Geomagnetic field (GMF) intensity can be used by some animals to determine their position during migration. However, its role, if any, in mediating other migration-related phenotypes remains largely unknown. Here, we simulated variation in GMF intensity between two locations along the migration route of a nocturnal insect migrant, the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, that varied by approximately 5 µT in field intensity. After one generation of exposure, we tested for changes in key morphological, behavioural and physiological traits related to migratory performance, including wing dimorphism, flight capacity and positive phototaxis. Our results showed that all three morphological and behavioural phenotypes responded to a small difference in magnetic field intensity. Consistent magnetic responses in the expression of the phototaxis-related Drosophila-like cryptochrome 1 (Cry1) gene and levels of two primary energy substrates used during flight, triglyceride and trehalose, were also found. Our findings indicate changes in GMF intensity can alter the expression of phenotypes critical for insect migration and highlight the unique role of magnetoreception as a trait that may help migratory insects express potentially beneficial phenotypes in geographically variable environments.

中文翻译：

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地磁场强度的变化会改变迁徙昆虫的迁移相关性状。

某些动物可以使用地磁场（GMF）强度来确定其在迁徙过程中的位置。但是，它在介导其他与迁移有关的表型中的作用（如果有的话）仍然未知。在这里，我们模拟了夜间昆虫移徙者褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens的迁徙路线上两个位置之间的GMF强度变化，其场强变化约5 µT。经过一代人的暴露后，我们测试了与迁徙性能有关的关键形态，行为和生理特征的变化，包括机翼二态性，飞行能力和趋光性。我们的研究结果表明，所有三种形态和行为表型均对磁场强度的微小差异做出了响应。还发现了与趋光性相关的果蝇样隐花色素1（Cry1）基因的表达以及飞行中使用的两种主要能量底物甘油三酸酯和海藻糖的含量一致的磁响应。我们的发现表明，GMF强度的变化可以改变对昆虫迁移至关重要的表型的表达，并突出了磁感受的独特作用，该特征可以帮助迁徙昆虫在地理上可变的环境中表达潜在有益的表型。