Dissertation Research: Patterns, Mechanisms and Consequences of Oviposition Behavior for Recruitment of the Mayfly, Baetis Bicaudatus

招募决定了种群的初始密度，从而可能对它们的丰度产生重大影响。对水生昆虫的招募及其对幼虫丰度的影响知之甚少。我们结合调查、机械实验和在自然溪流中进行的大规模实验来确定bicaudatus五月蝇种群招募新个体的模式和机制，以及招募的小尺度和大尺度变化如何相互作用影响幼虫的丰度。方法包括观察产卵模式和实地实验，以了解产卵行为的机制和适应性后果。广泛的调查将招募模式与蜉蝣幼虫丰度的时空变化联系起来。在12条自然溪流中进行了大规模的野外实验，对产卵地点的可用性进行了控制，以测试贝蒂斯幼虫的种群是否受到招募限制。这一建议将对了解水生昆虫种群的补充及其对后续昆虫丰度的影响做出重大而独特的贡献。拟议的研究还将产生模型，以预测机制(即产卵行为影响种群在地方和区域尺度上的模式。为进一步了解水生昆虫种群动态提供了理论基础，对制定切实可行的保护计划具有重要意义。

Recruitment determines the initial density of populations, and may thereby criticallyinfluence their abundance. Little is known about recruitment of aquatic insects and itsinfluence on the abundance of larvae. We combine surveys, mechanistic and large-scaleexperiments in natural streams to determine the patterns and mechanisms of recruitmentof new individuals to populations of the mayfly Baetis bicaudatus, and how small andlarge scale variation in recruitment interact to influence abundance of larvae.Methods include observations of patterns of oviposition, and field experiments tounderstand the mechanisms and fitness consequences of oviposition behavior. Extensivesurveys relate patterns of recruitment to temporal and spatial variation in mayfly larvalabundance. A large-scale field experiment manipulating the availability of ovipositionsites in 12 natural streams will test whether populations of Baetis larvae are recruitmentlimited.This proposal will make significant and unique contributions to the understanding ofrecruitment of aquatic insect populations, and its influence on subsequent insectabundance. Proposed research will also generate models for predicting how mechanisms(i.e. oviposition behavior) affect patterns of populations at local and regional scales.Furthermore, it will provide a foundation for understanding population dynamics ofaquatic insects important to designing realistic and relevant conservation programs.