Research
Presently, I am studying the environmental factors that limit the biotic potential of weed biological control agents. Moreover, I study the ability of these insects, through behavioral and physiological mechanisms, to decrease the negative effect of these adverse environmental factors. This information is useful in the selection of release sites following the official clearance of agents from quarantine. Moreover, it improves our understanding of the limitations of the biological control agents, maximizes our ability to mass rear insects, and provides information useful in the selection of future agents. Research projects conducted during the past three years or in progress include the following list. Invasive species: · Pemberton, R.W. & Wheeler, G.S. 2006. Orchid bees don't need orchid mutualists - evidence from the naturalization of an orchid bee in Florida. Ecology 87 (8): 1995-2001. PDF Melaleuca quinquenervia biological control: · Wheeler, G. S. & Montgomery, B. R. 2000. Antipredatory Activity of the Weevil Oxyops vitiosa: A Biological Control Agent of Melaleuca quinquenervia. Journal of Insect Behavior 13, (6) 915-926 PDF · Wheeler, G.S. 2001. Host Plant Quality Factors That Influence the Growth and Development of Oxyops vitiosa, a Biological Control Agent of Melaleuca quinquenervia. Biological Control 22: 256-264. PDF · Wheeler, G.S. and Zahniser, J. 2001. Artificial diet and rearing methods for the Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) biological control agent Oxyops vitiosa (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Florida Entomol. 84: 439-441. PDF · Wheeler, G. S., Massey, L. M. and Southwell, I. A. 2002. Antipredator defense of the biological control agent Oxyops vitiosa is mediated by plant volatiles sequestered from the host plant Melaleuca quinquenervia. Journal of Chemical Ecology 28 (2): 297-315 PDF · Wheeler, G.S. 2003. Minimal increase in larval and adult performance of the biological control agent Oxyops vitiosa when fed Melaleuca quinquenervia leaves of different nitrogen levels Biological Control 26: 109-116. PDF · Wheeler, G. S., Massey, L. M. and Southwell, I. A. 2003. Dietary influences on the terpenoids sequestered by the biological control agent Oxyops vitiosa: the effect of plant volatiles from different Melaleuca quinquenervia chemotypes and laboratory host species Journal of Chemical Ecology 29 (1): 189-208 PDF · Southwell, I. A. Russell, M. F., Maddox, C. D. A. and Wheeler, G. S. 2003. Differential metabolism of 1,8–cineole in insects. Journal of Chemical Ecology 29 (1): 83-94 PDF · Wheeler, G. S. 2005. Maintenance of a narrow host range by Oxyops vitiosa; a biological control agent of Melaleuca quinquenervia. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 33: 365-383 PDF · Wheeler, G.S., Ordung, K.M. 2005. Secondary metabolite variation affects the oviposition preference but has little effect on the performance of Boreioglycaspis melaleucae: A biological control agent of Melaleuca quinquenervia. Biol. Control 35, 115-123. PDF · Wheeler, G.S. 2006. Chemotype variation of the weed Melaleuca quinquenervia influences the biomass and fecundity of the biological control agent Oxyops vitiosa. Biol. Control 36: 121-128. PDF · Wheeler, G.S., Ordung, K.M. 2006. Lack of an induced response following fire and herbivory of two chemotypes of Melaleuca quinquenervia and its effect on two biological control agents. Biol. Control 39: 154-161. PDF · Wheeler, G.S., Pratt, P.D., Giblin-Davis, R.M., Ordung, K.M. 2007. Intraspecific variation in leaf oils of Melaleuca quinquenervia in its naturalized range in Florida, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology (In press) PDF · Wheeler, G. S. 2006. Melaleuca volatile compounds used by herbivores for orientation to their host. (in progress) Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian peppertree) biological control: · Wheeler, G. S., Massey, L. M. and Endries, M. 2001. The Brazilian peppertree drupe feeder Megastigmus transvaalensis (Hymenoptera: Torymidae): Florida distribution and impact. Biological Control 22: 139-148. PDF Dioscorea bulbifera (air potato) biological control: · Wheeler, G. S. and Pemberton, R. W. 2007. A biological control feasibility study of the invasive weed-air potato, Dioscorea bulbifera L. (Dioscoreaceae); An effort to increase biological control transparency and safe. Natural Areas In Press PDF Australian pine (Casuarina spp.) · Wheeler, G. S. and Goolsby, J. 2004. Feasibility of biological control of Australian pine (Casuarina spp.) in Florida Biological Control (in progress). PDF Hydrilla verticillata biological control · Wheeler, G.S. and T.D. Center. 1996. The influence of hydrilla leaf quality on larval growth and development of the biological control agent Hydrellia pakistanae. Biol. Control 7: 1-9. PDF · Wheeler, G.S. and T.D. Center. 1997. Growth and development of the biological control agent Bagous hydrillae as influenced by hydrilla (Hydrellia pakistanae) stem quality Biol. Control 8: 52-57. PDF · Van, T.K., Wheeler, G.S., and Center, T.D. 1998. Competitive interactions between Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) and Vallisneria (Vallisneria americana) as influenced by insect herbivory. Biol. Control 11: 185-192. PDF · Van, T.K., G.S. Wheeler, and T.D. Center. 1999. Competition between hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) and american eelgrass (Vallisneria americana) as influenced by soil fertility. Aquat. Bot. 62: 225-233 PDF · Wheeler, G.S. and T.D. Center. 2001. Impact of the biological control agent Hydrellia pakistanae (Diptera: Ephydridae) on the submersed aquatic weed Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae). Biol. Control 21: 168-181. PDF · Wheeler, G.S., Center, T.D. 2007. Hydrilla stems and tubers as hosts for three Bagous species: two introduced biological control agents (Bagous hydrillae and B. affinis) and one native species (B. restrictus). Environmental Entomology 36, 409-415. PDF Pistia stratiotes biological control (waterlettuce) · Wheeler, G.S., Van, T.K., and Center, T.D. 1998. Fecundity and egg distribution of the herbivore Spodoptera pectinicornis as influenced by quality of the floating aquatic plant Pistia stratiotes. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 86: 295-304. PDF · Wheeler, G.S., Van, T.K., and Center, T.D. 1998. Herbivore adaptations to a low-nutrient food: the weed biological control specialist Spodoptera pectinicornis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) fed the floating aquatic plant Pistia stratiotes. Environ. Entomol. 29: 993-1000. PDF · Wheeler, G.S. and Halpern, M.D. 1999. Compensatory responses of Samea multiplicalis larvae in response to different fertilization levels of the aquatic weed Pistia stratiotes. |