Chemistry of Plant-Insect Interactions in Costa Rica

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This award will support Professor Frank R. Stermitz of Colorado State University in collaboration with Professor Oscar Castro of the Centro de Investigacion de Productos Naturales (CIPRONA) in Costa Rica. The investigators intend to extend current research on the chemistry of alkaloid containing plants and insects involved in specialized interactions with these plants. Insects that specialize on one or a few plant species have to overcome chemical defenses elaborated by the host plant. They may use chemicals from the plant to fashion pheromones, or defensive substances, or may have achieved special methods for the metabolism or elimination of plant chemicals. The researchers will study three sphingid moth species in Guanacaste National Park in Costa Rica that distribute themselves among three plant species, all in the family Bignoniaceae. There does not appear to be any obvious seasonal or environmental reasons for these special choices of hostplant and it is suggested that chemical factors may play a part. Support from the Science in Developing Countries Program will allow the collaborators to expand the investigation to other species as well. The chemical study of plant species utilized by specialist insects will be valuable in understanding the evolution of plant defense and insect specialization. It has been conservatively estimated that over 50% of all biological species are made up of combination of phytophagous insects and their hostplants. Thus, in the long term, understanding of plant-insect interactions will provide information on a major part of the world's biodiversity.