Nathan Rank Sonoma State University Natural enemies and host plant use Introduction and collaborators (Page 1 of 5) Introduction & Collaborators Chemical Ecology Predictions & Study Systems Host Preference & Performance Natural Enemies Research Home See also Research summary. Wasp feeding on a beetle larva Parasyrphus fly larva eating beetle larvae Plants may affect herbivore success directly or indirectly through effects on their natural enemies. Insect herbivores often specialize on a few host plant species. The reasons for this specialization are poorly understood. Some authors have proposed that natural enemies cause herbivore specialization. This predation hypothesis proposes that herbivores evolve to prefer plants on which they are protected from natural enemies. I tested this hypothesis using leaf beetles feeding on willows. Collaborators Dr. John Smiley of the Big Creek Reserve of the University of California's Natural Reserve System introduced me to the study system as my research advisor when I started my graduate studies. We have conducted field work together since then. Dr. Alfred Koepf completed his Ph.D. thesis with me on the European species while I was at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology-Zurich. Dr. Heikki Roininen introduced me to Finnish willows and leaf beetles and we conducted field work together in Finland. Dr. Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto conducted chemical analyses of Finnish and Californian willows. Professor Jorma Tahvanainen developed and supported our collaborations in many ways and we conducted field work together in Finland. Previous Page Next Page Research Home|Nathan Rank's Homepage |Department of Biology | Sonoma State University January 23, 1999 NER