Spatial Pattern Formation in an Insect Host-Parasitoid System
John L. Maron,
*
Susan Harrison
Spatial models in ecology predict that populations may form patchy
distributions within continuous habitats, through strong predator-prey
or host-parasitoid interactions combined with limited dispersal.
Empirical support of these models is provided. Parasitoids emanating
from a population outbreak of tussock moths (Orgyia vetusta)
suppressed the growth of nearby experimental populations of the moth,
while experimental populations farther away were able to grow. This
result explains the observed localized nature of tussock moth outbreaks
and illustrates how population distributions can be regulated by
dynamic spatial processes.
J. L. Maron, Department of Botany, Box 355325, University of
Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
S. Harrison, Division of Environmental Studies, University of
California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
jlmaron{at}ucdavis.edu. Present address: University of California Bodega Marine Laboratory, Box 247, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, USA.
