AUTHOR=Mendel Zvi , Lynch Shannon C. , Eskalen Akif , Protasov Alex , Maymon Marcel , Freeman Stanley 

TITLE=What Determines Host Range and Reproductive Performance of an Invasive Ambrosia Beetle Euwallacea fornicatus; Lessons From Israel and California

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Forests and Global Change

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/forests-and-global-change/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2021.654702

DOI=10.3389/ffgc.2021.654702

ISSN=2624-893X

ABSTRACT=<p>This study examined the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) <italic>Euwallacea fornicatus</italic> (Coleoptera; Scolytinae) native to Southeast Asia and concentrated on its wide host range in two of the invaded areas, California and Israel. Among the 583 examined tree species, 55.9% were characterized as “non-reproductive hosts” and only 13.8% were characterized as “reproductive hosts,” suitable for the <italic>E. fornicatus</italic> reproduction. Families that included ≥20 species and genera with ≥10 were considered for further analysis. The highest percentage of tree species suitable for reproduction was obtained for Salicaceae and Sapindaceae, whereas the lowest percentage of tree species belonging to this category were within the Rosaceae, Myrtaceae, and Magnoliaceae. The genera <italic>Acer</italic>, <italic>Quercus</italic> and <italic>Acacia</italic> displayed the highest percentage within the “reproductive host” category, with the former significantly higher from all seven of the studied genera. We found that all <italic>Brachychiton</italic> and <italic>Erythrina</italic> were attacked and none of the examined 20 <italic>Eucalyptus</italic> spp. were suitable for <italic>E. fornicatus</italic> reproduction. The results suggest discordance between host tree phylogeny and susceptibility to the <italic>E. fornicatus</italic>, indicating that trait correlation of susceptibility of different tree species to the <italic>E. fornicatus</italic> are the results of convergent evolution and not of a common descent. A theoretical model, suggesting the different possibilities of potential tree species becoming attractive or non-attractive to <italic>E. fornicatus</italic> attack, is described. It is suggested that the beetle reproduction success rate over a wide host range, as well as the long list of species belonging to the “non-reproductive host” category, is the outcome of interactions between the beetle fungal symbiont, <italic>F. euwallaceae</italic>, and sapwood of the attacked tree. The model suggests that a tree selected by the <italic>E. fornicatus</italic> may fall in one of three groups, (i) those in which <italic>F. euwallaceae</italic> is unable to develop, (ii) those tree species that slow the development of the fungus, and (iii) those that enable <italic>F. euwallaceae</italic> to thrive. Hence, the host range suitable for beetle reproduction is determined by development of <italic>F. euwallacea</italic>e. In general, PSHB does not distinguish between host species of the “non-reproductive host” and “reproductive host” categories.</p>