Abstract
Novel methodology is presented for indexing the relative potential of hosts to function as resources. A Host Potential Index (HPI) was developed as a practical framework to express relative host potential based on combining results from one or more independent studies, such as those examining host selection, utilization, and physiological development of the organism resourcing the host. Several aspects of the HPI are addressed including: 1) model derivation; 2) influence of experimental design on establishing host rankings for a study type (no choice, two-choice, and multiple-choice); and, 3) variable selection and weighting associated with combining multiple studies. To demonstrate application of the HPI, results from the interactions of spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), with seven “reported” hosts (blackberries, blueberries, sweet cherries, table grapes, peaches, raspberries, and strawberries) in a postharvest scenario were analyzed. Four aspects of SWD-host interaction were examined: attraction to host volatiles; population-level oviposition performance; individual-level oviposition performance; and key developmental factors. Application of HPI methodology indicated that raspberries (meanHPIvaried = 301.9±8.39; rank 1 of 7) have the greatest potential to serve as a postharvest host for SWD relative to the other fruit hosts, with grapes (meanHPIvaried = 232.4±3.21; rank 7 of 7) having the least potential.
Highlights
There is interest in many areas of biology to understand and define relations between a host and the organism it harbors
Application of Host Potential Index (HPI) methodology indicated that raspberries have the greatest potential to serve as a postharvest host for spotted wing drosophila (SWD) relative to the other fruit hosts, with grapes having the least potential
The purpose of this research is to develop a practical index to quantify relative host potentials based on analyses of host preference and host suitability, regardless of the experimental design employed
Summary
There is interest in many areas of biology to understand and define relations between a host and the organism it harbors. Host preference and host suitability, as generally termed, are both critically related to the potential of a host to serve as a resource [1,2,3]. When evaluating a suite of hosts, indices offer a mathematical framework to quantitatively integrate findings from multiple types of host suitability and host preference studies into an overall expression of host potential. Host preference studies examine behaviors associated with host selection (e.g., host location, distribution, and abundance) [4,5,6] at individual and population levels [7,8,9]. While various indices have been developed for host preference studies, most are species or system specific
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