Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology / Oviposition of the Fir Sawyer Beetle (Monochamus urussovi Fisch.) on the Tree Stem: Analysis Using Models of Random Point Fields

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Issue
Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology. 2015 8 (1)
Authors
Sekretenko, Olga P.; Kovalev, Anton V.; Soukhovolsky, Vladislav G.
Contact information
Sekretenko, Olga P.: Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS 50/28 Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia; Krasnoyarsk Sceintific Centre SB RAS 50 Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia; E-mail: ; Kovalev, Anton V.:Krasnoyarsk Sceintific Centre SB RAS 50 Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia; Soukhovolsky, Vladislav G.:Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS 50/28 Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia; Krasnoyarsk Sceintific Centre SB RAS 50 Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia
Keywords
Monochamus urussovi Fisch.; oviposition behaviour; food competition; reproductive strategy; plant-insect interaction; spatial point process; point pattern; spatial statistics
Abstract

The fir sawyer beetle is a xylophagous species that develops outbreaks in boreal coniferous forests. Females deposit single eggs under the bark through slotted holes that they make by their mandibles. These oviposition scars are clearly visible while the tree is alive. Larvae feed on phloem and sapwood for one or two summers. Under the bark each larva forms compact damage area close to the oviposition scar. One larva needs an area of no less than 50 sq cm for feeding. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that adult females optimize the eggs’ spatial pattern to reduce the possibility that the feed zones of expectant larvae will overlap one another. This oviposition strategy reduces larvae competition and enhances their survival. During the outbreak’s peak phase the stems of damaged fir trees were photographed and the coordinates of the 317 oviposition scars were recorded. Spatial statistics was used to determine that the distribution of eggs on the stem surface is regularized: close to the oviposition scar the number of another scars are less than this number for the independent distribution of points. The point process model with negative interacion between points was fitted to the oviposition locations data. The force of the repulsive interaction was found diminishing with increasing of the distance between the scars. The radius of interaction was estimated to be 4 cm. Therefore, the reproductive strategy of the fir sawyer beetle includes oviposition behavior aimed to minimize larval competition

Pages
45-55
Paper at repository of SibFU
https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/16858

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