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Porcel M, Miranda TC, Pisco-Ortiz C, Camargo H, Moreno J, Gutiérrez Y. A scarab beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) causes tree mortality, delayed growth, and yield reduction in cacao with genotype-specific susceptibility to herbivory. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2179-2187. [PMID: 38158649 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study explored the impact of Leucothyreus femoratus, a previously unreported folivorous pest in cacao cultivation, on cacao tree survival, development, and yield. The study was conducted in an experimental cacao plot in the Colombian plains, it featured 20 cacao genotypes in an agroforestry system, with plantain and Mexican sunflower providing temporary shade, and yopo offering permanent shade. RESULTS We found an infestation rate of 2.9 ± 0.3 adult beetles per cacao tree. L. femoratus larvae were discovered in association with the roots of all plants within the agroforestry arrangement; however, yopo and plantain exhibited the highest incidence of root-feeding larvae among these associated plants. Interestingly, male and female L. femoratus displayed distinct leaf consumption patterns in the laboratory, with females consuming more foliage relative to their body weight. Moreover, field observations highlighted the detrimental impact of L. femoratus herbivory on cacao tree survival and growth, leading to leaf skeletonization, reduced plant height, and stem diameter. Trees with over 50% leaf consumption suffered more than 20% mortality. Additionally, herbivory negatively affected cacao yield, correlating higher leaf surface damage with a decrease in harvested pods. The study also identified varying antixenotic resistance in different cacao genotypes, with some consistently displaying resistance while others showed variable levels during tree establishment and production stages. CONCLUSION This research underscores the significant role of L. femoratus as a cacao pest, emphasizing its adverse effects on cacao tree survival, development, and yield. Consequently, implementing effective control measures is vital for ensuring sustainable cacao cultivation. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Porcel
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria - AGROSAVIA, Centro de Investigación La Libertad, Km. 17 vía Puerto López, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia
- Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica, Centro Málaga, Cortijo de la Cruz S/N, Málaga, 29140, Spain
| | - Tatiana C Miranda
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria - AGROSAVIA, Centro de Investigación La Libertad, Km. 17 vía Puerto López, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria - AGROSAVIA, Sede Central, Km 14 vía Bogotá - Mosquera, Mosquera, Colombia
| | - Carolina Pisco-Ortiz
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria - AGROSAVIA, Centro de Investigación La Libertad, Km. 17 vía Puerto López, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia
- Programa de plagas y enfermedades, Centro de Investigación en Palma de Aceite (Cenipalma), Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Hebert Camargo
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria - AGROSAVIA, Centro de Investigación La Libertad, Km. 17 vía Puerto López, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia
| | - Jessica Moreno
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria - AGROSAVIA, Centro de Investigación La Libertad, Km. 17 vía Puerto López, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia
| | - Yeisson Gutiérrez
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria - AGROSAVIA, Centro de Investigación La Libertad, Km. 17 vía Puerto López, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia
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Avilés JM. The evolutionary ecology of bird-ant interactions: a pervasive but under-studied connection. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232023. [PMID: 38166423 PMCID: PMC10762437 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Birds and ants are among the most ubiquitous taxa co-occurring in terrestrial ecosystems, but how they mutually interact is almost unknown. Here, the main features of this neglected interaction are synthetized in a systematic literature review. Interaction with ants has been recorded in 1122 bird species (11.2% of extant species) belonging to 131 families widely distributed across the globe and the avian phylogeny. On the other hand, 47 genus of ants (14.4% of extant genus) belonging to eight subfamilies interact with birds. Interactions include competition, antagonism (either ant-bird mutual predation or parasitism) and living together commensally or mutualistically. Competition (48.9%) and antagonism (36.1%) were the most common reported interactions. The potential for engaging in commensalism and competition with ants has a phylogenetic structure in birds and was present in the birds' ancestor. Interaction is better studied in the tropics, in where the network is less dense and more nested than in temperate or arid biomes. This review demonstrates that ant-bird interactions are a pervasive phenomenon across ecological domains, playing a key role in ecosystem function. Future studies need to combine sensible experimentation within anthropogenic disturbance gradients in order to achieve a better understanding of this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús M. Avilés
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, EEZA-CSIC, Almería E-04120, Spain
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC-UNEX): Ecología en el Antropoceno, Badajoz E-06006, Spain
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3
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Tuneu-Corral C, Puig-Montserrat X, Riba-Bertolín D, Russo D, Rebelo H, Cabeza M, López-Baucells A. Pest suppression by bats and management strategies to favour it: a global review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1564-1582. [PMID: 37157976 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Fighting insect pests is a major challenge for agriculture worldwide, and biological control and integrated pest management constitute well-recognised, cost-effective ways to prevent and overcome this problem. Bats are important arthropod predators globally and, in recent decades, an increasing number of studies have focused on the role of bats as natural enemies of agricultural pests. This review assesses the state of knowledge of the ecosystem services provided by bats as pest consumers at a global level and provides recommendations that may favour the efficiency of pest predation by bats. Through a systematic review, we assess evidence for predation, the top-down effect of bats on crops and the economic value of ecosystem services these mammals provide, describing the different methodological approaches used in a total of 66 reviewed articles and 18 agroecosystem types. We also provide a list of detailed conservation measures and management recommendations found in the scientific literature that may favour the delivery of this important ecosystem service, including actions aimed at restoring bat populations in agroecosystems. The most frequent recommendations include increasing habitat heterogeneity, providing additional roosts, and implementing laws to protect bats and reduce agrochemical use. However, very little evidence is available on the direct consequences of these practices on bat insectivory in farmland. Additionally, through a second in-depth systematic review of scientific articles focused on bat diet and, as part of the ongoing European Cost Action project CA18107, we provide a complete list of 2308 documented interactions between bat species and their respective insect pest prey. These pertain to 81 bat species belonging to 36 different genera preying upon 760 insect pests from 14 orders in agroecosystems and other habitats such as forest or urban areas. The data set is publicly available and updatable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carme Tuneu-Corral
- BiBio, Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av. Francesc Macià 51, Granollers, Catalonia, 08402, Spain
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigaçaõ em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, 4485-661, Portugal
- Global Change and Conservation Lab, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Xavier Puig-Montserrat
- BiBio, Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av. Francesc Macià 51, Granollers, Catalonia, 08402, Spain
| | - Daniel Riba-Bertolín
- BiBio, Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av. Francesc Macià 51, Granollers, Catalonia, 08402, Spain
| | - Danilo Russo
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università, 100, Portici, Naples, 80055, Italy
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigaçaõ em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, 4485-661, Portugal
| | - Mar Cabeza
- Global Change and Conservation Lab, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Adrià López-Baucells
- BiBio, Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av. Francesc Macià 51, Granollers, Catalonia, 08402, Spain
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Monteagudo N, Benayas JMR, Andivia E, Rebollo S. Avian regulation of crop and forest pests, a meta-analysis. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:2380-2389. [PMID: 36810937 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birds have been shown to reduce pest effects on various ecosystem types. This study aimed to synthesize the effect of birds on pest abundance, product damage and yield in agricultural and forest systems in different environments. Our hypothesis is that birds are effective pest regulators that contribute to a reduction in pest abundance, enhancement of yield quality and quantity and economic profit, and that pest regulation may depend on moderators such as the type of ecosystem, climate, pest, and indicator (ecological or economic). RESULTS We performed a systematic literature review of experimental and observational studies related to biological control in the presence and absence of regulatory birds. We retained 449 observations from 104 primary studies that were evaluated through qualitative and quantitative analyses. Of the 79 studies with known effects of birds on pest regulation, nearly half of the 334 observations showed positive effects (49%), 46% showed neutral effects, and very few (5%) showed negative effects. Overall effect sizes were positive (mean Hedges' d = 0.38 ± 0.06). A multiple model selection retained only ecosystem and indicator types as significant moderators. CONCLUSION Our results support our hypothesis that there is a positive effect of avian control of pests for each analyzed moderator and this effect was significant for both ecological and economic indicators. Avian regulation of pests is a potential effective approach for environmentally friendly pest management that can reduce pesticide use regardless of the context of implementation. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navila Monteagudo
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento Ciencias de la Vida, Grupo de Ecología y Restauración Forestal (FORECO), Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - José María Rey Benayas
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento Ciencias de la Vida, Grupo de Ecología y Restauración Forestal (FORECO), Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Fundación Internacional para la Restauración de Ecosistemas (FIRE), Madrid, Spain
| | - Enrique Andivia
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Salvador Rebollo
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento Ciencias de la Vida, Grupo de Ecología y Restauración Forestal (FORECO), Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- Fundación Internacional para la Restauración de Ecosistemas (FIRE), Madrid, Spain
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Huang C, Zhou K, Huang Y, Fan P, Liu Y, Lee TM. Insights into the coexistence of birds and humans in cropland through meta-analyses of bird exclosure studies, crop loss mitigation experiments, and social surveys. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002166. [PMID: 37410698 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Birds share lands with humans at a substantial scale and affect crops. Yet, at a global scale, systematic evaluations of human-bird coexistence in croplands are scarce. Here, we compiled and used meta-analysis approaches to synthesize multiple global datasets of ecological and social dimensions to understand this complex coexistence system. Our result shows that birds usually increase woody, but not herbaceous, crop production, implying that crop loss mitigation efforts are critical for a better coexistence. We reveal that many nonlethal technical measures are more effective in reducing crop loss, e.g., using scaring devices and changing sow practices, than other available methods. Besides, we find that stakeholders from low-income countries are more likely to perceive the crop losses caused by birds and are less positive toward birds than those from high-income ones. Based on our evidence, we identified potential regional clusters, particularly in tropical areas, for implementing win-win coexistence strategies. Overall, we provide an evidence-based knowledge flow and solutions for stakeholders to integrate the conservation and management of birds in croplands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, China
| | - Kaiwen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanjun Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pengfei Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tien Ming Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Biological Control, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
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6
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Torrez V, Benavides-Frias C, Jacobi J, Speranza CI. Ecological quality as a coffee quality enhancer. A review. AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2023; 43:19. [PMID: 36748099 PMCID: PMC9894527 DOI: 10.1007/s13593-023-00874-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
As both coffee quality and sustainability become increasingly important, there is growing interest in understanding how ecological quality affects coffee quality. Here we analyze, for the first time, the state of evidence that ecological quality, in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem functions, impacts the quality of Coffea arabica and C. canephora, based on 78 studies. The following ecosystem functions were included: pollination; weed, disease, and pest control; water and soil fertility regulation. Biodiversity was described by the presence, percentage, and diversity of shade trees. Coffee quality was described by the green bean physical characteristics, biochemical compounds, and organoleptic characteristics. The presence and diversity of shade trees positively impacted bean size and weight and reduced the percentage of rejected beans, but these observations were not consistent over different altitudes. In fact, little is known about the diversity of shade trees and their influence on biochemical compounds. All biochemical compounds varied with the presence of shade, percentage of shade, and elevation. Coffee beans from more diverse tree shade plantations obtained higher scores for final total organoleptic quality than simplified tree shade and unshaded plantations. Decreasing ecological quality diminished ecosystem functions such as pollination, which in turn negatively affected bean quality. Shade affected pests and diseases in different ways, but weeds were reduced. High soil quality positively affected coffee quality. Shade improved the water use efficiency, such that coffee plants were not water stressed and coffee quality was improved. While knowledge on the influence of shade trees on overall coffee quality remains scarce, there is evidence that agroecosystem simplification is negatively correlated with coffee quality. Given global concerns about biodiversity and habitat loss, we recommend that the overall definition of coffee quality include measures of ecological quality, although these aspects are not always detectable in certain coffee quality characteristics or the final cup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vania Torrez
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | | | - Johanna Jacobi
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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7
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Vansynghel J, Ocampo-Ariza C, Maas B, Martin EA, Thomas E, Hanf-Dressler T, Schumacher NC, Ulloque-Samatelo C, Yovera FF, Tscharntke T, Steffan-Dewenter I. Quantifying services and disservices provided by insects and vertebrates in cacao agroforestry landscapes. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221309. [PMID: 36100014 PMCID: PMC9470269 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals provide services such as pollination and pest control in cacao agroforestry systems, but also disservices. Yet, their combined contributions to crop yield and fruit loss are mostly unclear. In a full-factorial field experiment in northwestern Peru, we excluded flying insects, ants, birds and bats from cacao trees and assessed several productivity indicators. We quantified the contribution of each group to fruit set, fruit loss and marketable yield and evaluated how forest distance and canopy closure affected productivity. Fruit set dropped (from 1.7% to 0.3%) when flying insects were excluded and tripled at intermediate (40%) compared to high (greater than 80%) canopy cover in the non-exclusion treatment. Fruit set also dropped with bird and bat exclusion, potentially due to increased abundances of arthropods preying on pollinators or flower herbivores. Overall, cacao yields more than doubled when birds and bats had access to trees. Ants were generally associated with fruit loss, but also with yield increases in agroforests close to forest. We also evidenced disservices generated by squirrels, leading to significant fruit losses. Our findings show that several functional groups contribute to high cacao yield, while trade-offs between services and disservices need to be integrated in local and landscape-scale sustainable cacao agroforestry management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Vansynghel
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.,Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Lima office, Avenida La Molina 1895, La Molina 12, Lima, Peru
| | - Carolina Ocampo-Ariza
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Lima office, Avenida La Molina 1895, La Molina 12, Lima, Peru.,Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Bea Maas
- Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Emily A Martin
- Zoological Biodiversity, Institute of Geobotany, Leibniz University Hannover, Nienburger Straße 17, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Evert Thomas
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Lima office, Avenida La Molina 1895, La Molina 12, Lima, Peru
| | - Tara Hanf-Dressler
- Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nils-Christian Schumacher
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Carlos Ulloque-Samatelo
- Universidad Nacional de Piura, Urb. Miraflores s/n, 295 Piura, Peru.,Universidad Continental Arequipa, Ciencias de la Empresa, Av. Los Incas s/n Urb. Lambramani, José Luis Bustamante y Rivero, Arequipa, Peru
| | - Fredy F Yovera
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Lima office, Avenida La Molina 1895, La Molina 12, Lima, Peru.,Norandino Ltds. Mz X Lote 3 y 4, Zona Industrial II etapa, Piura, Peru
| | - Teja Tscharntke
- Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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Rost-Komiya B, Smith MA, Rogy P, Srivastava DS. Do bromeliads affect the arboreal ant communities on orange trees in northwestern Costa Rica? PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271040. [PMID: 35793376 PMCID: PMC9258856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ants often interact with other invertebrates as predators or mutualists. Epiphytic bromeliads provide nesting sites for ants, and could increase ant abundances in the tree canopy. We surveyed ants in the foliage of orange trees that either hosted bromeliads or did not. To determine if observed associations between bromeliads and tree ants were causal, we removed bromeliads from half of the trees, and resurveyed ants six weeks later. Our results show that bromeliad presence is correlated with higher ant abundances and different species of ants on orange trees during the dry season. This increase in ant abundance was driven primarily by Solenopsis ants, which were both numerous and found to facultatively nest in bromeliads. Bromeliad removal did not affect either ant abundance or composition, potentially because this manipulation coincided with the transition from dry to wet season. Other ant species were never encountered nesting in bromeliads, and the abundances of such ants on tree leaves were unaffected by bromeliad presence or removal. Considering the importance of ants in herbivore regulation, our findings suggest that bromeliads–through their association with ants–could indirectly be associated with biological control in agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Rost-Komiya
- Department of Zoology & Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - M. Alex Smith
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Pierre Rogy
- Department of Zoology & Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Diane S. Srivastava
- Department of Zoology & Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Parr CL, Bishop TR. The response of ants to climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:3188-3205. [PMID: 35274797 PMCID: PMC9314018 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are one of the most dominant terrestrial organisms worldwide. They are hugely abundant, both in terms of sheer numbers and biomass, on every continent except Antarctica and are deeply embedded within a diversity of ecological networks and processes. Ants are also eusocial and colonial organisms-their lifecycle is built on the labor of sterile worker ants who support a small number of reproductive individuals. Given the climatic changes that our planet faces, we need to understand how various important taxonomic groups will respond; this includes the ants. In this review, we synthesize the available literature to tackle this question. The answer is complicated. The ant literature has focused on temperature, and we broadly understand the ways in which thermal changes may affect ant colonies, populations, and communities. In general, we expect that species living in the Tropics, and in thermally variable microhabitats, such as the canopy and leaf litter environments, will be negatively impacted by rising temperatures. Species living in the temperate zones and those able to thermally buffer their nests in the soil or behaviorally avoid higher temperatures, however, are likely to be unaffected or may even benefit from a changed climate. How ants will respond to changes to other abiotic drivers associated with climate change is largely unknown, as is the detail on how altered ant populations and communities will ramify through their wider ecological networks. We discuss how eusociality may allow ants to adapt to, or tolerate, climate change in ways that solitary organisms cannot and we identify key geographic and phylogenetic hotspots of climate vulnerability and resistance. We finish by emphasizing the key research questions that we need to address moving forward so that we may fully appreciate how this critical insect group will respond to the ongoing climate crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine L. Parr
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandWitsSouth Africa
| | - Tom R. Bishop
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
- School of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
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Merle I, Hipólito J, Requier F. Towards integrated pest and pollinator management in tropical crops. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 50:100866. [PMID: 34971783 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biotic pollination and pest control are two critical insect-mediated ecosystem services that support crop production. Although management of both services is usually treated separately, the new paradigm of Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management (IPPM) suggests synergetic benefits by considering them together. We reviewed the management practices in two major tropical perennial crops: cocoa and coffee, to assess IPPM applications under the tropics. We found potential synergies and antagonisms among crop pest and pollination management, however, very few studies considered these interactions. Interestingly, we also found management practices focusing mainly on a single service mediated by insects although species can show multiple ecological functions as pests, natural enemies, or pollinators. The tropics represent a promising area for the implementation of IPPM and future research should address this concept to move towards a more sustainable agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Merle
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91198, France
| | - Juliana Hipólito
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Fabrice Requier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91198, France.
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Burger H, Hylander K, Ayalew B, van Dam N, Mendesil E, Schedl A, Shimales T, Zewdie B, Tack A. Bottom-up and top-down drivers of herbivory on Arabica coffee along an environmental and management gradient. Basic Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2021.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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12
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Hood ASC, Aryawan AAK, Advento AD, Suberkah WR, Ashton‐Butt A, Ps S, Caliman J, Naim M, Foster WA, Turner EC. A whole‐ecosystem method for experimentally suppressing ants on a small scale. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amelia SC Hood
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Anak Agung Ketut Aryawan
- Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute (SMARTRI) Jalan Teuku Umar, No. 19 28112 Riau Indonesia
| | - Andreas D Advento
- Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute (SMARTRI) Jalan Teuku Umar, No. 19 28112 Riau Indonesia
| | - Wahyu R Suberkah
- PT. Ouzen Anugerah Indonesia Bukit Barisan Street, No. 78 E Medan North Sumatra Indonesia
| | - Adham Ashton‐Butt
- British Trust for Ornithology BTO The Nunnery Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU
- Department of Biological and Marine Sciences University of Hull Hull HU6 7RX
| | - Sudharto Ps
- Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute (SMARTRI) Jalan Teuku Umar, No. 19 28112 Riau Indonesia
| | - Jean‐Pierre Caliman
- Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute (SMARTRI) Jalan Teuku Umar, No. 19 28112 Riau Indonesia
| | - Mohammad Naim
- Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute (SMARTRI) Jalan Teuku Umar, No. 19 28112 Riau Indonesia
| | - William A Foster
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Edgar C Turner
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
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13
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Serée L, Gardarin A, Crouzet O, Barbottin A, Valantin‐Morison M, Chiron F. Exploring multitrophic interactions in oilseed rape fields reveals the prevailing role of Carabidae. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:15377-15388. [PMID: 34765184 PMCID: PMC8571632 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In cropped fields, birds are often at the highest position in the food chain, feeding on pest arthropods and their intermediate predators in a process known as intraguild predation. The net effects of bird predation on phytophagous insect populations (feeding on plants) are difficult to predict without comprehensively describing prey-predator communities and their complex interplay. We sampled bird and arthropod communities in 30 oilseed rape fields in the spring of 2019 and 2020 in France. To assess the top-down control of arthropods by birds, we used a vertebrate exclusion experiment. Using a taxonomic and functional trait-based approach, we determined the direct and indirect influences of birds on arthropod predators and phytophagous insect populations in arable crops. We observed a negative relationship between the abundance of Carabidae and phytophagous insects but not with the other predator group suggesting the key role of Carabidae on phytophagous insects in agroecosystem. We found no statistical evidence of intraguild predation from birds toward intermediate predators. Despite the lack of overall effect of predator functional diversity on their prey, we highlighted the negative relationship between the functional complementarity (through functional evenness) of Carabidae and the abundance of phytophagous insects. This result suggests that functional complementarity between Carabidae species could help to reduce phytophagous insect populations. We analyzed the effect of agricultural practices on these multitrophic interactions, showing that pesticide intensity only had detrimental effects on Carabidae abundance, while the frequency of tillage did not affect the studied communities. Complementary indices used to depict communities are helpful to better understand the mechanisms underlying trophic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola Serée
- AgronomieINRAEAgroParisTechUniversité Paris‐SaclayThiverval‐GrignonFrance
- Ecologie Systématique EvolutionUniversité Paris‐SaclayCNRSAgroParisTechOrsayFrance
| | - Antoine Gardarin
- AgronomieINRAEAgroParisTechUniversité Paris‐SaclayThiverval‐GrignonFrance
| | | | - Aude Barbottin
- SADAPTINRAEAgroParisTechUniversité Paris‐SaclayThiverval‐GrignonFrance
| | | | - François Chiron
- Ecologie Systématique EvolutionUniversité Paris‐SaclayCNRSAgroParisTechOrsayFrance
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14
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Stüber M, Tack AJM, Zewdie B, Mendesil E, Shimales T, Ayalew B, Nemomissa S, Sjögren J, Vesterinen E, Wezel A, Hylander K. Multi-scale mosaics in top-down pest control by ants from natural coffee forests to plantations. Ecology 2021; 102:e03376. [PMID: 33937985 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
While top-down control plays an important role in shaping both natural and agricultural food webs, we lack insights into how top-down control effects vary across spatial scales. We used a multi-scale survey of top-down control of coffee pests and diseases by arboreal ants to examine if colony location creates a small-scale mosaic in top-down control around trees and if the strength of that control varies between sites at the landscape scale. We investigated pest and disease levels on coffee shrubs at different distances from shade trees with and without a Crematogaster spp. ant colony in 59 sites along a coffee management intensity gradient in southwestern Ethiopia. Within sites, ants significantly suppressed herbivory and coffee leaf rust at distances less than 10 m from nesting trees. Top-down control varied between sites, with stronger top-down control of free-feeding herbivory near ant colonies at sites with lower management intensity and stronger top-down control of a skeletonizer at sites with higher canopy cover. We conclude that the strength of top-down control by ants is highly heterogeneous across spatial scales, as a consequence of the biology of the predator at the small scale and herbivore density or changes in herbivore-ant interactions at the landscape scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Stüber
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden.,Agroecology and Environment Research Unit, ISARA-Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France.,Center for Organic Farming, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, 70599, Germany
| | - Ayco J M Tack
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Beyene Zewdie
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Esayas Mendesil
- Department of Horticulture & Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, P.O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Tamiru Shimales
- Jimma Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 192, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Biruk Ayalew
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Sileshi Nemomissa
- Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 3434, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Jörgen Sjögren
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden.,Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå, SE-901 83, Sweden
| | - Eero Vesterinen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alexander Wezel
- Agroecology and Environment Research Unit, ISARA-Lyon, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Kristoffer Hylander
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
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15
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Schmitt L, Greenberg R, Ibarra-Núñez G, Bichier P, Gordon CE, Perfecto I. Cascading Effects of Birds and Bats in a Shaded Coffee Agroforestry System. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.512998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Volant vertebrate insectivores, including birds and bats, can be important regulators of herbivores in forests and agro-ecosystems. Their effects can be realized directly through predation and indirectly via intraguild predation. This paper examines data from bird and bat exclosures in coffee farms in Chiapas, Mexico in order to determine their effect on herbivores. Arthropods were sampled in 32 exclosures (with 10 coffee plants in each) and their paired controls three times during 6 months. After 3 months, herbivore and spider abundance increased, underscoring the importance of both intertrophic predation between volant vertebrate insectivores and herbivores and intraguild predation between volant vertebrate insectivores and spiders. After 6 months, herbivore abundance increased in the exclosures, which is indicative of a direct negative effect of birds and bats on herbivores. We suggest that intraguild predation is important in this food web and that seasonality may change the relative importance of intraguild vs. intertrophic predation. Results suggest a dissipating trophic cascade and echo the growing body of evidence that finds birds and bats are regulators of herbivores in agro-ecosystems.
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16
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Hood AS, Advento AD, Stone J, Fayle TM, Fairnie AL, Waters HS, Foster WA, Snaddon JL, Ps S, Caliman JP, Naim M, Turner EC. Removing understory vegetation in oil palm agroforestry reduces ground-foraging ant abundance but not species richness. Basic Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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17
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Harrison RD, Thierfelder C, Baudron F, Chinwada P, Midega C, Schaffner U, van den Berg J. Agro-ecological options for fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith) management: Providing low-cost, smallholder friendly solutions to an invasive pest. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 243:318-330. [PMID: 31102899 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Fall armyworm (FAW), a voracious agricultural pest native to North and South America, was first detected on the African continent in 2016 and has subsequently spread throughout the continent and across Asia. It has been predicted that FAW could cause up to $US13 billion per annum in crop losses throughout sub-Saharan Africa, thereby threatening the livelihoods of millions of poor farmers. In their haste to respond to FAW governments may promote indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides which, aside from human health and environmental risks, could undermine smallholder pest management strategies that depend to a large degree on natural enemies. Agro-ecological approaches offer culturally appropriate low-cost pest control strategies that can be readily integrated into existing efforts to improve smallholder incomes and resilience through sustainable intensification. Such approaches should therefore be promoted as a core component of integrated pest management (IPM) programmes for FAW in combination with crop breeding for pest resistance, classical biological control and selective use of safe pesticides. Nonetheless, the suitability of agro-ecological measures for reducing FAW densities and impact need to be carefully assessed across varied environmental and socio-economic conditions before they can be proposed for wide-scale implementation. To support this process, we review evidence for the efficacy of potential agro-ecological measures for controlling FAW and other pests, consider the associated risks, and draw attention to critical knowledge gaps. The evidence indicates that several measures can be adopted immediately. These include (i) sustainable soil fertility management, especially measures that maintain or restore soil organic carbon; (ii) intercropping with appropriately selected companion plants; and (iii) diversifying the farm environment through management of (semi)natural habitats at multiple spatial scales. Nevertheless, we recommend embedding trials into upscaling programmes so that the costs and benefits of these interventions may be determined across the diverse biophysical and socio-economic contexts that are found in the invaded range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhett D Harrison
- World Agroforestry Centre, 13 Elm Road, Woodlands, Lusaka, Zambia.
| | - Christian Thierfelder
- CIMMYT- Southern Africa Regional Office, P.O. Box MP 163, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
| | - Frédéric Baudron
- CIMMYT-Southern Africa Regional Office, P.O Box MP 163, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
| | - Peter Chinwada
- University of Zimbabwe, Department of Biological Sciences, PO Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.
| | - Charles Midega
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Urs Schaffner
- CABI, Rue des Grillons 1, 2800, Delémont, Switzerland.
| | - Johnnie van den Berg
- IPM Program, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
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18
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Maas B, Heath S, Grass I, Cassano C, Classen A, Faria D, Gras P, Williams-Guillén K, Johnson M, Karp DS, Linden V, Martínez-Salinas A, Schmack JM, Kross S. Experimental field exclosure of birds and bats in agricultural systems — Methodological insights, potential improvements, and cost-benefit trade-offs. Basic Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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19
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Kleijn D, Bommarco R, Fijen TP, Garibaldi LA, Potts SG, van der Putten WH. Ecological Intensification: Bridging the Gap between Science and Practice. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 34:154-166. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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20
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Pejchar L, Clough Y, Ekroos J, Nicholas KA, Olsson O, Ram D, Tschumi M, Smith HG. Net Effects of Birds in Agroecosystems. Bioscience 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biy104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Liba Pejchar
- Associate professor of conservation biology at Colorado State University, in Fort Collins
| | - Yann Clough
- Professor of environmental sciences at Lund University, in Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Ekroos
- Research scientist at the Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, at Lund University, in Lund, Sweden
| | - Kimberly A Nicholas
- Associate professor of sustainability science at the Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, in Lund, Sweden
| | - Ola Olsson
- Associate professor and the head of the Biodiversity Unit, Department of Biology at Lund University
| | - Dafne Ram
- Department of Biology at Lund University
| | | | - Henrik G Smith
- Professor of animal ecology and director of the Centre for Environmental and Climate Research at Lund University
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21
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Shave ME, Shwiff SA, Elser JL, Lindell CA. Falcons using orchard nest boxes reduce fruit-eating bird abundances and provide economic benefits for a fruit-growing region. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Shave
- Department of Integrative Biology; Michigan State University; East Lansing Michigan
- Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior; Michigan State University; East Lansing Michigan
| | - Stephanie A. Shwiff
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services; National Wildlife Research Center; Fort Collins Colorado
| | - Julie L. Elser
- USDA APHIS Wildlife Services; National Wildlife Research Center; Fort Collins Colorado
| | - Catherine A. Lindell
- Department of Integrative Biology; Michigan State University; East Lansing Michigan
- Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior; Michigan State University; East Lansing Michigan
- Center for Global Change & Earth Observation; Michigan State University; East Lansing Michigan
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22
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Kormann UG, Hadley AS, Tscharntke T, Betts MG, Robinson WD, Scherber C. Primary rainforest amount at the landscape scale mitigates bird biodiversity loss and biotic homogenization. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Urs G. Kormann
- Agroecology Georg‐August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Adam S. Hadley
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Teja Tscharntke
- Agroecology Georg‐August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Matthew G. Betts
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - W. Douglas Robinson
- Oak Creek Lab of Biology Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Christoph Scherber
- Agroecology Georg‐August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany
- Institute of Landscape Ecology Münster Germany
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23
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Smith C, Milligan M, Johnson M, Njoroge P. Bird community response to landscape and foliage arthropod variables in sun coffee of central Kenyan highlands. Glob Ecol Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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24
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Denmead LH, Darras K, Clough Y, Diaz P, Grass I, Hoffmann MP, Nurdiansyah F, Fardiansah R, Tscharntke T. The role of ants, birds and bats for ecosystem functions and yield in oil palm plantations. Ecology 2017; 98:1945-1956. [PMID: 28464275 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa H. Denmead
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
- Marine and Environmental Management; Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology; Tauranga New Zealand
| | - Kevin Darras
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Yann Clough
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research; Lund University; Lund Sweden
| | | | - Ingo Grass
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Munir P. Hoffmann
- Tropical Plant Production and Agricultural Systems Modelling; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Fuad Nurdiansyah
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
- University of Jambi; Jambi Indonesia
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25
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Forbes SJ, Northfield TD. Increased pollinator habitat enhances cacao fruit set and predator conservation. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 27:887-899. [PMID: 28019052 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The unique benefits of wild pollinators to the productivity of agricultural crops have become increasingly recognized in recent decades. However, declines in populations of wild pollinator species, largely driven by the conversion of natural habitat to agricultural land and broad-spectrum pesticide use often lead reductions in the provision of pollination services and crop production. With growing evidence that targeted pollinator conservation improves crop yield and/or quality, particularly for pollination specialist crops, efforts are increasing to substitute agriculturally intensive practices with those that alleviate some of the negative impacts of agriculture on pollinators and the pollination services they provide, in part through the provision of suitable pollinator habitat. Further, similarities between the responses of some pollinators and predators to habitat management suggest that efforts to conserve pollinators may also encourage predator densities. We evaluated the effects of one habitat management practice, the addition of cacao fruit husks to a monoculture cacao farm, on the provision of pollination services and the densities of two groups of entomophagous predators. We also evaluated the impacts of cacao fruit husk addition on pollen limitation, by crossing this habitat manipulation with pollen supplementation treatments. The addition of cacao fruit husks increased the number of fruits per tree and along with hand pollination treatments, increased final yields indicating a promotion of the pollination ecosystem service provided by the specialist pollinators, midges. We also found that cacao fruit husk addition increased the densities of two predator groups, spiders and skinks. Further, the conservation of these predators did not inhibit pollination through pollinator capture or deterrence. The findings show that, with moderate habitat management, both pollinator and predator conservation can be compatible goals within a highly specialized plant-pollinator system. The effectiveness of this habitat manipulation may be attributable to the increased availability of alternative habitat and food resources for both pollinators and predators. The results exemplify a win-win relationship between agricultural production and biological conservation, whereby agricultural practices to support vital pollinators and pollination services can increase production as well as support species conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Forbes
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, P.O. Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
| | - Tobin D Northfield
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, P.O. Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
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26
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Payne CLR, Van Itterbeeck J. Ecosystem Services from Edible Insects in Agricultural Systems: A Review. INSECTS 2017; 8:insects8010024. [PMID: 28218635 PMCID: PMC5371952 DOI: 10.3390/insects8010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Revised: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Many of the most nutritionally and economically important edible insects are those that are harvested from existing agricultural systems. Current strategies of agricultural intensification focus predominantly on increasing crop yields, with no or little consideration of the repercussions this may have for the additional harvest and ecology of accompanying food insects. Yet such insects provide many valuable ecosystem services, and their sustainable management could be crucial to ensuring future food security. This review considers the multiple ecosystem services provided by edible insects in existing agricultural systems worldwide. Directly and indirectly, edible insects contribute to all four categories of ecosystem services as outlined by the Millennium Ecosystem Services definition: provisioning, regulating, maintaining, and cultural services. They are also responsible for ecosystem disservices, most notably significant crop damage. We argue that it is crucial for decision-makers to evaluate the costs and benefits of the presence of food insects in agricultural systems. We recommend that a key priority for further research is the quantification of the economic and environmental contribution of services and disservices from edible insects in agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte L R Payne
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3QY, UK.
| | - Joost Van Itterbeeck
- College of Arts, Department of History, Rikkyo University, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan.
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27
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Silva NS, Saad LP, Souza-Campana DR, Bueno OC, Morini MSC. Comparison Between Ground Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Communities Foraging in the Straw Mulch of Sugarcane Crops and in the Leaf Litter of Neighboring Forests. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 110:111-117. [PMID: 28053209 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tow295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In many sugarcane plantations in Brazil, the straw is left on the soil after harvesting, and vinasse, a by-product of the production of sugar and ethanol, is used for fertigation. Our goal was to compare ant community composition and species richness in the straw mulch of sugarcane crops with the leaf litter of neighboring forests. We tested the hypothesis that ant communities in the straw mulch of vinasse-irrigated sugarcane crops and in the forest leaf litter were similar, because the combination of straw mulching and vinasse irrigation has a positive effect on soil fauna. Straw mulch and leaf litter were collected from 21 sites and placed in Berlese funnels. In total, 61 species were found in the forest leaf litter, whereas 34 and 28 species were found in the straw mulch of sugarcane fields with and without vinasse, respectively. Ant communities differed between forest and crop fields, but the species in the sugarcane straw mulch were a subset of the species found in the forest leaf litter. Although vinasse is rich in organic matter, it did not increase ant diversity. Seven feeding and/or foraging types were identified and, among the different types, surface-foraging omnivorous ants were the most prevalent in all habitats. Vinasse-irrigated sugarcane straw mulch had more predatory species than mulch from vinasse-free fields, but fewer than forest leaf litter. However, this positive effect of vinasse irrigation should be carefully evaluated because vinasse has negative effects on the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- N S Silva
- Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Laboratório de Mirmecologia do Alto Tietê. Rua Dr. Cândido Xavier de Almeida e Souza, Zip code 08701-970, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo Brazil
| | - L P Saad
- Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Laboratório de Mirmecologia do Alto Tietê. Rua Dr. Cândido Xavier de Almeida e Souza, Zip code 08701-970, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo Brazil
| | - D R Souza-Campana
- Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Laboratório de Mirmecologia do Alto Tietê. Rua Dr. Cândido Xavier de Almeida e Souza, Zip code 08701-970, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo Brazil
| | - O C Bueno
- Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, Avenida 24-A, 1515. Bela Vista, Zip code 13.506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo Brazil
| | - M S C Morini
- Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Laboratório de Mirmecologia do Alto Tietê. Rua Dr. Cândido Xavier de Almeida e Souza, Zip code 08701-970, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo Brazil
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28
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Gordon IJ, Altwegg R, Evans DM, Ewen JG, Johnson JA, Pettorelli N, Young JK. Reducing agricultural loss and food waste: how will nature fare? Anim Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I. J. Gordon
- Division of Tropical Environments & Societies; James Cook University; Townsville Australia
| | - R. Altwegg
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation; Department of Statistical Sciences, and African Climate and Development Initiative; University of Cape Town; Rondebosch South Africa
| | - D. M. Evans
- School of Biology; Newcastle University; Newcastle upon Tyne UK
| | - J. G. Ewen
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
| | - J. A. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences; Institute of Applied Sciences; University of North Texas; Denton TX USA
| | - N. Pettorelli
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
| | - J. K. Young
- USDA-Wildlife Services-National Wildlife Research Center-Predator Research Facility; Department of Wildland Resources; Utah State University; Logan UT USA
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