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Vasconcelos S, Pina S, Herrera JM, Silva B, Sousa P, Porto M, Melguizo-Ruiz N, Jiménez-Navarro G, Ferreira S, Moreira F, Heleno R, Jonsson M, Beja P. Canopy arthropod declines along a gradient of olive farming intensification. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17273. [PMID: 36241676 PMCID: PMC9568540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21480-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthropod declines have been linked to agricultural intensification. However, information about the impacts of intensification is still limited for many crops, as is our understanding of the responses of different arthropod taxa and trophic groups, thus hindering the development of effective mitigation measures. We investigated the impacts of olive farming intensification on canopy-dwelling arthropods in the Mediterranean region. Intensification involves the increased use of agrochemicals, mechanisation and irrigation, but also structural changes from traditional orchards with low densities of large and old trees, to intensive and superintensive orchards with high to very high densities of smaller and younger trees, respectively. Canopy arthropods were vacuum-sampled at 53 sites representing the three orchard intensification levels, in spring, summer and autumn 2017. We evaluated how the arthropod community varied across intensification levels, and in response to orchard structure, management and landscape context. We found no changes in the diversity of arthropod taxa across intensification levels after correcting for sample coverage, but arthropod abundance declined markedly along the intensification gradient. Decreased abundance was associated with changes in orchard structure, lower herbaceous cover, and higher herbicide and insecticide use. The abundance of a specialized olive pest was lower in landscapes with higher woodland cover. The negative effects of intensification were stronger in spring and summer than in autumn, and parasitoids and predators were particularly affected. Overall, results suggest that retaining herbaceous cover, reducing agrochemical inputs and preserving natural woody elements in the landscape, may contribute to mitigate impacts of olive farming intensification on canopy arthropods, particularly on beneficial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha Vasconcelos
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7044, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Sílvia Pina
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José M Herrera
- Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, University of Évora, Casa Cordovil, R. Dom Augusto Eduardo Nunes, 7000 - 651, Évora, Portugal
- Departamento de Biología - Instituto de Investigación Vitivinícola y Agroalimentaria - Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Río San Pedro, 11510, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Bruno Silva
- Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, University of Évora, Casa Cordovil, R. Dom Augusto Eduardo Nunes, 7000 - 651, Évora, Portugal
| | - Pedro Sousa
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Miguel Porto
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nereida Melguizo-Ruiz
- Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, University of Évora, Casa Cordovil, R. Dom Augusto Eduardo Nunes, 7000 - 651, Évora, Portugal
| | - Gerardo Jiménez-Navarro
- Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, University of Évora, Casa Cordovil, R. Dom Augusto Eduardo Nunes, 7000 - 651, Évora, Portugal
| | - Sónia Ferreira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Francisco Moreira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ruben Heleno
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martin de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mattias Jonsson
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7044, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pedro Beja
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação Em Biodiversidade E Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
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Gómez JA, Campos M, Guzmán G, Castillo-Llanque F, Vanwalleghem T, Lora Á, Giráldez JV. Soil erosion control, plant diversity, and arthropod communities under heterogeneous cover crops in an olive orchard. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:977-989. [PMID: 28138881 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-8339-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/25/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
A 3-year experiment compared in an olive orchard the effect of different cover crops' composition on runoff, water erosion, diversity of annual plants, and arthropod communities which could provide an alternative to conventional management based on tillage (CT). The cover crops evaluated were a seeded homogeneous grass (GC), a seeded mix of ten different species (MCseeded), and a non-seeded cover by vegetation naturally present at the farm after 20 years of mowing (MCnatural). The results suggest that heterogeneous cover crops can provide a viable alternative to homogeneous ones in olives, providing similar benefits in reducing runoff and soil losses compared to management based on bare soil. The reduction in soil loss was particularly large: 46.7 in CT to 6.5 and 7.9 t ha-1 year-1 in GC and MCseeded, respectively. The heterogeneous cover crops resulted in greater diversity of plant species and a modification of the arthropod communities with an increased number of predators for pests. The reduction of the cost of implanting heterogeneous cover crops, improvement of the seeding techniques, and selection of species included in the mixes require additional research to promote the use of this practice which can deliver enhanced environmental benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Alfonso Gómez
- Department of Agronomy, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, IAS-CSIC, Cordoba, Spain.
| | - Mercedes Campos
- Department of Environmental Protection, Experimental Station of Zaidin, EEZ-CSIC, Granada, Spain
| | - Gema Guzmán
- Department of Agronomy, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, IAS-CSIC, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Franco Castillo-Llanque
- Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training, IFAPA, Alameda del Obispo, Cordoba, Spain
| | | | - Ángel Lora
- Department of Forest Engineering, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Juan V Giráldez
- Department of Agronomy, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
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Monzo C, Qureshi JA, Stansly PA. Insecticide sprays, natural enemy assemblages and predation on Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2014; 104:576-585. [PMID: 24830653 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485314000315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama is considered a key citrus pest due to its role as vector of 'huanglongbing' (HLB) or citrus greening, probably the most economically damaging disease of citrus. Insecticidal control of the vector is still considered a cornerstone of HLB management to prevent infection and to reduce reinoculation of infected trees. The severity of HLB has driven implementation of intensive insecticide programs against ACP with unknown side effects on beneficial arthropod fauna in citrus agroecosystems. We evaluated effects of calendar sprays directed against this pest on natural enemy assemblages and used exclusion to estimate mortality they imposed on ACP populations in citrus groves. Predator exclusion techniques were used on nascent colonies of D. citri in replicated large untreated and sprayed plots of citrus during the four major flushing periods over 2 years. Population of spiders, arboreal ants and ladybeetles were independently assessed. Monthly sprays of recommended insecticides for control of ACP, adversely affected natural enemy populations resulting in reduced predation on ACP immature stages, especially during the critical late winter/early spring flush. Consequently, projected growth rates of the ACP population were greatest where natural enemies had been adversely affected by insecticides. Whereas, this result does not obviate the need for insecticidal control of ACP, it does indicate that even a selective regimen of sprays can impose as yet undetermined costs in terms of reduced biological control of this and probably other citrus pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Monzo
- Entomology and Nematology Department,University of Florida/IFAS,Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, Immokalee, FL,USA
| | - J A Qureshi
- Entomology and Nematology Department,University of Florida/IFAS,Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, Immokalee, FL,USA
| | - P A Stansly
- Entomology and Nematology Department,University of Florida/IFAS,Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, Immokalee, FL,USA
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