Nathan Rank Sonoma State University Natural enemies and host plant use Predictions and Study System (Page 3 of 5) Introduction & Collaborators Chemical Ecology Predictions & Study Systems Host Preference & Performance Natural Enemies Research Home See also Research summary. Predictions of the predation hypothesis for salicylate-using leaf beetles The chemical ecology of the leaf beetle/willow interaction provides an unusual opportunity to examine how host plant chemistry affects interactions between herbivores and their natural enemies and thereby evolutionarily favors herbivore specialization. The predation hypothesis proposes that beetles specialize on salicylate-rich willows because they are protected from natural enemies on them. From this hypothesis, three predictions may be derived: Beetles should prefer salicylate-rich willows over salicylate poor ones. Beetle larvae should survive better on salicylate-rich plants than on salicylate-poor ones. Natural enemies should be repelled by the beetles' secretion. I tested these three predictions experimentally for two leaf beetles: Chrysomela aeneicollis in California Phratora vitellinae in Finland Research approach: replication of field experiments on different continents Larvae of both species use host plant salicylates to produce their salicylaldehyde secretion. Both beetles occur in habitats where willow species differ in salicylate content.. Working in both systems provides greater insight into general ecological processes. Chrysomela aeneicollis adult in California . Phratora vitellinae adult in Finland The field site in Big Pine Creek, with several willow species. Several willow species also occurred in Finnish field sites Previous Page Next Page Research Home|Nathan Rank's Homepage |Department of Biology | Sonoma State University JJanuary 23, 1999 NER