Evolutionary ecology of pheromone signaling in Dendroctonus frontalis

Abstract

Although studies of pheromone production in the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) extend back to the dawn of chemical ecology, it is only recently that instrumentation has become sufficiently sensitive to measure pheromone production of individual beetles. Now, recent studies have revealed surprisingly high variation among individuals in their pheromone production. This seems paradoxical because pheromone signals in tree-killing bark beetles are apparently linked to fitness and have high heritability.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings from the Third Workshop on Genetics of Bark Beetles and Associated Microorganisms

Citation

Pureswaran, Deepa S.; Sullivan, Brian T.; Ayres, Matthew P. 2007. Evolutionary ecology of pheromone signaling in Dendroctonus frontalis. In: Bentz, Barbara; Cognato, Anthony; Raffa, Kenneth, eds. Proceedings from the Third Workshop on Genetics of Bark Beetles and Associated Microorganisms. Proc. RMRS-P-45. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 33