Insect Damage to Conelets, Second-Year Cones, and Seeds of Ponderosa Pine in Southeastern Nebraska

Pasek, Judith E.; Dix, Mary Ellen

doi:10.1093/jee/81.6.1681

Cited by 15 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…). This feeding destroys all of the seeds in a cone, and the damaged cones never open (Plate ; Linhart personal observation; Bodenham, Stevens & Tatcher ; Schmid, Mitchell & Mata ; Pasek & Dix ; Blake, Wagner & Koerber ). Such infested cones quickly die, turn reddish to dark brown and appear stunted or deformed (Plate ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variability in seed cone production and functional response of seed predators to seed cone availability: support for the predator satiation hypothesis

et al. 2014

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Summary1. Mast seeding is a reproductive strategy in some perennial plants defined as synchronous production of large seed crops at irregular intervals. One widely accepted theory to explain this behaviour is the predator satiation hypothesis, which states that the synchronous and variable production of seeds within a population will maximize the probability of seed survival through satiation of seed predators. 2. Although some short-term studies have documented the influence of variable and synchronized production of seeds on herbivore attack rate during one or few mast years, long-term data including multiple mast seeding years and patterns of cone production and herbivore attack on individual trees are needed to assess (i) how cone production, variability and synchrony affect individual plant fitness and (ii) the functional responses of seed predators to mast seeding events. 3. We tested these objectives, collecting long-term (29 years) data on female seed cone production and rates of seed predator attack from 217 individual contiguous trees within a Pinus ponderosa population. 4. Our results support the predator satiation hypothesis. First, we found high interannual synchrony and variability in seed cone production and a type II functional response of seed predators to available cones. Secondly, years with high cone production (mast years) had markedly lower rates of seed predator attack than years of low production (i.e. a population-level satiation effect). Thirdly, within mast years, individuals with high cone production had markedly lower rates of attack than individuals with low cone production (i.e. an individual-level satiation effect). Finally, individual trees with greater synchrony and more variable cone production suffered lower rates of attack. 5. Synthesis: Our long-term data on individual trees lend strong support to the hypothesis that mast seeding in Pinus ponderosa has evolved in response to natural selection from insect seed predators.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variability in seed cone production and functional response of seed predators to seed cone availability: support for the predator satiation hypothesis

et al. 2014

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“…Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex Laws) represents one of the widest-ranging tree species in North America, occurring from southern Canada into Mexico and from the Plains states of Nebraska and Oklahoma to the Pacific Coast from sea level to 3000 m. The development of seed cones takes place during two successive growing seasons (Pasek and Dix 1988). Wind pollination of female flower buds happens during spring of the first year, and fertilization takes place early in the second summer, after which cones expand to full size.…”

Section: Study Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At least 60 species of insects feed on and in the secondyear green cones of ponderosa pine, with many occurring throughout the range of the tree but with varying local distributions (Furniss and Carolin 1980;Bodenham and Stevens 1981;Hedlin et al 1981;Cibrián-Tovar et al 1986;Pasek and Dix 1988;Furniss 1997). In the Colorado Front Range, the most prevalent cone-feeding insects include the cone beetle Conophthorus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), the cone weevil Conotrachelus neomexicanus Fall (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and the cone moths Dioryctria spp.…”

Section: Study Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adults of these species oviposit either on (cone weevil and moths) or in (cone beetle) green second-year cones in spring and early summer, and their larvae mine the interior, indiscriminately devouring scales and seeds (Furniss and Carolin 1980;Hedlin et al 1981;Cibrián-Tovar et al 1986). Depending on the density or species, these insects will destroy some or all of the seeds in a cone, often trapping remaining viable seeds in damaged cones that never open (Kinzer et al 1970;Bodenham et al 1976;Schmid et al 1986aSchmid et al , 1986bPasek and Dix 1988;Blake et al 1989). Infested cones quickly die, turn reddish to dark brown, and appear stunted or deformed.…”

Section: Study Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…); mammals, such as the Abert's squirrel (Sciurus abertii) and porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum); and more than 200 species of insects (Furniss and Carolin 1980;Snyder 1992;Snyder et al 1996;Snyder and Linhart 1997;Thoss and Byers 2006). One group of specialized insects feeds on maturing seed cones and can have a significant effect on the number of viable seeds produced (Hedlin et al 1981;Cibrián-Tovar et al 1986;Pasek and Dix 1988;Turgeon et al 1994). After particularly heavy years of infestation, high cone and seed mortality can curtail recruitment of seedlings, potentially affecting the fitness of individual trees and stand dynamics (Kinzer et al 1970;Bodenham and Stevens 1981;Schmid et al 1984Schmid et al , 1986aSchmid et al , 1986bWhitham and Mopper 1985;Pasek and Dix 1988;Blake et al 1989).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Variable Chemistry and Herbivory of Ponderosa Pine Cones

Keefover‐Ring

Linhart

2010

International Journal of Plant Sciences

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We measured the terpenoid chemistry, cone insect distribution, and the relationship between these two parameters in the seed cones of ponderosa pine. Analyses of mono-, sesqui-, and diterpenes from four separate sites revealed high amounts of terpenoid diversity and variation. The majority of this variation occurred among trees within sites, but differences were also seen among sites and among cone clusters from individual trees. Cone insect distributions differed substantially in both time and space, with significant differences seen between two points in time and between five sites. Negative correlations existed between levels of cone insect herbivory and both a monoterpene and a diterpene factor at one site, indicating that these herbivores may be one reason that ponderosa pine maintains the high levels of chemical variation observed.

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The invasive Leptoglossus seed bug, a threat for commercial seed crops, but for conifer diversity?

Lesieur¹,

Yart²,

Guilbon³

et al. 2014

Biol Invasions

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Insect Damage to Conelets, Second-Year Cones, and Seeds of Ponderosa Pine in Southeastern Nebraska

Cited by 15 publications

References 12 publications

Variability in seed cone production and functional response of seed predators to seed cone availability: support for the predator satiation hypothesis

Variability in seed cone production and functional response of seed predators to seed cone availability: support for the predator satiation hypothesis

Variable Chemistry and Herbivory of Ponderosa Pine Cones

The invasive Leptoglossus seed bug, a threat for commercial seed crops, but for conifer diversity?

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