BIO 2129 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Introduced Species, Habitat Destruction, Volatile Organic Compound
11 Nov 2016
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Predator populations appear to track prey populations e. g. lynx-hare pattern. You can estimate the amount of hare by the amount of lynx, and vice versa. Lotka-volterra equations can help to predict things like this. Herbivory by introduced species can cause serious habitat destruction. Volatile organic compounds (vocs) can control herbivore populations. Emite certain mixtures to reduce populations of herbivores. Vocs are more effective when plants are clustered together. Plants also release vocs to reduce the rate of oviposition by herbivorous insects. Some plants only produce at night, targeting certain nocturnal moths. Anti-herbivore response of plants can be induced through application of biochemicals. Plants can identify specific herbivores and release chemical attractants for species-specific predators (a form of top down control) Crop losses to herbivore can be severe; 20-80% of maize and sorghum crops in africa are damaged by insect herbivory. Explain ways that ecological theory might be used to reduce crop losses to insect herbivory.
