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Study: Rain forest insects eat no more tree species than temperate counterparts
August 24, 2006A study initiated by University of Minnesota plant biologist George Weiblen has confirmed what biologists since Darwin have suspected-that the vast number of tree species in rain forests accounts for the equally vast number of plant-eating species of insects.
"This is a big step forward in the quest to understand why there is so much biodiversity in the tropics," said Weiblen, principal investigator and senior author for the National Science Foundation-funded research. The study is published in the Aug. 25 issue of the journal Science.
The research showed that insect species in tropical and temperate forests dine on about the same number of tree species, despite the more diverse menu in the tropics.
"The tropical forest cafeteria offers many more options than the temperate forest," Weiblen said. "Our study confirms that the choices tropical insects make are quite similar to those of insects in less diverse forests of places like Minnesota."
The study rejected an alternative theory that tropical insects are actually picky eaters who prefer fewer host plants than their temperate counterparts.
"Theory predicts that similar species coexist by dividing up resources like food and space," Weiblen said. "The unparalleled diversity of plant-eating insects in the tropics could be explained according to this theory if tropical insects were more choosy than those in temperate forests. But it hasn't been possible to compare what's on the menu until now."
Identical experiments on tropical and temperate insects were unknown until Weiblen developed a technique to control for differences in food plant diversity.
"It turns out that insect appetites aren't all that different near the equator but the tropical smorgasbord brings more species to the table," Weiblen says.
University of Minnesota
"The tropical forest cafeteria offers many more options than the temperate forest," Weiblen said. "Our study confirms that the choices tropical insects make are quite similar to those of insects in less diverse forests of places like Minnesota."
The study rejected an alternative theory that tropical insects are actually picky eaters who prefer fewer host plants than their temperate counterparts.
"Theory predicts that similar species coexist by dividing up resources like food and space," Weiblen said. "The unparalleled diversity of plant-eating insects in the tropics could be explained according to this theory if tropical insects were more choosy than those in temperate forests. But it hasn't been possible to compare what's on the menu until now."
Identical experiments on tropical and temperate insects were unknown until Weiblen developed a technique to control for differences in food plant diversity.
"It turns out that insect appetites aren't all that different near the equator but the tropical smorgasbord brings more species to the table," Weiblen says.
University of Minnesota
Insect Current Events and Insect News RSSOn the Trail of a Vaccine for Lyme Disease: Yale Researchers Target Tick Saliva
A protein found in the saliva of ticks helps protect mice from developing Lyme disease, Yale researchers have discovered. The findings, published in the November 19 issue of Cell Host & Microbe, may spur development of a new vaccine against infection from Lyme disease, which is spread through tick bites.
Technique finds gene regulatory sites without knowledge of regulators
A new statistical technique developed by researchers at the University of Illinois allows scientists to scan a genome for specific gene-regulatory regions without requiring prior knowledge of the relevant transcription factors.
Bigger not necessarily better, when it comes to brains
Tiny insects could be as intelligent as much bigger animals, despite only having a brain the size of a pinhead, say scientists at Queen Mary, University of London.
New fossil plant discovery links Patagonia to New Guinea in a warmer past
Fossil plants are windows to the past, providing us with clues as to what our planet looked like millions of years ago.
Well-traveled wasps provide hope for vanishing species
They may only be 1.5mm in size, but the tiny wasps that pollinate fig trees can travel over 160km in less than 48 hours, according to research from scientists at the University of Leeds. The fig wasps are transporting pollen ten times further than previously recorded for any insect.
DNA barcodes: Creative new uses span health, fraud, smuggling, history, more
The scientific ability to quickly and accurately identify species through DNA "barcoding" is being embraced and applied by a growing legion of global authorities - from medical and agricultural researchers to police and customs authorities to palaeontologists and others.
Why nice guys usually get the girls
Female water striders often reject their most persistent and aggressive suitors and prefer the males who aren't so grabby, according to new research. Water striders are insects commonly seen skittering across the surface of streams.
Mom was right: Nice guys don't always finish last
Picture it: One jerk in a bar spends the night delivering bad come-ons to women. By the end of the evening, the women aren't receptive to even the nicest guys around.
Media availability: The role of biomedical research in malaria eradication
Although malaria has been controlled in many local and regional populations, the permanent elimination of malaria parasites throughout the world remains an elusive goal, and the disease continues to claim nearly one million lives each year.
Spider web glue spins society toward new biobased adhesives
With would-be goblins and ghosts set to drape those huge fake spider webs over doorways and trees for Halloween, scientists in Wyoming are reporting on a long-standing mystery about real spider webs: It is the secret of spider web glue.
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