Group movement in entomopathogenic nematodes: Dispersal, following and joining in the genus Steinernema

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

10:00 AM – 10:12 AM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 212

Presenting Author(s)

GS

Glen N. Stevens

Lab Manager
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

Co-Author(s)

David I. Shapiro-Ilan

Research Leader
USDA-ARS
Byron, Georgia
Fatma C. Kaplan

COO
Pheronym Inc.
Davis, California
Hans T. Alborn

Research Chemist
USDA-ARS
Gainesville, Florida
PS

Paul Schliekelman

University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
EL

Edwin Lewis

Professor
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) are obligate parasites of insects and are often used for biological control. We have both fundamental and applied interest in understanding social behaviors in these worms and have conducted a series of experiments to assess group movement of EPN in the genus Steinernema. Through a combination of three different types of assays (agar plate, sand arenas and olfactometers) we have observed context-dependent trail following, differences in dispersal in single-vs. mixed-species environments, and context-dependent group joining behavior. These behaviors vary significantly across the three species assayed (Steinernema carpocapsae, S. feltiae and S. glaseri) and can be significantly altered by factors associated with contact with the insect host. Even in the absence of insect hosts, host cues, or environmental cues (or when these cues were uniform in the experimental arena), EPN dispersed in a non-random manner. The combination of these assays illustrates the complexities of individual and group movement in these important species, and provides insight into nematode distributions, spatial and temporal population structures, and community dynamics.