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The role of ecological gradients and host-parasitoid interaction in tropical insect communities
FINNIE, Sam Cameron
The thesis explores the various biotic and abiotic factors that drive change in insect communities with particular emphasis on host-parasitoid interactions. These factors range from ecological gradients to defensive traits and host specialisation. The aim of the first chapter was to determine how the assemblage of an ecologically and anthropocentrically significant group of insects changed in response to altitude. This study highlighted the elevational limit of fruit flies and discovered that a new and promising attractant lure used in agriculture was particularly useful at higher altitudes, potentially opening new avenues for pest management in mountainous regions. The aim of the second chapter was to ascertain the physiological and phylogenetic traits of galling insects that alter the diversity and host specificity of their parasitioids. This research not only uncovered a remarkably specialist community of gall parasitoids, and found significant physiological drivers of parasitoid assemblage, it also broached the possibility of a latitudinal gradient in gall parasitoid host specificity, that warrants further exploration due to its potential implications for biodiversity patterns. The final chapter, aimed to uncover patterns in the vertical stratification of a caterpillar-parasitoid community, and whether any potential patterns and interactions are driven by the defensive traits of the caterpillar hosts. This study provided further evidence that the defensive traits of caterpillars influence their vulnerability to parasitism, and discovered distinct patterns in the vertical stratification of caterpillar communities. Overall, this holistic research expands upon the existing literature on tropical insect ecology and advances our understanding on the complex interactions between insects and their environment.
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An educational program focused on the butterflies and an importance of meadow ecosystems
KYTLEROVÁ, Petra
The objective of this bachelor thesis is to design an educational program based on butterflies and the importance of meadow ecosystems. The theoretical part is dedicated to the importance of meadow ecosystems, the body of butterflies and their other stages of life and to the characteristic of the selected kinds of butterflies. The Practical part contains the design of the educational program for pupils at the second level of primary schools or for free-time educational organizations. The educational program contains detailed instructions for all activities and educational sample texts for teachers. This thesis also contains worksheets, flashcards and sample texts which are important for the activities.
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PREDATION PRESSURE ON ARTIFICIAL CATERPILLARS INDICATES ENEMY-REDUCED TIME AND SPACE
SEIFERT, Carlo Lutz
This thesis explores patterns of predation on artificial caterpillars in two neotropical lowland rainforest ecosystems. The specific aim was to test if enemy-reduced time and space does exist for physical undefended caterpillars. Our results indicated that larval Lepidoptera are capable to lower predation risk by nocturnal foraging and by avoiding habitats of high light irradiance. Thus, habitat-specific host plant choice by adult females and a timely scheduled foraging behaviour of the caterpillars could remarkably increase the survival rate of immature stages.
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Ecological factors affecting the structure, diversity, and specialisation of caterpillar communities in forest ecosystems
SEIFERT, Carlo Lutz
The aim of the thesis was to explore how caterpillar assemblages are spatially, functionally, and taxonomically structured in temperate and tropical forest ecosystems. Firstly, we investigated to what extent caterpillar assemblages are vertically structured in a temperate forest in eastern North America. By using a comprehensive dataset of temperate forest sites across three continents, we further examined if distance metrics derived from plant phylogeny can be used to predict structural changes in caterpillar assemblages among co-occurring plants. We further studied if folivorous caterpillars associated with bamboo in an Ecuadorian montane rainforest can be considered as 'classical' herbivores (sensu stricto). In the last chapter, we introduce and compare plot-based sampling approaches to study interaction networks in forest ecosystems and provide comprehensive guidelines for replication in future studies.
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Trophic relationships between insectivorous birds and insect in Papua New Guinea
TVARDÍKOVÁ, Kateřina
The thesis describes diversity of birds along a complete altitudinal gradient and in forest fragments in lowlands of Papua New Guinea. It focuses separately on the diversity of different feeding guilds, and discusses their links to habitat and food resources. More specifically, it focuses on forest insectivorous birds, their predation pressure on arthropods, feeding specializations and preferences, and some of the ways how insectivores search for food.
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