Experimental Analyses of Body Morphology, Flight and Survival in Pierine Butterflies

9419850 Kingsolver有些昆虫物种会积累令人厌恶的或有毒的化学物质来阻止潜在的捕食者，而另一些昆虫则依靠速度或可操纵性来逃脱。可口和可恶的蝴蝶物种在身体和翅膀的形状、飞行速度和飞行操纵性方面往往不同，但尚不清楚这些特征是如何相互关联的，以及它们如何影响捕食的脆弱性。这项研究将使用体重分布的实验操作来测试关于体重和体型如何决定在实验室和野外条件下对美味和不美味的蝴蝶的飞行和生存的假设。其中一个研究种是重要的农业害虫。这项研究将为自然选择在昆虫中飞行和扩散的目标和机制提供一个实验案例研究。

9419850 Kingsolver Some insect species accumulate distasteful or toxic chemicals to deter potential predators, while others rely on speed or manuverability to escape. Palatable and distasteful butterfly species tend to differ in body and wing shape, flight speed and flight manuverability, but it is unclear how these characters are interrelated and how they affect vulnerability to predation. This research will use experimental manipulations of the distribution of body weight to test hypotheses about how body weight and body shape determines flight and survival under lab and field conditions in both palatable and unpalatable butterflies. One of the study species is an important agricultural pest. The research will provide an experimental case study of the targets and mechanisms of natural selection that operate on flight and dispersal in insects.