Pollination Biology of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Tree-of-Heaven) in the Mid-Atlantic United States

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dc.contributor.authorThompson, Jessica Saraen
dc.contributor.committeechairFell, Richard D.en
dc.contributor.committeememberBrewster, Carlyle C.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHipkins, Perry Lloyden
dc.contributor.committeememberStipes, R. Jayen
dc.contributor.departmentEntomologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:36:19Zen
dc.date.adate2008-06-04en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:36:19Zen
dc.date.issued2008-05-06en
dc.date.rdate2008-06-04en
dc.date.sdate2008-05-11en
dc.description.abstractTo date little information has been collected on the pollination biology of <i>Ailanthus altissima</i> (Mill.) Swingle (tree-of-heaven), an invasive exotic in the U.S. This study was conducted to determine the insect pollinator fauna visiting <i>A. altissima</i> and to study general pollinator visitation patterns associated with the tree's nectar profile. A list of taxa visiting trees within each of three sites was developed from collected insects. Overall, visitor assemblage was dominated by the soldier beetle <i>Chauliognathus marginatus</i> with large numbers of ants in the genera <i>Formica</i>, <i>Prenolepis</i>, and <i>Camponotus</i>. No major diurnal pattern was found for visitation of insect pollinators using instantaneous counts. The nectar composition, concentration, and amount of total sugars in the flowers of <i>A. altissima</i> and how these are related to tree gender and time of day were determined. Nectar was found to be sucrose-dominant with lower, but nearly equal amounts of fructose and glucose. Total amounts of sugar in male and female blossoms were not statistically different, however higher concentrations of sugar were found in males (40.7%) than in females (35.3%). No difference was found over time. Nectar production and removal in trees was studied by comparing bagged flowers with flowers open to insect visitation. Bagged flowers were higher in overall sugar than open flowers, however, this was not constant across all times and gender.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Science in Life Sciencesen
dc.identifier.otheretd-05112008-205238en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05112008-205238/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/32586en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartThompson_Thesis_Final_5-31-08.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectinvasivesen
dc.subjectsexual reproductionen
dc.subjectfloral rewardsen
dc.titlePollination Biology of <i>Ailanthus altissima</i> (Mill.) Swingle (Tree-of-Heaven) in the Mid-Atlantic United Statesen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineEntomologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science in Life Sciencesen

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