Plant - Insect Interactions Seeing The Universe From An Insect’s Perspective T’ai Roulston

The problems faced by animals that eat plant products Get Food Find Mates Avoid Being Eaten

The problems faced by plants Get Pollinated Disperse Seeds Avoid Being Eaten

InsectPlant How Insects Affect Plants Positive Negative Pollination Herbivory

InsectPlant How Insects Affect Plants Positive Negative Frugivory - seed destruction Photo:Benoit Guenard Seed dispersal

InsectPlant How Insects Affect Plants Positive Negative Predation/ Parasitism

InsectPlant How Insects Affect Plants Positive Negative Photo: Marin Rice jeffcogardener.blogspot.com cirrusimage.com Anti-predator defense

InsectPlant How Insects Affect Plants Positive Negative Spread disease Photo: Jude Boucher Cucurbit Yellow Vine Disease squash bugs

Plant Performance Insect 1 Insect 4Insect 3 Insect 2 Net Effect = Sum of Interactions Implications for both agriculture and ecosystems

Physalis longifolia study system Mary McCauley, Berea College (2004); Maggie Triska, Viterbo University (2005); Jacob Elstein, Virginia Tech (2005); Cedric Jones, Howard University (2006); Brandon Lingbeek, Calvin College (2007); Linnea Meier, Earlham College (2008); Alysia Soper, Luther College (2008); Ricky Rivera, UPR-Bayamon (2009); Stephanie Cruz-Maysonet, UPR-Bayamon (2010)

Seed Production Flower Production Fruit Induction Fruit Maturation Stored Energy SpecialistGeneralists

Why might specialists be important? Specialist foraging strategy or generalist strategy if the generalist acts as a temporary specialist Generalist foraging strategy when several acceptable hosts

Tracking Pollinators

Recapture and movement of specialist and generalist pollinators of Physalis during 2004 and 2005

Plot Visits per Survey Hour for Each Species ColletesLasiogl.Augochl.EpeolusBombus Visits per Survey Hour July 7-14, 2004 July 15-22, 2004 July 23-30, 2004

Number of flowers visited per plot visit per species Species ColletesAugochl Lasiogl. Epeolus Flowers visited per plot visit

ColletesLasioglossumAugochlorinae Proportion Fruits Initiated from Single Visits p < 0.05 Fruit Initiation From Single Visits

Pollinator Conclusions The specialist prevails in abundance flowers visited pollination efficiency pollen dispersal

Seed Production Flower Production Fruit Induction Pollen Deposition Fruit Maturation Stored Energy Pollinators

Initially Interested in Pollination

What Governs Presence of Herbivore? Susceptible Genotypes? Induced defenses? Predation?

Survival to Mature Larva of 10 Lema Placed on 10 Caged and 10 Uncaged Plants NOTE TO SELF --THESE PICTURES DO NOT DISPLAY REU student Brandon Lingbeek

One cause of mortality to Lema eggs Q1: Early season decline not explained by late season predators or parasites. Nocturnal predators? Plant is saved by whatever is controlling early herbivores.

Seed Production Flower Production Fruit Induction Foliar Herbivory Frugivory Pollen Deposition Fruit Maturation Stored Energy Parasitism Predation Interaction web for Physalis longifolia Parasitism

Development of Symmetrischema sp.

Seed Production Flower Production Fruit Induction Foliar Herbivory Frugivory Pollen Deposition Fruit Maturation Stored Energy Parasitism Predation Interaction web for Physalis longifolia Parasitism Florivory

Part 2. How Do Plants Affect Insects?

Bee Diversity and Plant Utilization Patterns 20,000 spp worldwide 140 (so far) at Blandy Center of Diversity: arid areas –southwestern USA, Mediterranean Diet: pollen and nectar

Development of the sweat bee Lasioglossum zephyrum

Variation in Pollen Chemistry Constituent MaxMin % Starch Calories/g % Protein Amino acid variation: ?? Toxicity??

Ongoing Research: Understand the plant traits that influence insect foraging decisions, and the results of those foraging decisions on insect development

What Is Known About Pollen - Bee Interactions? Extremely important Pollen varies in many ways Bees make flower choices based on accessibility nectar reward floral color floral odor Q2: Do bees recognize quality and adjust choice? What are the characteristics of quality? What plants (either natives or invasives) may best support wild pollinator populations?

Specific Possible Avenues for Inquiry Herbivory on wild tomatillo: What early season factors protect the plant from an enemy that could destroy all of it? Foraging Cues: What pollen traits influence larval development and body size in bees? Do bees recognize them?

The End

Research Areas Why pollinators choose the plants they do Nutritional quality of pollen The implications of foraging choices of pollinators on success of their host plants Why herbivores choose their host plants What governs herbivore populations Potential Applications Understanding how to promote wild pollinators in agriculture Understanding ecosystem level processes to control pests