Minor Miners and Major Miners: Population Dynamics of Leaf-Mining Insects

摘要: This chapter discusses population dynamics of leaf-mining insects. Leaf mining is a means by which some insects consume foliage while simultaneously dwelling inside it. Worldwide approximately 10,000 species are leaf miners, but density estimates and demographic data available for only 1% these species. Most apparently suffer little egg mortality from natural enemies. Virtually every study examining whether at latent or eruptive densities, has identified parasitism larvae, sometimes pupae, as an important source mortality. Interactions with conspecifics other phytophagous insect have generally been viewed having effect on the dynamics, largely because characteristically low densities most phytophages were presumed to result in competition limiting resources. Tests regulatory role dominant sources, usually regression-based tests spatial temporal dependence, equivocal. One additional caveat must be added any discussion An extensive 3-year egg, larval, pupal revealed that occurred during larval stage. In 1984, when 3.59 mines/leaf, intraspecific accounted substantial mortality, was spatially dependent. Stilbosis quadricustatella univoltine miner commonly found Quercus geminata northern Florida. No studies examined populations same over several years, so it presently impossible determine if multiple stable states low- high-density regulated around different equilibrium levels.