Genetic variation for aerial dispersal behavior in the Banks grass mite

Banks grass mites, Oligonychus pratensis (Banks), exhibit a behavior that facilitates their dispersal as aerial plankton over long distances. The propensity to display this behavior and its latency varies among individual mites. Some of this variation can be attributed to genetic differences among i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental & applied acarology 1993-06, Vol.17 (6), p.461-471
Main Author: Margolies, D.C. (Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS (USA). Dept. of Entomology)
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acari
Animal ethology
BEHAVIOUR
Biological and medical sciences
COMPORTAMIENTO
COMPORTEMENT
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
GENETIC VARIATION
Invertebrates
OLIGONYCHUS PRATENSIS
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Tetranychidae
VARIACION GENETICA
VARIATION GENETIQUE
ZEA
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Summary:Banks grass mites, Oligonychus pratensis (Banks), exhibit a behavior that facilitates their dispersal as aerial plankton over long distances. The propensity to display this behavior and its latency varies among individual mites. Some of this variation can be attributed to genetic differences among individuals. Mother-daughter resemblance and bi-directional selection were used to estimate the genetic component of latency of the aerial dispersal behavior in a wild population collected from corn plants. Mother-daughter regression analysis suggested that up to 10% of variation in initiation of aerial dispersal behavior was attributable to an additive genetic component. Subsequent selection for shorter and longer latency resulted in significant divergence between selected lines after 9 generation, but the response was not symmetrical. Realized heritability for shorter latency was 0.09, while that for longer latency was not different from 0. This response to selection was consistent with results of the mother-daughter analysis, and the response asymmetry may explain the high variability in the mother-daughter regression. In both their natural habitat and in a corn agroecosystem, mites survive by using a succession of temporarily available hosts. Aerial dispersal behavior by Banks grass mites facilitates colonization of new hosts. The genetic basis and selection response of behavior initiating aerial dispersal is consistent with its role in mites population dynamics in this setting.
ISSN:0168-8162
1572-9702
DOI:10.1007/BF00120504