A general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects.
We develop a general theoretical framework for exploring the host plant selection behaviour of herbivorous insects. This model can be used to address a number of questions, including the evolution of specialists, generalists, preference hierarchies, and learning. We use our model to: (i) demonstrate...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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2002
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| _version_ | 1826267042880159744 |
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| author | West, SA Cunningham, J |
| author_facet | West, SA Cunningham, J |
| author_sort | West, SA |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | We develop a general theoretical framework for exploring the host plant selection behaviour of herbivorous insects. This model can be used to address a number of questions, including the evolution of specialists, generalists, preference hierarchies, and learning. We use our model to: (i) demonstrate the consequences of the extent to which the reproductive success of a foraging female is limited by the rate at which they find host plants (host limitation) or the number of eggs they carry (egg limitation); (ii) emphasize the different consequences of variation in behaviour before and after landing on (locating) a host (termed pre- and post-alighting, respectively); (iii) show that, in contrast to previous predictions, learning can be favoured in post-alighting behaviour--in particular, individuals can be selected to concentrate oviposition on an abundant low-quality host, whilst ignoring a rare higher-quality host; (iv) emphasize the importance of interactions between mechanisms in favouring specialization or learning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:48:09Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:36a5c02e-8d46-4366-bce0-535028ad152a |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T20:48:09Z |
| publishDate | 2002 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:36a5c02e-8d46-4366-bce0-535028ad152a2022-03-26T13:39:09ZA general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:36a5c02e-8d46-4366-bce0-535028ad152aEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2002West, SACunningham, JWe develop a general theoretical framework for exploring the host plant selection behaviour of herbivorous insects. This model can be used to address a number of questions, including the evolution of specialists, generalists, preference hierarchies, and learning. We use our model to: (i) demonstrate the consequences of the extent to which the reproductive success of a foraging female is limited by the rate at which they find host plants (host limitation) or the number of eggs they carry (egg limitation); (ii) emphasize the different consequences of variation in behaviour before and after landing on (locating) a host (termed pre- and post-alighting, respectively); (iii) show that, in contrast to previous predictions, learning can be favoured in post-alighting behaviour--in particular, individuals can be selected to concentrate oviposition on an abundant low-quality host, whilst ignoring a rare higher-quality host; (iv) emphasize the importance of interactions between mechanisms in favouring specialization or learning. |
| spellingShingle | West, SA Cunningham, J A general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects. |
| title | A general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects. |
| title_full | A general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects. |
| title_fullStr | A general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects. |
| title_full_unstemmed | A general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects. |
| title_short | A general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects. |
| title_sort | general model for host plant selection in phytophagous insects |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT westsa ageneralmodelforhostplantselectioninphytophagousinsects AT cunninghamj ageneralmodelforhostplantselectioninphytophagousinsects AT westsa generalmodelforhostplantselectioninphytophagousinsects AT cunninghamj generalmodelforhostplantselectioninphytophagousinsects |