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<p>Soil heavy metal pollution, intensified by human activities, threatens ecosystems and may facilitate biological invasions. However, its impact on volatile organic compound (VOC)-mediated plant–insect interactions in the context of plant invasion remains largely unclear. In this study, we first investigated differences in herbivore damage and egg-laying between the invasive weed <i>Alternanthera philoxeroides</i> and its native congener <i>Alternanthera sessilis</i> across terrestrial habitats with varying levels of soil cadmium (Cd) contamination. We further compared the quantity and composition of leaf constitutive plant volatiles (CPVs) and herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) between the two species under Cd exposure, and tested the olfactory and oviposition responses of a specialist herbivore, a generalist herbivore, and a natural enemy across multiple trophic levels. Field surveys showed that in habitats with high soil Cd pollution, <i>A. philoxeroides</i> exhibited less leaf area consumption and fewer herbivore eggs than <i>A. sessilis</i>. Laboratory bioassays revealed that soil Cd pollution reduced the olfactory and oviposition attractiveness of <i>A. philoxeroides</i> to both specialist and generalist herbivores, while enhancing its appeal to predatory beetles. Cd exposure increased both CPV and HIPV emissions from <i>A. philoxeroides</i> and altered their compositions. These VOC changes were strongly correlated with the olfactory and oviposition behaviors of both herbivores and the predator. Methyl salicylate was identified as the key compound driving these insect preference shifts, highlighting its critical role in mediating plant–insect interactions under soil Cd pollution. These findings indicate that soil heavy metal pollution may enhance plant invasiveness by disrupting VOC-mediated tritrophic interactions, potentially undermining biological control strategies.</p>

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Heavy metal contamination promotes herbivore resistance of an invasive plant over native congener through disrupting volatile-mediated tritrophic interactions

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月25日

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  • Tiantian Lin,
  • Wanci He,
  • Guoqing Zhu,
  • Yingjie Zhao,
  • Yan Wang,
  • Klaas Vrieling,
  • Bo Li,
  • Tao Li

摘要

Soil heavy metal pollution, intensified by human activities, threatens ecosystems and may facilitate biological invasions. However, its impact on volatile organic compound (VOC)-mediated plant–insect interactions in the context of plant invasion remains largely unclear. In this study, we first investigated differences in herbivore damage and egg-laying between the invasive weed Alternanthera philoxeroides and its native congener Alternanthera sessilis across terrestrial habitats with varying levels of soil cadmium (Cd) contamination. We further compared the quantity and composition of leaf constitutive plant volatiles (CPVs) and herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) between the two species under Cd exposure, and tested the olfactory and oviposition responses of a specialist herbivore, a generalist herbivore, and a natural enemy across multiple trophic levels. Field surveys showed that in habitats with high soil Cd pollution, A. philoxeroides exhibited less leaf area consumption and fewer herbivore eggs than A. sessilis. Laboratory bioassays revealed that soil Cd pollution reduced the olfactory and oviposition attractiveness of A. philoxeroides to both specialist and generalist herbivores, while enhancing its appeal to predatory beetles. Cd exposure increased both CPV and HIPV emissions from A. philoxeroides and altered their compositions. These VOC changes were strongly correlated with the olfactory and oviposition behaviors of both herbivores and the predator. Methyl salicylate was identified as the key compound driving these insect preference shifts, highlighting its critical role in mediating plant–insect interactions under soil Cd pollution. These findings indicate that soil heavy metal pollution may enhance plant invasiveness by disrupting VOC-mediated tritrophic interactions, potentially undermining biological control strategies.