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Interaction between bracken and its insect herbivores

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

J. H. Lawton  and
M. MacGarvin
J. H. Lawton
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO1 5DD, U.K.
M. MacGarvin
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO1 5DD, U.K.
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Synopsis

Bracken in Britain is a host for 27 species of insect herbivores, with a further 11 species that either feed below ground (and are poorly studied), or appear to be only rarely associated with the plant. A typical site in northern England has an average of 15–16 of these species in any one year. Compared with perennial herbaceous angiosperms with similar wide distributions, bracken is not noticeably depauperate in the number of insect species that feed upon it. Bracken in others parts of the world is attacked by a wide variety of insects, with more species present in the geographical areas where bracken is most common.

The ‘feeding niches’ of some of these insects are reviewed. Most are very rare relative to the biomass of their host plants, probably because of the impact of natural enemies; the effect of most of the insects upon their host-plant is consequently negligible.

Reverse effects, of host-plant upon the insects, are subtle but poorly understood. Experiments to elucidate these effects are briefly outlined.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section B: Biological Sciences , Volume 86: The Biology of Pteridophytes , 1985 , pp. 125 - 131
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1985

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