So far in this course we have dealt entirely with the evolution of characters that are controlled by simple Mendelian inheritance at a single locus. There are notes on the course website about gametic disequilibrium and how allele frequencies change at two loci simultaneously, but we didn’t discuss them. In every example we’ve considered we’ve imagined that we could understand something about evolution by examining the evolution of a single gene. That’s the domain of classical population genetics. For the next few weeks we’re going to be exploring a field that’s actually older than classical population genetics, although the approach we’ll be taking to it involves the use of population genetic machinery. If you know a little about the history of evolutionary biology, you may know that after the rediscovery of Mendel’s work in 1900 there was a heated debate between the “biometricians” (e.g., Galton and Pearson) and the “Mendelians” (e.g., de Vries, Correns, Bateson, and Morgan). Biometricians asserted that the really important variation in evolution didn’t follow Mendelian rules. Height, weight, skin color, and similar traits seemed to

Human biochemical genetics

Beginning with Emlen (1966) and MacArthur and Pianka (1966) and extending through the last ten years, several authors have sought to predict the foraging behavior of animals by means of mathematical models. These models are very similar,in that they all assume that the fitness of a foraging animal is a function of the efficiency of foraging measured in terms of some "currency" (Schoener, 1971) -usually energy- and that natural selection has resulted in animals that forage so as to maximize this fitness. As a result of these similarities, the models have become known as "optimal foraging models"; and the theory that embodies them, "optimal foraging theory." The situations to which optimal foraging theory has been applied, with the exception of a few recent studies, can be divided into the following four categories: (1) choice by an animal of which food types to eat (i.e., optimal diet); (2) choice of which patch type to feed in (i.e., optimal patch choice); (3) optimal allocation of time to different patches; and (4) optimal patterns and speed of movements. In this review we discuss each of these categories separately, dealing with both the theoretical developments and the data that permit tests of the predictions. The review is selective in the sense that we emphasize studies that either develop testable predictions or that attempt to test predictions in a precise quantitative manner. We also discuss what we see to be some of the future developments in the area of optimal foraging theory and how this theory can be related to other areas of biology. Our general conclusion is that the simple models so far formulated are supported are supported reasonably well by available data and that we are optimistic about the value both now and in the future of optimal foraging theory. We argue, however, that these simple models will requre much modification, espicially to deal with situations that either cannot easily be put into one or another of the above four categories or entail currencies more complicated that just energy.

Citation classic - optimal foraging - a selective review of theory and tests

This book attempts to achieve a difficult goal: to teach statistics to the novice so as to impart a liking and understanding of statistics. The book is geared toward a medical audience, since most examples are from the medical literature. The structure of the book consists of the following elements in each chapter: a small number of statistical rules of thumb, followed by a nontechnical explanation, a demonstration of how to work through the mechanics of doing the statistical test in question, a summary, and sample problems to be solved by the reader. (The answers, with explanations, are provided in an appendix.) Although a variety of univariate statistics are included, certain topics that are important in medical research are not. For example, there is little or no discussion of multiple regression, life-table techniques, or pooling of studies. These omissions, especially of multiple regression, are unfortunate. The Primer was derived from

Primer of Biostatistics

Plants often release a blend of volatile organic compounds in response to damage by herbivorous insects that may serve as cues to locate those herbivores by natural enemies. The blend of compounds emitted by plants may be more variable than is generally assumed. The quantity and the composition of the blends may vary with the species of the herbivore, the plant species and genotype within species, the environmental conditions under which plants are grown, and the number of herbivore species attacking the plant. Although it is often assumed that induced emission of these compounds is an adaptive tactic on the part of plants, the evidence that such responses minimize fitness losses of plants remains sparse because the necessary data on plant fitness rarely have been collected. The application of techniques of evolutionary quantitative genetics may facilitate the testing of widely held hypotheses about the evolution of induced production of volatile compounds under natural conditions.

Ecological role of volatiles produced by plants in response to damage by herbivorous insects.

This review summarizes the literature related to the chemical ecology of the Cerambycidae and provides a brief overview of cerambycid biology, ecology, economic significance, and management. Beetles in the family Cerambycidae have assumed increasing prominence as pests of forest and shade trees, shrubs, and raw wood products, and as vectors of tree diseases. Exotic species associated with solid wood packing materials have been notable tree killers in North American urban and peri-urban forests. In forested ecosystems native species respond to disturbances such as fires and windstorms, and initiate the biodeterioration of woody tissue. Eggs are laid by females, on or through the bark surface of stem and branch tissue of moribund, recently killed or decomposing woody plants; larval cerambycids (roundheaded woodborers) typically feed in the phloem and later in the xylem. Females will also, in some cases, select living hosts, e.g. adult conifer and angiosperm trees, for oviposition. Research on the chemical ecology of over 70 species has revealed many examples of attractive kairomones (such as floral volatiles, smoke volatiles, trunk and leaf volatiles, and bark beetle pheromones), repellents and deterrents, oviposition stimulants, short- and long-range sex pheromones, and defensive substances. Emerging generalities are that attractants tend to be monoterpenoids and phenolic esters; oviposition stimulants are monoterpenoids and flavanoids; short-range sex pheromones are female-produced, methyl-branched cuticular hydrocarbons; and long-range sex pheromones are male-produced α-hydroxy ketones and (α,β)-diols ranging in length from 6 to 10 carbons. The latter compounds appear to originate from glands in the male thorax; putative defensive substances originate from metasternal secretory pores or mandibular glands. In one unusual case, a flightless, subterranean female that attacks sugar cane produces a sex pheromone that is derived from the amino acid isoleucine. With significantly more than 35,000 species of Cerambycidae worldwide, these generalities will be subject to change as more species are examined.

A review of the chemical ecology of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera)

We investigated the hypothesis that wood-boring beetles in the genus Monochamus (Cerambycidae) utilize pheromones of sympatric bark beetles as host-finding kairomones. All nine bark beetle pheromones tested electrophysiologically were antenally active for both sexes of M. scutellatus, M. clamator, and M. obtusus from British Columbia. When field-tested with multiple-funnel traps (British Columbia) or cross-vane traps (Ontario), a blend composed of frontalin, ipsdienol, ipsenol, and MCH, in combination with a blend of host volatiles attracted significant numbers of M. clamator, M. obtusus, M. notatus, and M. scutellatus to baited traps. Traps baited with host volatiles in combination with a second blend composed of endo-brevicomin, exo-brevicomin, cis-verbenol, trans-verbenol, and verbenone caught no more beetles than unbaited traps or traps baited with the host blend alone. In British Columbia, traps baited with the first blend alone or both blends together captured more M. scutellatus and M. clamator than unbaited traps, demonstrating a response to bark beetle pheromones in the absence of host volatiles. These results suggest that Monochamus spp. are minimizing foraging costs by using the pheromones of sympatric bark beetles as kairomones.

KAIROMONAL RESPONSE BY FOUR Monochamus SPECIES (COLEOPTERA: CERAMBYCIDAE) TO BARK BEETLE PHEROMONES

Traps of four new designs were tested against the conventionally used multiple- funnel trap to determine whether trapping of large wood-boring insects can be improved in western Canada. All four new traps used a large collecting receptacle containing detergent-laced water, and three presented a prominent visual silhouette above the receptacle. 2 In total, 27 336 large woodborers were captured from 10 June to 30 September in an experiment in the southern interior of British Columbia, and 4737 from 6 June to 27 July in an experiment in northern Alberta. The woodborers captured in the British Columbia experiment were mainly beetles in the families Cerambycidae (79%) and Buprestidae (15%), and woodwasps in the family Siricidae (6%). Most woodborers, e.g. three Monochamus spp. and Xylotrechus longitarsus (the predominant cerambycids), were captured throughout the summer, with peak captures in August. 3 Cross-vane, pipe and stacked-bottomless-flower-pot traps were generally superior to pan and multiple-funnel traps for insects in nine taxa, but cross-vane traps were the most effective overall, trapping 32% of all insects captured. 4 The large number of target insects captured in a relatively small number of traps in the two experiments suggests that employment of an efficacious trap with a large vertical silhouette and a wide, escape-proof collecting receptacle could make mass trapping of large woodborers in timber processing areas operationally feasible. 5 Because the most effective traps were unstable in the wind, and the detergent- laced water captured unacceptably high numbers of small mammals, design mod- ifications are necessary. We are currently developing a wind-firm trap, with a prominent vertical silhouette, a wide collecting surface, and an escape-proof, but dry collecting receptacle.

/pdf/comparative-efficacy-of-five-types-of-trap-for-woodborers-in-lkoak2t13v.pdf

Comparative efficacy of five types of trap for woodborers in the Cerambycidae, Buprestidae and Siricidae

In response to arthropod herbivory, plants release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are attractive to natural enemies. Consequently, VOCs have been interpreted as co-evolved plant-natural enemy signals. This review argues that, while these data are necessary, they are not sufficient to demonstrate a VOC plant-natural enemy signaling function. We propose that evidence that (1) plant fitness is increased as a consequence of natural enemy recruitment, and either (2A) natural enemies preferentially learn prey-induced VOCs or (2B) natural enemies respond innately to the VOCs of the prey-host plant complex, is also required. Whereas there are too few studies to rigorously test hypotheses 1 and 2A, numerous studies are available to test hypothesis 2B. Of 293 tests of natural enemy responses to VOCs, we identified only 74 that were unambiguous tests of naive natural enemies; in the remainder of the tests either natural enemies were experienced with their host in the presence of VOCs, or experience could not be ruled out. Of those 74 tests with naive natural enemies, attraction was observed in 41 and not in 33. This review demonstrates that empirical support for the hypothesized VOC plant-natural enemy signaling function is not universal and presents alternative hypotheses for VOC production.

Learned and naïve natural enemy responses and the interpretation of volatile organic compounds as cues or signals

In recent years, several attractant pheromones have been identified for cerambycid beetles, including 2-(undecyloxy)-ethanol (hereafter monochamol) for Monochamus galloprovincialis (Olivier), M. alternatus Hope, and M. scutellatus (Say). This study screened eight known cerambycid pheromones or their analogues (including monochamol) as potential attractants for M. carolinensis Olivier and M. titillator (F.), in the presence and absence of the host volatile α-pinene. Monochamol attracted M. carolinensis in the presence and absence of α-pinene, whereas M. titillator was only attracted to the combination of monochamol and α-pinene. (2R*,3R*)-2,3-Hexanediol also attracted both M. carolinensis and M. titillator, but only in the presence of α-pinene. Subsequent coupled gas chromatography—mass spectrometry and gas chromatography—electroantennogram detection analyses of extracts of volatiles collected from both sexes demonstrated that male M. carolinensis and M. titillator release monochamol, and that ant...

https://bioone.org/journals/Environmental-Entomology/volume-41/issue-6/EN12185/Response-of-the-Woodborers-Monochamus-carolinensis-and-Monochamus-titillator-Coleoptera/10.1603/EN12185.pdf

Response of the Woodborers Monochamus carolinensis and Monochamus titillator (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to Known Cerambycid Pheromones in the Presence and Absence of the Host Plant Volatile α-Pinene

Jeremy D. Allison

Papers

A review of the chemical ecology of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera)

KAIROMONAL RESPONSE BY FOUR Monochamus SPECIES (COLEOPTERA: CERAMBYCIDAE) TO BARK BEETLE PHEROMONES

Comparative efficacy of five types of trap for woodborers in the Cerambycidae, Buprestidae and Siricidae

Learned and naïve natural enemy responses and the interpretation of volatile organic compounds as cues or signals

Response of the Woodborers Monochamus carolinensis and Monochamus titillator (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to Known Cerambycid Pheromones in the Presence and Absence of the Host Plant Volatile α-Pinene