Neuroterus saltatorius (Jumping gall wasp) Phenology and Abundance in Native and Expanded Ranges

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Authors
Skiver, Kyle E.
Issue Date
2022-01-01
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Thesis
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en_US
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Abstract
Neuroterus saltatorius (Jumping gall wasp) is a species of gall wasp that has expanded its range from the Pacific Northwest US into British Columbia since 1986. Gall abundance, developmental stage proportions, and developmental time were assessed for seven weeks during the summer of 2021 in both its native and expanded ranges. Photographs of Quercus garryana (Garry oak) leaves were analyzed for numbers of galls in early, middle, and late development, as well as visible signs of failure to develop or reaching maturity and dropping from the leaf. Data for each stage were compared between sites and survey period in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Temperature data were also collected to determine if there may be a correlation between climate and gall development. Overall, gall abundance was higher in the expanded range, consistent with previous results. Notably, gall development was slower in the expanded range. However, temperature does not account for the differences in gall abundance and phenology between regions. This documentation of N. saltatorius motivates future surveys of this species’ developmental patterns in its current range and a possible new outbreak in the Midwest. Moreover, this stands as a case study demonstrating that both abiotic and biotic factors should be examined, in order to understand the course of phytophagous insect range expansions.
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iv, 35 p.
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Kalamazoo College
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U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
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