Elevated CO2 concentrations impact the semiochemistry of aphid honeydew without having a cascade effect on an aphid predator

Honeydew is considered a cornerstone of the interactions between aphids and their natural
enemies. Bacteria activity occurring in aphid honeydew typically results in the release of volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) that are used by the natural enemies of aphids to locate their prey.
Because atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration directly impacts the physiology of plants,
we raise the hypothesis that elevated CO2 concentrations impact the quantity of honeydew produced
by aphids, as well as the diversity and quantity of honeydew VOCs, leading to cascade effects on the
foraging behavior of aphids’ natural enemies. Using solid-phase microextraction, we analyzed the
VOCs emitted by honeydew from pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris) reared under 450 50 ppm
of CO2 (aCO2) or 800 50 ppm CO2 (eCO2). While the total amount of honeydew excreted was only
slightly reduced by eCO2 concentrations, we detected qualitative and quantitative differences in the
semiochemistry of aphid honeydew between CO2 conditions. Three VOCs were not found in the
honeydew of eCO2 aphids: 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, and isobutanol. However,
no difference was observed in the searching and oviposition behaviors of hoverfly (Episyrphus
balteatus (De Geer)) females exposed to plants covered with honeydew originating from the different
CO2 conditions. The present work showed the effect of a particular aspect of atmospheric changes,
and should be extended to other abiotic parameters, such as temperature.