Predicting the Next High-Impact Insect Invasion: Elucidating Traits and Factors Determining Risk of Introduced Herbivorous Insects on North American Native Plants

Project ID: G16AC00065

Federal Agency: U.S. Geological Survey

Partner Institution: University of Washington

Fiscal Year: 2016

Initial Funding: $50,000

Total Funding: $80,000

Project Type: Technical Assistance

Project Disciplines: Biological

Principal Investigator: Tobin, Patrick

Agreement Technical Representative: Baron, Jill

Abstract: The goal of this research is a continental scale study of high-impact insect invasions caused by genus specialists. Will examine the contribution of five types of drivers toward these impacts: (1) the insects’ and host plants’ evolutionary history, (2) the hosts’ defenses or lack thereof (defense-free space), (3) presence of natural enemies or lack thereof (enemy release), (4) invader traits, and (5) geographic and temporal considerations.