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Plant reproductive allocation predicts herbivore dynamics across spatial and temporal scales
Tom E X Miller1, Andrew J Tyre, Svata M Louda
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA. tmiller2@unl.edu
The American Naturalist
|November 3, 2006
Summary
Plant resource allocation impacts insect herbivore populations. Tree cholla cactus (Opuntia imbricata) reproductive effort influences cactus bug (Narnia pallidicornis) abundance, especially later in the season.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Plant-Insect Interactions
- Population Dynamics
Background:
- Life-history theory predicts flexible resource allocation in iteroparous plants.
- Plant plasticity in resource allocation can affect herbivores specializing on vegetative or reproductive structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of tree cholla cactus resource allocation on cactus bug populations.
- To evaluate how variation in cactus relative reproductive effort (RRE) influences herbivore fecundity and abundance.
Main Methods:
- Demographic modeling incorporating variation in host plant RRE.
- Field data collection to assess herbivore response to RRE.
- Analysis of temporal and spatial variation in insect abundance linked to RRE.
Main Results:
- Herbivore fecundity was a time-varying, increasing function of host RRE.
- High-RRE plants supported larger insect populations, particularly late in the season.
- Insect abundance showed positive associations with interannual and spatial variation in cactus RRE.
Conclusions:
- Plant resource allocation is a critical factor in insect herbivore resource quality.
- Plant allocation strategies significantly influence herbivore abundance across temporal and spatial scales.
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