Abstract
Elevated atmospheric CO₂can alter plant-insect interactions by influencing plant physiology and chemical signaling. This study investigated how increased CO₂levels affect the oviposition behavior of Sericinus montela and the subsequent growth of its larvae on Aristolochia contorta. Under elevated
CO₂ conditions (670 ppm), A. contorta exhibited an increase in the emission of specific signaling compounds, such as (6E)-nerolidol, linalool, and TMTT, while reducing overall VOC emissions, which resulted in increased attractiveness for oviposition. However, larvae feeding on leaves grown in elevated CO2 conditions experienced reduced growth efficiency, indicated by lower efficiency of conversion of digested food and a reduced relative growth rate. Despite increased oviposition on these plants, larval performance was compromised, suggesting an ecological mismatch between host plant preference and nutritional suitability. These findings highlight potential disruptions in plant-herbivore interactions under climate change scenarios, with implications for insect population dynamics and ecosystem stability.
Biography
Si-Hyun Park is a Postdoctoral researcher at Seoul National University Research focus: plant-insect coevolution, chemical ecology, and climate change impacts Expertise in mesocosm experiments, molecular ecology, and ecological trait analysis Principal investigator of the Sejong Science Fellowship Project Published in peer-reviewed journals on Aristolochia contorta and its ecological interactions Committed to integrating field research, experimental approaches, and conservation applications.