Summary 1. Invasive plants often have novel biotic interactions in their introduced ranges. These interactions, including less frequent herbivore attacks, may convey a competitive advantage over native plants. vary defence strategies (resistance vs. tolerance) or response to the type of (generalists specialists), but no study date has examined this broad set traits simultaneously. 2. Here, we resistance and tolerance Chinese tallow ( Triadica sebifera ) populations from ranges generalist...

Abstract Many herbivores increase their consumption rate as dietary nutrient concentration declines. This compensatory response can mitigate the fitness‐lowering impact of reduced food quality, but little is known about its costs. In this study we tested hypothesis that one cost to a faster be ingestion toxic dose an allelochemical occurring in food. We fed velvetbean caterpillars diet with progressively diluted levels containing same (% fresh mass, fm) caffeine, methylxanthine alkaloid....

Summary 1. Plants produce a variety of secondary metabolites such as flavonoids or tannins that vary in effectiveness against different herbivores. Because invasive plants experience herbivore interactions their introduced versus native ranges, they may defence chemical profiles. 2. We subjected tallow tree ( Triadica sebifera ) seedlings from (China) and (US) populations to induction by leaf clipping one three Chinese caterpillars (two generalists specialist). measured the concentrations...

Almost 200 species of orchid bees are the exclusive pollinators nearly 700 specialized orchids in neotropics. This well-known mutualism involves orchids, called perfume which produce species-specific blends floral fragrances, and male bees, collect use these fragrance compounds during their courtship. We report here naturalization an bee, Euglossa viridissima, southern Florida, USA, where absent. Chemical analysis contents storage organs hind tibias 59 collected Florida identified 55...

Students in a large introductory psychology class were given an opportunity to cheat on examination. Some time later, they asked volunteer participate project designed help mentally retarded children. On the basis of attitudinal and behavioral self‐report measures, subjects divided into four groups according religious belief: Jesus people, religious, nonreligious, atheists. The did not differ frequency or magnitude cheating, nor committing themselves performing altruistic act. Females showed...

Abstract Analyzing the geometric properties of high-dimensional loss functions, such as local curvature and existence other optima around a certain point in space, can help provide better understanding interplay between neural-network structure, implementation attributes, learning performance. In this paper, we combine concepts from probability differential geometry to study how lower-dimensional representations depend on those original space. We show that saddle points space are rarely...

Invasive plants are rapidly entering new ecosystems due to globalisation, increased trade, and frequent disturbances of natural habitats. Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi, known as the Brazilian peppertree, is a particularly aggressive invasive shrub in Florida, Hawaii, Texas, California. Due its growth damage it can cause ecological systems, considered one worst upland species state prompting extensive biological control efforts. The classical agent, Pseudophilothrips ichini, was approved for...

Abstract Fresh weight (fw) food consumption by caterpillars of Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) increased almost 2‐fold as the nutrients in an artificial diet were increasingly diluted with water (diets contained 65, 79, 86 or 89% fw water). Nonetheless, dry (dw) relative rate (RCR) declined dilution. The efficiency at which consumed is digested and assimilated (approximate digestibility, AD) on 3 diets, converted to biomass (ECD) 79 86% diets. As a consequence, dw...

Invasive plants often have novel biotic interactions in their introduced ranges. Their defense to herbivory may differ from native counterparts, potentially influencing the effectiveness of biological control. If invasive decreased resistance but increased tolerance enemies, insect herbivores rapidly build up populations exert weak Moreover, resource availability affect efficacy control agents. We tested these predictions using Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) and two specialist...

How can successful invaders overcome reduced genetic variation via small founder population sizes to persist, thrive, and successfully adapt a new set of environmental conditions? An expanding body literature posits hybridization, both inter- intraspecific, as driver the evolution invasiveness processes. We studied Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius), tree species native South America that is invader throughout Florida. The was introduced separately east west coasts Florida more...

Molecular and morphological evidence is presented to support the description of a second species Pseudophilothrips from Brazil in association with Schinus terebinthifolius, an invasive weedy tree North America. here recognized as weakly defined genus comprising 13 described Americas. This presumably derived within, rather than sister-genus to, worldwide Liothrips leaf-feeding species.

The Casuarina spp. are invasive plants in Florida that threaten biological diversity and beach integrity of coastal habitats. trees include three species their hybrids aggressively invade riverine areas. Of the species, C. equisetifolia glauca highly salt tolerant widespread third cunninghamiana, invades These pose dangers to both environment public safety. environmental damage includes interfering with nesting by endangered sea turtles, American crocodiles, rare swallow-tailed kite....

To date, it remains unclear how herbivore-induced changes in plant primary and secondary metabolites impact above-ground below-ground herbivore interactions. Here, we report effects of (adult) (larval) feeding by Bikasha collaris on nitrogen chemicals shoots roots Triadica sebifera to explain reciprocal insect Plants increased root tannins with herbivory, but herbivory prevented this increase larval survival doubled. Above-ground elevated nitrogen, probably contributing survival. However,...

Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae) (hereafter Schinus), is one of the worst invasive species in Florida and Hawaii. The thrips Pseudophilothrips ichini Hood (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) being considered as a potential biological control agent Schinus. Two populations this were collected weed's native range; from central-east Brazil (Ouro Preto thrips) second north-east (Salvador thrips). Temperature requirements, adult fecundity impact on...