Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Adaptive migratory orientation of an invasive pest on a new continent

Chen, Hui LU ; Wan, Guijun ; Li, Jianchun ; Ma, Yibo ; Reynolds, Don R. ; Dreyer, David LU ; Warrant, Eric J. LU orcid ; Chapman, Jason W. and Hu, Gao (2023) In iScience 26(12).
Abstract

Many species of insects undertake long-range, seasonally reversed migrations, displaying sophisticated orientation behaviors to optimize their migratory trajectories. However, when invasive insects arrive in new biogeographical regions, it is unclear if migrants retain (or how quickly they regain) ancestral migratory traits, such as seasonally preferred flight headings. Here we present behavioral evidence that an invasive migratory pest, the fall armyworm moth (Spodoptera frugiperda), a native of the Americas, exhibited locally adaptive migratory orientation less than three years after arriving on a new continent. Specimens collected from China showed flight orientations directed north-northwest in spring and southwest in autumn, and... (More)

Many species of insects undertake long-range, seasonally reversed migrations, displaying sophisticated orientation behaviors to optimize their migratory trajectories. However, when invasive insects arrive in new biogeographical regions, it is unclear if migrants retain (or how quickly they regain) ancestral migratory traits, such as seasonally preferred flight headings. Here we present behavioral evidence that an invasive migratory pest, the fall armyworm moth (Spodoptera frugiperda), a native of the Americas, exhibited locally adaptive migratory orientation less than three years after arriving on a new continent. Specimens collected from China showed flight orientations directed north-northwest in spring and southwest in autumn, and this would promote seasonal forward and return migrations in East Asia. We also show that the driver of the seasonal switch in orientation direction is photoperiod. Our results thus provide a clear example of an invasive insect that has rapidly exhibited adaptive migratory behaviors, either inherited or newly evolved, in a completely alien environment.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Ecology, Entomology, Evolutionary biology
in
iScience
volume
26
issue
12
article number
108281
pages
8 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:38187194
  • scopus:85180116422
ISSN
2589-0042
DOI
10.1016/j.isci.2023.108281
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
abb84a9c-46ee-42c4-b663-1b6c7d18fddc
date added to LUP
2024-01-03 12:21:48
date last changed
2024-04-18 09:47:27
@article{abb84a9c-46ee-42c4-b663-1b6c7d18fddc,
  abstract     = {{<p>Many species of insects undertake long-range, seasonally reversed migrations, displaying sophisticated orientation behaviors to optimize their migratory trajectories. However, when invasive insects arrive in new biogeographical regions, it is unclear if migrants retain (or how quickly they regain) ancestral migratory traits, such as seasonally preferred flight headings. Here we present behavioral evidence that an invasive migratory pest, the fall armyworm moth (Spodoptera frugiperda), a native of the Americas, exhibited locally adaptive migratory orientation less than three years after arriving on a new continent. Specimens collected from China showed flight orientations directed north-northwest in spring and southwest in autumn, and this would promote seasonal forward and return migrations in East Asia. We also show that the driver of the seasonal switch in orientation direction is photoperiod. Our results thus provide a clear example of an invasive insect that has rapidly exhibited adaptive migratory behaviors, either inherited or newly evolved, in a completely alien environment.</p>}},
  author       = {{Chen, Hui and Wan, Guijun and Li, Jianchun and Ma, Yibo and Reynolds, Don R. and Dreyer, David and Warrant, Eric J. and Chapman, Jason W. and Hu, Gao}},
  issn         = {{2589-0042}},
  keywords     = {{Ecology; Entomology; Evolutionary biology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{iScience}},
  title        = {{Adaptive migratory orientation of an invasive pest on a new continent}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.108281}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.isci.2023.108281}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}