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Patterns of Diversification in Phytophagous Insects: Phylogeny and Evolution of Phytomyza Leaf-mining Flies (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

Plant-feeding insects account for about one fourth of macroscopic biodiversity. This study aims to document factors contributing to this diversity by investigating phylogenetic relationships within a large radiation of herbivorous insects, Phytomyza leaf-mining flies Diptera: Agromyzidae. A handful of prominent results include 1) host use conservatism at the family level predominates, with shifts occurring at about 5% of speciation events

Fitness of the transgenic malaria-refractory mosquito Anopheles gambiae

The African mosquito Anopheles gambiae is the insect vector responsible for half of worldwide malaria infections. One option for reducing malaria is genetic manipulation of the vector. By creating transgenic mosquitoes incapable of spreading the malaria pathogen, the human-mosquito-human cycle of infection may be interrupted.

Predator diversity, habitat complexity and the strength of terrestrial trophic cascades

Food web complexity is believed to deteriorate the strength of terrestrial trophic cascades whereby strong natural enemy influences on herbivores cascade to indirectly impact primary production. Predator diversity may increase food web complexity by promoting the occurrence of intraguild predation, wherein predators