Contrasting reproductive traits of competing parasitoids facilitate coexistence on a shared host pest in a biological control perspective.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Interspecific competition in insect parasitoids is an important ecological phenomenon that has relevant implications for biological pest control. To date, interspecific intrinsic (=larval) competition has been intensively studied, while investigations on extrinsic (=adult) competition have often lagged behind. In this study we examined the role played by parasitoid reproductive traits and host clutch size on the outcome of extrinsic competition between Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) and Ooencyrtus telenomicida (Vassiliev), two egg parasitoids of the pest Nezara viridula (L). Laboratory experiments were conducted by allowing both parasitoid species to exploit an egg mass made of 10, 20, 30, or 40 hosts through single or simultaneous releases. Furthermore, under field cond

SUBMITTER: Cusumano A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9541709 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature