Dissertation Research: Above and Below Ground Herbivory on Purple Loosestrife: Diversity and Resource Partitioning in Wetland Communities

PI提出了一项关于地上和地下食草动物对寄主植物影响的研究。天敌可能会影响这些食草动物与宿主之间的相互作用，这项工作也将研究这一方面。皮亨特将利用一组专门的草食昆虫及其寄主植物和天敌来研究杂草生物控制系统。在野外实验中，根食草食动物、叶食草食动物或两者都将被释放到笼子里的紫色松草占主导地位的湿地。植物群落的反应将被跟踪，PI将通过观察多面手捕食者对草食动物的影响来增加第三个营养级别的相互作用。

The PI proposes a study of the influence of above and belowground herbivores on their host plants. Natural enemies may shape interactions between these herbivores and their hosts and this work will also investigate that aspect. PI Hunt will study weed biological control systems with an assemblage of specialized herbivorous insects and their host plants and natural enemies. In field experiments, root herbivores, leaf herbivores, or both will be released into caged plots of purple loosestrife dominated wetlands. The response of the plant community will be tracked and the PI will add a third trophic level interaction by looking at the effect of generalist predators on the herbivores.