Population Ecology (2008) 50, 191-196

Yasufumi Nakamichi, Yukihiko Toquenaga and Koichi Fujii (2008)
Persistent host-parasitoid interaction caused by host maturation variability
Population Ecology 50 (2), 191-196
Abstract: The heterogeneity of parasitism risk among host individuals is a key factor for stabilizing or sustaining host-parasitoid interactions. Host maturation variability, or the variation in the maturation times among host individuals, is the simplest source of such heterogeneity, but it has often been neglected in previous theoretical studies. We developed a configuration individual-based model (cIBM) of host-parasitoid interaction to investigate to what degree of host maturation variability promotes the persistence of host-parasitoid interactions. We ran simulations with various degrees of host maturation variability for different lengths of unsusceptible period. The result showed that low host maturation variability could sustain host-parasitoid dynamics when the host-unsusceptible period was short. Conversely, high levels of variability could sustain host-parasitoid dynamics when the host-unsusceptible period was about half of the total larval period. This suggests that the balance between variability and unsusceptible period is important for the persistence of host-parasitoid interaction. We conclude that maturation variability is a factor that can contribute to the sustainment of host-parasitoid interactions.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Koichi Fujii

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Callosobruchus maculatus