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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Washington, D.C. » National Arboretum » Floral and Nursery Plants Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #159370
Title: DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF LEAFHOPPER SPECIES AMONG RED MAPLE CLONES

Author
item Bentz, Jo Ann
item Townsend, Alden

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/14/2004
Publication Date: 3/1/2005
Citation: Bentz, J., Townsend, A.M. 2005. Diversity and abundance of leafhopper species (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) among red maple clones. Journal of Insect Conservation. 9:29-39.

Interpretive Summary: We were interested in determining if the use of red maple clones could conserve the diversity of non-economically leafhopper species while providing a strategy for reducing population numbers of the potato leafhopper as a pest of red maple. The ecological role of clonal selections in the conservation of biodiversity has not been assessed. Our study showed that many different kinds of leafhoppers were collected among the 24 different clonal selections. Sixty four different leafhopper species, for a total of 6,070 individuals, were collected during the study, with 13 of the species found only once. Although all the trees were red maples, about 50% of the species were commonly found from all the clones. Differences in species diversity were not random, but influenced by clonal selection. This study is the first to show that red maple clonal selection influences leafhopper diversity. Thus, host plant resistance may play a positive role in insect conservation and biodiversity.

Technical Abstract: A survey was conducted in the 2001 growing season to examine the leafhopper diversity and abundance among trees of 24 red maple (Acer rubrum) clonal selections. Yellow sticky traps were used to qualify and quantify the number of aerial leafhoppers from 1 May 2001 until 4 September 2001. A total of 6,070 individuals comprising sixty four leafhopper species were collected during the study. The highest number of leafhoppers was collected from trees of clone 55410, while the fewest leafhoppers were collected from trees of clone 56028. Species richness varied from 36 species (clone 56020) to 25 species (clones 55894 and 57776). Of the species collected, 13 occurred only once. The Shannon-Weiner H', Brillouin's D and Simpson's Reciprocal D diversity indices indicated that clone 56028 has the highest diversity of leafhopper species and that clones 55410 and 55900 have the lowest diversity among clones. Brillouin E and McIntosch E evenness indices indicated that leafhoppers were not evenly distributed within species among clones. Renkonen similarity coefficient showed that species similarity among clones ranged from 47% to 84%. The expected species accumulation curve indicated that diversity heterogeneity was greater than could be explained by random sampling error. The first order jackknife estimator and rarefaction curves indicated that species richness was appropriately sampled. The estimated maximum species number did not increase by increasing sampling effort. Thus, the survey represented a good inventory of the leafhopper species among the maple clones. This study is the first to show that red maple clonal selection influences leafhopper diversity.