Relationships between the Pathogen <i>Erysiphe alphitoides</i>, the Phytophagous Mite <i>Schizotetranychus garmani</i> (Acari: Tetranychidae) and the Predatory Mite <i>Euseius finlandicus</i> (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Oak
Food webs on forest trees include plant pathogens, arthropods, and their natural enemies. To increase the understanding of the impact of a plant pathogen on herbivore-natural enemy interactions, we studied the powdery mildew fungus <i>Erysiphe alphitoides</i>, the phytophagous mite <i...
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| Autores principales: | , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | article |
| Lenguaje: | EN |
| Publicado: |
MDPI AG
2021
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://doaj.org/article/3690b022499c426c95163eb6a54c38e2 |
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| Sumario: | Food webs on forest trees include plant pathogens, arthropods, and their natural enemies. To increase the understanding of the impact of a plant pathogen on herbivore-natural enemy interactions, we studied the powdery mildew fungus <i>Erysiphe alphitoides</i>, the phytophagous mite <i>Schizotetranychus garmani</i>, and the predatory and mycophagous mite <i>Euseius finlandicus</i> in pedunculate oak (<i>Quercus robur</i>) leaves. In June, July and August of 2016, we assessed the severity of powdery mildew, mite population density and adult female mite size in 30 trees in three forests near Belgrade, Serbia. In August, the infection severity of <i>E. alphitoides</i> related positively to the population density of <i>S. garmani</i> and negatively to the body size of <i>S. garmani</i> females. Throughout the vegetative season, the infection severity of <i>E. alphitoides</i> related positively to the population density of <i>E. finlandicus</i> but not to its body size. The effect of <i>E. alphitoides</i> on the population density and adult size of <i>S. garmani</i> was not mediated by the population density of <i>E. finlandicus</i>, and <i>vice versa</i>. Interactions were consistent in all forests and varied with the summer month. Our findings indicate that <i>E. alphitoides</i> can influence the average body size and population densities of prey and predatory mites studied, irrespective of predator-prey relationships. |
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