Assessing and managing resilience in social-ecological systems : A practitioners workbook

Abstract

We have documented the secondary use of vacant leaf mines of a lepidopteran leaf miner, Phyllonorycter pastorella (Zellar), by other arthropods. At least six species were identified as secondary users of the vacant mines. Among secondary users, aphids and springtails were most abundant. Distribution patterns of these two insects showed that aphids used vacant mines by chance and that springtails used them selectively as feeding and reproductive sites. Hole diameter of mines did not affect the use of vacant leaf mines by aphids and springtails. We believe this is the first report on leaf miners as physical ecosystem engineers that provide modified habitats to other organisms.