DOI: 10.5061/dryad.26h4v
title: Data from: Plant – herbivorous beetle networks: molecular characterization of trophic ecology within a threatened steppic environment

description: DNA barcoding facilitates many evolutionary and ecological studies,
 including the examination of the dietary diversity of herbivores. In this
 study, we present a survey of ecological associations between herbivorous
 beetles and host plants from seriously threatened European steppic
 grasslands. We determined host plants for the majority (65%) of steppic
 leaf beetles (55 species) and weevils (59) known from central Europe using
 two barcodes (trnL and rbcL) and two sequencing strategies (Sanger for
 mono/oligophagous species and Illumina for polyphagous taxa). To better
 understand the ecological associations between steppic beetles and their
 host plants, we tested the hypothesis that leaf beetles and weevils differ
 in food selection as a result of their phylogenetic relations (within
 genera and between families) and interactions with host plants. We found
 224 links between the beetles and the plants. Beetles belonging to seven
 genera feed on the same or related plants. Their preferences were probably
 inherited from common ancestors and/or resulted from the host plant's
 chemistry. Beetles from four genera feed on different plants, possibly
 reducing intrageneric competition and possibly due to an adaptation to
 different plant chemical defences. We found significant correlations
 between the numbers of leaf beetle and weevil species feeding on
 particular plants for polyphagous taxa, but not for nonpolyphagous
 beetles. Finally, we found that the previous identifications of host
 plants based on direct observations are generally concordant with host
 plant barcoding from insect gut. Our results expand basic knowledge about
 the trophic relations of steppic beetles and plants and are immediately
 useful for conservation purposes.
description: beetle_sampling_sitesList of sampling sites (with GPS coordinates) with beetle species sampled in these sites (separately for weevils and leaf beetles). Additionally, all sites are presented in google maps .kmz fileCO1 SangerSequences of Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene generated from examined weevil and leaf beetle species. Alignments prepared for phylogenetic trees reconstructions and Maximum Likelihood trees reconstructed with use of PhyML software.CO1.ziprbcL&trnL SangerSequences of trnL and rbcL plant barcodes generated with use of Sanger technique from steppic plants and from DNA isolates obtained from steppic beetles. RbcL alignment use for phylogenetic tree reconstruction and rbcL Maximum Likelihood tree reconstructed with use of PhyML software.rbcL&trnL.ziptrnL&rbcL IlluminaIllumina MiSeq trnL and rbcL plant barcode sequences (forward and reverse) generated from DNA isolates obtained from 15 selected beetles and additional sample which contain sequences generated from 8 selected steppic plants (Eryngium planum, Inula ensifolia, Onobrychis viciifolia, Adonis vernalis, Salvia pratensis, Rosa canina, Arenaria serpyllifolia, and Elymus repens, prepared for method validation purposes)Illumina trnL&rbcL.zip