Structure of Plant-Arthropod Associations: Differences Related to Habitat Adversity and Stage of Establishment

草食动物与一枝黄花（Solidago altissima）将在几个地点进行研究， 伊萨卡，纽约，目的是解释如何植物- 在不同演替阶段，草食动物之间的相互作用是不同的 以及不同肥力的地方 研究将围绕三项活动展开。 一 活动涉及完成长期研究（6年） 以确定长期抑制 食草动物改变了：1）不同的相对重要性 植物种类; 2）植被的现存量 系统中 第二项活动将涉及确定 在6个月内， 草地。 草地处于不同的演替阶段， 食草动物可利用的食物资源不同。 和 第三项活动将涉及适应性综合征的比较， 森林和草地中的毛虫。 这将允许鲁特博士 和他的同事来确定是否有基本的差异， 利用相似资源的物种的种群生物学 在不同的栖息地。 这项研究将扩大我们对植物的了解- 草食动物的相互作用，应该有助于我们发展生物学 控制食草动物的良好做法。 鲁特博士在科学成就方面有着卓越的记录。 在此之前，他获得了大量的NSF资助， 审查科学论文，并支持培训 许多年轻的生态学家。 康奈尔大学将提供 为这项研究提供了良好的机构支持。 生态系统 研究计划建议授予这笔赠款。

The relationship between herbivores and goldenrod (Solidago altissima) will be studied at several sites in the environs of Ithaca, New York, with the purpose of explaining how plant- herbivore interactions vary during different stages of succession and on sites of varying fertility. The research will be organized around three activities. One activity involves the completion of a long-term study (6 years) in old fields to determine how prolonged suppression of herbivores has altered: 1) the relative importance of different plant species; and 2) the standing crop biomass of the vegetation in the system. A second activity will involve the determination of the major population levels of goldenrod-herbivores in 6 meadows. The meadows are in different successional stages and so the food resources available to the herbivores differ. And the third activity will involve a comparison of adaptive syndromes of caterpillars in forests and meadows. This will permit Dr. Root and his colleagues to determine if there are basic differences in the population biology of species that utilize similar resources in different habitats. This research will expand our understanding of plant- herbivore interactions and should help us to develop biologically sound practices for herbivore control. Dr. Root has an excellent record of scientific achievement. Previous NSF grants to him have produced a large number of peer- reviewed scientific papers and have supported the training of numerous young ecologists. Cornell University will provide excellent institutional support for this research. The Ecosystem Studies Program recommends award of this grant.