Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1984. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-69). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2002. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-70). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1962. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1982. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-85). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1987. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-47). Also available via the Internet.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Jason Griffin / Feeding preference experiments with the pine sawyer beetle (Monochamus carolinensis Olivier) were conducted using eleven taxa of Pinaceae. One newly emerged adult beetle (≤ 24 hours) was placed into each feeding arena (n = 124) containing three or four shoots of current season's growth from different tree species (one shoot per species) for choice experiments. Beetles were allowed to feed for 48 (2011) or 72 (2012-2014) hours, at which point shoots were removed and data collected on feeding occurrence and percent feeding area. Augmented design analyses of feeding occurrence and percent feeding area of the eleven taxa did not indicate significant evidence for feeding preferences of the pine sawyer beetle on most taxa except for a higher preference for both scots (Pinus sylvestris L.) and eastern white (P. strobus L.) pines compared to deodar cedar [Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ex D. Don) G. Don]. The feeding preference experiments suggest that pine sawyer beetle may feed on a wide-range of Pinaceae taxa. Virtual plant walk maps were developed using a web-application for two semesters of an ornamental plant identification course (n = 87). The maps allowed students to revisit plants and information covered in lecture and laboratory sections at their own convenience, using either a computer or mobile device. Survey results indicated 63% of the students used the virtual plant walk maps as a study resource. Students mainly used the maps to study the most current plant list. Most students who used the virtual maps did so to review the plants online. When asked to rate usefulness of the maps on a scale from slightly useful (1) to very useful (3), 43% of students indicated that the virtual maps study tool was very useful, 25% indicated the maps were useful, and 8% indicated that the maps were slightly useful. A significant dependence between student use frequency and student usefulness ratings of virtual plant walk maps was observed. As students’ use of the virtual maps increased, they perceived the maps to be more useful to their studies in preparing for identification quizzes. No differences between plant identification quiz scores were observed between students who used and did not use the virtual plant walk maps or between learning styles. Our survey indicated students used the virtual plant walk maps as a resource and perceived the maps as a useful tool in preparation for identification quizzes.

Hylotrupes bajulus (L.) is a serious pest of seasoned softwoods. The female oviposits in the cracks and crevices of the wood, and the larvae can survive and feed in the wood for 2-10 years. The female H. bajulus has an elongated ovipositor comprised of the modified abdominal segments 8 and 9, intersegmental membrane 8/9, and pair of distal gonostyli. When not in use, the ovipositor is retracted within abdominal segment 7. The 8th abdominal segment forms the proximal end of the ovipositor. An internal apodeme attached to the base of the 8th sternite allows for extension and retraction of the ovipositor. The intersegmental membrane 8/9 makes up half the length of the ovipositor. The 9th abdominal segment, along with the gonostyli, comprise the dist3 l part of the ovipositor. The 9th sternum is split along the midline to form a pair of hemisternites. The gonostyli are comprised of basal coxites and apical styli. The gonostyli are the only remnants of the appendicular oviocsitor. Several types of sensory receptors are found on the ovipositor. Segment 8 has both long tactile hairs and short trichoid sensilla. Intersegmental membrane 8/9 has no vi sible sensory receptors. Segment 9 has campaniform receptors and short trichoid sensilla. The gonostyli have several types of sensory receptors including long tactile hairs, medium trichoid ser..silla, short trichoid sensilla, and basiconic receptors. The long tactile hairs and campaniform receptors are innervated by a single dendri te, thus functioning as mechanoreceptors. The medium trichoid are innervated by three dendrites, two of which extend into the lumen of the receptor. The short trichoid sensilla are innervated by five sensory neurons. The basiconic receptors are innervated by 1-3 dendri tes, depending on the type and location of the receptor. All three types of sensilla function as contact chemoreceptors, and may provide information on the suitability of the oviposition substrate. / Master of Science

Our Swedish forests have always been under the exposure of fire, more or less. The historical influence of fires, have made some species bound to these habitats or temporarily using them. Among these species, beetles (Coleoptera) are numerous. One of the tree species with the most historic influence of fire as well as inhabiting a great beetle-fauna is the oak (Quercus sp.). An area with an especially rich beetle-fauna tied to the oak and a extensive history of fire is the Hornsö-area in Smaland.  The purpose of this study is to investigate how the beetle-fauna and number of individuals differs between newly dead oaks in burnt areas and outside them, in the Hornsö area. The two studied families was long-horn beetles (Cerambycidae) and bark beetles (Scolytinae). The beetles were reared from hatching boxes. The study aims to fil in knowledge gaps about which species that are pyrophilous respectively fire-favoured. In the future this could contribute to a better knowledge about how to manage the oakforests and it`s associated species. The results shows that bark beetles are more numerous on burned oaks, that have died recently where the fire have been limited to the ground. It also seems like bark beetles are more numerous on smaller diameter trees. Future studies should focus on studying wood a wider range of diameters as well as more trees and samples. A longer time for rearing the insects would also be desirable.

A fauna de insetos com ênfase em Coleoptera, Cerambycidae nas margens do rio madeira, em Rondônia foi estudada. Coletas foram realizadas de janeiro a dezembro de 2004, durante um dia por mês em quatro áreas, perfazendo 15 pontos de amostragem. Foram utilizadas armadilhas luminosas modelo Luiz de Queiroz e armadilhas de Malaise. Na avaliação das comunidades, foi utilizada a riqueza de espécies, a abundância, os índices de diversidade e similaridade. Para a estimativa de riqueza de espécies foram usados procedimentos estatísticos não paramétricos Chao 1, Jackknife 1 e Jackknife 2. Foram coletados 7036 indivíduos de 684 espécies distribuídos em 127 famílias. Coleoptera e Lepidoptera foram as ordens mais representativas. Foi registrado um total de 3.779 espécimes distribuídos em 33 famílias de Coleoptera. As famílias mais abundantes foram Scarabaeidae, Hydrophilidae, Chrysomelidae, Carabidae, Cerambycidae e Curculionidae que juntas representam 81 % dos indivíduos coletados. Para Cerambycidae foram coletados 110 espécies distribuídas em 5 subfamílias, 35 tribos e 92 gêneros, com a maioria das espécies (75%) representada por um único indivíduo. Os valores do índice de Shannon-Weaver obtido para as áreas foram significativamente diferentes, e as espécies estão distribuídas homogeneamente. / This research deals with the fauna of insects, emphasizeing Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, occurring in the margins of the Madeira River, in Porto Velho, State of Rondônia, Brazil. The insects were collected one day per month, with light traps (model Luiz de Queiroz) and Malaise traps placed at 15 sampling points, from January to December, 2004. The parameters species richness, species abundance, diversity and similarity indices were used to evaluate the insect communities. The species richness was estimated by the non parametric statistical procedures Chao 1, Jackknife 1 and Jackknife 2. One collected 7,036 specimens belonging to 684 species and/or morphospecies, distributed in 127 families. The orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera were the most diverse ones. The most abundant families of Coleoptera were Carabidae, Cerambycidae, Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae, Hydrophilidae and Scarabaeidae, which together represented 81% of the individuals collected. Regarding the Cerambycidae one collected 110 species, distributed in 5 subfamilies, 35 tribes, and 92 genera. Most of the species (75%) was represented by only one individual. The values of the Shannon index obtained for the areas were significantly different and the species were homogeneously distributed.

Neste estudo a dinâmica de quebra de galhos de acácia negra foi investigada com análise de séries temporais e modelagem ecológica, em conjunto de dados obtidos durante oito anos, visando compreender como se dá o comportamento de Oncideres impluviata (Colepotera, Cerambycidae) em diferentes áreas de plantios florestais, em fazendas localizadas em diferentes municípios do Rio Grande do Sul. A diversidade de cerambicídeos também foi analisada em duas fazendas localizadas no município de maior abundancia de O. impluviata. Os resultados sugerem que a maior abundância de galhos quebrados se dá em Cristal e Encruzilhada do Sul. O município de Piratini exibiu menor densidade de galhos quebrados, entretanto, a projeção dos valores médios de galhos seguiu um padrão aparentemente exponencial para Cristal e Encruzilhada do Sul e sigmóide para Piratini. As funções de autocorrelação e autocorrelação parcial não evidenciaram claras tendências de ciclos nas séries para os três municípios, mas as tendências de ocorrência de picos similares aos surtos diferiram nos três municípios quando a análise espectral foi aplicada. A dinâmica analisada pela equação de Ricker indicou a ocorrência de equilíbrio estável, ciclo limite e comportamento caótico nos três municípios, porém, com menor prevalência de caos em Piratini. A migração espacial mostrou maior poder de estabilização populacional em Cristal e Encruzilhada do Sul em razão das maiores taxas de crescimento presentes nestes municípios. Quinze espécies de cerambicídeos foram encontradas em duas fazendas pertencentes ao município de Encruzilhada do Sul e Oncideres impluviata, Nesozineus alphoides e Ygapema delicata foram as espécies de cerambicídeos mais abundante nas áreas analisadas. As curvas de rarefação atingiram assíntotas de forma satisfatória, comprovando a suficiência do esforço amostral. / In this study, the dynamics of black wattle broken branches was investigated with time series analysis and ecological modeling in dataset obtained during eight years, in order to understand how O. impluviata (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) behaves in different forests placed in farms of different municipalities of the Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The diversity of cerambycids wal also analysed in two farms placed in the municipality with the highest abundance of O. impluviata. The results suggest that higher abundance of broken branches occurs in Cristal and Encruzilhada do Sul. Piratini exhibited the lowest density of broken branches, however, the projection of mean values of branches followed an apparently exponential pattern in Cristal and Encruzilhada do Sul and sigmoid in Piratini. The autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation functions did not show clear trends of cycles in the series of the three municipalities, but the peak occurrence trends similar to the outbreaks differed in the three municipalities when the spectral analysis was applied. The dynamics analysed with the Ricker equation indicated stable equilibrium, limit cycle and chaos in the three municipalities, but, with lower prevalence in Piratini. The spatial migration showed higher power to stabilize population in Cristal and Encruzilhada do Sul in response to high growth rates in these municipalities. Fifteen species of cerambycids were found in the two farms in Encruzilhada do Sul and O. impluviata, Nesozineus alphoides and Ygapema delicate were the most abundant species in the areas. The rarefaction curves showed satisfactory asymptotes, confirming the adequacy of the sampling effort.