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Articles 1 - 17 of 17
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Neochetina Species And Arthropod Communities In Water-Hyacinth Rafts In South Carolina, Benjamin Powell
Neochetina Species And Arthropod Communities In Water-Hyacinth Rafts In South Carolina, Benjamin Powell
All Theses
Arthropod communities inhabiting feral water-hyacinth rafts were surveyed monthly in South Carolina's Coastal Plain from March 2005 through February 2006. Special attention was given to the chevroned waterhyacinth weevil [Neochetina bruchi (Hustache)], the mottled waterhyacinth weevil [N. eichhorniae (Warner)] (both Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and the waterhyacinth moth [Niphograpta albiguttalis (Warren)] (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), which were imported into North America to control water-hyacinth. Communities of arthropods are compared among sites, flow regimes (lentic, lotic, and tidal), and months of the year. The arthropod communities in waterhyacinth rafts in South Carolina are more diverse than previously reported. Rafts in each of …
Phylogeny And Classification Of Hydropsychidae Subfamilies And Genera Of The World (Insecta: Trichoptera), Christy Geraci
Phylogeny And Classification Of Hydropsychidae Subfamilies And Genera Of The World (Insecta: Trichoptera), Christy Geraci
All Dissertations
The family Hydropsychidae is nearly ubiquitous in streams and rivers, with over 1600 described species worldwide. Hydropsychidae is ecologically important and its larvae play key roles as indicators of water quality. Conflicting morphological characters have obscured the evolutionary history of the subfamilies, and the wide diversity of phallic morphology among Hydropsyche sensu lato species has created unstable classification systems that have been disputed among authors. My research used five nuclear ribosomal and mitochondrial COI fragments to infer a molecular phylogeny for Hydropsychidae subfamilies and genera, focusing particularly on the Hydropsychinae and the Hydropsyche sensu lato lineage. The monophyly of four …
Nesting And Foraging Characteristics Of The Black Carpenter Ant Camponotus Pennsylvanicus (Degeer) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Donald Oswalt
Nesting And Foraging Characteristics Of The Black Carpenter Ant Camponotus Pennsylvanicus (Degeer) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Donald Oswalt
All Dissertations
Potential nesting sites of Camponotus pennsylvanicus (DeGeer) were investigated in South Carolina to determine if nesting sites features could be characterized by habitat features for black carpenter ant nests. Environmental data from forested plots showed large-scale habitat features such as vegetation density and canopy cover were not useful as indicators for the presence or absence of nests. Small-scale individual nest characteristics such as diameter at breast height of trees, log length, tree defect type or tree species were better indicators of occupied nests. In my study, C. pennsylvanicus preferred mature hardwood (Quercus spp.) trees approximately 30 cm in diameter and …
Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Simulium Jenningsi Species-Group (Diptera: Simuliidae), Elizabeth Ann Alexander
Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Simulium Jenningsi Species-Group (Diptera: Simuliidae), Elizabeth Ann Alexander
Masters Theses
A molecular phylogenetic investigation was undertaken to identify species within the morphologically homogeneous Simulium jenningsi species group, a pestiferous group of 22 species of black flies restricted to the Nearctic region. Several species in this group have well documented medical and veterinary importance, most notably S. luggeri and S. jenningsi. Unfortunately, females are monomorphic, a conundrum given their pest status. The objective of this study was to examine the utility of molecular data in species identification, with obvious application to identification of pest females. Towards this end, we sequenced approximately 2 kilobases of sequence data from the mitochondrial (Cox …
A Revision Of Tomoceridae (Insecta: Collembola) In Great Smoky Mountains National Park And Southern Appalachians Using Morphological And Molecular Approaches, Kelly Lynn Felderhoff
A Revision Of Tomoceridae (Insecta: Collembola) In Great Smoky Mountains National Park And Southern Appalachians Using Morphological And Molecular Approaches, Kelly Lynn Felderhoff
Masters Theses
Large, heavily scaled tomocerid springtails (Collembola) are abundant in eastern forests, and are important components of the detrital food web. The genus Pogonognathellus predominates in the southern Appalachians While a number of well-delimited tomocerid species have been described, others have vague morphological boundaries and appear to be species complexes. Before this study began in 2005, four species were known to occur in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and the surrounding Appalachians (P. bidentatus, dubius, elongatus, flavescens). Also occurring throughout the area is Tomocerus lamellifera, a widespread and distinctive species. The goals of this project were to …
Impact Of Imidacloprid And Horticultural Oil On Non–Target Phytophagous And Transient Canopy Insects Associated With Eastern Hemlock, Tsuga Canadensis (L.) Carrieré, In The Southern Appalachians, Carla Irene Dilling
Masters Theses
Hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, is an exotic insect species dramatically reducing populations of eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrieré, throughout the eastern United States. Systemic imidacloprid and horticultural oil are the two primary chemicals used to control infestations of the hemlock woolly adelgid. However, the effect of application timing (fall versus spring) and method on the translocation of imidacloprid throughout the canopy in addition to the quantity of imidacloprid translocated is unknown. Also, the potential effect of both imidacloprid and horticultural oil on non-target canopy insects is unknown. A study was initiated to determine the effect of application …
The Long Term Effect Of Time-Memory On Forager Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Recruitment., Matthew Walter Otto
The Long Term Effect Of Time-Memory On Forager Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Recruitment., Matthew Walter Otto
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Experiments were performed to determine the influence of the honey bee time-memory on a forager bee's sensitivity to recruitment. Two groups of foragers from one colony were trained to separate food stations at the same restricted time of day for several consecutive days. Feeding then was canceled at one station but continued for four more days at the other. Bees with more days of training at a non-productive source were significantly less likely than foragers with less training to be recruited to an alternative food source presented at the same time of day. Furthermore, the ability of a forager to …
The Effects Of Clearcutting And Glyphosate Herbicide Use On Parasitic Wasps In Maine Forests, Kristopher J. Abell
The Effects Of Clearcutting And Glyphosate Herbicide Use On Parasitic Wasps In Maine Forests, Kristopher J. Abell
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Parasitic wasps (parasitoids) play an important role as natural enemies of insects and contribute substantially to world biodiversity (May, 1988), yet they have received relatively little attention outside of agricultural settings. Clearcut harvesting and herbicide (glyphosate) application are frequent and widespread disturbances in Maine forests that drastically alter the local environment. Parasitoids are particularly susceptible to disturbance for several reasons: 1) they are vulnerable to small changes in environmental conditions, 2) they occupy a high trophic level, and 3) many are host specific. However, there may be potential benefits of disturbance such as increased food resources (floral nectaries) and increased …
Effects Of Forest Management On Click Beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Assemblages In The Acadian Forest Of Maine, Shelly L. Thomas
Effects Of Forest Management On Click Beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) Assemblages In The Acadian Forest Of Maine, Shelly L. Thomas
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Click beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) assemblages were examined in three experiments in the Acadian forest of Maine. First, I used flight intercept traps to compare Elaterid assemblages in stands that developed after clearcut, shelterwood, and selection harvests. Click beetle richness was highest in stands managed under a selection system and lowest in stands regenerated using the clearcut method. The abundance of click beetle species was lower in stands managed by clearcutting than in stands managed using the shelterwood and selection methods. Hardwood basal area was the best environmental predictor for both species richness and species abundance. Second, I examined whether Elaterid …
Chemical Ecology, Fungal Interactions And Forest Stand Correlations Of The Exotic Asian Ambrosia Beetle, Xylosandrus Crassiusculus (Motschulsky) (Curculionidae), Eric Paul Ott
LSU Master's Theses
Increasing evidence of non-indigenous ambrosia beetles aggressively attacking hosts in their new environment in the United States has led to concern over the potential for damage to urban trees, nurseries, orchards, and forests. A novel technique of flooding host trees was devised to stimulate ambrosia beetle attacks, with ambrosia beetle attraction peaking four days following flooding. In-situ sampling identified significant differences in the composition, quantity and point of release (leaf or bole) of volatiles emitted by the flooded and non-flooded trees. Coupled gas chromatography electroantennographic detection revealed olfactory sensitivity by the ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) to 29 of these …
Effect Of Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis Invicta Buren) On The Nesting Success Of Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus L.), Michael Andrew Seymour
Effect Of Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis Invicta Buren) On The Nesting Success Of Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus L.), Michael Andrew Seymour
LSU Master's Theses
The Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus L.) has experienced average yearly decline of 3% in the United States from 1966-2005. Factors implicated in decline include habitat destruction, alteration of farm practices, and red imported fire ant (RIFA) (Solenopsis invicta Buren). Effect of RIFA on bobwhites has been a hot topic leading to formation of polarized camps – those who believe RIFA have little effect and those who believe the effect will further threaten the species’ survival. The main objective of this study was to determine if RIFA affect nesting of bobwhites and at what stage in nesting birds are most vulnerable. …
Impact And Interaction Of Samea Multiplicalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) And Cyrtobagous Salviniae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) On Salvinia Minima In South Louisiana And The Foraging Behavior Of Solenopsis Invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) On Salvinia Minima, Sunil Tewari
LSU Master's Theses
A field study was conducted in 2005 and 2006 to evaluate the impact and interaction of the herbivores Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands and Samea multiplicalis Guenee on common salvinia, Salvinia minima Baker in south Louisiana. It was a completely randomized experimental design in which treatments consisted of C. salviniae and S. multiplicalis feeding on common salvinia both independently and together along with a control. Our study revealed that treatments consisting of C. salviniae and S .multiplicalis feeding both independently and together had a significant impact on the biomass of common salvinia. Sampling done in October of both 2005 and …
Evaluating Precision Agricultural Technologies In A Louisiana Cotton Insect Pest Management System, Joshua Heath Temple
Evaluating Precision Agricultural Technologies In A Louisiana Cotton Insect Pest Management System, Joshua Heath Temple
LSU Master's Theses
A variable rate pesticide application system was developed and tested during 2001 for an agricultural aircraft in Louisiana. Using technology available to the agricultural aviation industry, a variable rate prescription of insecticide was successfully applied to a cotton field in 2002. These studies compared the efficacy and value of spatially variable insecticide (SVI) applications based on yield maps to the producer standard, whole-field broadcast treatments. Insecticide prescriptions were created from historical yield and production data. Treatments included whole-field broadcast sprays, yield-based SVI sprays, and profit-based SVI sprays. Twenty-two SVI applications were made to test fields from 2002-2005 using two aircraft …
Detection Of West Nile Virus Activity In Male And Female Mosquitoes, And Evaluation Of Host-Utilization Patterns Of Mosquitoes, In East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Andrew James Mackay
Detection Of West Nile Virus Activity In Male And Female Mosquitoes, And Evaluation Of Host-Utilization Patterns Of Mosquitoes, In East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Andrew James Mackay
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
ABSTRACT Host utilization patterns of female mosquitoes, and WNV infection rates in male and female mosquitoes, were examined in East Baton Rouge Parish to identify potential vectors of West Nile virus (WNV). A total of 244,374 female mosquitoes were collected between November 2002 and October 2004 and tested by viral isolation. Additionally, 131,896 female mosquitoes were tested by VecTest in 2003, and 167,175 female mosquitoes were tested by RT-PCR in 2004. West Nile virus was isolated from 17 of 36 mosquito species assayed by virus isolation, WNV antigens were detected in 9 of 27 species tested by VecTest, and WNV …
Population Ecology Of Pseudacteon Tricuspis Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae), An Introduced Parasitoid Of The Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis Invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Louisiana, Donald Charles Henne
Population Ecology Of Pseudacteon Tricuspis Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae), An Introduced Parasitoid Of The Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis Invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Louisiana, Donald Charles Henne
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Aspects of the population ecology of a parasitoid (Pseudacteon tricuspis) of the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) in Louisiana were studied. The spatio-temporal abundance patterns, dispersal, population spread, aggregation, direct mutual interference and functional response characteristics of this parasitoid were studied to address deficiencies in our knowledge about phorid flies, particularly Pseudacteon parasitoids. This endoparasitoid was discovered to manipulate host ant behavior in ways that benefit its own survival. Laboratory experiments to gain insights into behavioral and functional responses revealed that fly aggregations were density-dependent and interference was not significant when 1-3 females were simultaneously confined with hosts, although …
Detection Of The Bloodmeal Origin Of Mosquitoes Collected At Alligator Farms, And West Nile Virus Activity In Mosquitoes Collected From Alligator Farms, Sentinel Chicken Surveillance Sites, And Larval Habitats, Isik Unlu
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
A three year study was conducted to determine if testing mosquitoes collected in modified sentinel chicken boxes for West Nile Virus (WNV) or testing sentinel chickens for WNV antibody would detect WNV activity prior to reports of human cases in East Baton Rouge (EBR) Parish, Louisiana. In one year we also compared the effectiveness of CDC light traps, gravid traps, and sentinel chicken box traps for collecting WNV positive mosquitoes. In all three years, we detected WNV activity in mosquito collections from sentinel chicken box traps prior to the onset of human cases, while there were no seroconversions in the …
Culture-Independent Identification Of Gut Bacteria In Fourth-Instar Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis Invicta Buren, Larvae, Albert Hon-Yu Lee
Culture-Independent Identification Of Gut Bacteria In Fourth-Instar Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis Invicta Buren, Larvae, Albert Hon-Yu Lee
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Red imported fire ants (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, are medical, urban, and agricultural pests from South America. Fourth-instar larvae are used by the colony to digest solid food and then regurgitate it for consumption by workers and queens. Larvae are an ideal source of investigations of obligate endosymbiotic bacteria possibly involved in nutrient distributions. I attempted to first identify what bacteria species are in the guts of larvae followed by antibiotic and microscopy work to further study their roles in the ants. The composition of the bacterial community in fire ant larvae was described with culture-independent methods utilizing 16S rDNA …