Special Issue "Trophic Interactions of Insects and Amphibians"

Guest Editor
Dr. Eric W. Riddick
National Biological Control Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
E-Mail: eric.riddick@ars.usda.gov
Interests: behavioral and chemical ecology of natural enemies; biological control; insect colonization; insect-amphibian interactions

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this special issue is to highlight the trophic interactions of insects and amphibians. The most commonly known interaction between these two classes of animals involves predator-prey, with insects serving as prey of amphibians. In light of the global decline of amphibians, there is an urgent need to devise methods of rearing insects as food for endangered or threatened species in captive propagation. Insects also function as natural enemies of amphibians. Although there are some published studies that document insect predation or parasitism, few if any of these studies indicate whether insects can significantly affect the population dynamics of their prey (or hosts). Competition for limited resources between insects and amphibians can occur in some habitats. Research on this interaction is necessary to determine what abiotic or biotic variables we can manipulate to influence the outcome of competition. Finally, insects serve as dietary sources of toxins found in the skin secretions of amphibians. Can we extract these toxins and formulate them into repellents against biting insects, such as mosquitoes? Articles in this special issue will address a diversity of topics dealing with trophic interactions of insects and amphibians from both a basic and applied framework. The submission of high quality articles on any trophic interaction of these two classes of animals is encouraged.

Dr. Eric W. Riddick
Guest Editor

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed Open Access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 300 CHF (Swiss Francs). English correction and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those articles accepted for publication that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.

• competition
• frogs
• insects
• natural enemies
• parasitism
• predation
• repellents
• toxins