{"id":{"repo_id":"gsu","oai_identifier":"oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1693"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/gsu/oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1693","repository":{"repo_id":"gsu","name":"Georgia Southern University","base_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Preference and Performance of the Water Lily Aphid (Rhopalosiphum Nymphaeae) among Native and Invasive Duckweeds (Lemnaceae)","abstract":"Water lily aphids, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae, are a polyphagous species of insect that feed on a variety of host plants including members of the Lemnaceae family. Many studies have focused on the relationship between herbivore preference and performance on different host plants, and as such the goal of this study was to determine if there is any relationship between host plant preference and performance of the water lily aphid on three different species of duckweed, including one invasive duckweed. Aphid preference was determined through a series of choice tests, which showed that the aphids preferred Spirodela polyrhiza over Landoltia punctata over Lemna minor. Water lily aphids also initially preferred the species they were reared on, even if it was not an overall preferred species, suggesting that familiarity plays a role in shaping host preference. To determine performance I measured offspring growth, reproduction and survival on all three species of duckweed. Aphids had the lowest performance levels on Lemna minor and the highest on Landoltia punctata and Spirodela polyrhiza. Aphids preferred and performed the best on the least nitrogen rich duckweed.","abstract_html":"Water lily aphids, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae, are a polyphagous species of insect that feed on a variety of host plants including members of the Lemnaceae family. Many studies have focused on the relationship between herbivore preference and performance on different host plants, and as such the goal of this study was to determine if there is any relationship between host plant preference and performance of the water lily aphid on three different species of duckweed, including one invasive duckweed. Aphid preference was determined through a series of choice tests, which showed that the aphids preferred Spirodela polyrhiza over Landoltia punctata over Lemna minor. Water lily aphids also initially preferred the species they were reared on, even if it was not an overall preferred species, suggesting that familiarity plays a role in shaping host preference. To determine performance I measured offspring growth, reproduction and survival on all three species of duckweed. Aphids had the lowest performance levels on Lemna minor and the highest on Landoltia punctata and Spirodela polyrhiza. Aphids preferred and performed the best on the least nitrogen rich duckweed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Storey, Melissa Cameron"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)","degree_level":"Thesis (open access)","degree_discipline":"Department of Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lissa Leege","Bruce Schulte","Ed Mondor"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-07-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2007-07-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:19Z","subjects":["ETD","Host-plant preference","Offspring performance","Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae","Duckweed","Rhopalosiphum","Aphids","Host plants"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/693","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lissa Leege","Bruce Schulte","Ed Mondor"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Storey, Melissa Cameron"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-10-17T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis (open access)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","Host-plant preference","Offspring performance","Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae","Duckweed","Rhopalosiphum","Aphids","Host plants"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/693"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Water lily aphids, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae, are a polyphagous species of insect that feed on a variety of host plants including members of the Lemnaceae family. Many studies have focused on the relationship between herbivore preference and performance on different host plants, and as such the goal of this study was to determine if there is any relationship between host plant preference and performance of the water lily aphid on three different species of duckweed, including one invasive duckweed. Aphid preference was determined through a series of choice tests, which showed that the aphids preferred Spirodela polyrhiza over Landoltia punctata over Lemna minor. Water lily aphids also initially preferred the species they were reared on, even if it was not an overall preferred species, suggesting that familiarity plays a role in shaping host preference. To determine performance I measured offspring growth, reproduction and survival on all three species of duckweed. Aphids had the lowest performance levels on Lemna minor and the highest on Landoltia punctata and Spirodela polyrhiza. Aphids preferred and performed the best on the least nitrogen rich duckweed."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Preference and Performance of the Water Lily Aphid (Rhopalosiphum Nymphaeae) among Native and Invasive Duckweeds (Lemnaceae)"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lissa Leege","Bruce Schulte","Ed Mondor"],"dc:creator":["Storey, Melissa Cameron"],"dc:date.available":["2013-10-17T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Water lily aphids, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae, are a polyphagous species of insect that feed on a variety of host plants including members of the Lemnaceae family. Many studies have focused on the relationship between herbivore preference and performance on different host plants, and as such the goal of this study was to determine if there is any relationship between host plant preference and performance of the water lily aphid on three different species of duckweed, including one invasive duckweed. Aphid preference was determined through a series of choice tests, which showed that the aphids preferred Spirodela polyrhiza over Landoltia punctata over Lemna minor. Water lily aphids also initially preferred the species they were reared on, even if it was not an overall preferred species, suggesting that familiarity plays a role in shaping host preference. To determine performance I measured offspring growth, reproduction and survival on all three species of duckweed. Aphids had the lowest performance levels on Lemna minor and the highest on Landoltia punctata and Spirodela polyrhiza. Aphids preferred and performed the best on the least nitrogen rich duckweed."],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/693"],"dc:subject":["ETD","Host-plant preference","Offspring performance","Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae","Duckweed","Rhopalosiphum","Aphids","Host plants"],"dc:title":["Preference and Performance of the Water Lily Aphid (Rhopalosiphum Nymphaeae) among Native and Invasive Duckweeds (Lemnaceae)"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:19Z"}