The ecology of alien insect herbivores

我的研究项目包括检查影响农业系统中外来入侵昆虫物种的建立，传播和种群增长的因素，包括它们的生活史特征和与宿主植物的相互作用。外来入侵物种对农业和自然生态系统构成相当大的威胁，影响生态系统的完整性并造成重大经济损失。我的研究计划的下一阶段将集中在瑞典吸浆虫种群动态及其与宿主植物的相互作用的几个未被研究的方面。2000年，我第一次在安大略记录到瑞典蠓的存在，从那时起，它在整个安大略和魁北克迅速蔓延。这种小苍蝇在十字花科植物上取食和发育，导致虫瘿的形成和叶、茎和开花组织的畸形。安大略的高水平虫害导致一些田地的西兰花和油菜完全丧失收成。瑞典吸浆虫的生活史特征，如可能出现多个出现表型和滞育时间长，可能是其成功作为入侵物种的重要因素。这些生活史特征将被检查，并将确定其对潜在的人口增长和地理范围扩展的瑞典吸浆虫的影响。这项研究计划的另一个方面将是确定虫瘿形成的过程，确定哪些因素是负责虫瘿启动，并为第一次记录的形态和生理差异，虫瘿发展之间的寄主植物是敏感和耐瑞典吸浆虫侵扰。这项研究将提高我们准确预测瑞典蠓种群动态的能力，也可能导致抗性作物品种的开发，从而减少农药的使用，促进采用生态无害的害虫管理措施。

My research program involves examination of factors affecting the establishment, spread and population growth of invasive alien insect species in agricultural systems, including their life history traits and interactions with host plants. Invasive alien species represent a considerable threat to agricultural and natural ecosystems, impacting ecosystem integrity and causing major economic losses. The next phase of my research program will focus on several unexamined aspects of the population dynamics of the swede midge and interactions with its host plants. I first documented the presence of the swede midge in Ontario in 2000, and it has spread rapidly throughout Ontario and Quebec since then. This small fly feeds and develops on cruciferous plants and causes the formation of galls and malformation of leaf, stem and flowering tissues. High levels of infestation in Ontario have led to the complete loss of broccoli and canola harvests in some fields. Life history characteristics of the swede midge, such as the possible occurrence of multiple emergence phenotypes and prolonged diapause, may be significant factors in its success as an invasive species. These life history characteristics will be examined and their impact on potential population growth and geographic range expansion of the swede midge will be determined. Another aspect of this research program will be determining the process of gall formation, determining what factors are responsible for gall initiation, and for the first time documenting the morphological and physiological differences in gall development between host plants that are susceptible and resistant to swede midge infestation. This research will improve our ability to accurately predict swede midge population dynamics and may also lead to the development of resistant crop varieties, thus reducing pesticide use and facilitating the adoption of ecologically-sound pest management practices.