The Invasive Cactus Moth, Cactoblastis Cactorum
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University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School January 2011 The invasive cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum: Host plant testing, species interactions, and effects on local Opuntia populations Heather Jezorek University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons, and the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons Scholar Commons Citation Jezorek, Heather, "The invasive cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum: Host plant testing, species interactions, and effects on local Opuntia populations" (2011). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3731 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The invasive cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum: Host plant testing, species interactions, and effects on local Opuntia populations by Heather Jezorek A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Integrative Biology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Peter Stiling, Ph.D. Gordon Fox, Ph.D. Earl McCoy, Ph.D. Jason Rohr, Ph.D. Date of Approval: November 18th, 2011 Keywords: cacti, oviposition, larval performance, associational resistance, predation Copyright © 2011, Heather Jezorek ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have been fortunate to have a wonderful support system while at USF. I first and foremost thank my major professor, Peter Stiling, for his exceptional guidance and encouragement, not only on my research, but on all aspects of graduate school. I thank my committee members, Dr. Gordon Fox, Dr, Earl McCoy, and Dr. Jason Rohr for their insightful comments on my dissertation, and for freely sharing their time and expertise during the past six years. I would also like to thank Henry Mushinsky and Susan Bell for help in acquiring funding and for creating an outstanding environment for higher education. Many people have helped in the production of this work by assisting with field work, offering advice, and sharing their knowledge. In particular, I would like to thank the following past and present members of the Stiling lab: Laura Altfeld, Lance Arvidson, Kerry Bohl, Tatiana Cornelissen, Christy Foust, Jennifer Maul, and Keith Stokes. I thank the Department of Integrative Biology, the Fred L. and Helen M. Tharp Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Biology Graduate Student Organization and USF Student Government for providing funding for summer research and travel. I thank the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Southwest District, in particular Terry Hingten, and Pinellas County Parks, for allowing me use of their parks for field work. I thank Jim Carpenter, Stephen Hight, and Susan Drawdy for providing live Cactoblastis cactorum specimens and the opportunity to collaborate. Additional thanks to Jim for agreeing to serve as an external chair for my doctoral defense. I thank my parents, John and Susan Jezorek, for their moral and financial support, as well as their superior grandparenting skills, which permitted me to finish writing this work. They have been generous, encouraging, and patient throughout all of my life decisions, both major and minor. I thank my daughter Chessa for timing her arrival impeccably, and for bringing a new level of love and delight to my life during the final phase of writing. Lastly, I thank my husband PJ for being a truly amazing person and partner. He has been there for me each and every day, through tears and joy. I cannot fully express my gratitude, but am certain that this work would not have been completed without him by my side. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................v ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. viii CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 Invasive Species .......................................................................................................1 Cactaceae: Opuntioideae ..........................................................................................9 Cactoblastis cactorum ...........................................................................................10 Biology .......................................................................................................10 History: Australia, South Africa, and the Caribbean .................................12 History: U.S. and Mexico ..........................................................................15 References cited .....................................................................................................17 CHAPTER 2- OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE AND LARVAL PERFORMANCE OF CACTOBLASTIS CACTORUM ON NORTH AMERICAN OPUNTIOID CACTI ............................................................................26 Synopsis .................................................................................................................26 Introduction ............................................................................................................27 Materials and methods ...........................................................................................32 Oviposition experiment ..............................................................................32 Larval performance experiment .................................................................34 Results ....................................................................................................................36 Oviposition experiment ..............................................................................36 Larval performance experiment .................................................................37 Discussion ..............................................................................................................46 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................50 References cited .....................................................................................................50 CHAPTER 3- ASSOCIATIONAL EFFECTS OF CHAMAECRISTA FASCICULATA ON ANT PREDATION OF CACTOBLASTIS CACTORUM AND HERBIVORY OF OPUNTIA.............................................................................56 Synopsis .................................................................................................................56 Introduction ............................................................................................................57 Study system and methods .....................................................................................61 Insects ........................................................................................................61 Plants ..........................................................................................................62 i Damage and growth surveys ......................................................................63 Predation experiment .................................................................................66 Results ....................................................................................................................68 Damage and growth surveys ......................................................................68 Predation experiment .................................................................................69 Discussion ..............................................................................................................77 Acknowledgments........................................................................................................82 References cited ...........................................................................................................82 CHAPTER 4- FINDINGS FROM A SIX YEAR STUDY: EFFECTS OF CACTOBLASTIS CACTORUM ON THE SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF LOCAL OPUNTIA .....................................................................................................90 Synopsis .................................................................................................................90 Introduction ............................................................................................................91 Methods..................................................................................................................94 Study system ..............................................................................................94 Data collection and analysis.......................................................................95 Q1: Are plants attacked by C. cactorum more likely to die than unattacked plants? ......................................................................................97 Q2: How does frequency of attack by C. cactorum affect survival of plants? ....................................................................................................98 Q3: For surviving plants, does C. cactorum attack affect