Insect Dynamics on Spartina alterniflora: Plant Condition, Natural Enemies and Physical Factors

这是佛罗里达州立大学的斯特朗博士提出的一个非常令人兴奋的建议，它采用了一种彻底、严格的方法来研究网草上的飞虱的动态。如果成功，它可以提供迄今为止最好的例子，说明各种因素如何相互作用，产生昆虫种群的空间和时间模式。斯特朗提出要研究的与飞虱种群动态有关的大多数生物和物理因素以前已经被研究过，但它们通常是单独研究的。对孤立因素的研究虽然有价值，但它告诉我们潜在的影响，但没有告诉我们需要知道的东西——在影响人口动态和分布格局方面，它们与其他因素的相对重要性是什么。基于对飞虱/网草系统的深刻了解，斯特朗现在已经开发出了有说服力的技术，并确定了调节飞虱种群的主要因素。本提案中概述的研究只能由具有斯特朗经验和先前研究支持的人进行富有成效的尝试。

This is a very exciting proposal by Dr. Strong of Florida State University that takes a thorough, rigorous approach in examining the dynamics of planthoppers on cordgrass. If successful, it could provide the best example to date of how a wide variety of factors interact to generate spatial and temporal patterns in insect populations. Most of the biotic and physical factors which Strong is proposing to examine in relation to planthopper population dynamics have been studied previously but they have generally been studied in isolation. While valuable, studies of isolated factors tell us of potential effects, but do not tell us what we need to know--what is their relative importance in relation to other factors in influencing population dynamics and distribution patterns. Based on an impressive background with the planthopper/cordgrass system, Strong has now developed eloquent techniques and identified the major factors regulating planthopper populations. The research outlined in this proposal could only be productively attempted by someone with Strong's experience and previous research support.