Submitted by FERNANDA DA SILVA VON PORSTER (fdsvporster@univates.br) on 2016-07-28T18:33:59Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) 2016JoseaneMoreiradoNascimento.pdf: 2710431 bytes, checksum: 64379202b43d5747f6ca19c9e2a53558 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Lisboa Monteiro (monteiro@univates.br) on 2016-08-30T11:51:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) 2016JoseaneMoreiradoNascimento.pdf: 2710431 bytes, checksum: 64379202b43d5747f6ca19c9e2a53558 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-30T11:51:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) 2016JoseaneMoreiradoNascimento.pdf: 2710431 bytes, checksum: 64379202b43d5747f6ca19c9e2a53558 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07 / CAPES / FAPERGS / Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) é um ácaro fitófago que causa danos ao cultivo de macieiras e recentemente foi encontrado em videiras no estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. A presente dissertação de mestrado teve como objetivo verificar a ocorrência de biótipos associados a estes dois hospedeiros, realizada pela caracterização morfológica, molecular e verificação da compatibilidade reprodutiva. A caracterização morfológica ocorreu através de medições de fêmeas de 17 áreas de amostragem, sendo dez de videiras e sete de macieiras, sendo que se obteve sobreposição das populações de macieiras e videiras na análise dos componentes principais. Para caracterização molecular, foram analisados três fragmentos: a região intergênica ITS do DNA ribossômico e dois fragmentos do gene citocromo c oxidase I (COI) do DNA mitocondrial. Os resultados para COI demonstraram a ocorrência de linhagens distintas em macieiras e videiras. A divergência intraespecífica foi baixa, 1,1%, indicando tratar-se de uma mesma espécie. Para verificação da compatibilidade reprodutiva, foram realizados cruzamentos entre uma população de macieiras proveniente de Vacaria (RS) e uma população de videiras proveniente de Bento Gonçalves (RS). Foram realizados cruzamentos e retrocruzamentos, nos quais se observou diferença significativa no potencial reprodutivo da população proveniente de macieiras, embora tenha havido compatibilidade reprodutiva entre as populações analisadas. Os resultados indicaram que as populações de Panonychus ulmi proveniente de macieiras e videiras consistem em uma mesma espécie, e sugeriram a ocorrência de biótipos ou host race ligada ao hospedeiro, com melhor desempenho em macieiras. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram a importância da caracterização de biótipos, pois estas informações são essenciais para o planejamento e aplicação em programas de controle biológico nas culturas avaliadas, ao nível de campo. / Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a phytophagous mite that causes damage to apple orchards and was recently found on vines in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This dissertation aimed to verify the occurrence of biotypes associated with these two hosts, conducted by morphological, molecular and verification of reproductive compatibility. The morphological characterization was carried out through measurements of females from 17 sampling areas, ten on vines and seven on apple trees, and obtained complete overlap of populations of apple trees and vines in principal components analysis. For molecular characterization, we analyzed three fragments: the intergenic region (ITS) of the ribosomal DNA and two fragments of the gene cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) of the mitochondrial DNA. The results for COI demonstrated the occurrence of different strains on apples and vines. The intraspecific divergence was low, 1.1%, indicating the presence of the same species. To verify the reproductive compatibility were performed crosses between a population of apple trees from Vacaria (RS) and a population of vines from Bento Gonçalves (RS). Crosses and backcrosses were performed, in which significant difference was observed in the reproductive potential of population from apple trees, although there were reproductive compatibility between populations analyzed. The results indicated that the populations of Panonychus ulmi from apple trees and vines consist in the same species, and suggested the occurrence of biotypes or host race connected to the host, with better performance in apple trees population. The results showed the importance of characterization of biotypes, as this information is essential for planning and application in biological control programs to crops evaluated at the field level.

At Santa Margarita Ranch, California, oak mistletoe (Phoradendron villosum) parasitizes valley oak and blue oak but cannot be found growing on coast live oak despite its abundance and ability to parasitize coast live oak in other areas. It seems as though this species of mistletoe is specializing on certain host oak trees, but the mechanisms of this specialization are unknown. In order to investigate this pattern, we utilized a type of machine learning in GIS called supervised classification as well as a reciprocal transplant study in the field. The three species of oak trees were classified with 87% accuracy using drone imagery and 95% accuracy using open source NAIP imagery. This classification technique could be applied to the whole state of California as long as ground truth points for each species were collected. This could be extremely useful for large scale forest management projects and ecological questions. Unfortunately, the classifier was unsuccessful at distinguishing mistletoe from host and so the number of mistletoe on each host could not be quantified using this technique. The reciprocal transplant study involved collecting mistletoe fruit from individuals growing on each of the three hosts and experimentally applying them back onto all three hosts. This allowed us to test whether there are host races of mistletoe that specialize at growing on certain hosts. We found that seeds from each host origin germinated equally well regardless of where they were dispersed, and seeds survived best on coast live oak, regardless of where they originated from. Based on these results, there must be some mechanism, other than host races, that explains the lack of mistletoe on coast live oaks at Santa Margarita Ranch. Future projects should investigate whether evidence for host races can be found at a later stage of seedling development and the roll of bird dispersers in creating the pattern.

Endoparasitoids of herbivorous lepidopterans have intimate relationships with their host species as well as the plant on which their host develops. Characteristics of both hosts and plants can affect parasitoid success in tri-trophic systems and thus, drive diversification. Genetic differentiation was estimated for Cotesia congregata (Say) collected from two distinct host-plant complexes, Manduca sexta L. on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) and Ceratomia catalpae, (Haworth) on catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides Walker), in the mid-Atlantic region of North America using seven microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial COI locus. Microsatellite allele frequencies were differentiated based on host-plant complex, and COI haplotypes from individuals on the same host-plant were identical despite geographic distances between catalpa sites of up to 830 km and distances between tobacco sites of up to 294 km. Results indicate genetic differentiation of subpopulations of C. congregata based on host-plant complex and not geographic distance, and were designated as host races. Cotesia congregata is a gregarious parasitoid, meaning that many individuals develop in a single host larva. Superparasitism, or repeated egg-laying events in the same host larva, is likely to occur in gregarious species. Brood size was not a good predictor of superparasitism in C. congregata, but within-brood male allele diversity indicates either superparasitism or multiple mating by female wasps.

Brood parasitism is a breeding strategy which imposes significant selection pressure upon the host as well as the parasite. Consequently, specific adaptations were formed on both sides. One of the adaptations could be vocal behaviour of brood parasite juveniles. Several conducted studies suggested that juveniles of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) adapt the form of their begging calls according to the host species they parasitize on. However, the outcomes of these studies were ambiguous. Therefore one of my tasks was to verify those findings. Two reed warblers - the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) and the reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) - living in sympatry were selected as the hosts. The structure of begging calls of common cuckoo juveniles raised by these two host species did not differ in any of the measured parameters (syllable duration, minimum and maximum frequency, peak frequency, frequency bandwidth and calling rate). On the contrary the structure of begging calls of own host juveniles varied significantly among the individual species. Moreover, a considerable individual variability was detected in both groups of cuckoo juveniles. Recent studies have revealed that juveniles already perceive sound and acquire knowledge of their parents' voices in the process of...