1
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Mahas JW, Mahas JB, Ray C, Kesheimer A, Steury TD, Conzemius SR, Crow W, Gore J, Greene JK, Kennedy GG, Kerns D, Malone S, Paula-Moraes S, Roberts P, Stewart SD, Taylor S, Toews M, Jacobson AL. The Spatiotemporal Distribution, Abundance, and Seasonal Dynamics of Cotton-Infesting Aphids in the Southern U.S. INSECTS 2023; 14:639. [PMID: 37504645 PMCID: PMC10380445 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) is an emerging aphid-borne pathogen infecting cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in the southern United States (U.S.). The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, infests cotton annually and is the only known vector to transmit CLRDV to cotton. Seven other species have been reported to feed on, but not often infest, cotton: Protaphis middletonii Thomas, Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis fabae Scopoli, Macrosiphum euphorbiae Thomas, Myzus persicae Sulzer, Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale Sasaki, and Smynthurodes betae Westwood. These seven have not been studied in cotton, but due to their potential epidemiological importance, an understanding of the intra- and inter-annual variations of these species is needed. In 2020 and 2021, aphids were monitored from North Carolina to Texas using pan traps around cotton fields. All of the species known to infest cotton, excluding A. fabae, were detected in this study. Protaphis middletonii and A. gossypii were the most abundant species identified. The five other species of aphids captured were consistently low throughout the study and, with the exception of R. rufiabdominale, were not detected at all locations. The abundance, distribution, and seasonal dynamics of cotton-infesting aphids across the southern U.S. are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Mahas
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, 301 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Jessica B Mahas
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, 301 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Charles Ray
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, 301 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Adam Kesheimer
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, 301 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Todd D Steury
- College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Drive, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Sophia R Conzemius
- Edisto Research and Education Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Blackville, SC 29817, USA
| | - Whitney Crow
- Delta Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Stoneville, MS 39762, USA
| | - Jeffrey Gore
- Delta Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Stoneville, MS 39762, USA
| | - Jeremy K Greene
- Edisto Research and Education Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Blackville, SC 29817, USA
| | - George G Kennedy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, 3210 Ligon St., Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - David Kerns
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Sean Malone
- Virginia Tech, Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Suffolk, VA 23437, USA
| | - Silvana Paula-Moraes
- West Florida Research and Education Center, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Jay, FL 32565, USA
| | - Phillip Roberts
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 2360 Rainwater Rd., Tifton, GA 31793, USA
| | - Scott D Stewart
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Sally Taylor
- Virginia Tech, Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Suffolk, VA 23437, USA
| | - Michael Toews
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 2360 Rainwater Rd., Tifton, GA 31793, USA
| | - Alana L Jacobson
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, 301 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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2
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Zharkov D, Nizamutdinov T, Dubovikoff D, Abakumov E, Pospelova A. Navigating Agricultural Expansion in Harsh Conditions in Russia: Balancing Development with Insect Protection in the Era of Pesticides. INSECTS 2023; 14:557. [PMID: 37367373 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
As the world's population continues to increase, ensuring food security becomes a major problem. This often leads to the expansion of agricultural production, even in harsh conditions and becomes a key problem for many countries, including Russia. However, such expansion may entail certain costs, including the potential loss of insect populations, which are vital for ecological balance and agricultural productivity. The development of fallow lands in these regions is necessary to increase food production and increase food security; it is important to balance this with protection from harmful insects and sustainable farming methods. Research into the effects of insecticides on insects is an ongoing challenge, and new, sustainable farming methods are needed to ensure that protection from harmful insects and sustainable development can coexist. This article discusses the use of pesticides to protect the well-being of mankind, the problems of studying the effects of pesticides on insects and the vulnerability of insects to pesticides in regions with harsh conditions. It also discusses successful methods of sustainable agriculture and the importance of the legal framework governing the use of pesticides. The article emphasises the importance of balanced development with insect protection to ensure the sustainability of agricultural expansion in harsh conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Zharkov
- Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Timur Nizamutdinov
- Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Dmitry Dubovikoff
- Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Evgeny Abakumov
- Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Alena Pospelova
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Perm State National Research University, Perm 614068, Russia
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3
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Zhou Y, Zhang H, Liu D, Khashaveh A, Li Q, Wyckhuys KA, Wu K. Long-term insect censuses capture progressive loss of ecosystem functioning in East Asia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade9341. [PMID: 36735783 PMCID: PMC9897670 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade9341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Insects provide critical ecosystem services such as biological pest control, in which natural enemies (NE) regulate the populations of crop-feeding herbivores (H). While H-NE dynamics are routinely studied at small spatiotemporal scales, multiyear assessments over entire agrolandscapes are rare. Here, we draw on 18-year radar and searchlight trapping datasets (2003-2020) from eastern Asia to (i) assess temporal population trends of 98 airborne insect species and (ii) characterize the associated H-NE interplay. Although NE consistently constrain interseasonal H population growth, their summer abundance declined by 19.3% over time and prominent agricultural pests abandoned their equilibrium state. Within food webs composed of 124 bitrophic couplets, NE abundance annually fell by 0.7% and network connectance dropped markedly. Our research unveils how a progressive decline in insect numbers debilitates H trophic regulation and ecosystem stability at a macroscale, carrying implications for food security and (agro)ecological resilience during times of global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dazhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Adel Khashaveh
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Qian Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Kris A. G. Wyckhuys
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Kongming Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
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4
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Srisakrapikoop U, Pirie TJ, Fellowes MDE. Urbanization and plant pathogen infection interact to affect the outcome of ecological interactions in an experimental multitrophic system. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juab039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization can change interactions in insect communities, and the few studies of tritrophic interactions in urban settings focus on interactions between plants, herbivorous insects and their mutualists and natural enemies. Plant pathogen infection is also widespread and common, and infection may also alter such interactions, but we have no understanding of whether the ecological consequences of pathogen infection vary with urbanization. Using replicated aphid colonies on experimental plants, we investigated how infection by the plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea influences interactions between plants, aphids and the aphid natural enemies and ant mutualists in highly urbanized, suburban and rural study sites. Aphid and natural enemy abundance were highest in the suburban site, while mutualist ants were most abundant in the urban site, reversing the usual positive density-dependent relationship between natural enemies and aphids. The effect of pathogen infection varied with trait and site, mediated by natural enemy preference for hosts or prey on uninfected plants. The effect of infection on aphid abundance was only seen in the suburban site, where natural enemies were most abundant on uninfected plants and aphid numbers were greatest on infected plants. In the urban site, there was no effect of infection, while in the rural site, aphid numbers were lower on infected plants. Uninfected plants were smaller than infected plants and differed between locations. This study suggests that the effects of urbanization on ecological interactions may become more complex and difficult to predict as we study ecological assemblages and communities at greater levels of structural complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ussawit Srisakrapikoop
- People and Wildlife Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AS, UK
| | - Tara J Pirie
- People and Wildlife Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AS, UK
| | - Mark D E Fellowes
- People and Wildlife Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AS, UK
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5
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Han P, Lavoir AV, Rodriguez-Saona C, Desneux N. Bottom-Up Forces in Agroecosystems and Their Potential Impact on Arthropod Pest Management. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 67:239-259. [PMID: 34606362 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-060121-060505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bottom-up effects are major ecological forces in crop-arthropod pest-natural enemy multitrophic interactions. Over the past two decades, bottom-up effects have been considered key levers for optimizing integrated pest management (IPM). Irrigation, fertilization, crop resistance, habitat manipulation, organic management practices, and landscape characteristics have all been shown to trigger marked bottom-up effects and thus impact pest management. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the role of bottom-up effects in pest management and the associated mechanisms, and discuss several key study cases showing how bottom-up effects practically promote natural pest control. Bottom-up effects on IPM also contribute to sustainable intensification of agriculture in the context of agricultural transition and climate change. Finally, we highlight new research priorities in this important area. Together with top-down forces (biological control), future advances in understanding ecological mechanisms underlying key bottom-up forces could pave the way for developing novel pest management strategies and new optimized IPM programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Han
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China;
| | | | | | - Nicolas Desneux
- Université Cote d'Azur, INRAE, CNRS, UMR ISA, 06000 Nice, France;
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6
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Raatz L, Pirhofer Walzl K, Müller MEH, Scherber C, Joshi J. Who is the culprit: Is pest infestation responsible for crop yield losses close to semi-natural habitats? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:13232-13246. [PMID: 34646465 PMCID: PMC8495789 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8046] [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: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Semi-natural habitats (SNHs) are becoming increasingly scarce in modern agricultural landscapes. This may reduce natural ecosystem services such as pest control with its putatively positive effect on crop production. In agreement with other studies, we recently reported wheat yield reductions at field borders which were linked to the type of SNH and the distance to the border. In this experimental landscape-wide study, we asked whether these yield losses have a biotic origin while analyzing fungal seed and fungal leaf pathogens, herbivory of cereal leaf beetles, and weed cover as hypothesized mediators between SNHs and yield. We established experimental winter wheat plots of a single variety within conventionally managed wheat fields at fixed distances either to a hedgerow or to an in-field kettle hole. For each plot, we recorded the fungal infection rate on seeds, fungal infection and herbivory rates on leaves, and weed cover. Using several generalized linear mixed-effects models as well as a structural equation model, we tested the effects of SNHs at a field scale (SNH type and distance to SNH) and at a landscape scale (percentage and diversity of SNHs within a 1000-m radius). In the dry year of 2016, we detected one putative biotic culprit: Weed cover was negatively associated with yield values at a 1-m and 5-m distance from the field border with a SNH. None of the fungal and insect pests, however, significantly affected yield, neither solely nor depending on type of or distance to a SNH. However, the pest groups themselves responded differently to SNH at the field scale and at the landscape scale. Our findings highlight that crop losses at field borders may be caused by biotic culprits; however, their negative impact seems weak and is putatively reduced by conventional farming practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Raatz
- Institute of Biochemistry and BiologyUniversität PotsdamUniversität PotsdamPotsdamGermany
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e.VMünchebergGermany
| | - Karin Pirhofer Walzl
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e.VMünchebergGermany
- Institute at Brown for Environment and SocietyBrown UniversityProvidenceRIUSA
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB)BerlinGermany
- Institute of BiologyFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Marina E. H. Müller
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e.VMünchebergGermany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB)BerlinGermany
| | - Christoph Scherber
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK)Centre for Biodiversity MonitoringBonnGermany
| | - Jasmin Joshi
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB)BerlinGermany
- Institute for Landscape and Open SpaceEastern Switzerland University of Applied SciencesJona‐RapperswilSwitzerland
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7
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Perrot T, Rusch A, Coux C, Gaba S, Bretagnolle V. Proportion of Grassland at Landscape Scale Drives Natural Pest Control Services in Agricultural Landscapes. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.607023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Managing regulating ecosystem services delivered by biodiversity in farmland is a way to maintain crop yields while reducing the use of agrochemicals. Because semi-natural habitats provide shelter and food for pest enemies, a higher proportion of semi-natural habitats in the landscape or their proximity to crops may enhance pest control in arable fields. However, the ways in which the spatial arrangement of these habitats affects the delivery of this beneficial ecosystem service to crops remains poorly known. Here, we investigated the relative effects of the amount of grassland in the landscape versus the distance to the nearest grassland on the predation rates of weed seeds and aphids into 52 cereal fields. We found that both seed and aphid predation levels increased with the proportion of grassland in a 500 m radius buffer while the distance to the nearest grassland displayed no effect. We show that increasing from 0 to 50% the proportion of grasslands in a 500 m radius, respectively, increased seed and aphid predation by 38 and 20%. In addition to the strong effect of the proportion of grassland, we found that seed predation increased with the proportion of forest fragments while aphid predation increased with the proportion of organic farming in the landscape. Overall, our results reveal that natural pest control in cereal crops is not related to the distance to the nearest grassland, suggesting that natural enemies are not limited by their dispersal ability. Our study indicates that maintaining key semi-natural habitats, such as grasslands, is needed to ensure natural pest control and support food production in agricultural landscapes.
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8
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Olimpi EM, Garcia K, Gonthier DJ, De Master KT, Echeverri A, Kremen C, Sciligo AR, Snyder WE, Wilson-Rankin EE, Karp DS. Shifts in species interactions and farming contexts mediate net effects of birds in agroecosystems. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02115. [PMID: 32145709 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Some birds are viewed as pests and vectors of foodborne pathogens in farmlands, yet birds also benefit growers by consuming pests. While many growers seek to prevent birds from accessing their farms, few studies have attempted to quantify the net effects of bird services and disservices, let alone how net effects shift across farm management strategies. We quantified the net effect of birds on crop production across 20 California strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) farms that varied in local management practices and landscape context. We surveyed farms for berry damage and bird droppings (as potential sources of pathogens) and implemented a large-scale exclusion experiment to quantify the impact of birds on production. We found that birds had only a slightly negative overall impact on strawberry production, reducing economic value by 3.6%. Direct bird damage and intraguild predation contributed equally to this net effect, underscoring the importance of indirect trophic interactions that may be less apparent to growers. In simple landscapes (e.g., low proportions of surrounding seminatural habitat), birds provided pest control in the interiors of farm fields, and costs from bird damage to crops peaked at field edges. In complex landscapes (e.g., high proportions of seminatural habitat), birds were more likely to disrupt pest control by feeding as intraguild predators. Nonetheless, seminatural habitat dampened bird services and disservices, and our models predicted that removing habitat around farm fields would increase costs from bird damage to crops by up to 76%. Fecal contamination of crops was extremely rare (0.01%). However, both fecal contamination and bird damage did increase on farms with higher densities of fencing and wires, where birds often perch. Our results demonstrate that maintaining seminatural habitat around farms may enhance bird diversity and mitigate bird damage without increasing food safety risks. We also show that the net effects of birds depend on farming context and vary in complex ways in relation to locations within a farm, local farm attributes, and the surrounding landscape. This context-specific variation must be considered in order to optimize the management of wild birds in agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Olimpi
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, 1088 Academic Surge, 455 Crocker Lane, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - K Garcia
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40546, USA
| | - D J Gonthier
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 40546, USA
| | - K T De Master
- Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Mulford Hall, 130 Hilgard Way, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - A Echeverri
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus, AERL Building, 429-2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - C Kremen
- Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Mulford Hall, 130 Hilgard Way, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus, AERL Building, 429-2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 2212 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - A R Sciligo
- Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Mulford Hall, 130 Hilgard Way, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - W E Snyder
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, PO Box 646382, Pullman, Washington, 99164, USA
| | - E E Wilson-Rankin
- Department of Entomology, University of California, 165 Entomology Bldg., Citrus Drive, Riverside, California, 92521, USA
| | - D S Karp
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, 1088 Academic Surge, 455 Crocker Lane, Davis, California, 95616, USA
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9
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Elek Z, Růžičková J, Ádám R, Bereczki K, Boros G, Kádár F, Kovács-Hostyánszki A, Somay L, Szalkovszki O, Báldi A. Mixed effects of ecological intensification on natural pest control providers: a short-term study for biotic homogenization in winter wheat fields. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8746. [PMID: 32257638 PMCID: PMC7104717 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural intensification is one of the major drivers of biotic homogenization and has multiple levels ranging from within-field management intensity to landscape-scale simplification. The enhancement of invertebrate assemblages by establishing new, semi-natural habitats, such as set-aside fields can improve biological pest control in adjacent crops, and mitigate the adverse effect of biotic homogenization. In this study we aimed to examine the effects of ecological intensification in winter wheat fields in Hungary. We tested how pests and their natural enemies were affected at different spatial scales by landscape composition (proportion of semi-natural habitats in the surrounding matrix), configuration (presence of adjacent set-aside fields), and local field management practices, such as fertilizer (NPK) applications without applying insecticides. We demonstrated that at the local scale, decreased fertilizer usage had no direct effect either on pests or their natural enemies. Higher landscape complexity and adjacent semi-natural habitats seem to be the major drivers of decreasing aphid abundance, suggesting that these enhanced the predatory insect assemblages. Additionally, the high yield in plots with no adjacent set-aside fields suggests that intensive management can compensate for the lower yields on the extensive plots. Our results demonstrated that although complexity at the landscape scale was crucial for maintaining invertebrate assemblages, divergence in their response to pests and pathogens could also be explained by different dispersal abilities. Although the landscape attributes acted as dispersal filters in the organization of pest and pathogen assemblages in croplands, the presence of set-aside fields negatively influenced aphid abundance due to their between-field isolation effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Elek
- Biological Institute, MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, Pázmány Péter Sétány, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Jana Růžičková
- Biological Institute, MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, Pázmány Péter Sétány, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Réka Ádám
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Lendület Ecosystem Services Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Krisztina Bereczki
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Lendület Ecosystem Services Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Gergely Boros
- GINOP Sustainable Ecosystems Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Kádár
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Lendület Ecosystem Services Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - László Somay
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Lendület Ecosystem Services Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary.,GINOP Sustainable Ecosystems Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
| | - Ottó Szalkovszki
- Department of Botany, National Biodiversity and Gene Conservation Center, Tápiószele, Hungary
| | - András Báldi
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Lendület Ecosystem Services Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary.,GINOP Sustainable Ecosystems Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Tihany, Hungary
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10
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Modelling the interactions between landscape structure and spatio-temporal dynamics of pest natural enemies: Implications for conservation biological control. Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2019.108912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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11
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Heath SK, Long RF. Multiscale habitat mediates pest reduction by birds in an intensive agricultural region. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sacha K. Heath
- Graduate Group in Ecology and Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California, Davis One Shields Avenue Davis California 95616USA
| | - Rachael F. Long
- University of California Cooperative Extension 70 Cottonwood Street Woodland California 95695 USA
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12
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Rubene D, Leidefors M, Ninkovic V, Eggers S, Low M. Disentangling olfactory and visual information used by field foraging birds. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:545-552. [PMID: 30680135 PMCID: PMC6341975 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging strategies of birds can influence trophic plant-insect networks with impacts on primary plant production. Recent experiments show that some forest insectivorous birds can use herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) to locate herbivore-infested trees, but it is unclear how birds combine or prioritize visual and olfactory information when making foraging decisions. Here, we investigated attraction of ground-foraging birds to HIPVs and visible prey in short vegetation on farmland in a series of foraging choice experiments. Birds showed an initial preference for HIPVs when visual information was the same for all choice options (i.e., one experimental setup had all options with visible prey, another setup with hidden prey). However, if the alternatives within an experimental setup included visible prey (without HIPV) in competition with HIPV-only, then birds preferred the visual option over HIPVs. Our results show that olfactory cues can play an important role in birds' foraging choices when visual information contains little variation; however, visual cues are preferred when variation is present. This suggests certain aspects of bird foraging decisions in agricultural habitats are mediated by olfactory interaction mechanisms between birds and plants. We also found that birds from variety of dietary food guilds were attracted to HIPVs; hence, the ability of birds to use plant cues is probably more general than previously thought, and may influence the biological pest control potential of birds on farmland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Rubene
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
- Present address:
Department of Crop Production EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Malin Leidefors
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Velemir Ninkovic
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Sönke Eggers
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | - Matthew Low
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
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Enhancing Soil Organic Matter as a Route to the Ecological Intensification of European Arable Systems. Ecosystems 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-018-0228-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Spear DM, Foster WA, Advento AD, Naim M, Caliman J, Luke SH, Snaddon JL, Ps S, Turner EC. Simplifying understory complexity in oil palm plantations is associated with a reduction in the density of a cleptoparasitic spider, Argyrodes miniaceus (Araneae: Theridiidae), in host (Araneae: Nephilinae) webs. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:1595-1603. [PMID: 29435235 PMCID: PMC5792508 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Expansion of oil palm agriculture is currently one of the main drivers of habitat modification in Southeast Asia. Habitat modification can have significant effects on biodiversity, ecosystem function, and interactions between species by altering species abundances or the available resources in an ecosystem. Increasing complexity within modified habitats has the potential to maintain biodiversity and preserve species interactions. We investigated trophic interactions between Argyrodes miniaceus, a cleptoparasitic spider, and its Nephila spp. spider hosts in mature oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia. A. miniaceus co-occupy the webs of Nephila spp. females and survive by stealing prey items caught in the web. We examined the effects of experimentally manipulated understory vegetation complexity on the density and abundance of A. miniaceus in Nephila spp. webs. Experimental understory treatments included enhanced complexity, standard complexity, and reduced complexity understory vegetation, which had been established as part of the ongoing Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Tropical Agriculture (BEFTA) Project. A. miniaceus density ranged from 14.4 to 31.4 spiders per square meter of web, with significantly lower densities found in reduced vegetation complexity treatments compared with both enhanced and standard treatment plots. A. miniaceus abundance per plot was also significantly lower in reduced complexity than in standard and enhanced complexity plots. Synthesis and applications: Maintenance of understory vegetation complexity contributes to the preservation of spider host-cleptoparasite relationships in oil palm plantations. Understory structural complexity in these simplified agroecosystems therefore helps to support abundant spider populations, a functionally important taxon in agricultural landscapes. In addition, management for more structurally complex agricultural habitats can support more complex trophic interactions in tropical agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mohammad Naim
- PT SMART TbkSMART Research InstitutePekan BaruIndonesia
| | | | - Sarah H. Luke
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE)School of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Jake L. Snaddon
- Centre for Biological SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Sudharto Ps
- PT SMART TbkSMART Research InstitutePekan BaruIndonesia
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15
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Complementarity among natural enemies enhances pest suppression. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8172. [PMID: 28811504 PMCID: PMC5557966 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08316-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural enemies have been shown to be effective agents for controlling insect pests in crops. However, it remains unclear how different natural enemy guilds contribute to the regulation of pests and how this might be modulated by landscape context. In a field exclusion experiment in oilseed rape (OSR), we found that parasitoids and ground-dwelling predators acted in a complementary way to suppress pollen beetles, suggesting that pest control by multiple enemies attacking a pest during different periods of its occurrence in the field improves biological control efficacy. The density of pollen beetle significantly decreased with an increased proportion of non-crop habitats in the landscape. Parasitism had a strong effect on pollen beetle numbers in landscapes with a low or intermediate proportion of non-crop habitats, but not in complex landscapes. Our results underline the importance of different natural enemy guilds to pest regulation in crops, and demonstrate how biological control can be strengthened by complementarity among natural enemies. The optimization of natural pest control by adoption of specific management practices at local and landscape scales, such as establishing non-crop areas, low-impact tillage, and temporal crop rotation, could significantly reduce dependence on pesticides and foster yield stability through ecological intensification in agriculture.
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Guedes RNC, Walse SS, Throne JE. Sublethal exposure, insecticide resistance, and community stress. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 21:47-53. [PMID: 28822488 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Insecticides are an invaluable pest management tool and anthropogenic stressors of widespread environmental occurrence that are subject to biased perceptions based on the targeted application, market value of use, and regulatory requirements. As a result, short-term and simplistic efforts focusing on lethal effects toward individual species and populations prevail. Holistic and comprehensive studies exploring rather common sublethal insecticide exposures are rare, particularly considering their potential role in structuring populations and communities in diverse environmental settings and potentially interfering in a range of ecological interactions. Studies on insecticide resistance, for example, do not go beyond population-based studies, disregarding temporal and spatial effects in the associated community, and rarely considering the whole of sublethal exposure. Some of these knowledge gaps are here recognized and explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Narciso C Guedes
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil; USDA, Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, 9611 South Riverbend Avenue, Parlier, CA 93648-9757, United States.
| | - Spencer S Walse
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, 9611 South Riverbend Avenue, Parlier, CA 93648-9757, United States
| | - James E Throne
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, 9611 South Riverbend Avenue, Parlier, CA 93648-9757, United States
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Cohen AL, Crowder DW. The impacts of spatial and temporal complexity across landscapes on biological control: a review. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 20:13-18. [PMID: 28602231 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Biological control is affected by the composition of landscapes surrounding agricultural fields. Natural enemy communities are typically more diverse, and effective at providing biological control services, in complex compared to simple landscapes. However, the use of simple metrics to characterize landscapes, such as the proportion of agricultural habitat, obscures the mechanisms by which landscapes affect biological control. Studies that evaluate the overall complexity of agricultural landscapes, and their temporal variability, allow for a greater mechanistic understanding of the impacts of landscape composition on biological control. From an applied perspective, decision support systems, which deliver real-time information about pest and natural enemy populations, are an effective tool for delivering recommendations to strengthen biological control across space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail L Cohen
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, PO Box 646382, Pullman, WA 99164, United States.
| | - David W Crowder
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, PO Box 646382, Pullman, WA 99164, United States
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18
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Saunders ME, Luck GW. Combining Costs and Benefits of Animal Activities to Assess Net Yield Outcomes in Apple Orchards. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158618. [PMID: 27391022 PMCID: PMC4938594 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse animal communities influence ecosystem function in agroecosystems through positive and negative plant-animal interactions. Yet, past research has largely failed to examine multiple interactions that can have opposing impacts on agricultural production in a given context. We collected data on arthropod communities and yield quality and quantity parameters (fruit set, yield loss and net outcomes) in three major apple-growing regions in south-eastern Australia. We quantified the net yield outcome (accounting for positive and negative interactions) of multiple animal activities (pollination, fruit damage, biological control) across the entire growing season on netted branches, which excluded vertebrate predators of arthropods, and open branches. Net outcome was calculated as the number of undamaged fruit at harvest as a proportion of the number of blossoms (i.e., potential fruit yield). Vertebrate exclusion resulted in lower levels of fruit set and higher levels of arthropod damage to apples, but did not affect net outcomes. Yield quality and quantity parameters (fruit set, yield loss, net outcomes) were not directly associated with arthropod functional groups. Model variance and significant differences between the ratio of pest to beneficial arthropods between regions indicated that complex relationships between environmental factors and multiple animal interactions have a combined effect on yield. Our results show that focusing on a single crop stage, species group or ecosystem function/service can overlook important complexity in ecological processes within the system. Accounting for this complexity and quantifying the net outcome of ecological interactions within the system, is more informative for research and management of biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manu E. Saunders
- Institute for Land Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Gary W. Luck
- Institute for Land Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia
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