Journal article
Patch Use by a Monophagous Herbivore in Fragmented Prairie Landscapes
Prairie Naturalist, Vol.36(4), pp.231-242
2004
Abstract
<p>Small patches in fragmented habitats might function as sinks, as islands suitable for colonization, or they might facilitate movement of animals through the matrix from one suitable patch to another even though they might not support self-sustaining populations. Using mark-recapture procedures with the monophagous dogbane beetle (Clll)lsochus auratus), we examined the use of experimental clusters of its host plant, Indian hemp dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum), radiating out from large, natural patches. Experimental clusters of plants were placed as single clusters at varying distances up to 100 m from seven natural patches and in "stepping stone" fashion of clusters every 25 m. Based on known movement pattems in the dogbane beetle, we expected that clusters of host plants would be found easily by individuals dispersing from the adjacent natural patch. As expected, over 90% of the experimental host plant clusters were discovered over the course of the season, but the dogbane beetles visiting the clusters of host plants we added were likely long-distance dispersers (> 350 m), given that we found no marked dogbane beetles from the natural patch in any of the plant clusters. We found no effect of the stepping stone anangement on the number of dogbane beetles captured in the clusters. Furthermore, dogbane beetles only visited the host plant clusters for a short time, presumably to feed and rest, rather than taking up residence and laying egg masses as they did on host plants in natural patches. Preliminary evidence supported the hypothesis that patches of A. cannabinum might serve as stepping stones for dogbane beetles moving among large populations of the host plant. For dogbane beetles and other prairie insects dependent on plants found in scattered remnants, small, frequently unoccupied patches might facilitate movement between large patches even though they might not support viable populations.</p>
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Patch Use by a Monophagous Herbivore in Fragmented Prairie Landscapes
- Creators
- Stephen D. Hendrix - University of IowaM St. Pierre
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Prairie Naturalist, Vol.36(4), pp.231-242
- ISSN
- 0091-0376
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2004 North Dakota Natural Science Society. Posted with permission.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2004
- Academic Unit
- Biology
- Record Identifier
- 9983557328602771
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