Variable Folivory: Effects on Interactions Between Seasonal Insect Species

本研究将通过共同寄主植物的改变，特别是物候的改变，测试先前的folivory对随后的folivorous昆虫物种的影响。我们将研究假设影响这种相互作用的具体因素，包括叶叶的程度（部分消耗与完全消耗）、部分损害的数量及其对第三营养水平（天敌）的影响、叶叶的时间和叶叶的长期影响。这些因素将在一系列观察和操纵实验中进行测试，这些实验涉及埃默里橡树（Ouercus emoryi）上的食叶动物（早季捕食者）和采叶动物（晚季捕食者）。初步证据表明，这些因素可以改变季节食叶昆虫之间相互作用的结果，从而影响食叶昆虫群落的种群动态和组织。该项目将量化与不同叶面相关的物候和化学变化，以及它们对埃默里橡树叶面物种的殖民化、当地灭绝、生存、死亡原因和繁殖力的影响。尽管越来越多的证据表明，植物会随着叶子而发生变化，但对随后的昆虫物种的确切影响尚不明确。然而，这些信息对于理解植物介导的相互作用如何影响共享寄主植物的食叶昆虫物种的种群动态和组织至关重要。

This research will test the effects of previous folivory on subsequent folivorous insect species via alterations in the shared host plant, particularly alterations in phenology. Specific factors hypothesized to influence such interactions, including extent of folivory (partial vs. complete consumption of leaves), amount of partial damage an dits effect on the third trophic level (natural enemies), timing of folivory and long-term effects of folivory, will be examined. These factors will be tested in a series of observations and manipulative experiments involving leafchewers (early-season feeders) and leafminers (late-season feeders) on the Emory oak, Ouercus emoryi. Preliminary evidence suggests such factors can change the outcome of interactions between seasonal folivores, and thus influence population dynamics and organization of folivorous insect communities. The project will quanfify phenological and chemical changes associated with varying folivory and their effects on colonization, local extinction, survival, causes of mortality, and fecundity of the leafmiing species on Emory oak. Although accumulating evidence indicates that plants change following folivory, the precise effects on subsequent insect species are equivocal. Yet such information is crucial in unerstanding how plant-mediated interactions influence population dynamics and organization of folivorous insect species sharing host plants.