Eur. J. Entomol. 99 (2): 181-187, 2002 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2002.026

Physiology of cold-acclimation in non-diapausing adults of Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera)

Martin ©LACHTA1, Petra BERKOVÁ1, Jan VAMBERA2, Vladimír KO©«ÁL1,*
1 Institute of Entomology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
2 Faculty of Biology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

Chill tolerance (time of survival at -5°C) increased in non-diapausing (reproducing) adults of Pyrrhocoris apterus after a gradual, 4-week-long decrease in ambient temperature from 25° to 0°C. The level of chill tolerance attained after cold-acclimation was considerably lower than that in similarly cold-acclimated diapausing adults. Some physiological changes accompanied the cold-acclimation, irrespective of developmental state (diapause vs. reproduction). They were: A decreased oxygen consumption, loss of body water, an increased haemolymph osmolality, an increased proportion of phosphatidylethanolamines vs. a decreased proportion of phosphatidylcholines in membrane phospholipids, and an increased proportion of linoleic vs. a decreased proportion of oleic acid in phosphatidylethanolamines. Such changes could contribute to the limited potential for cold-acclimation found in non-diapausing insects. Other physiological changes appeared to require the induction of diapause prior to cold-acclimation. They were: Down regulation of ice nucleators resulting in a lowering of the individual supercooling point, synthesis and accumulation of specific "winter" polyols, an increased proportion of palmitic acid in membrane phospholipids; and regulation of the concentrations of Na+ and K+ in the haemolymph. The potential contributions of these changes to the cold hardiness of P. apterus are discussed.

Keywords: Cold hardiness, diapause, acclimation, supercooling, cryoprotectants, phospholipids

Received: September 27, 2001; Revised: December 5, 2001; Accepted: April 29, 2002; Published: June 30, 2002  Show citation

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©LACHTA, M., BERKOVÁ, P., VAMBERA, J., & KO©«ÁL, V. (2002). Physiology of cold-acclimation in non-diapausing adults of Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera). EJE, 99(2), 181-187. doi: 10.14411/eje.2002.026
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