Conura torvina (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) is a solitary pupal endoparasite of numerous insect species. In Brassica crops it acts as a parasite of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and was found as a hyperparasite of Cotesia rubecula (Marshall) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and several other parasitoid species. Cotesia rubecula was introduced into Virginia in 1987 as a biological control agent for Pieris rapae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), and because C. torvina was thought to have eliminated this population of C. rubecula, studies of C. torvina's reproductive biology and behavior were initiated. A study using plants laden with "trap hosts" to detect C. torvina activity in the spring indicated no activity until late June, but proved trap host sampling to be an efficient and effective method of monitoring C. torvina activity. Studies of C. torvina's ability to reproduce in C. rubecula pupae of different ages indicated that C. torvina can successfully parasitize pupae at all stages of development, but was most successful in young to middle aged pupae. Studies of C. torvina's host species preference indicated the larger host species such as P. xylostella were preferred. Equal numbers of P. xylostella and C. rubecula were parasitized, but a greater proportion of fertile eggs were laid in P. xylostella. Smaller host species were often ignored. Host dissection studies indicated that caged C. torvina were inefficient at host finding and oviposition. Superparasitism was common, but declined as the females gained oviposition experience. Experienced C. torvina produced an average of 8.25 progenies per day for a period of 12 days when provided with 13 P. xylostella hosts each day. Conura torvina produced up to 14 progenies a day when provided 3 26 hosts. Dissection of C. torvina ovaries indicated three ovarioles per ovary with a mean of 9.2 and maximum of 15 mature eggs per female. Host dissection indicated that a mean of 18 and maximum of 30 eggs could be laid per day. New eggs were produced as oviposition occurred. Significantly larger eggs were laid in P. xylostella than in C. rubecula, and significantly more eggs were laid in C. rubecula than in P. xylostella. From these data and data from earlier studies I concluded that C. torvina has a poor reproductive ability and its impact as a hyperparasite is limited to the summer months. This makes C. torvina an unlikely cause of C. rubecula's disappearance. / Ph. D.

This study was undertaken in order to investigate mentoring as a dynamic factor in leadership development. Although the subject matter is broad, - this particular study focuses on mentoring in ”Living Word Ministries” as part of leadership development. Methodology consisted of a theoretical and qualitative interviewing process. During the informal interviews, ”Living Word Ministries” was used as target group to investigate mentoring, discipleship, development time line, succession and development of leaders. In conclusion this study unanimously identified the lack of mentoring as crucial factor in ”Living Word Ministries”. Mentoring and discipleship as two related concepts in leadership development need to be incorporated into ”Living Word Ministries” and the body of Christ. Discipleship can therefore be used as a conduit for the mentor to develop leadership abilities of the prospective leader. / Practical Theology / (M. Ed.(Practical Theology))

This study was undertaken in order to investigate mentoring as a dynamic factor in leadership development. Although the subject matter is broad, - this particular study focuses on mentoring in ”Living Word Ministries” as part of leadership development. Methodology consisted of a theoretical and qualitative interviewing process. During the informal interviews, ”Living Word Ministries” was used as target group to investigate mentoring, discipleship, development time line, succession and development of leaders. In conclusion this study unanimously identified the lack of mentoring as crucial factor in ”Living Word Ministries”. Mentoring and discipleship as two related concepts in leadership development need to be incorporated into ”Living Word Ministries” and the body of Christ. Discipleship can therefore be used as a conduit for the mentor to develop leadership abilities of the prospective leader. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / (M. Ed.(Practical Theology))

Gifter och föroreningar förekommer sällan ensamma och studier om olika toxiska substanser genomförs ofta med endast en substans i taget. Det finns studier som har undersökt exempel på olika cocktails av substanser, men ibland är det svårt att identifiera alla källor som påverkar en organism. Vi har undersökt hur en kombination av ogräsmedlet Roundup och livsmedelsklassad polypropylenplast påverkar det sötvattenlevande kräftdjuret Daphnia magna. Vi fann att i högre doser orsakar Roundup 100% dödlighet innan könsmognad, men att det i små doser inte resulterar i lägre fitness än kontrollgruppen, utan till och med ökade den initiala överlevnaden när den tillsattes i plastbrukar. En cocktail av Roundup och plast orsakade en fördubblad utvecklingstid för äggen. Ägg från individer i plastburkar hade också en längre utvecklingstid men dessa individer hade även ett mycket högre antal ägg. Framtida studier bör undersöka avkommans fitness. Tidigt i studien upptäckte vi att det med stor sannolikhet fanns en tredje faktor som påverkade daphnierna negativt, som inte kunde förklaras av Roundup eller plastburkar, men som vi inte kunde identifiera. Därför vill vi också framhäva att experiment lätt kan påverkas av okända faktorer. / Toxins and pollutants rarely come alone and studies about various toxic substances are often performed with only one substance at a time. There are studies that have examined different cocktails of substances, but sometimes it can be difficult to identify all sources that affect an organism. We have investigated how a combination of the herbicide Roundup and Food Safe polypropylene plastic affect the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna. We found that Roundup causes 100% mortality before reaching fertility in higher doses, but that in small doses does not result in lower fitness compared to the control group, but even increases the initial survival rate when Roundup is added to plastic jars. A cocktail of Roundup and plastic resulted in a doubled development time for the eggs. Eggs from individuals in plastic jars also had a longer development time but there was also a much higher number of eggs from these individuals. Futiure studies ought to investigate the fitness of the offspring. Early in the study we discovered that there was most likely a third factor influencing the daphnia negatively, that could not be explained by plastic jars or Roundup, but one that we could not identify. Therefore, we also wish to urge that experiments can easily be influenced by unknown factors.