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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Is Context Dependency Imperative To Understanding The Impacts Of Invasive Plants?, Brendan B. Haile Jan 2020

Is Context Dependency Imperative To Understanding The Impacts Of Invasive Plants?, Brendan B. Haile

Masters Theses

Introduced exotic species have a tendency to become invasive and impact local biological communities. Invasions often impact community attributes such as cover and species richness, but these factors may also regulate patterns of invasion. In such cases, impacts may be dependent on the invasion context. We used data from the Buell-Small Succession Study, a long-term permanent plot study in the piedmont region of New Jersey, to document context dependency in invasion. To do this, we analyzed the factors that affected the colonization and growth of four invasive species, Alliaria petiolata, Lonicera japonica, Microstegium vimineum and Rosa multiflora, as well …


Effects Of Insect Opportunists On A Four-Level Trophobiotic System Involving Nectar-Producing Galls Of The Cynipid Wasp Disholcaspis Quercusmamma (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), Stephanie L. Smith Jan 2020

Effects Of Insect Opportunists On A Four-Level Trophobiotic System Involving Nectar-Producing Galls Of The Cynipid Wasp Disholcaspis Quercusmamma (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), Stephanie L. Smith

Masters Theses

The induction of plant galls is considered an adaptive life history trait found in many insect groups. The formation of galls provides several advantages to the gall maker, such as enhanced nutrition, favorable microclimate, and protection from natural enemies, including parasitoids, inquilines, and predators. Order Hymenoptera has many gall-making species, belonging to the gall wasp family Cynipidae. As an extended phenotype of the gall makers, some galls exhibit very sophisticated adaptive mechanisms involving multilevel species interactions. In particular, the oak galls of the Cynipid species Disholcaspis quercusmamma, found in much of Illinois, produce a palatable, sugary nectar-like secretion, attracting …