19th Annual Student Research Conference
Science
Phylogenetic Structure of Katydid (Orthoptera:Tettigoniidae) Communities in Northeast Missouri Grasslands: A Macroevolutionary Approach
Katy H. Frederick♦
Dr. Jonathan C. Gering, Faculty Mentor
We explored the phylogenentic relationships of katydid (Orthoptera:Tettigoniidae) communities in three habitats (prairie, pasture, oldfield) in northeast Missouri. Sampling techniques included sweep sampling and vocal surveys that were conducted once a month from July-October 2005. July had the highest mean or overall abundance, although most were juveniles. Pastures had the lowest species richness. The ordination chart showed that the pastures’ species composition for each month were more similar to each other than any of the other groupings. To test for phylogenetic clustering and overdispersion, we built a regional phylogeny using 35 morphological characters that were selected from literature sources, museum records, and personal observations. The katydid communities in prairies in July and August were phylogentically clustered, or more related than as if drawn at random from the regional phylogeny. Further studies of character evolution might find explanations for this pattern of clustering.
Keywords: Tettigoniidae, Prairies, northeast Missouri, Phylogeny, Phylogenetic , Clustering, Overdispersion, Macroevolution
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 40-4
Location: VH 1432
Time: 2:00