Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
John O. Stireman III, Ph.D. (Advisor); Katie Hossler, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Don Cipollini, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
Invasive species cause widespread ecological disruption and economic loss. Invasive plants in particular have the potential to reshape forest food webs from the bottom up. However, the extent to which herbivores colonize and assimilate invasive plants into their diets remains unclear. To address this, I surveyed caterpillar abundance, richness, and herbivory on two invasive shrubs, Lonicera maackii and Elaeagnus umbellata, across regions differing in infestation history. Lonicera maackii supported lower overall caterpillar abundance and richness but hosted a more diverse and abundant caterpillar community in the heavily infested region. E. umbellata supported robust caterpillar communities and experienced herbivory levels comparable to the native control, Acer saccharum. These findings suggest that both shrubs are being incorporated into local food webs and that herbivore adaptation may be occurring. Over time, this process could reduce the ecological advantage conferred by escape from herbivory.
Page Count
77
Department or Program
Department of Biological Sciences
Year Degree Awarded
2025
Copyright
Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
ORCID ID
0009-0001-9944-7499
