Effects of Intraspecific Genetic Variation and Prior Herbivory in an Old-Field Plant on the Abundance of the Specialist Aphid Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Intraspecific genetic variation in plants can contribute to the diversity and abundance of associated insects, though many questions remain about why some genotypes support more insects than others. Since plant secondary metabolites, which may be induced after insect attack, may potentially vary among genotypes, these compounds provide a possible explanation for insect abundance variation in plants with substantial genetic variation. In this study, we examined four genotypes of the old-field plant species Solidago altissima (L.; Asterales: Asteraceae) and asked if the abundance of the specialist aphid Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum (Olive; Hemiptera: Aphididae) was affected by genotype and previous foliage damage by a specialist beetle. We hypothesized that different genotypes and prior herbivory would result in different quantities of terpenes produced by S. altissima, and that terpenes would affect aphid abundance. We found evidence of foliar terpene induction in a greenhouse environment, and significant differences in terpene production among genotypes in a field setting, though prior damage had little effect on aphid abundance in the field. There were significant effects of genotypes on aphid abundance, as well as genotype effects on terpenes and foliar nutrients (leaf N and C:N). Noteworthy was a change in the allocation of particular terpenes among genotypes that related to aphid abundance. Our analyses demonstrated that phytochemicals, and especially terpenes, related to aphid abundance. This study adds to a previous finding that variation in leaf terpenes in S. altissima provides a partial explanation for variable abundance among genotypes of a specialist aphid, and suggests that differences in the allocation of compounds is important.