An Assessment of the Invasive Poison Hemlock and Its Insect Associates in Kentucky
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Entomology Entomology 2013 AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INVASIVE POISON HEMLOCK AND ITS INSECT ASSOCIATES IN KENTUCKY Christine D. Allen University of Kentuck, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Allen, Christine D., "AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INVASIVE POISON HEMLOCK AND ITS INSECT ASSOCIATES IN KENTUCKY" (2013). Theses and Dissertations--Entomology. 4. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/entomology_etds/4 This Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Entomology at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Entomology by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained and attached hereto needed written permission statements(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine). I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless a preapproved embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s dissertation including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Christine D. Allen, Student Dr. James D. Harwood, Major Professor Dr. Charles W. Fox, Director of Graduate Studies AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INVASIVE POISON HEMLOCK AND ITS INSECT ASSOCIATES IN KENTUCKY THESIS A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky By Christine Dianne Allen Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. James D. Harwood, Professor of Entomology Lexington, Kentucky 2013 Copyright© Christine Dianne Allen 2013 ABSTRACT OF THESIS AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INVASIVE POISON HEMLOCK AND ITS INSECT ASSOCIATES IN KENTUCKY Poison hemlock, Conium maculatum (Apiaceae), is an invasive plant in North America with a unique toxic chemistry. Previous research on this plant has focused on identifying herbivores as potential biological control agents or describing the toxic plant alkaloids. However, none have examined the role of higher trophic levels in the food web surrounding poison hemlock. Generalist predators and food web interactions are an important component of studies investigating invasion effects, as plant or animal introductions can alter ecosystem functioning. In this study, predators in poison hemlock were sampled at the foliar and epigeal levels, resulting in 956 Carabidae and 321 Coccinellidae being collected. Predator connectedness to plant resources was quantified using molecular gut-content and chemical analyses. Foliar Harmonia axyridis (Coccinellidae) contained aphid DNA and plant chemicals, while Harpalus pensylvanicus (Carabidae) only contained alkaloids, suggesting that the ground predators were obtaining plant chemicals via alternative prey. Feeding trials between H. axyridis and their potentially toxic prey, Hyadaphis foeniculi (Aphididae), revealed that the exotic predator shows faster development when consuming aphids from poison hemlock compared to alternative diets. This study reveals that three Eurasian species may be facilitating one another, illustrating the importance of continued examination of invasive species interactions. Keywords: Invasive species, Poison hemlock, Generalist predators, PCR, GC-MS Christine Dianne Allen March 29, 2013 AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INVASIVE POISON HEMLOCK AND ITS INSECT ASSOCIATES IN KENTUCKY By Christine Dianne Allen James D. Harwood, Ph. D. Director of Thesis Charles W. Fox, Ph. D. Director of Graduate Studies March 29, 2013 Date DEDICATIONS I would like to dedicate this work to Dr. Edward Weiss and Dr. Michael Meyer of Christopher Newport University. Their instruction permanently changed my view of the world around me by introducing me to science in a way that I could appreciate and understand. Also, I dedicate this thesis to my family, for their unwavering love and support throughout my adventures. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my primary advisor, Dr. James D. Harwood, for challenging me to become a better scientist and providing the advice and encouragement I needed to reach my goals. Also, I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Ken Haynes and Dr. John Obrycki for their assistance in chemical methodology and lady beetle biology. Their help was vital for the success of my research. I would especially like to recognize Kacie Athey and Eric Chapman for their assistance in applying molecular techniques to this project, as well as members of my lab who provided additional advice that improved my research process. I would also like to thank undergraduate assistant Hanna Burgin for her help in maintaining live insects for use in lab studies. Dr. Reddi Palli provided me with laboratory equipment I needed to carry out methods for the completion of chemical experiments. I owe my family infinite thanks for supporting my education and allowing me to pursue my love of science. I am forever grateful to Gabriel Falcão-Alencar and his constant encouragement as I completed this chapter in my academic career. This research was supported by the University of Kentucky, Department of Entomology. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledments................................................................................................................ iii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ................................................................................................................... vii Chapter One: Introduction and Literature Review .............................................................. 1 1.1 General Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Invasive Species ............................................................................................................ 3 1.3 Poison hemlock ............................................................................................................. 5 1.4 Plant-Insect Interactions................................................................................................ 9 1.5 Associates of Poison Hemlock.................................................................................... 14 1.6 Implications of Poison Hemlock Invasion .................................................................. 19 1.7 Research Objectives .................................................................................................... 21 Chapter 2: Poison hemlock in central Kentucky—an alien weed, its resources, and the potential for interactions with higher trophic-level organisms ......................................... 22 2.1 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 22 2.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 23 2.3 Materials and Methods ................................................................................................ 25 2.4 Results ......................................................................................................................... 30 2.5 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 45 Chapter 3: The role of plant chemistry in complex food webs: using GCMS and PCR to reveal consumer-resource interactions in poison hemlock ............................................... 48 3.1 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 48 3.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 49 3.3 Materials and Methods ................................................................................................ 52 3.4 Results ......................................................................................................................... 58 3.5 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 68 iv Chapter 4: Aphid prey suitability for developing Harmonia axyridis .............................. 72 4.1 Summary ....................................................................................................................