Who am I?
My name is Teresa Cooper. I am a student of entomology at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

What am I doing?
Since January 2001, I have been making monthly trips to Myakka River State Park in Sarasota County, Florida to study bromeliads. These bromeliads are delightful airplants that live in the canopies, and on the trunks, of trees, getting nutrition from rainwater that has washed through the overhead leaves. For the past twelve years, some of Florida's bromeliads have been suffering attack from an exotic weevil (Metamasius callizona Chevrolat).

My research is designed to map and monitor as many native bromeliad populations, as possible, that are susceptible to the weevil. This covers a lot of land, and a lot of plants. Such a task would not be possible without the help of volunteers, parks and refuge personnel, and land managers. Thankfully, a number of such interested persons have made themselves available to help, for which I am most grateful. Mapping and monitoring began at Myakka River State Park, but has since expanded to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and Highlands Hammock State Park. As well, children from Pine View Grade School in Osprey Florida, have been helping with the monitoring at Myakka River State Park. Other volunteers have helped in other ways. Details on what volunteering entails may be found at How to Volunteer.

Our efforts, in turn, are a part of a larger effort being conducted by
Dr. Howard Frank and Dr. Barbra Larson at the University of Florida,
Save Florida's Native Bromeliads.

It is my hope to expand the mapping to include new places, and plans are already set to do so. The data from these different places are sent to me, and I maintain the data in this Web site. I am in the process of organizing and developing a system for handling and analyzing this collective mass of information. As I am doing so, I am looking through the information, and, while keeping in mind my own ongoing experiences at Myakka River State Park, I am looking for patterns and observations that may be useful.
From such patterns and observations, we may be able to answer the following questions:

--How fast are the weevils killing the bromeliads?
--Where, in the field, are the weevils most likely to be found, and why?
--How do the seasons affect the life cycles of the weevil and the bromeliads?
--How do the bromeliads look when they die from weevil attack?
--How else do the bromeliads die?
--What are the visible signs and symptoms of these alternate forms of death?
--How do the different habitats and different bromeliad populations compare when viewed individually vs. collectively?

Why do this study?
Answering these questions will help determine the best time and location for the release of a biological control agent. As well, it will be useful to release a biological control agent in an area that has a history of monitoring. That way comparisons may be made between the weevil-host plant population before and after the release.

The drama of the weevil and the bromeliads is one among many such dramas. The frequency of these events is likely to increase as humanity increases in numbers, as well as in the movement of persons, biological organisms, and goods. Knowledge gained from studying the weevil and its host plants may be helpful in the general understanding of biological invasions.

The bromeliads are an important part of their ecosystem. They hold water in the axils of their leaves. This water is important for a number of animals during the dry season. Also, many different insects and other arthropods live in the water. Some of these insects have no other home than these pools of water. If the bromeliads disappear, these insects will also disappear. Overhead, in the canopies of south Florida, layers of life are falling away.

TC 16-I-2003

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