SOIL-INSECT toolbox: A new chamber for analysing the behaviour of herbivorous insects and tri-trophic interactions in soil

Abstract

A chamber, named SOIL-INSECT toolbox, was developed to analyse the effect of various factors on the behaviour of soil-dwelling insects. It is equipped with sensors that continuously monitor the concentration of CO2 in the different compartments of the chamber without disturbing the air balance in the soil. The chamber can be adapted to study different stimuli, including volatile compounds, both in the presence and absence of plants. The chamber was tested using the larvae of Melolontha spp., which confirmed its suitability for carrying out complex studies on insect-insect and insect-plant-microbiome interactions in a complex environment such as soil. The results of behavioural experiments using L3 larvae of Melolontha spp. in sterilized and natural soils revealed that the soil condition affected the behaviour of the larvae, likely due to its effect on the soil microbiome and physico-chemical characteristics.

Keywords

• subterranean insects
• behaviour
• herbivory
• tri-trophic interactions
• biotest arena
• carbon dioxide
• melolontha spp.
• volatile compounds