342 Seasonal dynamics of three inquilines in Sarracenia purpurea l. leaves

Wednesday, May 20, 2009: 8:00 AM
Ford Ballroom
Robert Hamilton IV , Biological Sciences, Kent State University Stark Campus, North Canton, OH
Peter S. Kourtev , Biology, Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, MI
A seasonal survey of the abundances of invertebrates in Sarracenia purpurea L. leaves was conducted by sampling 330 leaves from three lacustrine pitcher plant populations on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan, United States.  Leaf characteristics such as wing length, fluid volume, pH, and redox potential were also quantified.  The study focused primarily on the larvae of three dipteran inquiline species – midge, Metriocnemus knabi Coquillet, mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii (Coquillet), and flesh fly, Fletcherimyia fletcheri Aldrich.  It was hypothesized that mosquito abundances would be low at this sampling latitude and that it would be replaced by another organism; possibly copepods.  Dipteran inquiline abundances varied with sampling season. Most pitchers contained one of the three studied inquilines species.  In samples collected soon after new leaves open, a mixture of mosquito and midge larvae was characteristic.  The amount of fluid in the pitchers affected the abundances of the midge and flesh fly, while age of leaf affected mosquito abundances.  No copepods were collected at any site on any sampling date.  Our results indicate that pitchers of isolated northern populations of S. purpurea are inhabited by a less diverse insect community.  Our study also suggests that site isolation plays an important role in the seasonal variation of inquiline community structure.
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