Symbionts of invasive insects: characterization, ecological roles, and relation to invasive potential and management strategies

Most, and perhaps all, multicellular organisms house symbiotic microorganisms. Recent research identified a number of ways in which symbionts are critical to the success of various insects, yet we know very little about the symbiotic associations of the major invasive species. The information we do have is largely limited to two specific types of relationships, insect vectors of plant pathogens and entomopathogens. Yet these reflect only a subset of the most prevalent types of symbioses. This presentation makes four main points: 1. Invasive insects are really invasive species complexes. 2. Symbionts can enhance the invasive potential of introduced species. 3. Understanding insect-symbiont interactions can