Temporal Distribution of Mortality in a Field Population of Zeta abdominale (Hymenoptera) in Jamaica
- 1 January 1978
- Vol. 31 (1) , 106-111
- https://doi.org/10.2307/3543391
Abstract
Temporal mortality in 1346 mud-cells of Z. abdominale (Drury) (Eumenidae) was studied for 13 monthly cohorts (or 7 indiscrete generations) of the species at Bushy Park, Jamaica. Time-specific life tables for the cohorts are presented showing that monthly fluctuations in the number of eggs entering the population (i.e., population size) and in mortality, occurred. Application of the key-factor analysis showed that the major mortality factors causing population changes could be identified by visual correlation. These were cell disappearance, and death of larvae and prepupae from predation by Melittobia sp. (M. hawaiiensis complex) (Eulophidae). Apart from Melittobia, the only important predator was Amobia floridensis Townsend (Sarcophagidae), but neither of them acted as direct density-dependent factors. While Amobia predation was independent of prey density, Melittobia acted as a delayed density-dependent factor on Z. abdominale.This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Field Studies on the Cumulative Response of Melittobia Sp. (Hawaiiensis Complex) (Eulophidae) to Varying Host DensitiesJournal of Animal Ecology, 1976
- The Development and Expression of Population Tables for the Bark Beetle Scolytus scolytus (F.)Journal of Animal Ecology, 1966
- The Dynamics of Epidemic Spruce Budworm PopulationsMemoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 1963