University of Kentucky College of Agriculture

University of Kentucky Invertebrate Ecology Laboratory

 

Dr. James Harwood  |  Harwood Laboratory  |  News  |  People  |  Publications

James HarwoodJames D. Harwood

Associate Professor, Arthropod Ecology

Ph.D. Cardiff University (2001)

 

Department of Entomology
S-225 Agricultural Science Center N
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0091
Ph: 859.257.4264
Fax: 859.323.1120
Email: james.harwood@uky.edu

Research Interests

My research program seeks to understand mechanisms of foraging by generalist predators and identify their role in biological control through the integration of molecular techniques, behavioral studies in the laboratory and field experiments. We are using these approaches, in parallel, to delineate trophic connectivity and measure the intensity of specific predator-prey interactions. Understanding the forces that regulate the abundance of these important natural enemies can ultimately provide information that discerns the role of prey biodiversity and habitat management on predation dynamics. These research projects therefore seek to understand how interactions between natural enemy and prey communities contribute to the provisioning of ecosystem services that lead to sustainability within agricultural systems.


The current research projects focus on two core areas which have major overlapping themes: spider ecology (with particular emphasis on the ecology and behavior of Linyphiidae) and food web biology which focuses on the utilization of molecular approaches to understand how biodiversity and alternative prey impact ecosystem function and biological control. Furthermore, by applying these research questions across different natural and managed ecosystems allow the extrapolation and interpretation of results in a broad ecological context; generalist predators respond very differently to disturbance regimes and understanding how the dynamics of foraging behavior vary across selected crops (corn, alfalfa, wheat, strawberry and potato) and natural ecosystems (scrubland, forests) will ultimately enhance our understanding of the processes that drive foraging behavior in the field.

 

Information for Prospective Graduate Students

If you are interested in graduate school to pursue a M.S. or Ph.D. in these broad themes in insect/spider ecology and biological control, please contact me.

 

How do I apply?

 

More Information for Prospective Students at the University of Kentucky

 

Selected Publications. Full publication list available on lab web page.

  • Dodd LE, Chapman EG, Harwood JD, Lacki MJ, Rieske LK. (2012). DNA-based techniques allow unprecedented resolution of prey selection by a common forest-dwelling bat (Myotis septentrionalis). Journal of Mammalogy, in press.

  • Lundgren, J.G. Harwood, J.D. (2012). Functional responses to food diversity: the effect of seed availability on the feeding behavior of facultative granivores. Journal of Entomological Science, in press.

  • Schmidt, J.M., Harwood, J.D., Rypstra, A.L. (2012). Foraging activity of a dominant agrobiont predator: molecular evidence for the effect of prey abundance on consumption.  Oikos, in press.

  • Ruberson, J.R., Olson, D.M., Athey, K.J., Harwood, J.D. 2012. Biological control of stink bugs in cotton. Procedings of the 2012 Beltwide Cotton Conference. pp. 1153-1158. National Cotton Council, Memphis, TN.

  • Kerzicnik LM, Chapman EG, Harwood JD, Peairs FB, Cushing PE. (2012). Evidence for biological control of the Russian Wheat Aphid with spiders in winter wheat. Journal of Arachnology, 40, 71-77.

  • Welch, K.D., Pfannenstiel, R.S., Harwood, J.D. (2012). The role of generalist natural enemies in terrestrial food webs. In: Biodiversity and Insect Pests: Key Issues for Sustainable Management (Eds., G.M. Gurr, S.D. Wratten, W.E. Snyder), Wiley Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, United Kingdom.

  • Michaud, J.P., Harwood, J.D. (2012). Evaluation of coccinellid predation in the field. In: Ecology of Coccinellidae 3rd Edition (Ed. I. Hodek, H.F. Van Emden), Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom.

  • Peterson, J.A., Obrycki, J.J., Harwood, J.D. (2012). Transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis crops: environmental risk-assessment. In: Encyclopedia of Environmental Management. Taylor & Francis, London, United Kingdom.

  • Welch KD and Harwood JD. (2011). Predator-pathogen interactions: synergy between mortality causes and failure of the healthy herds hypothesis. Functional Ecology, 25, 943-944.

  • Eskelson, M.J., Chapman, E.G., Archbold, D.D., Obrycki, J.J., Harwood, J.D. (2011). Molecular identification of predation by carabid beetles on exotic and native slugs in a strawberry agroecosystem. Biological Control, 56, 245-253.

  • Moser, S.E., Kajita, Y., Harwood, J.D., Obrycki, J.J. (2011). Evidence for utilization of Diptera in the diet of field-collected coccinellid larvae from an antibody-based detection system. Biological Control, 58, 248-254.

  • Welch, K.D., Crain, P.R., Harwood, J.D. (2011). Successional dynamics of web-building spider in alfalfa: implications for biological control. Journal of Arachnology, 39, 244-249.

  • Peterson, J.A., Romero, S., Harwood, J.D. (2010). Pollen interception by linyphiid spiders in a corn agroecosystem: implications for dietary diversification and risk assessment. Arthropod-Plant Interactions, 4:4, 207-217.

  • Chapman, E.G., Romero, S., Harwood, J.D. (2010). Maximizing collection and minimizing risk: does vacuum sampling increase the likelihood for misinterpretation of food web connections? Molecular Ecology Resources, in press.

  • Harwood, J.D., Parajulee, M.N. (2010). Global impact of biological invasions: transformation in pest management approaches. Biological Invasions, 12, 2855-2856.

  • Jaramillo, J., Chapman, E.G., Vega, F.E., Harwood, J.D. (2010). Molecular diagnosis of a previously unreported predator-prey association in coffee: Karnyothrips flavipesJones (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) predation on the coffee berry borer. Naturwissenschaften, 97, 291-298.

  • Kerzicnik, L.M., Peairs, F.B., Harwood, J.D. (2010). Implications of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov), falling rates for biological control in resistant and susceptible winter wheat lines. Arthropod-Plant Interactions, 4, 129-138.

  • Romero, S., Harwood, J.D. (2010). Prey utilization by a community of linyphiid spiders: variation across diel and seasonal gradients. Biological Control, 52, 84-90.

  • Harwood, J.D., Phillips, S.W., Lello, J., Sunderland, K.D., Glen, D.M., Bruford, M.W., Harper, G.L., Symondson, W.O.C. (2009). Reduced invertebrate biodiversity affects predator fitness and hence ability to control crop pests. Biological Control, 51, 499-506.

  • Thomas, R.S., Harwood, J.D., Glen, D.M., Symondson, W.O.C. (2009). Tracking subterranean density-dependent predation by carabid larvae on slugs using monoclonal antibodies. Ecological Entomology, 34, 569-579.

  • Obrycki, J.J., Harwood, J.D., Kring, T.J., O’Neil, R.J. (2009). Aphidophagy by Coccinellidae: application of biological control in agroecosystems. Biological Control, 51, 244-254.

  • Peterson, J.A., Obrycki, J.J., Harwood, J.D. (2009). Quantification of exposure pathways in carabid food webs across multiple transgenic events. Biocontrol Science and Technology, 19, 613-625.

  • Harwood, J.D., Yoo, H.J.S., Greenstone, M.H., Rowley, D.L. & O’Neil, R.J. (2009). Differential impact of adults and nymphs of a generalist predator on an exotic invasive pest demonstrated by molecular gut-content analysis. Biological Invasions, 11, 895-903.

  • Harwood, J.D. (2008). Are sweep net sampling and pitfall trapping compatible with molecular analysis of predation? Environmental Entomology, 37, 990-995.

  • Mc Donnell RJ, Paine TD, Stouthamer R, Gormally MJ, Harwood JD (2008). Molecular and morphological evidence for the occurrence of two new species of invasive slugs in Kentucky, Arion intermedius, and Arion hortensis (Arionidae: Stylommatophora). Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Science, 69, 117-123.

  • Harwood, J.D., Greenstone, M.H. (2008). Molecular diagnosis of natural enemy-host interactions. In: Recent Advances in Insect Physiology, Toxicology and Molecular Biology (Ed. Liu N). Research Signpost, Trivandrum, India, pp. 41-57.

  • Moser, S.E., Harwood, J.D., Obrycki, J.J. (2008). Larval feeding on Bt-hybrid and non-Bt corn seedlings by Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Environmental Entomology, 37, 525-533.

 

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