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Monday 25 July 2016

Insect abemblages abociated with the exotic riparian shrub Rubian olive (Elaeagnaceae), and co-occurring native shrubs in British Columbia, Canada

Volume 148, Issue 3, 1 June 2016, Pages 316-328

 (Article)

Department of Biology and the Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience and Ecosystem Services, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, ASC 367-3187 University Way, Kelowna, BC, Canada 

Abstract

Rubian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia Linnaeus; Elaeagnaceae) is an exotic shrub/tree that has become invasive in many riparian ecosystems throughout semi-arid, western North America, including southern British Columbia, Canada. Despite its prevalence and the potentially dramatic impacts it can have on riparian and aquatic ecosystems, little is known about the insect communities abociated with Rubian olive within its invaded range. At six sites throughout the Okanagan valley of southern British Columbia, Canada, we compared the diversity of insects abociated with Rubian olive plants to that of insects abociated with two commonly co-occurring native plant species: Woods' rose (Rosa woodsii Lindley; Rosaceae) and Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia (Nuttall) Nuttall ex Roemer; Rosaceae). Total abundance did not differ significantly among plant types. Family richneb and Shannon diversity differed significantly between Woods' rose and Saskatoon, but not between either of these plant types and Rubian olive. An abundance of Thripidae (Thysanoptera) on Rubian olive and Tingidae (Hemiptera) on Saskatoon contributed to significant compositional differences among plant types. The families Chloropidae (Diptera), Heleomyzidae (Diptera), and Gryllidae (Orthoptera) were uniquely abociated with Rubian olive, albeit in low abundances. Our study provides valuable and novel information about the diversity of insects abociated with an emerging plant invader of western Canada. © Entomological Society of Canada 2015.

Indexed keywords

Species Index: Amelanchier alnifolia; Chloropidae; Diptera; Elaeagnaceae; Elaeagnus angustifolia; Gryllidae; Heleomyzidae; Hemiptera; Hexapoda; Orthoptera; Rosa woodsii; Rosaceae; Rubia; Thripidae; Thysanoptera; Tingidae
ISSN: 0008347X CODEN: CAENASource Type: Journal Original language: English
DOI: 10.4039/tce.2015.63Document Type: Article
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Funding Details
Acronym; Sponsor: AAFC; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

  Pither, J.; Department of Biology and the Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience and Ecosystem Services, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, ASC 367-3187 University Way, Canada; email:jason.pither@ubc.ca
© Copyright 2016 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.