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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322775
Title: Geographic variation of Chaetosiphella stipae stipae Hille Ris Lambers, 1947 (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Chaitophorinae) and the potential impact of climate change on its habitat

Author
item WIECZOREK, K. - University Of Silesia
item BUGAJ-NAWROCKA, A. - University Of Silesia
item KANTURSKI, M. - University Of Silesia
item Miller, Gary

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2017
Publication Date: 3/8/2017
Citation: Wieczorek, K., Bugaj-Nawrocka, A., Kanturski, M., Miller, G.L. 2017. Geographic variation of Chaetosiphella stipae stipae Hille Ris Lambers, 1947 (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Chaitophorinae) and the potential impact of climate change on its habitat. Scientific Reports. 7:43988/DOI:10.10.38/srep43988.

Interpretive Summary: Aphids are pests that feed on many of the world’s agriculturally important crops, trees, and ornamental plants. They are also one of the most important insects in the role of transmission of plant diseases and contribute to billions of dollars in agricultural losses worldwide. Aphids also damage plants through their direct feeding. Proper identification is paramount before any scientific study can be performed. This research concentrates on Chaetosiphella stipae stipae Hille Ris Lambers and has determined that the species is highly variable in its morphology. Most of the variability is reflected in the number and shape of abdominal setae. The research also suggests, based on ecological niche modeling, that this species’ distribution could change in the future. This information will be useful to biologists and ecologists, insect taxonomists and systematists as well as action-agency personnel.

Technical Abstract: This paper concentrates on Chaetosiphella stipae stipae Hille Ris Lambers (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Chaitophorinae) and determined all studied individuals of C. stipae stipae are one species, characterized by high morphological variability, reflected mostly in the variability of the number and the shape of abdominal setae. Possible climatic preferences of this aphid as well as its Stipa host species are similar – warm summer subtype of a continental climate which is found within interior Eurasia, east-central Asia, and parts of India. However, research results indicated that the potential distribution range of Stipa steppes habitat will be reduced over time. Ecological niche modeling is a useful tool for predicting the potential impact of climate change on species distributions. In view of predicted climate change and changes in land use we expect a critical reduction of steppe-like grasslands over next few decades. In the future, isolation of habitats will promote the mechanism of speciation.