Interactions between a leaf-galling wasp and its invasive hawkweed hosts

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dc.contributor.authorHolmes, Gregory
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
dc.contributor.supervisorDe Clerck-Floate, Rosemarie
dc.contributor.supervisorLaird, Robert A.
dc.date.accessioned2016-09-13T19:56:23Z
dc.date.available2016-09-13T19:56:23Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.degree.levelMastersen_US
dc.description.abstractThis thesis aims to explore the interactions between a potential biocontrol agent, the gall-wasp Aulacidea pilosellae, and its invasive Pilosella hawkweed hosts. I discovered that increased nitrogen availability improves P. officinarum vegetative growth, while also interacting with A. pilosellae to reduce vegetative growth, as the plants cannot compensate for this herbivory. I did not detect any nitrogen effects on wasp performance. I also explored how the host species utilized for galling affects wasp performance through two generations by measuring maternal effects. These only influenced offspring performance when the mother had utilized P. caespitosa, but not P. glomerata. I discovered that P. caespitosa is also the better offspring host, producing significantly larger galls and heavier larvae compared to P. glomerata. These results may help identify, 1) if underlying site fertility may be associated with increases in agent performance and/or impact on the target weed, and 2) to indicate the appropriate Pilosella species to target in a biocontrol programme.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipB.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Alberta Conservation Association.en_US
dc.embargoNoen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/4604
dc.language.isoen_CAen_US
dc.proquest.subject0329en_US
dc.proquest.subject0353en_US
dc.proquest.subject0479en_US
dc.proquestyesYesen_US
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Biological Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Scienceen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)en_US
dc.subjecthawkweedsen_US
dc.subjectgall waspen_US
dc.subjectbiocontrolen_US
dc.subjectnitrogenen_US
dc.subjectmaternal effectsen_US
dc.subjectinsect-plant interactionsen_US
dc.titleInteractions between a leaf-galling wasp and its invasive hawkweed hostsen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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