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Published on: January 19, 2020
Insect guild structure associated with eastern hemlock in the southern Appalachians
Carla Dilling1, Paris Lambdin, Jerome Grant
1Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
Environmental Entomology
|February 21, 2008
Summary
Before invasive adelgids and scales, eastern hemlock forests hosted a diverse insect community. Guild structure varied by hemlock age and elevation, with herbivores aggregating and predators segregating.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Entomology
- Forest Science
Background:
- Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) forests support a complex insect community.
- Understanding pre-invasion insect guild structure is crucial for assessing ecological impacts.
- High and low elevation sites in the southern Appalachians were studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess insect guild structure on immature and mature eastern hemlocks before invasion.
- To determine guild dynamics among 243 insect species.
- To analyze guild associations and co-occurrence patterns.
Main Methods:
- Categorized 243 insect species into eight guilds: detritivore, hematophage, herbivore, fungivore, parasitoid, predator, scavenger, and transient.
- Subdivided herbivore and transient guilds into feeding specializations.
- Analyzed guild associations and co-occurrence patterns on immature and mature hemlocks at high and low elevations.
Main Results:
- Significant guild association found between immature and mature hemlocks at low elevations, but not high elevations.
- Phytophagous insects associated with immature hemlocks; scavengers with mature hemlocks.
- Transient, scavenger, and predator guilds showed species segregation; herbivore guild showed species aggregation.
Conclusions:
- Documented a diverse and dynamic insect community on eastern hemlock prior to adelgid and scale invasion.
- Insect guild structure varied significantly based on hemlock age and elevation.
- Findings provide a baseline for future ecological impact assessments of invasive species.
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