Top‐down control by Harmonia axyridis mitigates the impact of elevated atmospheric CO₂ on a plant–aphid interaction
2014
Hentley, William T. | Hails, Rosemary S. | Johnson, Scott N. | Hefin Jones, T. | Vanbergen, Adam J.
The present study investigated the impact of elevated atmospheric CO₂ (390 or 650 µmol/mol) on raspberry genotypes varying in resistance to the large raspberry aphid Amphorophora idaei and any subsequent impact on the coccinellid predator Harmonia axyridis. CO₂ enrichment promoted plant growth, ranging from 30% in the partially susceptible cultivar to a more than 100% increase for the susceptible cultivar. Aphid abundance and colonization (presence–absence) on the susceptible cultivars were not influenced by CO₂ enrichment. On the resistant cultivar, aphid colonization increased from 14% in ambient CO₂ to 70% in elevated CO₂ with a subsequent increase in aphid abundance, implying a breakdown in resistance. Inclusion of the natural enemy on the resistant cultivar, however, suppressed the increase in aphid abundance at elevated CO₂. The present study highlights how crop genotypes vary in responses to climate change; some cultivars can become more susceptible to aphid pests under elevated CO₂. We do, however, demonstrate the potential for top‐down control to mitigate the effect of global climate change on pest populations.
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