Faculty
Faculty of Science
Supervisor Name
Dr. Keith Hobson
Keywords
stable hydrogen isotopes, isotopes, insects, entomology, stable isotopes, aquatic insects, terrestrial insects, aerial insectivore
Description
Aquatic-emergent insects are vectors of both contaminants and nutrients, linking the aquatic system to the terrestrial system. Aquatic-emergent insects are high in omega-3 fatty acids that benefit terrestrial aerial insectivores, such as bats and birds. With aerial insectivores on a decline, a contributing factor could be a decrease in the quality of insects. We collected insects from lakeshore and inland locations in Southern Ontario. Insects sampled included bees, wasps, ants, beetles, caddisflies, craneflies, dragonflies, marchflies, mayflies, midges, other flies, and true bugs. Insects’ wings and powdered bodies were then analyzed for stable hydrogen isotopes (d2H) in order to differentiate between aquatic-emergent and terrestrial insects. The d2H values of aquatic-emergent insect wings were found to be significantly lower than those of terrestrial insects. Furthermore, individual insect groups differed in d2H values with some variability among groups. Knowing how insect groups compare to each other isotopically aids in understanding and inferring diet quality of consumers.
Acknowledgements
This project was supported by the Department of Biology at Western University through the Undergraduate Summer Research Internship program. Special thanks to the land owners for allowing us to conduct research on their property.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Document Type
Poster
Included in
Biology Commons, Entomology Commons, Environmental Sciences Commons, Ornithology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Stable hydrogen isotopes of aquatic-emergent versus terrestrial insects in Southern Ontario
Aquatic-emergent insects are vectors of both contaminants and nutrients, linking the aquatic system to the terrestrial system. Aquatic-emergent insects are high in omega-3 fatty acids that benefit terrestrial aerial insectivores, such as bats and birds. With aerial insectivores on a decline, a contributing factor could be a decrease in the quality of insects. We collected insects from lakeshore and inland locations in Southern Ontario. Insects sampled included bees, wasps, ants, beetles, caddisflies, craneflies, dragonflies, marchflies, mayflies, midges, other flies, and true bugs. Insects’ wings and powdered bodies were then analyzed for stable hydrogen isotopes (d2H) in order to differentiate between aquatic-emergent and terrestrial insects. The d2H values of aquatic-emergent insect wings were found to be significantly lower than those of terrestrial insects. Furthermore, individual insect groups differed in d2H values with some variability among groups. Knowing how insect groups compare to each other isotopically aids in understanding and inferring diet quality of consumers.