Loss of coevolved basal and plastic responses to temperature may underlie trophic level host-parasitoid interactions under global change

• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.12.005
• Publication Date: 2017-12-11T19:07:28Z
• Authors: Honest Machekano; Brighton M. Mvumi; Casper Nyamukondiwa
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 13. Climate action; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences

Abstract Climate change has complex impacts on insect life history traits, biogeography, survival, population dynamics and host-parasitoid seasonal phenologies that affect their synchrony. This is more pronounced in tropical southern Africa, where global warming may be relatively high. While some work on Plutella xylostella (L.) temperature tolerance has been reported, none focussed on African field insect populations and implications of trophic level interaction on biological control. To determine how climate change may affect coevolved trophic level interactions in a host-parasitoid trophic system, we compared the basal thermal tolerance of wild F1 populations of the parasitoid Cotesia vestalis (Haliday) to two life stages of herbivorous host P. xylostella (L.), a global economic pest of brassicas. Our results showed significantly lower C. vestalis critical thermal limits (P