Biology ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 4-7-2025

Abstract

Ecosystem engineers shape communities by modifying their environments, yet their role in driving diversification is not well understood. Gall-inducing insects, as both ecosystem engineers and symbionts with plants, create complex ecological networks that provide a powerful system for studying host-parasite co-diversification and community assembly. This dissertation investigates the ecological and evolutionary consequences of gall induction in Aciurina (Diptera: Tephritidae) on Asteraceae hosts in North America. By characterizing the functions within communities, examining the adaptive significance of morphology, resolving species boundaries of hyperdiverse associated clades through integrative taxonomy, and analyzing tri-trophic patterns of host-associated differentiation, this work reveals how the evolution of gall induction contributes to biodiversity at multiple levels. Findings highlight the role of interactions in diversification, the evolutionary significance of symbiotic associations, and the mechanisms underlying specialization in gall-associated systems. This research advances our understanding of how symbiotic ecosystem engineers shape both ecological and evolutionary processes.

Language

English

Keywords

Ericameria nauseosa, chamisa, rabbitbrush, luminaria, hypergall

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Biology

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

UNM Biology Department

First Committee Member (Chair)

Ellen O. Martinson

Second Committee Member

Kenneth D. Whitney

Third Committee Member

Hannah E. Marx

Fourth Committee Member

Andrew Forbes

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