Entomological Society of Canada Student Member Information Form

Name: Wade Jenner

University: Carleton University

Address: Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6

E-mail Address: wjenner@connect.carleton.ca

Advisors: Dr. Naomi Cappuccino, Dr. Peter Mason, Dr. Ulrich Kuhlmann, Dr. John Arnason

Thesis Title: Parasitoid Host Range Estimation: A Test of a Fundamental Assumption Behind Proposed Techniques

Research Summary:
A modern key component to classical biological control programmes is the analysis of a proposed agent’s host specificity. Predator/parasitoid host range is considered to be the primary element of risk assessment carried out prior to an agent’s release. In comparison to weed biological control, however, host range testing of agents for arthropod biological control is a much younger phenomenon. As a result, a well-rounded and standardised approach to host range testing has yet to be developed. There is currently a massive international movement to remedy this problem, with a number of (sometimes conflicting) suggestions being tabled. The results of host specificity tests have been shown to vary under different experimental conditions (e.g. choice versus no-choice tests, Petri dish arenas versus large field cages, etc.). The physiological and informational state of parasitoids is known to influence certain aspects of their foraging behaviour and, accordingly, it has been recommended that parasitoid state be strictly controlled to ensure that individuals will be most likely to accept non-target hosts during host range trials. The problem is that different species may respond differently to changes in their physiological and informational states and there is very little evidence that enhanced foraging activity will actually translate to a wider host range expression. I aim to assess whether variable physiological states that influence a parasitoid’s readiness to oviposit will ultimately lead the parasitoid to accept more non-target species as hosts.

Keywords: biological control, Lepidoptera, Ichneumonidae, host range test

Degree Sought: PhD

Expected Year of Completion: 2008

Publications:
Jenner, W. & Kuhlmann, U. 2005. Significance of host size for a solitary endoparasitoid: a trade-off between fitness parameters. Basic and Appl. Ecol. (accepted 28/07/05).

Roitberg, B., Gillespie, D., Quring, D., Alma, C., Jenner, W., Perry, J., Peterson, J., Salomon, M. & VanLaerhoven, S. 2005. The cost of being an omnivore: mandible wear from plant feeding in a true bug. Naturwissenschaften 92: 431-434.

Jenner, W., Kuhlmann, U., Cossentine, J. & Roitberg, B. 2005. Reproductive biology and small-scale rearing of cherry bark tortrix and its candidate biological control agent. J. Appl. Entomol. 129: 437-442.

Jenner, W., Cossentine J., Whistlecraft, J. & Kuhlmann, U. 2005. Host rearing is a bottleneck for classical biological control of the cherry bark tortrix: a comparative analysis of artificial diets. Biocontrol Sci. Tech. 15: 519-525.

Jenner, W., Kuhlmann, U., Cossentine, J. & Roitberg, B. 2004. Phenology, distribution, and the natural parasitoid community of the cherry bark tortrix. Biol. Control 31: 72-82.