Tasmanian lacewing, Micromus tasmaniae Walker, is an important predator of a number of economically important pests such as aphids. This study was conducted to investigate some aspects of general biology and factors affecting the reproductive fitness of this species Emergence of M. tasmaniae peaked 3 h before light off and there was no significant difference in emergence patterns between males and females. Males became sexually mature earlier than females. Mating success significantly increased from the first to the eleventh hour after lights on. Predation, development and oviposition of M. tasmaniae were affected when reared under different photoperiods [i.e. 24:0, 16:8, 12:12, 0:24 h (light:dark)]. Results indicate that no individuals entered diapause at either an immature or adult stage. M. tasmaniae larvae could feed in both the photophase and scotophase and late instar larvae consumed significantly more aphids than early instar larvae. M. tasmaniae reared at 16:8 h developed faster and had lower mortality, heavier adult body weight and higher reproductive output in terms of fecundity and fertility rate. Therefore, mass-rearing programmes are recommended to be carried out at 16:8 h to obtain the higher quality of individuals and faster increase of populations. The larger-the better theory predicts that the reproductive fitness is positively linearly associated with body size or weight. However, the body weight of female M. tasmaniae had no effect on the reproductive fitness in terms of fecundity, fertility, fertility rate, oviposition period and longevity. The male body weight may contribute to the population growth of M. tasmaniae as the average females that mated with average or heavy males had significantly higher fecundity, fertility and fertility rate and longer reproductive period. These results suggest that development of any control method that should selectively mass-produce heavy and average individuals in the laboratory would help increasing M. tasmaniae quality and populations. M. tasmaniae is a polygamous species. Results indicate that female remating either with the same or different males was crucial for maximizing their reproductive success. Males could inseminate up to eight females and father about one thousand offspring during their life span.

Tasmanian lacewing, Micromus tasmaniae Walker, is an important predator of a number of economically important pests such as aphids. This study was conducted to investigate some aspects of general biology and factors affecting the reproductive fitness of this species Emergence of M. tasmaniae peaked 3 h before light off and there was no significant difference in emergence patterns between males and females. Males became sexually mature earlier than females. Mating success significantly increased from the first to the eleventh hour after lights on. Predation, development and oviposition of M. tasmaniae were affected when reared under different photoperiods [i.e. 24:0, 16:8, 12:12, 0:24 h (light:dark)]. Results indicate that no individuals entered diapause at either an immature or adult stage. M. tasmaniae larvae could feed in both the photophase and scotophase and late instar larvae consumed significantly more aphids than early instar larvae. M. tasmaniae reared at 16:8 h developed faster and had lower mortality, heavier adult body weight and higher reproductive output in terms of fecundity and fertility rate. Therefore, mass-rearing programmes are recommended to be carried out at 16:8 h to obtain the higher quality of individuals and faster increase of populations. The larger-the better theory predicts that the reproductive fitness is positively linearly associated with body size or weight. However, the body weight of female M. tasmaniae had no effect on the reproductive fitness in terms of fecundity, fertility, fertility rate, oviposition period and longevity. The male body weight may contribute to the population growth of M. tasmaniae as the average females that mated with average or heavy males had significantly higher fecundity, fertility and fertility rate and longer reproductive period. These results suggest that development of any control method that should selectively mass-produce heavy and average individuals in the laboratory would help increasing M. tasmaniae quality and populations. M. tasmaniae is a polygamous species. Results indicate that female remating either with the same or different males was crucial for maximizing their reproductive success. Males could inseminate up to eight females and father about one thousand offspring during their life span.

Habitat fragmentation and biological invasions are widely considered to be the most significant threats to global biodiversity, and synergistic interactions between these processes have the potential to cause even greater biodiversity loss than either acting alone. The objective of my study was to investigate the effects of fragmentation on plant communities in native forest fragments, and to examine potential interactions between these effects and invasions by exotic plants at multiple spatial scales. I examined edge, area and landscape effects on plant invasions using empirical data from fragmented landscapes on the West Coast of New Zealand. My research revealed significant interactions between the amount of native forest cover in the landscape and the strength of edge and area effects on plant communities in forest fragments. The dominance of exotic plants in the community was highest at forest edges and decreased towards fragment interiors, however the interiors of very small fragments were relatively more invaded by exotic plants than those in larger fragments, reflecting a significant interaction between edge and area effects. Similarly, exotic dominance increased in more heavily deforested landscapes, but this effect was only apparent in very small fragments (<2 ha). The combined effects of small fragment size and low forest cover in the landscape appear to have promoted invasions of exotic plants in very small remnants. I explored the mechanisms underlying edge-mediated invasions in forest fragments and examined whether propagule availability and/or habitat suitability may be limiting invasions into fragments. Experimental addition of exotic plant propagules revealed that landscape forest cover interacted with edge effects on germination, growth and flowering rates of two short-lived, herbaceous species, and this appeared to be driven by elevated light and soil phosphorus levels at edges in heavily deforested landscapes. I also examined the role of traits in influencing plant responses to forest fragmentation. Different traits were associated with exotic invasiveness in edge and interior habitats of forest fragments, indicating that the traits promoting invasiveness were context dependent. Traits also had a major influence on responses of native plants to forest fragmentation, with generalist species appearing to benefit from fragmentation, as they can utilise both forest and open habitats, whereas native forest specialists have been negatively impacted by fragmentation.

The main object of this study was to investigate the effects of predation by starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) on populations of the grass grub (Costelytra zealandica) in Canterbury, with the secondary objective of investigating the feasibility of life table studies of grass grub populations under Canterbury conditions. Study plots were established in four areas, two on non-irrigated pastureland at Lincoln and Weka Pass and two on irrigated pastureland at Winchmore. A third study plot was established at Winchmore in the second year of field work.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2009. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Oct. 22, 2009). Thesis advisor: Lawrence E. Steckel. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

A invasibilidade do capim-annoni-2 em agroecossistemas tem sido atribuída as suas características biológicas e relações ecológicas. A ecologia da germinação da espécie e a interação alelopática são pouco compreendidas. Este trabalho objetivou determinar a influência de fatores ambientais na germinação, a fitotoxicidade de extratos de capim-annoni-2, identificar e quantificar aleloquímicos fenólicos presentes em suas frações, determinar a influência da degradação da fitomassa e do solo na fitotoxicidade do extrato aquoso, monitorar a degradação dos compostos presentes nos extratos e identificar e quantificar aleloquímicos no solo de área contaminada. Foram realizados experimentos em laboratório utilizando materiais coletados a campo. As sementes germinaram em temperaturas constantes de 15 até 40 °C, mas as percentagens de germinação foram superiores a 94 % apenas em temperaturas alternadas. A exposição à luz aumentou a frequência de plântulas normais. A germinação aumentou com incremento no potencial de água e o número de plantas normais diminuiu com aumento na concentração de cloreto de sódio. A maior taxa de emergência foi observada com as sementes colocadas na superfície do solo, enquanto que nenhuma emergência ocorreu a 4 cm. Foram identificados e quantificados nove compostos fenólicos com potencial aleloquímico nas frações dos extratos de capim-annoni-2: ácido caféico, ácido cumárico, ácido ferúlico, ácido gálico, ácido vanílico, catequina, epicatequina, resveratrol e rutina. A ordem decrescente de fitotoxicidade geral dos extratos brutos no desenvolvimento de plântulas de trigo e alfafa foi acetato de etila, metanólico, aquoso e hexânico. Foi identificada correlação inversamente proporcional entre concentração de ácido vanílico e comprimento de radícula e total de plântulas de alfafa. A simulação da degradação da fitomassa e do solo ocasionou aumento na fitotoxicidade dos extratos sobre a germinação e o desenvolvimento de plântulas, comprovando a liberação dos aleloquímicos e a influência do solo no aumento de sua fitotoxicidade. Extratos etéreos da fitomassa e do solo incubados apresentaram modificações em seus respectivos cromatogramas do primeiro até o sétimo dia de incubação, enquanto a mistura de fitomassa + solo apresentou maiores modificações apenas entre o primeiro e o terceiro dia de degradação. Foram identificados quatro compostos fenólicos com potencial aleloquímico no solo da área infestada com capim-annoni-2: ácido cumárico, ácido ferúlico, catequina e epicatequina. A concentração destes compostos foi maior na superfície do solo e horizontalmente próximo às plantas de capim-annoni-2, evidenciando associação entre as concentrações dos aleloquímicos com a proximidade da planta. / The invasiveness of South African lovegrass in agroecosystems has been attributed to its biological characteristics and the ecological relations. The ecology of species germination and allelopathic interaction are poorly understood. The objective of this work was to determine the influence of environmental factors on germination, phytotoxicity of South African lovegrass extracts, to identify and quantify phenolic allelochemicals present in their fractions, to determine the influence of phytomass and soil degradation on the phytotoxicity of the aqueous extract, to monitor the degradation of the compounds present in the extracts and to identify and quantify allelochemicals in a infested soil. Experiments were carried out in the laboratory using materials collected in the field. Seeds germinated at constant temperatures of 15 to 40 ° C, but the percentages of germination were greater than 94 % only at alternating temperatures. Exposure to light increased the frequency of normal seedlings. Germination increased with increasing water potential and the number of normal plants decreased with increasing sodium chloride concentration. The highest emergence rate was observed with the seeds placed on the soil surface, whereas no emergence occurred at 4 cm. A total of nine phenolic compounds with allelochemical potential were identified in the fractions of extracts of South African lovegrass: caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, vanillic acid, catechin, epicatechin, resveratrol and rutin. The general decreasing order of general phytotoxicity of crude extracts in the development of wheat and alfalfa seedlings was ethyl, methanolic, aqueous and hexane acetate. An inversely proportional correlation was identified between vanillic acid concentration and root and total alfalfa seedlings length. The simulation of phytomass and soil degradation caused an increase in the phytotoxicity of the extracts on germination and seedling development, proving the release of the allelochemicals and the influence of the soil in the increase of its phytotoxicity. The ether extracts of the straw and soil showed changes in their chromatograms from the first to the seventh day of incubation, while the mixture of straw + soil showed greater changes only between the first and third day of degradation. Four phenolic compounds with allelochemical potential were identified in the South African lovegrass infested soil: coumaric acid, ferulic acid, catechin and epicatechin. The concentration of these compounds was higher at the soil surface and horizontally near the South African lovegrass plants, showing an association between concentrations of allelochemicals and plant distance.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:30:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1778159 bytes, checksum: 6a20f5725ffe5840db536d099a272853 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-25 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks, 1904) (Acari: Tarsonemidae), is distinguished for being a polyphagous pest, cosmopolitan and for have been founded attacking various cultures of global importance including the Capsicum frutescens chili pepper crops. Due to the damage caused farmers incur inappropriate practices in an attempt to control this pest. Thus, there is a necessity to find alternatives to control that pest to have success in the management and reduce the damage. Keeping weeds is a strategy that can increase populations of beneficial arthropods by rendering a most suitable environment for the development of these organisms due to the availabilíty of food resources. However, this can serve as an alternative vegetation shelter to phytophagous by offering food and adequate conditions to remain in the agroecossitema, and generate potential for development of insect pests. Therefore, in this study was aimed to determine the interactions among weeds found in the agroecosystems of chilli pepper and the phytophagous mite P. latus. This study is divided in three parts. In Chapter 1, is described the identification of the main west found in chilli pepper crops associated with P. latus, and the role of those plants on mite infestations in the crop. In chapter 2, was evaluated the potential for host-white mite species by Weeds found in agroecosystems of chili, and was determined the influence of plant breeding mite acceptance of host plants. According to the results obtained in the field, the infestation of P. latus in areas of Chili peppers with presence of weeds was significant compared with areas wíthout weeds. Weeds of Vernonia polysphaera, Ageratum conyzoides, Triumfetta bartramia and C.bonaeriensis.were found with P. latus. There were significant differences in the presence of P. latus in the time assessment. Weeds were significantly affected by the presence of P. latus. Significant difference was observed between the instantaneous population growth rates of P. latus (r¡) between the different plant species evaluated finding plants of C. frutescens, T. bartramia and A. conyzoides with higher population growth at the time assessment. With the study about the potential for host plants of P. latus, showed a significant difference in the amount of dust mites that come off of the whitefly, according to the origin of the creation of dust mites. Mites had a greater acceptance by plants of T. bartramia, V. polysphaera and C. frutescens. The weeds associated with culture of chili peppers may favor the presence of the mite-white. The maintenance of plants V. polysphaera, A. conyzoides e T. bartramia, C. bonaeriensis growing on the field can increase the potential for development, and alternative hosts as a refuge for the mite-white, by the reproductive success and acceptance of different weeds. / O ácaro-branco, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks, 1904) (Acari: Tarsonemidae), destaca-se por ser praga polifaga, cosmopolita e ter sido encontrada atacando várias culturas de importância mundial entre elas o cultivo de Capsicum frutescens pimenta- malagueta. Devido aos danos causados os agricultores incorrem em práticas inadequadas na tentativa de controle desta praga. Desta forma, há a necessidade de se encontrar alternativas ao controle da praga para diminuir os danos causados. A manutenção de plantas espontâneas é uma estratégia que permite aumentar populações de artrópodes benéficos ao tornar o ambiente mais adequado para estes, devido à disponibilidade de recursos alimentares. No entanto, essa vegetação pode servir como abrigo alternativo para fitófagos pelo oferecimento de alimento e condições adequadas para permanecer no agroecossitema, e gerar potencial para o desenvolvimento de pragas. Assim, neste trabalho, foi proposto determinar as interações entre plantas espontâneas encontradas dentro do agroecossistema de pimenta-malagueta e o ácaro fitófago P. latus. No Capítulo 1 é descrita a importância da presença de plantas espontâneas na cultura de pimenta-malagueta e avaliação da sua influência sobre as infestações do ácaro-branco dentro da cultura, foram identificadas as principais plantas espontâneas integradas ao plantio de pimenta com presença do ácaro-branco,e avaliado o potencial de crescimentos de P. latus em plantas espontâneas e de pimenta-malagueta a traves da taxa instantânea de crescimento populacional (r¡) sob condições de laboratório. No capitulo 2 foi avaliado o potencial de hospedeiro ao ácaro-branco por espécies de plantas espontâneas encontradas no agroecossistema da pimenta-malagueta, e foi determinada a influência da planta de criação do ácaro na aceitação de plantas hospedeiras. De acordo com os resultados obtidos em campo, a infestação de P. latus em áreas de pimenta-malagueta com presença de plantas espontâneas foi significativa comparada com áreas sem plantas espontâneas. Plantas espontâneas de Vernonia polysphaera, Ageratum Conyzoides, Triumfetta bartramia e Conyza bonaeriensis, foram encontradas Com P. latus. Houve diferença significativa na presença de P. latus no tempo de avaliação. Plantas espontâneas foram afetadas significativamente pela presença de P. latus. Houve diferença significativa entre as taxas instantâneas de crescimento populacional de P. latus(r¡) entre as diferentes espécies de plantas avaliadas encontrando plantas de C. frutescens, T. bartramia e A. conyzoides com maior crescimento populacional no tempo de avaliação. Com o estudo sobre o potencial de plantas hospedeiras de P. latus, mostrou diferença significativa na quantidade de ácaros que se desprendem da mosca-branca, de acordo com a origem de criação dos ácaros. Os ácaros tiveram uma maior aceitação por plantas de T. bartramia, V. Polysphaera e C. frutescens. As plantas espontâneas associadas a cultura da pimenta-malagueta podem favorecer a presença do ácaro-branco. A manutenção de plantas V. polysphaera, A. conyzoides e T. bartramia, C. bonaeriensis, no campo de cultivo pode aumentar o potencial de desenvolvimento, e hospedeiros alternativos como refugio para o ácaro- branco, pelo sucesso reprodutivo e aceitação de diferentes plantas espontâneas.

Lantana camara (lantana), a thicket-forming shrub, a number of different varieties of which were introduced into South Africa as ornamental plants but which has become a serious invasive weed. Conventional control measures for lantana are expensive and ineffective and it has therefore been targeted for biological control since 1961. To date, eleven biological control agent species have become established on lantana in South Africa. However, most agents persist at low densities and only occasionally impact plant populations. Three species regularly cause significant damage, but only reach sufficiently high numbers by midsummer after populations crash during the winter. Overall, the impact of the biological control programme on the weed is negligible and this has been ascribed to the poor selection of agents for release, the accumulation of native parasitoids, differences in insect preference for different varieties of the weed and variable climatic conditions over the weed’s range. This study suggests that the importance of varietal preferences has been over-estimated. A predictive bioclimatic modelling technique showed that most of the agents established in South Africa have a wide climatic tolerance and that the redistribution and importation of new climatypes of these agents will not improve the level of control. Additional agents are required to improve the biocontrol in the temperate conditions, and also to increase damage in the sub-tropical areas where most of the agents are established and where the weed retains its leaves year round. New candidate agents that possess biological attributes that favour a high intrinsic rate of increase, a high impact per individual and that improve the synchrony between the weed and the agent in climatic conditions that promote the seasonal leaflessness of plants should receive prior consideration. A survey in Jamaica indicated that additional biological control agents are available in the region of origin but that care should be taken to prioritise the most effective agents. The various selection systems currently available in weed biocontrol produce contradictory results in the priority assigned to candidate agents and a new selection system is proposed. The biology and host range of two new candidate natural enemies, the leaf-galling weevil, Coelocephalapion camarae and the leaf-sucking mirid, Falconia intermedia were investigated for the biocontrol of lantana. The studies indicated that these have considerable biocontrol potential, in that the weevil has a wide climatic tolerance and has the potential to survive the host leaflessness typical of temperate conditions, while the mirid has a high intrinsic rate of increase, and the potential for several generations a year. Both agents caused a high level of damage to the leaves, with the weevil galling the vascular tissue in the leaf-petiole and the mirid causing chlorotic speckling of the leaves. During laboratory trials both agents accepted indigenous species in the genus Lippia. However, under multiple choice conditions these agents showed a significant and strong oviposition preference for lantana. A risk assessment and post release field trials indicated that F. intermedia is likely to attack some Lippia species in the presence of lantana, but the levels of damage are predicted to be relatively low. A possible low incidence of damage to indigenous species was considered a justifiable ‘trade-off’ for the potentially marked impact on L. camara. Preference and performance studies on the two candidate agents suggested that most of the South African lantana varieties are suitable host plants. The mirid preferred certain varieties in multiple choice experiments, but this is unlikely to affect its impact under field conditions. Permission for release was accordingly sought for both species. Finally, the challenges facing the biological control programme and the potential for improving the control of L. camara in South Africa are considered.