Collabortive Research: Effects of Prey Species and Prey Scarcity on Predatory Wasps

[9727547] Rayor三营养理论早期的问题主要集中在植物和昆虫捕食者是作为共生者还是由于植物化感物质的负面作用而产生拮抗关系。然而，这些情况何时出现仍不确定。本研究将通过关注影响昆虫捕食者的两个主要因素或条件：猎物质量和猎物数量来确定植物化感物质何时对昆虫捕食者产生负面影响。没有研究同时讨论这些因素对捕食者种群增长和人口统计学的影响。本研究使用的模型系统包括掠食性黄蜂、毛虫和含有环烯醚萜苷的叶片。一系列实验的结果将确定植物化感物质何时影响昆虫捕食者，从而解决植物与捕食者之间的互惠与拮抗问题。由于目前的觅食理论和捕食者-猎物种群理论没有考虑到植物化感物质对无脊椎动物捕食者的影响，这些结果将扩大对大多数无脊椎动物捕食者必须面对的主要限制的理解。此外，结果将表明猎物物种相对于其他植物化感化学浓度不同的物种的表现。

9727547 Rayor Earlier questions in tri-trophic theory focused on whether plants and insect predators function as mutualists or whether they have an antagonistic relationship as a result of negative effects of plant allelochemicals. However, it remains uncertain as to when these situations prevail. This research will determine when plant allelochemicals have a negative effect on insect predators by focusing on two of the major factors or conditions that affect insect predators: prey quality and prey quantity. No study has simultaneously addressed the effects of these factors on predator population growth and demography. The model system to be used in this research includes predatory wasps, caterpillars, and leaves that contain iridoid glycosides. The results of a series of experiments will determine when plant allelochemicals affect an insect predator, thus addressing the issue of mutualism vs. antagonism between plants and predators. Because current foraging theory and predator-prey population theory do not take into account the effects of plant allelochemicals on invertebrate predators, these reults will broaden understanding of a major constraint that most invertebrate predators must face. Furthermore, the results will indicate how prey species fare relative to others that differ in plant allelochemical concentrations.