Facilitators or predators? The role of seed-feeding beetles in the germination of the ornamental and invasive plant Leucaena leucocephala in an urban environment
The role of seed-feeding beetles in the germination of an ornamental and invasive plant in an urban environment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24221/jeap.9.4.2024.6348.247-252Palavras-chave:
Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus, biological control, plant health, urban ecology, seed damageResumo
Leucaena leucocephala is a forage legume with a dangerous allelopathic and invasive potential. Its main natural enemy is the endophytic beetle Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), whose larvae penetrate seeds and can consume the entire endosperm and embryos. However, there is much to explore about how the abundance of larvae inside the seed affects plant germination, resulting in an antagonistic (predation) or mutualistic (facilitation) interaction. Our goal was to test how this beetle affects the germination of L. leucocephala seeds from an urban environment in Uberlândia-MG. We hypothesized that a single larva inside the seed facilitates germination since the exit holes left break the physical dormancy and enable water imbibition. On the other hand, two or more larvae inside the same seed result in predation, as the amount of endosperm is not enough for beetle satiation before they attack the seed embryo. We collected 100 pods, dissected them, and quantified and qualified the seeds. In the germination experiment, we used healthy seeds (control), scarified healthy seeds (physical treatment), and attacked seeds (one, two, or more larvae). We found that beetles infested 74% of the sampled seeds. Independently of the abundance of larvae inside the seed, attacked seeds did not germinate. The scarified seeds germinate first and in greater quantity. Therefore, the predation hypothesis was confirmed, and the facilitation hypothesis was rejected. A. macrophthalmus acts as a predator in an antagonistic interaction that decreases the germination rate of L. leucocephala.Downloads
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