Effects and mechanisms of simulated acid rain on plant-mite interactions in agricultural systems. I. The direct effects of simulated acid rain on carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus

Abstract The effects of simulated acid rain sprayed directly on carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus,were investigated in a series of laboratory trials. The indirect effects, by the induced changes of development, physiological and biochemical aspects of host plant were eliminated from this experiment. The results indicated that there was no acute lethality of sprayed simulated acid rain of pH 4.0–3.0 on the tested developmental stages of carmine spider mite. However, the developmental duration of larvae, nymph and pre-oviposition was prolonged; and the longevity of adult mite and the duration of generation were shortened. The results of the life table study showed that the mite, which was sprayed directly by the simulated acid rain of pH 4.0, 3.5 and 3.0, had lower values of the net reproduction rate (R0), innate rate of increase (rm), finite rate of increase (λ) and mean generation duration (T), and greater population doubling time (t) than controls. The results implied that the population deve...