Dissertation Research: The Ecological and Evolutionary Determinants of Host Range in the Tachinidae

9801537莫兰和Stireman 本研究主要探讨影响寄生性昆虫寄主范围的因素。 许多寄生虫是高度特化的，通常不能在宿主之间移动。 相反，作为寄生虫的寄蝇（双翅目;寄蝇科）往往表现出广泛的宿主范围。有相对较少的了解是什么样的生态因素决定了寄主利用的寄生蜂的范围。 PI假设，寄蝇的宿主范围主要由用于寻找宿主物种的搜索策略决定。他们的研究将采取三种方法：1）它将涉及宿主特异性不同的两个物种的宿主相关行为的比较，2）检查该领域的寄蝇寄生虫群落的宿主使用模式，3）分析宿主使用的进化模式在家庭的一个亚组中。 通过整合这三个层次的调查信息，他们将进一步了解寄生虫-宿主协会的发展和生态改造。

9801537 Moran and Stireman This research is concerned with the factors that determine the host range of parasitic insects. Many parasites are highly specialized and generally incapable of moving between hosts. In contrast, tachinid flies that act as parasites (Diptera; Tachinidae) tend to exhibit wide host ranges. There is relatively little understanding of what ecological factors determine the range of hosts utilized by a parasitoid. The PIs hypothesize that tachinid host ranges are primarily determined by the search strategies used to find host species. Their research will take three approaches: 1) it will involve a comparison of host-related behaviors of two species that vary in host specificity, 2) examine the patterns of host use by a community of tachinid parasitoids in the field and 3) analyze the evolutionary patterns of host use in a subgroup of the family. By integrating information from these three levels of inquiry, they will further our understanding of the development and ecological modification of parasitoid-host associations.