Predation dynamics and forraging strategy in Repipta sp (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) and Podisus nigrispinus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): experimentation and ecological modeling

Abstract

Trophic interactions play an important role in ecological scenario controlling population trends, regulating populations, mediating interspecific associations and intervening in population control, mainly of agricultural pests. Global transformations are able to change important ecological patterns and population trends, motivating the investigation of trophic relationships, specially of species with significant potential for biological control. When the investigation includes analytical tools able to project trends, or even describe ecological patterns yet hidden by the complexity of numbers, ecological evaluations are essential for the implementation of pest management program. Predation dynamics and foraging strategy will be investigated in the current project for the predators Montina confusa and Podisus nigrispinus under experimental conditions, combining laboratory experiments with mathematical modeling. Predation rate estimative and the asymptotic function of functional response will be fitted to the data, which describe the relationship between prey abundance and consumption by predators. A discrete time mathematical model will be also employed to analyze the population dynamics of the two predator species and prey with parameters experimentally obtained. The results will be discussed in the context of biological control, aiming the implementation of pest management programs.