Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Major/Program
Environmental Studies
First Advisor's Name
Krishnaswamy Jayachandran
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee chair
Second Advisor's Name
Suzanne Koptur
Second Advisor's Committee Title
Co-Committee chair
Third Advisor's Name
Jay Sah
Third Advisor's Committee Title
committee member
Fourth Advisor's Name
Thomas Ayala-silva
Fourth Advisor's Committee Title
committee member
Keywords
Beneficial insects, herbivores, host location, parasitoids, spacing with systematic design, tritrophic interactions
Date of Defense
7-7-2016
Abstract
Senna mexicana chapmanii (Fabaceae: Caesalpinoideae), an attractive and threatened species native to pine rocklands of southern Florida, is consumed by folivorous caterpillars of Sulfur butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Caterpillars may be deterred or eaten by predators, but also very important are parasitoids, both flies and wasps. This study investigated the effects of plant density on Sulfur caterpillar numbers and rates of parasitization.
Senna mexicana chapmanii plantations were established at agricultural and urban areas; both sites are adjacent to protected pine rockland areas. Sulfur butterfly immature stages were collected and reared to glean information regarding number of herbivores and rates of parasitization. Continuing this weekly monitoring protocol over the course of a year provided data to determine that higher plant density has an effect on levels of parisitization and is correlated with the number of herbivores. Elucidating these patterns has important implications understanding the factors that regulate interactions in this plant/herbivore/parasitoid system.
Identifier
FIDC000739
Recommended Citation
Salas, Andrea, "Effects of Host-plant Density on Herbivores and Their Parasitoids: A Field Experiment with a Native Perennial Legume" (2016). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2583.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2583
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Botany Commons, Entomology Commons, Horticulture Commons, Plant Biology Commons
Rights Statement
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).