Detecting host-parasitoid interactions in an invasive Lepidopteran using nested tagging DNA metabarcoding

Kitson, James J. N.; Hahn, Christoph; Sands, Richard J.; Straw, Nigel A.; Evans, Darren M.; Lunt, David H.

Abstract

Determining the host-parasitoid interactions and parasitism rates for invasive species entering novel environments is an important first step in assessing potential routes for biocontrol and integrated pest management. Conventional insect rearing techniques followed by taxonomic identification are widely used to obtain such data, but this can be time consuming and prone to biases. Here we present a Next Generation Sequencing approach for use in ecological studies which allows for individual level metadata tracking of large numbers of invertebrate samples through the use of hierarchically organised molecular identification tags. We demonstrate its utility using a sample data set examining both species identity and levels of parasitism in late larval stages of the Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea - Linn. 1758), an invasive species recently established in the UK. Overall we find that there are two main species exploiting the late larval stages of Oak Processionary Moth in the UK with the main parasitoid (Carcelia iliaca - Ratzeburg, 1840) parasitising 45.7% of caterpillars, while a rare secondary parasitoid (Compsilura conccinata - Meigen, 1824) was also detected in 0.4% of caterpillars. Using this approach on all life stages of the Oak Processionary Moth may demonstrate additional parasitoid diversity. We discuss the wider potential of nested tagging DNA-metabarcoding for constructing large, highly-resolved species interaction networks.

Citation

Kitson, J. J. N., Hahn, C., Sands, R. J., Straw, N. A., Evans, D. M., & Lunt, D. H. (2019). Detecting host-parasitoid interactions in an invasive Lepidopteran using nested tagging DNA metabarcoding. Molecular ecology, 28(2), 471-483. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.14518

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 30, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Mar 7, 2018
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Deposit Date: Mar 1, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 8, 2019
• Journal: Molecular Ecology
• Print ISSN: 0962-1083
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-294X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 28
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 471-483
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.14518
• Keywords: Genetics; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/697541
• Publisher URL: http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/51/2/1701477
• Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Kitson, J. J. N., Hahn, C., Sands, R. J., Straw, N. A., Evans, D. M. and Lunt, D. H. (), Detecting host-parasitoid interactions in an invasive Lepidopteran using nested tagging DNA-metabarcoding. Mol Ecol. Accepted Author Manuscript, which has been published in final form at the DOI link above.