DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Priority effects in the establishment of the oak leaf tie community

了解生态群落结构的因素是生态学的核心目标。当新的群落形成时，最初的殖民者的身份可以决定哪些类型的生物体最终填充所产生的群落。早期殖民者的影响，被称为优先效应，在构建昆虫群落中发挥的作用在很大程度上是未知的。这个项目研究了栖息在叶结上的昆虫群落，叶结是毛虫用丝在重叠的叶子之间建造的庇护所。其他昆虫随后栖息在叶结上，导致植物上昆虫的丰度和多样性增加。实验操作将被用来确定是否侵略行为表现出最初的殖民者影响随后的社区发展和组成。优先效应将被证明，如果叶结殖民的毛虫，在侵略行为不同包含不同的昆虫群落。这项研究将有助于了解对森林健康和管理具有重要生态意义但研究不足的昆虫群落的动态。该项目将为年轻科学家提供培训，并教育当地社区了解这些迷人的昆虫。该项目将培训本科生研究助理，他们随后将进行独立的研究项目。志愿者博物学家大师还将通过当地项目接受植物-昆虫生态学基础知识的培训;然后他们将带领社区团体和学生进行自然行走，旨在传达当地动植物群植物群的自然历史信息和基本生态关系。

Understanding the factors that structure ecological communities is a central goal in ecology. When new communities are formed, the identity of the initial colonists can determine which types of organisms ultimately populate the resulting community. The role that the effects of early colonists, termed priority effects, play in structuring insect communities is largely unexplored. This project examines the insect communities that inhabit leaf ties, which are shelters between overlapping leaves built by caterpillars using silk. Other insects subsequently inhabit leaf ties leading to an increase in the abundance and diversity of insects on the plant. Experimental manipulations will be used to determine if aggressive behavior exhibited by initial colonists influences subsequent community development and composition. Priority effects will be demonstrated if leaf ties colonized by caterpillars that vary in aggressive behavior contain different insect communities. This research will aid in understanding the dynamics of an ecologically important yet understudied insect community that is important for forest health and management.The project will provide training to young scientists and educate the local community about these fascinating insects. This project will train undergraduate research assistants who will subsequently conduct independent research projects. Volunteer Master Naturalists will also be trained in the basics of plant-insect ecology through a local program; they will then lead community groups and students on nature walks aimed at conveying natural history information and basic ecological relationships of local fauna and flora.