DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/RSYD-W498

Defense Date

2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Environmental Studies

First Advisor

Salvatore J. Agosta

Second Advisor

Lesley P. Bulluck

Third Advisor

Kristine Grayson

Fourth Advisor

Derek Johnson

Abstract

The role of temperature variation in organismal performance is understudied, but is critically important for understanding the response of biodiversity to climate change. To address this issue in herbivorous insects, I studied the direct and interactive effects of thermal regime (constant vs. fluctuating temperatures) and nutrition (dietary nitrogen) on gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) performance under laboratory conditions. Predictions for differences between constant and fluctuating thermal conditions were derived from Jensen’s inequality, and artificial diets of differing nutritional quality were made by modifying nitrogen (casein) content. Larvae were reared in the laboratory under four temperature regimes (22°C constant, 22°C fluctuating (±6°C), 28°C constant, and 28°C fluctuating (±6°C)) and two diet treatments (high N, and low N). Gravimetric analyses were also conducted to calculate nutritional indices and assess the short-term effects of temperature and diet quality on fourth instar larvae growth efficiencies. Consistent with predictions from Jensen’s inequality, fluctuating thermal conditions significantly reduced larval performance in both sexes across ontogeny. Low quality diet also reduced performance, but interactions between diet and thermal regime were only found in early instars.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

12-10-2015

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