Identifying the Ecological Interactions of Invasive Lymantria Dispar Dispar and Agrilus Planipennis Using Metabarcoding Techniques

The objectives of this thesis were to develop a standardized metabarcoding protocol to identify ecological interactions between insects and other taxa, as well as determine the impact of ecological correlates on the detection of these interactions. In Chapter 2, I evaluate target loci for the identification of Lymantria dispar dispar (spongy moth) and Agrilus planipennis (emerald ash borer) ecological interactions and develop a standardized protocol for the analysis of these interactions. I demonstrate that my metabarcoding protocol can be used to identify a wide diversity of interactions, including those with animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi. In Chapter 3, I assess how ecological factors (e.g., life stage, collection location, etc.) influence the presence or absence of ecological interactions in emerald ash borers using random forest models. I found that interactions were more likely to be detected in pupal specimens and in samples collected earlier in the year.