Dissertation Research: Above and Below Ground Herbivory on Purple Loosestrife: Diversity and Resource Partitioning in Wetland Communities

PI建议研究地上和地下食草动物对其寄主植物的影响。天敌可能会影响这些食草动物与其宿主之间的相互作用，本研究也将研究这方面的问题。PI亨特将研究杂草的生物控制系统与专门的草食性昆虫及其寄主植物和天敌的组合。在田间试验中，将根系食草动物、叶片食草动物或两者都放进紫色松花占主导地位的湿地的笼中。植物群落的反应将被跟踪，PI将通过观察多面手捕食者对食草动物的影响来增加第三个营养水平的相互作用。

The PI proposes a study of the influence of above and belowground herbivores on their host plants. Natural enemies may shape interactions between these herbivores and their hosts and this work will also investigate that aspect. PI Hunt will study weed biological control systems with an assemblage of specialized herbivorous insects and their host plants and natural enemies. In field experiments, root herbivores, leaf herbivores, or both will be released into caged plots of purple loosestrife dominated wetlands. The response of the plant community will be tracked and the PI will add a third trophic level interaction by looking at the effect of generalist predators on the herbivores.