資源の存在様式と個体群平衡 : 食植性昆虫を中心として

概要

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In spite of the accumulation of field data on population dynamics, there has been little refinement of the concept of population equilibrium. Recent debate on community organization has, however, revived the problem of population equilibrium with respect to resource levels, which is the fundamental premise of contemporary evolutionary ecology. A brief review of recent attempts of insect-plant interactions clearly revealed that host plant heterogeneity in temporal and spatial scales plays a significant role in determining demographic features of insect populations. Thus, population equilibrium should be evaluated by monitoring population response to resource patterns. The resource-based approach involves the careful assessment of resource patterns, evaluation of resource tracking by a population, and the clarification of causal mechanisms responsible for resource tracking. Since the tracking ability of a population is largely dependent on an organism's adaptive strategies in resource use, to clarify the underlying causal mechanisms, more attention should be focused on behavioural and physiological attributes at the individual level. The behaviour mediated population equilibrium of an herbivorous lady beetle with respect to available resources was reviewed in this context.
日本生態学会の論文
1987-04-30