Multimodal defenses in Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa (Convolvulaceae) and in their herbivores, the tortoise beetles (Chrysomelidae)

• Grant number: 08/04241-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2008
• End date: February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Jose Roberto Trigo
• Grantee: Kamila Ferreira Massuda Garcia
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Plants use many defensive strategies to minimize the impact of natural enemies on them. Otherwise, herbivores can overcome such defenses. When plants use chemical defenses, in some cases, herbivores are able to sequester these defensive compounds and use them to own defense against predators and parasitoids. Studies that take in account this multiple approach would be more successful to understand the nature of such interactions. We choose the species Ipomoea carnea subsp fistulosa (Convolvulaceae), and their specialist herbivores (the tortoise beetles Cassidinae) to study the multiple aspects of a plant-herbivore-natural enemies interaction. We are studying (1) the role of chemical distasteful and toxic compounds of I. carnea against generalist herbivores, (2) the defensive strategies of I. carnea against egg deposition by a specialist tortoise beetle (egg drop, and attraction of parasitoids), and (3) the defensive chemistry of tortoise beetles against different species of predators.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MASSUDA, KAMILA FERREIRA; TRIGO, JOSE ROBERTO. Hiding in Plain Sight: Cuticular Compound Profile Matching Conceals a Larval Tortoise Beetle in its Host Chemical Cloud. Journal of Chemical Ecology, v. 40, n. 4, p. 341-354, APR 2014. (11/17708-0, 08/04241-4)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

GARCIA, Kamila Ferreira Massuda. Multimodal defenses in Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa (Convolvulaceae) and in its tortoise beetles herbivores (Cassdinae: Chrysomelidae). 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia Campinas, SP.