceae)], western larch [Larix occidentalis (Pinaceae)], and interior spruce [Picea glauca and P. engelmannii hybrid complex (Pinaceae)]) planted with frozen or thawed root plugs at 2 sites. Differences in chlorophyll fluorescence between frozen and thawed seedlings disappeared within 3 d of outplanting, and differences in budburst phenology disappeared within 6 wk of outplanting. Frozen seedlings had slightly lower diameter and biomass than thawed seedlings but did not differ in condition, height, or sturdiness ratio over 2 growing seasons. Interspecific and environmental differences accounted for much more of the variation in measured attributes than did plug temperature treatment. Eliminating the thaw stage from the seedling production process can yield significant operational advantages.

Leaf morphology and bud-burst variation in Ulmus minor from Italy and France

More than 40 Ulmus minor clones were characterised on the basis of 10 foliar morphological traits and budburst phenology in two successive years. Ramets, 4- and 5-years-old, were obtained by means of self-rooted cuttings from elms located in northern, central and southern Italy and in France. Measurements were taken in an open field in the vicinity of Florence (Italy). The morphological traits were found not to be appropriate for describing the variability between clones of different origins, even if some of these traits indicated a xeric adaptation in clones originating from southern Italy. On the contrary, the phenological traits were valid describers of the origin of the clones. Indeed, the southern-Italian clones flushed earlier than the others, while the French clones were more delated. A comparison of the results of the two years showed that the chilling requirements on the trial site were not satisfied. The actual state of knowledge regarding dormancy in the Ulmus genus does not enable to speculate further on the results of this research. Morphological characters seem to show a greater phenotypic plasticity with respect to phenological traits.

Variation in Budburst Phenology of Douglas-fir Related to Western Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Fitness

Variation in Budburst Phenology of Douglas-fir Related to Western Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Fitness

Adaptation of a generalist moth, Operophtera brumata, to variable budburst phenology of host plants

AbstractThe adaptation of three allopatric populations of a generalist moth, Operophtera brumata (L.), on two tree species, Prunus padus (L.) and Quercus robur (L.) which represent the extremes of the timing of budburst in spring, was studied in Finland and Sweden. The synchrony of the hatching and budbursting was monitored, and its importance to dispersal and growth of larvae was assessed by rearing cohorts of larvae, whose hatching dates were manipulated, on both hosts. In addition, the realised heritability of the hatching time was estimated.Experimental populations hatched in approximate synchrony with the budburst of their original host species. As a result of the manipulation of the hatching dates of larvae, the growth rates of larvae decreased and the dispersal rates increased on both hosts in relation to the ageing of foliage. The realised heritability of hatching times was rather high (0.63). There were fewer differences in the host use efficiency and behaviour of the experimental populations than in the hatching phenology. The synchrony of hatching with the budburst of the local dominant host plant is probably a result of stabilising selection.

Will climate change have a different impact on different trophic levels? Phenological development of winter moth Operophtera brumata and its host plants

Will climate change have a different impact on different trophic levels? Phenological development of winter moth <i>Operophtera brumata</i> and its host plants

The role of monoterpenes in resistance of Douglas fir to western spruce budworm defoliation.

We conducted defoliation experiments with 7- to 8-year-old clones of Douglas fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. glauca] to assess the role of monoterpenes as a resistance mechanism to western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman) defoliation. The grafted clones were derived from mature trees that showed resistance or susceptibility to budworm defoliation in the forest. All clones were exposed to either budworm defoliation or nondefoliation treatments in 1998 and 1999 under greenhouse conditions. We found that the total concentration of monoterpenes in current-year foliage varied greatly between two consecutive years in clones in the greenhouse and in their corresponding mature trees in the forest. Fractional composition of different monoterpenes was similar between different years and between clones and mature trees, indicating genetic control of this trait. Two different defoliation experiments were conducted to assess the importance of budburst phenology as a factor determining host plant resistance. In the 1998 experiment, budworm feeding was matched to the budburst of each individual plant. Monoterpene concentration was high in 1998, and budworm potential fitness was greater on clones from the resistant mature trees that had lower concentrations of total monoterpenes. In the 1999 experiment, budworm feeding was matched to budburst of the whole population of plants in order to mimic conditions similar to insects feeding on trees in the field. The concentration of monoterpenes was low in 1999, and budworm fitness was not related to monoterpenes. Total monoterpene concentration was negatively related to foliar nitrogen concentration, suggesting that C/N balance may affect monoterpene synthesis in needles. However, tree growth was not related to total monoterpene concentration. We concluded that expression of differences in budworm resistance among Douglas fir genotypes might be caused by interactions among multiple resistance mechanisms such as needle monoterpenes and tree budburst phenology.

Mechanisms of Douglas-fir resistance to western spruce budworm defoliation: bud burst phenology, photosynthetic compensation and growth rate.

We compared growth rates among mature interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco) trees showing resistance or susceptibility to defoliation caused by western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman), and among clones and half-sib seedling progeny of these trees in a greenhouse. We also investigated bud burst phenology and photosynthetic responses of clones to budworm defoliation in greenhouse experiments. Resistant mature trees had a higher radial growth rate than susceptible trees, especially during periods of budworm defoliation. Clones from resistant trees grew larger crowns than clones from susceptible trees, whereas stem base diameter at the ground line and height did not differ. Half-sib seedling progeny from resistant trees had larger stem diameter, height, and total biomass than progeny from susceptible trees. Mean 5-year radial growth increment of mature trees was more strongly correlated with growth of seedlings than with growth of clones. Clones from resistant trees had later bud burst than clones from susceptible trees, and budworm defoliation of clones depended on the degree of synchrony between bud burst phenology and budworm larval feeding. Clones of resistant and susceptible mature trees showed similar responses of net photosynthetic rate to 2 years of budworm defoliation. We conclude that phenotypic differences in crown condition of Douglas-fir trees following western spruce budworm defoliation are influenced by tree genotype and that high growth rate and late bud burst phenology promote tree resistance to budworm defoliation.

Effect of Shoot Size and Phenological Variation of Host Plants on the Spatial Patterns of Cynipid Galls

The effects of shoot size and differences in budburst phenology of Quercus serrata trees on the spatial patterns of galls were investigated for two cynipid species: the sexual generation ofAndricus moriokae and the agamic generation ofAphelonyx glanduliferae. There were marked differences in budburst phenology, but these did not affect the gall density on the tree. The galls of both cynipids showed a contagious distribution in their respective trees, but different abundance patterns under high gall density. The mean number of galls ofA. glanduliferae over a shoot size range was positively correlated with shoot size. More galls ofA. moriokae appeared on larger shoots on trees on which many buds had started growing before oviposition by the agamic adults. In the case of a tree on which a few buds had burst by the time of oviposition, the mean numbers ofA. moriokae galls on shoots of particular size ranges depended on the frequency of shoots in the size class. These results suggest that, although these cynipids prefer to attack larger shoots within a host tree, they may exhibit plasticity in their preference in response to changes in budburst phenology of the host plant relative to the time of oviposition.

Budburst phenology of sitka spruce and its relationship to white pine weevil attack

Phenology of budburst development of Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis Bong. Carr., measured at two sites on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, was under strong genetic control, with family heritability ( h 2 f) ranging from 0.45 to 1.0, depending on phenology stage. On average, families with resistance to the white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi (Peck), initiated and maintained a faster rate of bud development than families from susceptible parents, requiring lower heat accumulation to reach particular stages of bud development. However, a large overlap occurred, with one resistant family having a budburst phenology not significantly different from the susceptible families and some susceptible families having phenology as early as that of resistant families. It is postulated that resistance is a multicomponent trait based on different resistance mechanisms, some of which may be correlated with phenology but not others. Close observation of weevil behaviour through the season indicated that resistant families experienced reduced weevil presence, copulation and oviposition rate with respect to susceptible families.

Inter‐specific difference in budburst time and its consequences on egg hatch time and survival of the gall‐making adelgid Adelges japonicus (Monzen) (Hom., Adelgidae)

Abstract: Temporal variation in budburst time of a host plant is important in determining the performance of gall formers. To elucidate whether synchrony of budburst and egg hatch affects the performance of gall‐forming adelgids, the phenology of gallicola egg hatch and its survival were examined in Adelges japonicus (Monzen) on three plants (Picea jezoensis var. jezoensis (Sieb. et Zucc.) Carr., Picea jezoensis var. hondoensis (Mayr) Rehder and Picea sitchensis (Bongard) Carr.) that differed in budburst time. Picea j. jezoensis is native, while P. j. hondoensis and P. sitchensis are introduced plants. Although the date of budburst differed significantly among these plants, neither the date of oviposition nor the date of egg hatch differed significantly among them; most of the eggs hatched after budburst in P. j. jezoensis, while a large portion of eggs hatched before budburst and larval gallicolae waited for the buds to open in P. sitchensis and P. j. hondoensis. To examine the effect of this asynchrony on gallicola survival, the delay of egg mass disappearance with respect to budburst was correlated with the number of gallicolae that colonized each gall. The correlation was significantly positive in P. sitchensis but not significant in P. j. jezoensis. This indicates that in P. sitchensis, gallicola survival decreases with the increasing number of eggs that hatch before budburst, while budburst phenology does not affect gallicola survival in P. j. jezoensis, which is their native host. However, when the number of gallicolae that colonized each gall was compared among the three plants, it did not differ significantly among them. This suggests that lower gallicola survival caused by a greater asynchrony of budburst and egg hatch might be compensated for by other factors (e.g. higher fecundity) that increase the number of gallicolae in the galls.

Erratum: Effects of climatic change on trees from cool and temperate regions: an ecophysiological approach to modelling of bud burst phenology

Erratum: Effects of climatic change on trees from cool and temperate regions: an ecophysiological approach to modelling of bud burst phenology

Effects of climatic change on trees from cool and temperate regions: an ecophysiological approach to modelling of bud burst phenology

A framework is presented for modelling bud burst phenology of trees from the cool and temperate regions. Three ecophysiological aspects affecting the timing of bud burst are considered: (i) effects of environmental factors on the rest status of the bud, (ii) effect of rest status on the ability for bud burst, and (iii) direct effect of air temperature on the rate of development towards bud burst. Any model for bud burst phenology can be presented within the framework with three submodels, each of them addressing one of the corresponding three ecophysiological aspects. A total of 96 hypothetical models were synthesized by combining submodels presented in the literature. The models were tested in two experiments with saplings of Pinus sylvestris L. growing in experimental chambers at their natural site in eastern Finland. In the first experiment, air temperature and (or) concentration of atmospheric CO2was elevated. Elevation of the air temperature hastened bud burst, whereas elevation of the concentration of CO2did not affect it. Several models accurately predicted the timing of bud burst for natural conditions but too early for bud burst at the elevated temperatures. This finding suggests that (i) the risk of a premature bud burst with subsequent frost damage, as a result of climatic warming, was overestimated in a recent simulation study, and (ii) bud burst observations in natural conditions alone are not sufficient for the testing of these mechanistic models. Several models did predict the timing of bud burst accurately for all treatments, but none of them obtained sufficiently strong support from the findings to stand out as superior or uniquely correct. In the second experiment a photoperiod submodel for rest break was tested by exposing the saplings to short-day conditions. The short-day treatment had only a minor effect on the timing of bud burst. These results demonstrated the importance of the concept of model realism: the accuracy of a model can be lost in new conditions (e.g., global warming), unless the model correctly addresses the essential ecophysiological aspects of the regulation of timing of bud burst. Key words: annual cycle of development, chilling, dormancy, field test, photoperiod, rest break.

Genetic differentiation as a result of adaptation to the phenologies of individual host trees in the galling aphid Kaltenbachiella japonica

Abstract. The adaptation of the non‐migratory galling aphid Kaltenbachiella japonica (Matsumura) to the budburst phenologies of individual host trees (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica Nakai) was investigated. There was a large variation in budburst time between individual host trees. We tested a hypothesis that aphid populations on respective host trees are genetically differentiated through adaptation to the budburst phenologies of host trees. There was significant correlation between the budburst time of eight host trees in two successive years. Tree‐associated populations differed significantly in egg‐hatching time, and the mean hatching time was significantly correlated with the mean budburst time of respective host trees. Mating was made between male and female sexuales of the same clone (i.e. self‐mating) to obtain selfed eggs. Hatching patterns of selfed eggs showed that there was a substantial amount of genetic variance in hatching time between clones (galls). Nested ANOVA demonstrated that the between‐tree component contributed more to the phenotypic variance than the within‐tree or within‐gall components. Reciprocal crosses between males and females of different clones furthermore demonstrated significant differences in hatching time between cross combinations, but no significant differences between the two reciprocals within combinations. This result suggests that there are no maternal effects for the timing of egg hatch and that the differences between selfed lines are attributable to genetic variance. The fine‐scale adaptation hypothesis was supported by egg‐hatching experiments, which further suggest that budburst phenology varying between individual trees is acting as intense selective pressure on the egg‐hatching time of associated insects.

Genetic control of bud phenology in pole-size trees and seedlings of coastal Douglas-fir

The extent to which bud phenology is genetically controlled and related to growth traits was examined in seedlings and pole-size trees of coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco). Data on bud burst, bud set, and stem growth were collected from pole-size trees of 60 open-pollinated families growing in four plantations, and from seedlings of 45 of these same families growing in three trials. In both age-classes, bud burst was under moderate to strong genetic control (h2 ≥ 0.44) and family breeding values were stable across test environments, indicating that this trait could be readily altered in breeding programs. Bud set was inherited strongly in pole-size trees (h2 = 0.81) but weakly in seedlings (h2 &lt; 0.30). Both bud burst and bud set were positively correlated with growth in seedlings and pole-size trees. Thus, selection for greater growth at either age-class is expected to delay bud burst and bud set. We also evaluated the accuracy of two alternatives for assessing bud burst phenology in pole-size trees compared with the traditional method. We show that bud-burst date on lateral branches can be used to accurately rank both individuals and families for bud-burst date on less accessible leader shoots. In addition, we found that families can be ranked for mean bud-burst date by the proportion of trees per family that have flushed on a given scoring day. This method is only effective, however, when between 25 and 75% of all trees in the test have flushed at the time of scoring.

A variable insect–plant interaction: the relationship between tree budburst phenology and population levels of insect herbivores among trees

Ecological EntomologyVolume 17, Issue 1 p. 91-95 A variable insect–plant interaction: the relationship between tree budburst phenology and population levels of insect herbivores among trees MARK D. HUNTER, Corresponding Author MARK D. HUNTER Pennsylvania State UniversityDr M. D. Hunter, Department of Entomology, Pesticide Research Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, U.S.A.Search for more papers by this author MARK D. HUNTER, Corresponding Author MARK D. HUNTER Pennsylvania State UniversityDr M. D. Hunter, Department of Entomology, Pesticide Research Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, U.S.A.Search for more papers by this author First published: February 1992 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2311.1992.tb01046.xCitations: 131AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume17, Issue1February 1992Pages 91-95 RelatedInformation

Relationship between sugar maple budburst phenology and pear thrips damage

The relationship between budburst phenology and damage by the pear thrips (Taeniothripsinconsequens (Uzel) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)) to sugar maple (Acersaccharum Marsh.) foliage was investigated in two studies. In the first study, seedlings in cages were exposed to adult thrips at different stages of budburst. Compared with uninfested control seedlings, introduction of five adult thrips per bud reduced total leaf area and average leaf size, and caused chlorosis, tattering, and cupping of leaves. Leaf area reduction and damage symptoms were greater for seedlings exposed to thrips when leaf margins were first visible at the tip of the bud compared with earlier and later stages of budburst. In the second study, budburst date and number of thrips oviposition sites on leaves (an index of thrips activity) were measured in a common-garden test of maple saplings from open-pollinated families. Thrips activity was greater on early-breaking than late-breaking buds. Date of opening for these early-breaking buds coincided closely with peak capture of flying thrips. Both budburst date and number of oviposition sites on leaves differed among families. Sugar maple genotypes with late budburst escaped heavy thrips damage. The results indicate that timing of vegetative budburst in sugar maple can influence the degree of thrips damage.

Genecology of Bud-Burst Phenology in Douglas-Fir: Response to Flushing Temperature and Chilling

We studied the process by which bud burst of coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) is synchronized to seasonal cycles. Seedlings from 23 populations were treated in 12 growth-chamber combinations of chilling periods and flushing temperatures. Bud-burst rates increased approximately logarithmically with temperature. Rates also depended on the duration of chilling, with temperature coefficients (Q10) increasing from 2.7 after 11 days of chilling to 3.5 after 77 days. The annual temperature cycle, moisture relation, latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean of the site of origin of a population also influenced the rate of bud burst in the population under controlled conditions. The adaptive significance of these responses is discussed in terms of Levins's dormancy strategy hypothesis.