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14 March 2024 Effects of periodic heat events on the reproduction and longevity of female and male Agasicles hygrophila (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Jisu Jin, Meiting Zhao, Chen Lv, Fanghao Wan, Jianying Guo
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Abstract

Alternanthera philoxeroides (Amaranthaceae), commonly known as alligator weed, is a globally invasive and detrimental perennial weed. Agasicles hygrophila serves as an important biocontrol agent for alligator weeds. However, during mid-summer, when temperatures increase, A. hygrophila populations experience a significant decline, leading to ineffective weed control. This study has examined the impact of periodic heat events on the reproduction and survival of A. hygrophila females and males using various mating combinations and durations of temperature treatments. The results demonstrated significant effects on all of the studied parameters across mating combinations when compared with the control. Under the same temperature combination, the fecundity and survival rates of females, as well as the egg-hatching rate, decreased significantly with increasing repeated heat exposure. Furthermore, the egg-hatching rate varied significantly among different temperatures and time-interval combinations. In addition, the females displayed greater sensitivity to heat stress than males in terms of fecundity. These findings enhance our understanding of A. hygrophila population dynamics during summer and provide insights into the release of biocontrol agents in diverse regions with varying climates.

Graphical Abstract

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Jisu Jin, Meiting Zhao, Chen Lv, Fanghao Wan, and Jianying Guo "Effects of periodic heat events on the reproduction and longevity of female and male Agasicles hygrophila (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)," Environmental Entomology 53(3), 374-382, (14 March 2024). https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvae016
Received: 10 July 2023; Accepted: 27 February 2024; Published: 14 March 2024
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KEYWORDS
Agasicles hygrophila
Alternanthera philoxeroides
fecundity
periodic heat event
survival
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