The Insect Microcosm of Western Juniper Berries

The ecology, history, ecohydrology, and management of pinyon and juniper woodlands in the Great Basin and Northern Colorado Plateau of the western United States

“…In an early study of western juniper, the chalcidoid wasp Eurytoma juniperina destroyed about 25 percent of the seed crop near Hilt, California, in 1913(Keen 1958. More recently, a study at two sites in northeast California had over 30 different species of arthropods (insects and arachnids) associated with the fruits or seeds of western juniper (Dimitri et al 2014Tonkel et al 2014). These included frugivorous and granivorous species (cone-and seed-feeders, respectively), predators of other insects, parasitoids (insects that develop from eggs laid inside other insects, ultimately killing their host), hyperparasitoids (parasitoids of other parasitoids), and inquilines (species that harmlessly cohabitate with other species).…”

Parallel paths in a miniature world

“…2009) led us to investigate the possible role of arthropod seed predators in limiting this spread (Dimitri et al. 2014, 2017, 2018, Tonkel et al. 2014, 2019).…”

“…Juniperus is a Holarctic genus of gymnosperms that reproduce exclusively via seeds formed in small, modified cones, commonly (and hereafter) referred to as berries. Concern about encroachment of Utah juniper (J. osteosperma) and western juniper (J. occidentalis) into rangelands of the Intermountain West and the resulting exacerbation of wildfire regimes Rose 1999, Romme et al 2009) led us to investigate the possible role of arthropod seed predators in limiting this spread (Dimitri et al 2014, 2017, 2018.…”