Refereed Publications
Click each citation for the a pdf of the paper. I included a sentence or two summary of each paper below the citation - do read the papers for a more detailed explanation! Do let me know if you have questions, comments, or want more information about any of these: lopresti.eric@gmail.com
In press:
(21) LoPresti, EF; Grof-Tisza, P.; Robinson, M.; Godfrey, J. & R. Karban. Ingestion of sand by a caterpillar: quantification and consequences. Ecological Entomology.
Many sticky plants end up covered in windblown sand or other substrates; despite this formidable armor, many insects still consume them. Here we showed that entrapped sand abraded the mandibles and caused reductions in growth rate and pupal weight of the sphinx moth Hyles lineata, in contrast to a leaf mining caterpillar which had no aversion to sand.
Click each citation for the a pdf of the paper. I included a sentence or two summary of each paper below the citation - do read the papers for a more detailed explanation! Do let me know if you have questions, comments, or want more information about any of these: lopresti.eric@gmail.com
In press:
(21) LoPresti, EF; Grof-Tisza, P.; Robinson, M.; Godfrey, J. & R. Karban. Ingestion of sand by a caterpillar: quantification and consequences. Ecological Entomology.
Many sticky plants end up covered in windblown sand or other substrates; despite this formidable armor, many insects still consume them. Here we showed that entrapped sand abraded the mandibles and caused reductions in growth rate and pupal weight of the sphinx moth Hyles lineata, in contrast to a leaf mining caterpillar which had no aversion to sand.
2017:
(20) LoPresti, EF. Artificial rainfall increases herbivory on an externally-defended forb. Arthropod-plant Interactions. (Early view)
Atriplex rosea, a California summer growing chenopod, is covered in a thin layer of exudates which protect it from herbivory. In the presence of artificial rainfall (it doesn't rain in the CA summer at this location), plants suffer increased herbivory from a leaf beetle. This simple experiment demonstrates that external defenses are liable to be changed by the abiotic environment in potentially important ways.
(19) LoPresti, EF & Morse, DH. 2017. A parasitoid's odd pupal vigil. Ecology. (Early view)
This short paper details our attempts at trying to understand why some Phaeogenes hebrus males were unwilling to move off certain host moth pupae when the moth caterpillar shelters were opened up. It turned out that those pupae contained unemerged female moths. We did a little experiment and found that mating success of the males was far higher in small containers than progressively larger ones - it seems that the males were ensuring reproductive success by waiting for females to emerge and mating prior to their leaving the caterpillar shelters.
(18) LoPresti, EF. 2017. Columbine pollination success not determined by a proteinaceous reward to hummingbird pollinators. Journal of Pollination Ecology. 20: 35-39
Anna's hummingbirds pick dead insects off of sticky columbine pedicels; however, manipulating this resource at the patch level did not affect pollination success of the columbines.
(20) LoPresti, EF. Artificial rainfall increases herbivory on an externally-defended forb. Arthropod-plant Interactions. (Early view)
Atriplex rosea, a California summer growing chenopod, is covered in a thin layer of exudates which protect it from herbivory. In the presence of artificial rainfall (it doesn't rain in the CA summer at this location), plants suffer increased herbivory from a leaf beetle. This simple experiment demonstrates that external defenses are liable to be changed by the abiotic environment in potentially important ways.
(19) LoPresti, EF & Morse, DH. 2017. A parasitoid's odd pupal vigil. Ecology. (Early view)
This short paper details our attempts at trying to understand why some Phaeogenes hebrus males were unwilling to move off certain host moth pupae when the moth caterpillar shelters were opened up. It turned out that those pupae contained unemerged female moths. We did a little experiment and found that mating success of the males was far higher in small containers than progressively larger ones - it seems that the males were ensuring reproductive success by waiting for females to emerge and mating prior to their leaving the caterpillar shelters.
(18) LoPresti, EF. 2017. Columbine pollination success not determined by a proteinaceous reward to hummingbird pollinators. Journal of Pollination Ecology. 20: 35-39
Anna's hummingbirds pick dead insects off of sticky columbine pedicels; however, manipulating this resource at the patch level did not affect pollination success of the columbines.
(17) Eiseman, C.S.; Feldman, T.S.; LoPresti, E.F. & M.W. Palmer. 2017. First North American records of Porphyrosela minuta Clarke (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), with notes on its native congener, P. desmodiella (Clemens). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 119: 18-23
A leaf miner of clover, originally from South America, has been recently found in various parts of the United States. This paper presents these records and how to distinguish this recent introduction from a native relative.
(16) Grof-Tisza, P; LoPresti, EF; Heath, SK & R Karban. 2017. Plant structural complexity and mechanical defenses mediate predator–prey interactions in an odonate–bird system. Ecology and Evolution. doi: 10.1002/ece3.2705
Dragonfly nymphs are very vulnerable to bird predation during the stage when they leave ponds to molt into the adult stage. Following an observation that they congregate on thistles, we tested their preference and survival on spiny and complex fake plants, finding that both traits are preferred and protect them during this important stage.
(15) LoPresti, EF & K Toll. 2017. The three criteria for resistance by carrion provisioning; insect entrapment and predator enrichment on Mimulus bolanderi. Ecological Entomology, 42: 230-234.
An ephemeral, fire-following sticky monkeyflower seems to get protection from bodyguarding predators that feed on entrapped insects. We discuss the natural history of this species, as well as ways to observationally suggest this indirect defensive strategy.
A leaf miner of clover, originally from South America, has been recently found in various parts of the United States. This paper presents these records and how to distinguish this recent introduction from a native relative.
(16) Grof-Tisza, P; LoPresti, EF; Heath, SK & R Karban. 2017. Plant structural complexity and mechanical defenses mediate predator–prey interactions in an odonate–bird system. Ecology and Evolution. doi: 10.1002/ece3.2705
Dragonfly nymphs are very vulnerable to bird predation during the stage when they leave ponds to molt into the adult stage. Following an observation that they congregate on thistles, we tested their preference and survival on spiny and complex fake plants, finding that both traits are preferred and protect them during this important stage.
(15) LoPresti, EF & K Toll. 2017. The three criteria for resistance by carrion provisioning; insect entrapment and predator enrichment on Mimulus bolanderi. Ecological Entomology, 42: 230-234.
An ephemeral, fire-following sticky monkeyflower seems to get protection from bodyguarding predators that feed on entrapped insects. We discuss the natural history of this species, as well as ways to observationally suggest this indirect defensive strategy.
2016:
(14) LoPresti, EF and Karban, R. 2016. Chewing sandpaper: grit, plant apparency and plant defense in sand-entrapping plants. Ecology. doi: 10.1890/15-1696 (natural history supplement here)
-> press: here, here and here
-> radio segment here
Many sticky plants in sandy areas incidentally entrap sand. While this has been hypothesized as a defense against chewing herbivores several times since William Beal first proposed it in 1878, it had not been tested. In manipulative experiments on Abronia latifolia and Navarettia mellita, we found that sand is an effective defense against chewing herbivory and that the sand is not acting as camouflage, instead as a direct defense.
(13) LoPresti, EF and MG Weber. 2016. Breaking barriers in evolutionary biology: a pioneering woman in science and her early theory of plant chemical macroevolution. American Naturalist. 188: 2-4
Marj and I summarized and contextualized a really cool paper by Helen de Abbott about how plant chemistry evolves; the first written of this topic at all. While mostly incorrect (as she was working off a massively flawed phylogeny), her ideas of chemical evolution were a century ahead of her time!
(12) McKenna-Foster, Perrrotti, L; Blyth, J; LoPresti, E & R. Kennedy. 2016. Measuring success of a reintroduced population of the American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus Olivier) to Nantucket Island, MA. Journal of Insect Conservation. 20: 895-904
This charismatic large beetle has been lost in almost all of its former range. Here we summarized decades of reintroduction work on Nantucket Island. While this reintroduction has been largely unsuccessful, we found methods that work in other ABB reintroduction projects.
(11) LoPresti, EF. 2016. Chemicals on plant surfaces are a heretofore unrecognized, but ecologically-informative, class for investigations into plant defense. Biological Reviews. 91: 1102-1117
A great diversity of plants have chemical defenses on their surfaces, secreted there by a multitude of specialized tissues. These chemicals are not usually considered a class of their own. However, because they are in a different location than most chemical defenses, their modes of activity and interactions with other organisms and the environment fundamentally differ from internal defenses (at least, that's what I try to convince you of in this paper!).
(10) LoPresti, EF; Karban, R; Robinson, ML.; Grof-Tisza, P. and WC Wetzel. 2016. The natural history supplement; furthering natural history study amongst ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 97: 305-311
Given that most ecologists do lots of incidental natural history, we advocate that people include data and observation in a supplement as to give future scientists information on the system.
(14) LoPresti, EF and Karban, R. 2016. Chewing sandpaper: grit, plant apparency and plant defense in sand-entrapping plants. Ecology. doi: 10.1890/15-1696 (natural history supplement here)
-> press: here, here and here
-> radio segment here
Many sticky plants in sandy areas incidentally entrap sand. While this has been hypothesized as a defense against chewing herbivores several times since William Beal first proposed it in 1878, it had not been tested. In manipulative experiments on Abronia latifolia and Navarettia mellita, we found that sand is an effective defense against chewing herbivory and that the sand is not acting as camouflage, instead as a direct defense.
(13) LoPresti, EF and MG Weber. 2016. Breaking barriers in evolutionary biology: a pioneering woman in science and her early theory of plant chemical macroevolution. American Naturalist. 188: 2-4
Marj and I summarized and contextualized a really cool paper by Helen de Abbott about how plant chemistry evolves; the first written of this topic at all. While mostly incorrect (as she was working off a massively flawed phylogeny), her ideas of chemical evolution were a century ahead of her time!
(12) McKenna-Foster, Perrrotti, L; Blyth, J; LoPresti, E & R. Kennedy. 2016. Measuring success of a reintroduced population of the American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus Olivier) to Nantucket Island, MA. Journal of Insect Conservation. 20: 895-904
This charismatic large beetle has been lost in almost all of its former range. Here we summarized decades of reintroduction work on Nantucket Island. While this reintroduction has been largely unsuccessful, we found methods that work in other ABB reintroduction projects.
(11) LoPresti, EF. 2016. Chemicals on plant surfaces are a heretofore unrecognized, but ecologically-informative, class for investigations into plant defense. Biological Reviews. 91: 1102-1117
A great diversity of plants have chemical defenses on their surfaces, secreted there by a multitude of specialized tissues. These chemicals are not usually considered a class of their own. However, because they are in a different location than most chemical defenses, their modes of activity and interactions with other organisms and the environment fundamentally differ from internal defenses (at least, that's what I try to convince you of in this paper!).
(10) LoPresti, EF; Karban, R; Robinson, ML.; Grof-Tisza, P. and WC Wetzel. 2016. The natural history supplement; furthering natural history study amongst ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 97: 305-311
Given that most ecologists do lots of incidental natural history, we advocate that people include data and observation in a supplement as to give future scientists information on the system.
2015:
(9) LoPresti, EF; Pearse, IS & Charles, GK. 2015. The siren song of a sticky plant. Columbines provision mutualist arthropods by attracting and killing passerby insects. Ecology doi: 10.1890/15-0342.1 (natural history supplement here)
-> a really nice write-up on this project by Elizabeth Preston here.
-> more press here, here, here, and a video! here.
A sticky columbine is attractive to small flying insects, which become entrapped on its surfaces. These dead insects provision predatory bugs and spiders, which reduced herbivory on the plant in a manipulative experiment.
(8) Gidmark, NJ; Taylor, C; LoPresti, EF & Brainerd, E. 2015. Functional morphology of durophagy in Black Carp, Mylopharygodon piceus. Journal of Morphology. doi: 10.1002/jmor.20430
A description of the morphology of this specialized mollusk-eating fish native to Asia. The extreme bite force generated by this fish was demonstrated in Gidmark (2014) and this paper summarizes the musculature and bone structure of this cool fish.
(7) LoPresti, EF; Warren, AW; Stichter, SB & Eastwood, R. 2015. A review of the historical occurrence of Hesperia attalus in New England. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera. 48: 9-12
The dotted skipper is a rare and in some states endangered butterfly of coastal plains. Here we reanalyze the records of this species, as the most recent, and perhaps most reliable, record in the northeast was a misidentification.
(9) LoPresti, EF; Pearse, IS & Charles, GK. 2015. The siren song of a sticky plant. Columbines provision mutualist arthropods by attracting and killing passerby insects. Ecology doi: 10.1890/15-0342.1 (natural history supplement here)
-> a really nice write-up on this project by Elizabeth Preston here.
-> more press here, here, here, and a video! here.
A sticky columbine is attractive to small flying insects, which become entrapped on its surfaces. These dead insects provision predatory bugs and spiders, which reduced herbivory on the plant in a manipulative experiment.
(8) Gidmark, NJ; Taylor, C; LoPresti, EF & Brainerd, E. 2015. Functional morphology of durophagy in Black Carp, Mylopharygodon piceus. Journal of Morphology. doi: 10.1002/jmor.20430
A description of the morphology of this specialized mollusk-eating fish native to Asia. The extreme bite force generated by this fish was demonstrated in Gidmark (2014) and this paper summarizes the musculature and bone structure of this cool fish.
(7) LoPresti, EF; Warren, AW; Stichter, SB & Eastwood, R. 2015. A review of the historical occurrence of Hesperia attalus in New England. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera. 48: 9-12
The dotted skipper is a rare and in some states endangered butterfly of coastal plains. Here we reanalyze the records of this species, as the most recent, and perhaps most reliable, record in the northeast was a misidentification.
2014:
(6) LoPresti, EF. 2014. Chenopod salt bladders deter insect herbivores. Oecologia. 174: 921-930 doi: 10.1007/s00442-013-2827-0
Specialized structures on chenopod stems and leaves have been long recognized as important in osmoregulation. However, they are also important in resistance to herbivory in a great many species.
(5) LoPresti, EF & Angulo F. 2014. New bird distribution records for Lambayeque, Peru: Nomonyx dominicus (Linneaus 1766) (Aves: Anatidae) and Incaspiza pulchra (Sclater, 1886) (Aves: Emberizidae). Checklist 10: 618-620 doi:10.15560/10.3.618
Fernando and I detail records of two interesting bird populations in northwestern Peru which greatly extended their known ranges.
(6) LoPresti, EF. 2014. Chenopod salt bladders deter insect herbivores. Oecologia. 174: 921-930 doi: 10.1007/s00442-013-2827-0
Specialized structures on chenopod stems and leaves have been long recognized as important in osmoregulation. However, they are also important in resistance to herbivory in a great many species.
(5) LoPresti, EF & Angulo F. 2014. New bird distribution records for Lambayeque, Peru: Nomonyx dominicus (Linneaus 1766) (Aves: Anatidae) and Incaspiza pulchra (Sclater, 1886) (Aves: Emberizidae). Checklist 10: 618-620 doi:10.15560/10.3.618
Fernando and I detail records of two interesting bird populations in northwestern Peru which greatly extended their known ranges.
2013:
(4) Gidmark, NJ; Konow, N; LoPresti, EF & Brainerd, EL. (2013) Bite force is limited by the length-tension relationship of muscles in the durophagous black carp, Mylopharyngodon piceus. Biology Letters. 9(2). doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2012.1181
We tested at what gape size a molluskivorous carp generated its maximum bite force (and thus, what size hard-shelled prey it was able to eat). We found, as hypothesized, that it had higher bite force at intermediate gapes.
(3) LoPresti, EF & Morse, DH. 2013. Costly leaf shelters protect moth pupae from parasitoids. Arthropod-plant Interactions. 7:445–453 doi: 10.1007/s11829-013-9261-4
Fern moth caterpillars roll the ends of ferns into little shelters where they live, feed, and pupate. We showed that these shelters have a cost (in time investment), yet effectively protect the pupae from a parasitoid wasp.
(4) Gidmark, NJ; Konow, N; LoPresti, EF & Brainerd, EL. (2013) Bite force is limited by the length-tension relationship of muscles in the durophagous black carp, Mylopharyngodon piceus. Biology Letters. 9(2). doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2012.1181
We tested at what gape size a molluskivorous carp generated its maximum bite force (and thus, what size hard-shelled prey it was able to eat). We found, as hypothesized, that it had higher bite force at intermediate gapes.
(3) LoPresti, EF & Morse, DH. 2013. Costly leaf shelters protect moth pupae from parasitoids. Arthropod-plant Interactions. 7:445–453 doi: 10.1007/s11829-013-9261-4
Fern moth caterpillars roll the ends of ferns into little shelters where they live, feed, and pupate. We showed that these shelters have a cost (in time investment), yet effectively protect the pupae from a parasitoid wasp.
2012:
(2) Celis-Diez, JL; Ippi, S; LoPresti, EF, Salinas D; Diaz, IA & Willson, M.F. 2012. Presencia y nidificacion de la tenca (Mimus thenca) en el norte de la isla de Chiloe. La Chiricoca. 14:15-17
While working in Chile, I found the farthest south nest of a Chilean Mockingbird yet reported. Here we summarize the sightings near the (current) southern extent of their expanding range (in Spanish).
(1) Stager, M; Lopresti, EF; Angulo F; Ardia DR; Caraces-Apaza D; Cooper CB; Molina J; Taylor N & Winkler DW. 2012. Reproductive biology of a narrowly endemic Tachycineta swallow in dry, seasonal forest in coastal Peru. Ornitologia Neotropical. 23:1 95-112
We summarize the natural history of a little-studied, yet very interesting, Peruvian endemic swallow.
In revision:
LoPresti, EF & BA Krimmel. The damage control hypothesis: plant resource provisioning to non-mutualists ameliorates herbivore damage.
In review:
LoPresti, EF. Polyphagy by omnivory: scavenging expands host range of a polyphagous caterpillar.
Non-refereed articles:
LoPresti, EF. Nantucket Butterflies: past and present. Massachusetts Butterflies. 37: Fall 2011
LoPresti, EF; Mckenna-Foster, AM; Perrotti, L & Blyth, J. American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) survey on Nantucket, 2011. Report to US Fish & Wildlife Service, November, 2011.
LoPresti, EF. Trichostema laxum. California Native Plant Society Bulletin. April, 2016.
Lopresti, EF. California’s bounty of sticky, oily, slimy, and otherwise interesting plants. Lasthenia. 46: 4.
(2) Celis-Diez, JL; Ippi, S; LoPresti, EF, Salinas D; Diaz, IA & Willson, M.F. 2012. Presencia y nidificacion de la tenca (Mimus thenca) en el norte de la isla de Chiloe. La Chiricoca. 14:15-17
While working in Chile, I found the farthest south nest of a Chilean Mockingbird yet reported. Here we summarize the sightings near the (current) southern extent of their expanding range (in Spanish).
(1) Stager, M; Lopresti, EF; Angulo F; Ardia DR; Caraces-Apaza D; Cooper CB; Molina J; Taylor N & Winkler DW. 2012. Reproductive biology of a narrowly endemic Tachycineta swallow in dry, seasonal forest in coastal Peru. Ornitologia Neotropical. 23:1 95-112
We summarize the natural history of a little-studied, yet very interesting, Peruvian endemic swallow.
In revision:
LoPresti, EF & BA Krimmel. The damage control hypothesis: plant resource provisioning to non-mutualists ameliorates herbivore damage.
In review:
LoPresti, EF. Polyphagy by omnivory: scavenging expands host range of a polyphagous caterpillar.
Non-refereed articles:
LoPresti, EF. Nantucket Butterflies: past and present. Massachusetts Butterflies. 37: Fall 2011
LoPresti, EF; Mckenna-Foster, AM; Perrotti, L & Blyth, J. American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) survey on Nantucket, 2011. Report to US Fish & Wildlife Service, November, 2011.
LoPresti, EF. Trichostema laxum. California Native Plant Society Bulletin. April, 2016.
Lopresti, EF. California’s bounty of sticky, oily, slimy, and otherwise interesting plants. Lasthenia. 46: 4.
