Variable Folivory: Effects on Interactions Between Seasonal Insect Species

这项研究将测试以前的食叶动物对 随后的食叶昆虫物种通过改变在 共同的寄主植物，特别是物候的改变。 假设影响这种相互作用的具体因素， 包括食叶动物的程度（部分与完全消费） 叶），部分损害的金额和dits对第三 营养水平（天敌），食叶性和长期的时间 的影响，将被检查。 这些因素将是 在一系列的观察和操作实验中 涉及食叶动物（早季食叶动物）和潜叶动物 （晚季食草动物）在埃默里橡树上，埃默里橡树。 初步证据表明，这些因素可能会改变结果 季节性食叶动物之间的相互作用， 食叶昆虫种群动态与组织 社区. 该项目将量化物候和化学变化 与不同的食叶动物有关， 殖民化，局部灭绝，生存，死亡原因， 和繁殖力。 虽然 越来越多的证据表明， 食叶性，对后续昆虫物种的确切影响是 模棱两可 然而，这些信息对于理解 植物介导的相互作用影响种群动态， 食叶昆虫物种共享寄主植物的组织。

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.