MILLER 9707928 Despite far reaching implications for rain forest conservation and management, understanding of host specificity of plant-feeding tropical insects remains more of a matter of conjecture than hard data. The investigators' approach overcomes three major problems associated with previous studies: (1) overlooking the importance of "transient" species that are not actually part of the community under study; (2) inadequate sampling programs without rearing and observation of live insects; and (3) need for "long-term" presence in the tropics with sufficient sampling effort. The methodology of the investigators, which includes testing live insects to see what plants they will actually feed on, allows exclusion of transient species and builds on the solid infrastructure, technical assistance and relationships developed with local villagers near Madang, Papua New Guinea. The specific goals of the investigators are to complete the sampling scheme initiated two years ago by adding 15 species of Rubiaceae and 25 additional species of Moraceae, then (1) compare local faunistic composition, species-richness and host specificity of leaf-chewing insects feeding on the unrelated plant families (Moraceae figs , Euphorbiaceae, and Rubicaceae); (2) compare species abundance distribution among the 45 communities of leaf-chewing insects studied; and (3) explore relationships of local insect variables (species richness, host specificity and abundance) to local host variables (abundance, leaf production patterns, other physical and biological characteristics). Forest management and conservation strategies that maximize maintenance of insect diversity depend greatly on how that diversity is distributed, including how dependent the insects are on specific plants. In other words, how much of the host plant diversity must be preserved in order to maintain the insect community? Besides the obvious conservation importance, the same principles extend to management of forest insect pests and biologic al control agents. This project represents a significant example of the integration of taxonomic expertise in answering essential questions in community ecology and conservation biology, with links to training and resource management.
