Experimental Studies on Slug-Plant Interactions: III. Differences in the Acceptability of Individual Plants of Trifolium Repens to Slugs and Snails

1982 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Dirzo ◽  
John L. Harper
Keyword(s):  
Trifolium Repens ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Plant Interactions

scholarly journals Should I Eat or Should I Go? Acridid Grasshoppers and Their Novel Host Plants: Potential for Biotic Resistance

Plants ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina Avanesyan
Keyword(s):  
Host Plants ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Feeding Preference ◽  
Insect Herbivores ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Grasshopper Species ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Introduced Plants

Novel, non-coevolved associations between introduced plants and native insect herbivores may lead to changes in trophic interactions in native communities, as well as to substantial economic problems. Although some studies in invasion ecology demonstrated that native herbivores can preferentially feed on introduced plants and therefore contribute to the biotic resistance of native communities to plant invasions, the role of acridid grasshoppers as native generalist insect herbivores is largely overlooked. This systematic review aimed to identify patterns of grasshopper feeding preferences for native versus introduced plants and, consequently, a potential of grasshoppers to provide biotic resistance of native communities. The analysis of 63 records of feeding preference trials for 28 North-American grasshopper species (retrieved from 2146 studies published during 1967–2017) has demonstrated a preference of grasshoppers for introduced host plants, and identified 12 preferred introduced plants with high or middle invasive ranks. A significant effect of the life stage (p < 0.001), but not the experimental environment, plant material, and measurements, on grasshopper preferences for introduced plants was also detected. Overall, results suggest a potential of acridid grasshoppers to contribute to the biotic resistance of native communities. The review also provides methodological recommendations for future experimental studies on grasshopper-host plant interactions.

Scarab damage to grass and clover as influenced by depth of feeding

1969 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 559-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Davison ◽  
R. J. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Lolium Perenne ◽  
Trifolium Repens ◽  
Root Distribution ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Factorial Experiment ◽  
Wire Mesh ◽  
Root Damage ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Relative Root

Third-instar larvae of Rhopaea morbillosa Blkb. (Melolonthinae) were maintained at fixed depths between wire-mesh screens in earthenware pots during a 12-week factorial experiment designed to study the relationship between depths of feeding and damage to roots and foliage yield of Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens under two soil-moisture treatments (10% and 20%), with and without fertilisers.Depth of feeding had a highly significant effect on relative root damage and foliage yield, and at all depths (18, 14, 12, 1, 2, and 4 in.) significantly greater root damage occurred under conditions more favourable for pasture growth.Ryegrass was deeper rooted and suffered more damage than clover. The degree of non-linearity of root distribution with depth affected damage to roots at all depths so that species in mixed swards should suffer damage in proportion to their deep-rootedness.It is clear that depth of feeding can confound experimental studies of damage by scarab larvae, and in the field it will influence the damage caused to pastures.

3-D reconstruction and analysis of mammalian mitotic spindle structure

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 578-579
Author(s):  
Kent McDonald ◽  
David Mastronarde ◽  
Rubai Ding ◽  
Eileen O'Toole ◽  
J. Richard McIntosh
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Mitotic Spindle ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Video Camera ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Mitotic Spindles ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Reconstruction Methods ◽  
Spindle Structure ◽  
Tissue Culture Line

Mammalian spindles are generally large and may contain over a thousand microtubules (MTs). For this reason they are difficult to reconstruct in three dimensions and many researchers have chosen to study the smaller and simpler spindles of lower eukaryotes. Nevertheless, the mammalian spindle is used for many experimental studies and it would be useful to know its detailed structure.We have been using serial cross sections and computer reconstruction methods to analyze MT distributions in mitotic spindles of PtK cells, a mammalian tissue culture line. Images from EM negatives are digtized on a light box by a Dage MTI video camera containing a black and white Saticon tube. The signal is digitized by a Parallax 1280 graphics device in a MicroVax III computer. Microtubules are digitized at a magnification such that each is 10-12 pixels in diameter.

Averting robo-bees: why free-flying robotic bees are a bad idea

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 723-729
Author(s):  
Roslyn Gleadow ◽  
Jim Hanan ◽  
Alan Dorin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Food Security ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Plant Insect Interactions ◽  
Native Habitat ◽  
Insect Pollinators ◽  
Insect Interactions

Food security and the sustainability of native ecosystems depends on plant-insect interactions in countless ways. Recently reported rapid and immense declines in insect numbers due to climate change, the use of pesticides and herbicides, the introduction of agricultural monocultures, and the destruction of insect native habitat, are all potential contributors to this grave situation. Some researchers are working towards a future where natural insect pollinators might be replaced with free-flying robotic bees, an ecologically problematic proposal. We argue instead that creating environments that are friendly to bees and exploring the use of other species for pollination and bio-control, particularly in non-European countries, are more ecologically sound approaches. The computer simulation of insect-plant interactions is a far more measured application of technology that may assist in managing, or averting, ‘Insect Armageddon' from both practical and ethical viewpoints.

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