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Title: Structural and taxonomic components of habitat selection in the neotropical folivore Lamponius portoricensis (Phasmetodea: Phasmatidae)

Abstract

Lamponius portoricensis Rhen is a folivorous neotropical walkingstick that is a common light-gap inhabitant of the tabonuco forest in Puerto Rico. Little is known concerning the spatial distribution of this phasmatid or the manner in which it selects habitats. Based on multiple regression analysis of a suite of taxonomic and structural characteristics of understory flora, we determined that the density of walkingsticks was associated with patches that exhibit high apparency values for Piper treleaseanum Britton Wilson and Symplocos martinicensis Jacq., and low apparency values for Dryopteris deltoidea (Sw.) Kuntze. The total development of the understory regardless of taxonomic composition at 76 cm (2.5 ft) and 107 cm (3.5 ft) also contributes to high walkingstick density, based on correlative analyses. Moreover, nonparametric analysis suggests that L. portoricensis disproportionately occurs on P. treleaseanum (approximately twice as often as expected based on plant apparency). Despite these associations, only a third of the variation in walkingstick density is accounted for by this suite of floral characteristics. The low vagility of L. portoricensis may result in its having incomplete information about the abundance and distribution of forage plants, whereas patch-dynamic processes involving changes in quality of forage can confound the significance of apparency alone inmore » predicting density. The production of aromatic attractants by Piper may act as the proximate cue affecting patch selection.« less

Authors:
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock (United States) Univ. of Arizona, Tucson (United States)
  2. Pennsylvania State Univ., Altoona (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
6442919
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Environmental Entomology; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 22:3; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0046-225X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; INSECTS; BEHAVIOR; HABITAT; SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION; FORAGE; FORESTS; PLANTS; PUERTO RICO; REGRESSION ANALYSIS; ANIMAL FEEDS; ANIMALS; ARTHROPODS; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; DISTRIBUTION; FOOD; GREATER ANTILLES; INVERTEBRATES; ISLANDS; LATIN AMERICA; MATHEMATICS; NORTH AMERICA; STATISTICS; USA; WEST INDIES; 550000* - Biomedical Sciences, Basic Studies

Citation Formats

Willig, M R, Sandlin, E A, and Gannon, M R. Structural and taxonomic components of habitat selection in the neotropical folivore Lamponius portoricensis (Phasmetodea: Phasmatidae). United States: N. p., 1993. Web. doi:10.1093/ee/22.3.634.
Willig, M R, Sandlin, E A, & Gannon, M R. Structural and taxonomic components of habitat selection in the neotropical folivore Lamponius portoricensis (Phasmetodea: Phasmatidae). United States. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/22.3.634
Willig, M R, Sandlin, E A, and Gannon, M R. 1993. "Structural and taxonomic components of habitat selection in the neotropical folivore Lamponius portoricensis (Phasmetodea: Phasmatidae)". United States. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/22.3.634.
@article{osti_6442919,
title = {Structural and taxonomic components of habitat selection in the neotropical folivore Lamponius portoricensis (Phasmetodea: Phasmatidae)},
author = {Willig, M R and Sandlin, E A and Gannon, M R},
abstractNote = {Lamponius portoricensis Rhen is a folivorous neotropical walkingstick that is a common light-gap inhabitant of the tabonuco forest in Puerto Rico. Little is known concerning the spatial distribution of this phasmatid or the manner in which it selects habitats. Based on multiple regression analysis of a suite of taxonomic and structural characteristics of understory flora, we determined that the density of walkingsticks was associated with patches that exhibit high apparency values for Piper treleaseanum Britton Wilson and Symplocos martinicensis Jacq., and low apparency values for Dryopteris deltoidea (Sw.) Kuntze. The total development of the understory regardless of taxonomic composition at 76 cm (2.5 ft) and 107 cm (3.5 ft) also contributes to high walkingstick density, based on correlative analyses. Moreover, nonparametric analysis suggests that L. portoricensis disproportionately occurs on P. treleaseanum (approximately twice as often as expected based on plant apparency). Despite these associations, only a third of the variation in walkingstick density is accounted for by this suite of floral characteristics. The low vagility of L. portoricensis may result in its having incomplete information about the abundance and distribution of forage plants, whereas patch-dynamic processes involving changes in quality of forage can confound the significance of apparency alone in predicting density. The production of aromatic attractants by Piper may act as the proximate cue affecting patch selection.},
doi = {10.1093/ee/22.3.634},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6442919}, journal = {Environmental Entomology; (United States)},
issn = {0046-225X},
number = 3,
volume = 22:3,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993},
month = {Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993}
}