Individual behaviour and population dynamics: lessons from aphid parasitoids

Abstract

An increasing number of researchers are studying behaviour in the hopes of understanding population dynamics or improving biological control efforts of insect pests by natural enemies. However, it is unclear exactly how behavioural studies will improve our understanding of these population level processes. In this paper we argue that in order to understand population level processes, the problem must be approached from a population biology perspective. A comprehensive understanding of certain behaviours will provide little towards our understanding of host-natural enemy interactions. For example, using an aphid-parasitoid model, we examined the effect that a commonly studied behaviour, variance in host selection by aphid parasitoids, has on aphid-parasitoid population dynamics. Differential host selection does not qualitatively alter classic Nicholson-Bailey dynamics, but only results in quantitative differences in aphid-parasitoid population sizes. Irrespective of the degree of aphid instar preference, a large increase in the number of aphids is followed by a large increase in the number of parasitoids, decimating the aphid population. Thus, studying some behaviours, such as variance in host selection, will not contribute substantially to an understanding of aphid-parasitoid population dynamics.