INVESTIGADORES
SALVO Silvia Adriana
artículos
Título:
Physical barriers and corridors in urban habitats affect colonization and parasitism rates of a specialist leaf miner
Autor/es:
PERALTA, G.; FENOGLIO, M. S.; SALVO, A.
Revista:
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
Editorial:
WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Referencias:
Lugar: Londres; Año: 2011 vol. 36 p. 673 - 679
ISSN:
0307-6946
Resumen:
Abstract. 1. Urban environments are fragmented habitats characterised by the
presence of physical barriers, which may negatively affect dispersal and colonisation
by insect herbivores and their natural enemies. Conversely, plants growing along
pavements may function as dispersal corridors, helping to moderate the harmful effects
of resource patch isolation on organism movement and population persistence.
2. We experimentally tested the effects of walls as physical barriers to the dispersal
of the leaf miner Liriomyza commelinae Frost and colonisation of its host plant,
Commelina erecta L., in urban habitats. We also evaluated whether plants along
pavements could act as corridors for this species.
3. We exposed experimental host plants to the leaf miner in houses with front
gardens and back yards, the latter being completely surrounded by walls. The
front gardens had walls but none separating them from the pavement. Previously
mined plants were also exposed to parasitoids in the yards to determine parasitoid
attack.
4. Liriomyza commelinae took longer to colonise back yards with higher walls, and
the abundance of mined plants along pavements reduced the colonisation time. Leaf-
miner abundance was marginally affected by the yard type, and was lower in back
yards. Cumulative parasitism rates decreased with increasing distance at which mined
plants were placed from pavements.
5. Constructions act as physical barriers, having a negative impact on colonisation
of host plants by leaf miners. The function of pavements as corridors seems to depend
on the abundance of mined plants. Parasitism may be affected by distance from the
corridor rather than physical barriers or other potential hosts.