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UC Berkeley UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Abiotic and biotic factors affecting light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana, in California Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8w02g9n8 Author Buergi, Linda Patricia Publication Date 2012 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC FACTORS AFFECTING LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH, EPIPHYAS POSTVITTANA, IN CALIFORNIA by Linda P. Buergi A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Nicholas J. Mills, Chair Professor George K. Roderick Professor Wayne P. Sousa Fall 2012 Abiotic and biotic factors affecting light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana, in California © 2012 by Linda P. Buergi ABSTRACT Abiotic and biotic factors affecting light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana, in California by Linda P. Buergi Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Professor Nicholas J. Mills, Chair With the increase of globalization, the introduction of exotic species into new regions has become a worldwide threat for biodiversity and agricultural production. However, invasiveness of alien species depends on the extent to which abiotic and biotic factors affect the impact of exotic species in a new region. The Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is a leafroller native to southeastern Australia that was discovered in California in 2006. At the time of its discovery, little was known about how abiotic and biotic factors might limit its distribution and impact in California and North America. I therefore measured high and low temperature tolerance of LBAM in laboratory studies and found that it exhibited only moderate tolerance of extreme temperatures, which may limit its potential distribution in California and North America. I also monitored LBAM populations in the field and measured parasitism rates over a four year study period to determine the influence of of biotic resistance and to provide baseline population data for use in management decisions. I found that LBAM populations were cyclic or decreasing, had strongly overlapping generations and produced three generations annually in San Francisco and and four in Santa Cruz. The parasitoid assemblage of LBAM in California consisted of many species and parasitism rates were unusually high, but provided no evidence of an ability to regulate LBAM populations. I also found that low density LBAM populations did not exhibit demographic Allee effects, but instead populations of all sizes exhibited strong negative density dependence. I also studied life history parameters of Meteorus ictericus, the most abundant parasitoid of LBAM in California, and found that it has a number of traits that could account for its dominance in the parasitoid assemblage. It was able to attack and develop in a wide range of host larval instars, had a preference for late larval instars, a female only lifestyle, a low generation time ratio in relation to LBAM, and similar temperature maxima and minima for development. However, M. ictericus exhibited an unusually low lifetime 1 fecundity, which could pose an important constraint on its potential to suppress LBAM populations. Overall, the results of these studies have provided valuable insights that can be used to better understand the potential geographic distribution of LBAM, and to better inform management decisions. In addition, I suggest that the high level of resistance from resident parasitoids on LBAM in California, in combination with other pest management strategies, could prevent the widespread losses from agricultural crops that were originally anticipated in the United States. 2 Dedication To my husband, for his love and support, to my parents and brother, for their encouragement and for believing in me, and to my grandpa, for getting me started on this path. i TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................... 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................................... iv INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 1: COLD TOLERANCE OF THE OVERWINTERING LARVAL INSTARS OF LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH, EPIPHYAS POSTVITTANA 1.1 ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................. 4 1.2 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 MATERIALS AND METHODS .................................................................................................. 6 1.4 RESULTS................................................................................................................................. 9 1.5 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................... 9 1.6 TABLES ................................................................................................................................. 12 1.7 FIGURES ............................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER 2: ECOLOGICALLY RELEVANT MEASURES OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL TOLERANCE OF LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH, EPIPHYAS POSTVITTANA, TO HIGH TEMPERATURE EXTREMES 2.1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ 16 2.2 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 17 2.3 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................ 19 2.4 RESULTS............................................................................................................................... 22 2.5 DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................................... 23 2.6 TABLES ................................................................................................................................. 28 2.7 FIGURES ............................................................................................................................... 30 CHAPTER 3: ABUNDANCE, AGE STRUCTURE, AND VOLITINISM OF LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH POPULATIONS IN CALIFORNIA 3.1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ 32 3.2 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 33 3.3 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................ 34 3.4 RESULTS............................................................................................................................... 36 3.5 DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................................... 38 3.6 FIGURES ............................................................................................................................... 41 ii CHAPTER 4: LACK OF ENEMY RELEASE FOR AN INVASIVE LEAFROLLER IN CALIFORNIA: TEMPORAL PATTERNS AND INFLUENCE OF HOST PLANT ORIGIN 4.1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ 45 4.2 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 46 4.3 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................ 47 4.4 RESULTS............................................................................................................................... 50 4.5 DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................................... 52 4.6 TABLES ................................................................................................................................. 57 4.7 FIGURES ............................................................................................................................... 59 CHAPTER 5: ALLEE EFFECTS AND POPULATION REGULATION: A TEST FOR BIOTIC RESISTANCE AGAINST AN INVASIVE LEAFROLLER BY RESIDENT PARASITOIDS 5.1 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ 63 5.3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 64 5.4 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................ 65 5.5 RESULTS..............................................................................................................................