Dietary shifts in pollen-feeding lacewings (Nemopteridae) in relation to vegetation, biome and phylogeny

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dc.contributor.advisorGillson , Lindseyen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorPicker, Mikeen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorChirango, Yolandaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-04T07:14:07Z
dc.date.available2015-05-04T07:14:07Z
dc.date.issued2014en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe spoon-winged and threadwinged lacewings are a diverse nemopterid family that have flourished in the winter rainfall region of South Africa. Their diversity is thought to be linked to the radiation of Aizoaceae, a member of the Ruchioideae subfamily that radiated at the same time as the recently diversified nemopterids in the Succulent Karoo. Phylogenetic data supported this assertion, and seperated the family into two distinct lineages, a recently diversified Aizoaceae-dependent Succulent Karoo lineage and a basal Aizoaceae-independent Fynbos lineage. This study aimed to determine if the nemopterid diet is phylogenetically contrained or if diet was mearely a reflection of plant availability. This was investigated by carrying out a dietary analysis of the gut contents of nemopterids from different biomes, vegetation and localities. It was hypothesised that diet would be phylogenetically constrained and dietary grouping would reflect phylogeny. In addition, the derived nemopterid lineage thought to have co-evolved with Aizoaceae, (Palmipenna, Nemopterella, Nemia, and Knersvlaktia) would reflect this in its diet. The older lineage (Nemeura, Sicyoptera, Semirhynchia, and Derhynchia) was hypothesised to have its phylogenetic grouping reflected in its diet by having very little to no Aizoaceae in its diet. The results showed that dietary groupings did not reflect phylogenetic groupings and dietary similarities were shared across most genera, including subfamilies, with Lauhervasia, a member of the Crocinae subfamily sharing 80% of its pollen sources with Semirhynchia, of the Nemopterinae subfamily. Aizoaceae reliance was only consistantly present in Nemia, which belonged to the phylogenetic lineage expected to rely on Aizoacea. All the members of the phylogenetic lineage not expected to rely on Aizoaceae, did not have any Aizoaceae in their diet. The diet of the nemopterids was very diverse across all vegetation types and biomes. The study suggests that spoon-winged and threadwinged lacewings are generalist pollinators and recent diversification was most likely linked to their ability to utilise the large range of available resources and not linked to a single plant family that radiated around the same time.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationChirango, Y. (2014). <i>Dietary shifts in pollen-feeding lacewings (Nemopteridae) in relation to vegetation, biome and phylogeny</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12727en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationChirango, Yolanda. <i>"Dietary shifts in pollen-feeding lacewings (Nemopteridae) in relation to vegetation, biome and phylogeny."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12727en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationChirango, Y. 2014. Dietary shifts in pollen-feeding lacewings (Nemopteridae) in relation to vegetation, biome and phylogeny. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Chirango, Yolanda AB - The spoon-winged and threadwinged lacewings are a diverse nemopterid family that have flourished in the winter rainfall region of South Africa. Their diversity is thought to be linked to the radiation of Aizoaceae, a member of the Ruchioideae subfamily that radiated at the same time as the recently diversified nemopterids in the Succulent Karoo. Phylogenetic data supported this assertion, and seperated the family into two distinct lineages, a recently diversified Aizoaceae-dependent Succulent Karoo lineage and a basal Aizoaceae-independent Fynbos lineage. This study aimed to determine if the nemopterid diet is phylogenetically contrained or if diet was mearely a reflection of plant availability. This was investigated by carrying out a dietary analysis of the gut contents of nemopterids from different biomes, vegetation and localities. It was hypothesised that diet would be phylogenetically constrained and dietary grouping would reflect phylogeny. In addition, the derived nemopterid lineage thought to have co-evolved with Aizoaceae, (Palmipenna, Nemopterella, Nemia, and Knersvlaktia) would reflect this in its diet. The older lineage (Nemeura, Sicyoptera, Semirhynchia, and Derhynchia) was hypothesised to have its phylogenetic grouping reflected in its diet by having very little to no Aizoaceae in its diet. The results showed that dietary groupings did not reflect phylogenetic groupings and dietary similarities were shared across most genera, including subfamilies, with Lauhervasia, a member of the Crocinae subfamily sharing 80% of its pollen sources with Semirhynchia, of the Nemopterinae subfamily. Aizoaceae reliance was only consistantly present in Nemia, which belonged to the phylogenetic lineage expected to rely on Aizoacea. All the members of the phylogenetic lineage not expected to rely on Aizoaceae, did not have any Aizoaceae in their diet. The diet of the nemopterids was very diverse across all vegetation types and biomes. The study suggests that spoon-winged and threadwinged lacewings are generalist pollinators and recent diversification was most likely linked to their ability to utilise the large range of available resources and not linked to a single plant family that radiated around the same time. DA - 2014 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2014 T1 - Dietary shifts in pollen-feeding lacewings (Nemopteridae) in relation to vegetation, biome and phylogeny TI - Dietary shifts in pollen-feeding lacewings (Nemopteridae) in relation to vegetation, biome and phylogeny UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12727 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/12727
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationChirango Y. Dietary shifts in pollen-feeding lacewings (Nemopteridae) in relation to vegetation, biome and phylogeny. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2014 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12727en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.titleDietary shifts in pollen-feeding lacewings (Nemopteridae) in relation to vegetation, biome and phylogenyen_ZA
dc.typeBachelor Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelHonours
dc.type.qualificationnameBSc (Hons)en_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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