Hygroreception in olfactometer studies

Authors: MARTÍNEZ, ANDRÉS S.; HARDIE, JIM

Source: Physiological Entomology, Volume 34, Number 3, September 2009 , pp. 211-216(6)

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Abstract:

In olfactometric studies, a technique used to measure insect behavioural bias towards airborne chemicals, many of the factors that could affect the bioassay outcome other than the volatiles themselves are carefully controlled (e.g. lighting conditions, temperature, spatial position, physiological state of the insects, time of day when the bioassay is performed) but one factor, namely humidity, is overlooked frequently when studying responses to plant volatiles. Many insect species respond positively and negatively to changes in humidity and, during bioassays, differences arising from odour choices with different water vapour release rates might have confounding effects versus the original intent of the behavioural study. The present study aims to assess the effect of different substrates on the water vapour content of air in an olfactometer-like set-up. The results show that airflow humidity is affected by the odour source used in the olfactometer air flow. In addition, the response of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius colemani Viereck (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) is studied towards different humidities and plant material in an olfactometer. The present study suggests that humidity needs to be controlled in olfactometric studies.

Keywords: Aphidius colemani; chemical ecology; hygroreception; insect; olfaction; olfactometer; volatile chemical

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3032.2009.00675.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, U.K.

Publication date: 2009-09-01