Effect of temperature on the population dynamics of three Dalbulus leafhopper species

Abstract

SUMMARYAdult survival and fecundity of three Dalbulus leafhopper species were determined at constant temperatures of 20, 23, 26 and 29°C. Survival was measured by quartiles (i.e. time to 75%, 50% and 25% survival) and estimated parameters of the Weibull model fitted to the survival distributions. D. gelbus lived as long or significantly (P= 0.05) longer than the other species at all temperatures. D. maidis (the corn leafhopper) had survival times equal to or significantly shorter than D. elimatus (the Mexican corn leafhopper) at all temperatures except 29°C where D. maidis lived the longest. The shape of the survival curves did not vary among species or change with temperature.The fecundity of D. gelbus, as measured by the average number of eggs laid per female per generation, was equal to or significantly lower than the other species at all temperatures. D. maidis and D. elimatus had similar fecundity at all temperatures except 29°C, where D. maidis produced significantly more eggs. The mean development time from egg to adult declined with temperature between 17 and 29°C. At all temperatures, D. maidis developed the fastest, D. gelbus the slowest, and D. elimatus was intermediate. The results can be explained on the basis of the geographic distribution, plant host species, and life‐history strategies of the leafhoppers. Models for describing the population dynamics of leafhoppers are evaluated and discussed.