Isolated peat bog habitats and their food connections: parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) and their lepidopteran hosts

0376893 - BC 2013 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Lozan, Aurel - Spitzer, Karel - Jaroš, Josef
Isolated peat bog habitats and their food connections: parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) and their lepidopteran hosts.
Journal of Insect Conservation. Roč. 16, č. 3 (2012), s. 391-397. ISSN 1366-638X. E-ISSN 1572-9753
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508
Keywords : Paleorefugia * relict peat bogs * specific Lepidoptera
Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour
Impact factor: 1.801, year: 2012
http://www.springerlink.com/content/78u173hn60701033/

Isolated peat bog habitats harbour a unique diversity of cold adapted insects. Stenotopic highly specific Lepidoptera that feed on the typical bog plant Vaccinium uliginosum were parasitized by generalists of Braconidae and Ichneumonidae.The tyrphobiontic Lepidoptera is connected with generalist-parasitoids. In a disturbed peat bog and under impact of biological invasions, the penetration of alien and opportunistic insects is obvious. An example of invasive plant Frangula alnus and associated insects is given. Host specificity of parasitoids is typical for widely distributed, easy available and abundant hosts, but paleorefugial, local and rare host-Lepidoptera seem to be associated with parasitoids of relatively wide ecological amplitude.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0209185