Jeff Miller Entomology Page

Jeff Miller, Professor

Images - Caterpillars

Images - Butterflies

Images - Moths

Images - Other Insects

	Mailing Address:	Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management 202 Strand/Ag Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331
	Office:	110 Strand/Ag Hall
	Email:	jeffrey.milller@oregonstate.edu
	Phone:	541-737-5508
	Additional Home Pages:	Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management
	Research emphasis:	Insect ecology, natural history, and biodiversity Lepidoptera: caterpillars

RESEARCH INTERESTS

TEMPORAL VARIANCE IN THE ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF MOTHS WITHIN THE HJ ANDREWS EXPERIMENTAL FOREST

Insect biodiversity influences ecosystem dynamics through numerous mechanisms, such as decomposition of litter, pollination, suppression of plant growth, and serving as prey for carnivores. In general, these functions may be placed into three roles relevant to ecosystem dynamics: 1) exploiter, in the role of herbivore, parasite, or predator; 2) provider, serving as host or prey for a predator or parasite; and 3) facilitator, performing functions such as pollination, phoresy, or vector of a pathogen. Furthermore, quantitative measures of species richness and individual abundance provide standardized values for comparative evaluations of landscape features, such as, elevation, forest stand type, or land management practices.

The focus of this study is on the interrelationships of the Lepidoptera, their larval food plants, and features of the HJA landscape. This relationship is part of the foundation upon which available prey resources in the form of caterpillars, pupae, and adult moths and butterflies are linked to invertebrate and vertebrate carnivores. Studies regarding Lepidoptera biodiversity in forested ecosystems also address current interests surrounding management needs of western coniferous forests and the documentation of biodiversity in general.

The distribution and abundance of moths within the HJA watershed has been the subject of various studies since 1986. Initially, the studies were focused on an objective addressing bioinventory, sampling protocol, and systematics. This effort contributed in part to the publication of a list of arthropods occurring in the HJA Experimental Forest (Parsons et al. 1991). Recently, the studies have focused on species abundance with an emphasis on local and regional spatial patterns and feeding guilds (Hammond and Miller, 1998; Miller et al. 2003; Miller and Hammond 2000, 2005). Based on an inventory of 591 species, of which 300-350 may be sampled in any given year, the HJA watershed can be divided into 13 "sampling" cells. The Lepidoptera fauna in each cell can be analyzed for various features relevant to biodiversity attributes. For instance, the ridge where watershed #10 is located has 321 species, whereas, the area around the upper Lookout old growth trail has 239 species. Overall, each of the cells contains 239-321 species, thus, ~200 of the 505 resident species are missing from any one cell. These data suggest that heterogeneity in the landscape is an important feature contributing to pattern in biodiversity. Furthermore, the moth species may be assigned to functional groups based on feeding habits: conifers, hardwood, herb, and unknown. Overall, 43-48% of the Andrews moth species rely on flowering hardwoods; 20-25% on herbaceous angiosperms, and only 8-10% on conifers. Again, the pattern in species richness and abundance in the feeding guilds is variable demonstrating heterogeneity in the landscape. For instance, at Carpenter Mountain (upper elevation) 67% of the moth species are conifer feeders but at the Headquarters (lower elevation) only 32% of the moth species feed on conifers. These data suggest that plant community composition is a strong influence in determining the local moth fauna. In fact, multivariate analyses has shown that the 13 sampling cells can be clustered into three or four biotic zones and these zones are correlated to an elevational gradient within the HJA watershed. These examples illustrate in part how the data have been acquired and analyzed to assess spatial pattern. However, the most recent studies have also contributed preliminary data relevant to temporal variability on an intra-annual basis as well as among years although the inter-annual data do not constitute a long term dataset. It is being proposed that future studies involving moth biodiversity should be designed to acquire data appropriate for assessment of temporal patterns in moth abundance and distribution on a long term basis.

Data on moths of the HJA from 1994-2004 can be reviewed at:

http://www.fsl.orst.edu/lter/data/abstract.cfm?dbcode=SA015&topnav=135

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF MACROMOTHS IN EASTERN OREGON: BIODIVERSITY AND THE MANAGEMENT OF SENSITIVE RANGELAND SPECIES

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CATERPILLAR ABUNDANCE, FOODPLANTS, REARING, DIGITAL IMAGING, AND ADULT VALIDATION OF IDENTIFICATION

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RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Journal Articles:

E.M. Coombs, J.C. Miller, L.A. Andres, and C.E. Turner. (In Press). Biological Control of Mediterranean Sage (Salvia aethiopis L.) Observations in Oregon: A Partial Success. Proceedings of the 12^th International Symposium on Weed Biological Control.

Books:

Miller, J.C., D.H. Janzen, and W. Hallwachs. 2006. 100 Caterpillars Portraits from the rainforests of Costa Rica. Harvard University Press.

Miller, J.C., D.H. Janzen, and W. Hallwachs. 2007. 100 Butterflies and moths Portraits from the rainforests of Costa Rica. Harvard University Press.

Miller, J.C. and P.C. Hammond. 2007. Butterflies and moths of Pacific Northwest forests and woodlands: rare, endangered, and management sensitive species.

Miller_HUP_CatrBook Miller_HUP_btf&moths Miller_USFS_Book-IV