Diet breadth evolution of insect herbivores
More than 90% of insect herbivores are specialists, however, there is no clear advantage of being a specialist instead of a generalist. Research in the Vidal Lab addresses the question of 'Why there are so few generalists compared to specialists?' by combining the effects of natural enemies (top-down) and host plant quality (bottom-up) with a geographic perspective.
This research is currently funded by NSF DEB (#2030691) in collaboration with Gina Wimp at Georgetown University, Mariana Abarca at Smith College, and Shannon Murphy and Dhaval Vyas at the University of Denver. We are using tri-trophic interactions to understand what makes an insect herbivore feed on so many different plants.
This research is currently funded by NSF DEB (#2030691) in collaboration with Gina Wimp at Georgetown University, Mariana Abarca at Smith College, and Shannon Murphy and Dhaval Vyas at the University of Denver. We are using tri-trophic interactions to understand what makes an insect herbivore feed on so many different plants.
Read more about our insect herbivore work here:
Barrone, J.*, Vidal, M.C., and R. Stevenson. 2023. Sphingid caterpillars conspicuous patches do not function as distractive marks or warning against predators.cology & Evolution.
Robinson-Castillo**, M., Mitchell**, A., Fasching**, A.,Vidal, M.C., Abarca, M., Wimp, G.M., Bieber, B.*, Vyas, D.K., Murphy, S.M. 2021. Protocols for Rearing Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea) in a Colony and Basic Methods for Laboratory and Field Experiments. University of Denver Undergraduate Research Journal Vol. 2.
VIDAL, M.C., Lill, J.T., Marquis, R.J., Murphy, S.M. 2020. Geographic variation in performance of a widespread generalist insect herbivore. Ecological Entomology 45, 617–625
VIDAL, M.C., Stireman, J.O., Quinn, T.Q., Tinghitella, R.M., Murphy, S.M. 2019. Geography is more important than host plant use for the population genetic structure of a generalist insect herbivore. Molecular Ecology 28: 4317-4334.
VIDAL, M.C. and S.M. Murphy. 2018. Quantitative measure of fitness in tri-trophic interactions and its influence on diet breadth of insect herbivores. Ecology 99: 2681-2691.
VIDAL, M.C., and S.M. Murphy. 2018. Bottom-up versus top-down effects on terrestrial insect herbivores: a meta-analysis. Ecology Letters 21: 138-150.
Murphy, S.M., VIDAL, M.C., Hallagan, C. J., Barnes E. E. and E.D. Broder. 2018. A slow-growth high-mortality meta-analysis for insects: A comment on Chen & Chen. Insect Science 25: 352-354.
Barrone, J.*, Vidal, M.C., and R. Stevenson. 2023. Sphingid caterpillars conspicuous patches do not function as distractive marks or warning against predators.cology & Evolution.
Robinson-Castillo**, M., Mitchell**, A., Fasching**, A.,Vidal, M.C., Abarca, M., Wimp, G.M., Bieber, B.*, Vyas, D.K., Murphy, S.M. 2021. Protocols for Rearing Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea) in a Colony and Basic Methods for Laboratory and Field Experiments. University of Denver Undergraduate Research Journal Vol. 2.
VIDAL, M.C., Lill, J.T., Marquis, R.J., Murphy, S.M. 2020. Geographic variation in performance of a widespread generalist insect herbivore. Ecological Entomology 45, 617–625
VIDAL, M.C., Stireman, J.O., Quinn, T.Q., Tinghitella, R.M., Murphy, S.M. 2019. Geography is more important than host plant use for the population genetic structure of a generalist insect herbivore. Molecular Ecology 28: 4317-4334.
VIDAL, M.C. and S.M. Murphy. 2018. Quantitative measure of fitness in tri-trophic interactions and its influence on diet breadth of insect herbivores. Ecology 99: 2681-2691.
VIDAL, M.C., and S.M. Murphy. 2018. Bottom-up versus top-down effects on terrestrial insect herbivores: a meta-analysis. Ecology Letters 21: 138-150.
Murphy, S.M., VIDAL, M.C., Hallagan, C. J., Barnes E. E. and E.D. Broder. 2018. A slow-growth high-mortality meta-analysis for insects: A comment on Chen & Chen. Insect Science 25: 352-354.