Condition-dependent reproduction and habitat selection in bark beetles

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When searching for habitat, individuals in better condition should be more likely to find better habitat than those in poorer condition. This observation is supported by my previous NSERC-sponsored research on bark beetles (Scolytinae). It may then follow that offspring of individuals in good condition will also be in good condition and also find good habitat. This has been called the silver spoon effect, and may influence reproductive strategies, fitness, and micro-evolution within populations. There may also be direct maternal effects that are independent of habitat effects. My research program will examine the relative importance of silver spoon and maternal effects in two species of bark beetles through lab and field studies. The results of this research has implications for optimal offspring sex ratios, and may explain a perplexing female-bias in mountain pine beetles, Dendroctonus ponderosae, that has implications for many taxa. In addition to addressing fundamental questions of optimal reproductive tactics, this research is pertinent to understanding and managing pest species of bark beetles such as mountain pine beetles.