Insect Pest Outbreaks Research Articles

Decision-support program “EnerTree” for analyzing forest residue recovery options

Abstract The extraction of residues from the harvesting processes for energy production is common practice particularly in Finland and Sweden. Furthermore, the removal is expected to increase also in Central European and the Baltic countries. The extraction of forest biomass provides an extra source of income for the forest owner and positively affects the economy of the forest operation, scenic values and reduces chances of an insect pest outbreak. At the same time, the harvesting of forest residues affects the ecological state of the forest site both in the long term and short term. For example, nutrient depletion might have a negative effect on the future growth of the stand and additionally may be detrimental for biodiversity. The impact on the stand can be manipulated by either seasoning the residues so that needles are left in the stand or through compensation fertilizing using ash. The individual forest owner is faced with a large number of options regarding forest fuel recovery though they have only limited knowledge of the potential impact on the forest ecosystems. Consequently, they will probably have difficulties making a decision. Another aspect is that various forest owners have different preferences regarding economical or ecological factors. A computer-based decision support program is therefore developed to assist the forest owners in making a decision concerning the utilisation of wood for energy. The program deals with a large number of aspects such as revenues from sales, environmental effects and silvicultural benefits. The forest owner provides the program with the basic data of the forest site such as site classification, basal area, mean height and diameter. Thereafter, the forest owner can rank their personal preferences, for instance, how they weigh the importance of net income, nutrient loss, biodiversity, scenic value or the risk of insect pests. The results of various treatment options are then presented to the forest owner, and recommendations for further additional treatment (amount of fertilizer) will also be provided. The decision support program is a unique tool to assist the forest owner to make a comprehensive decision on whether they should harvest forest residues on their forest site and, if they decide to do so, what fuel recovery option will be the most beneficial for them. The EnerTree decision support program also provides an excellent opportunity to convey knowledge gained in research to the forest owner by very practical and understandable means.

Main disturbance factors in north-west Russian forests: Structure and databases

The official statistics of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation record areas of forest degradation as a key indicator of forest disturbance. The forest degradation area of the north-western part of Russia varies from 14,000 to 28,000 ha per year, the main disturbance factors in forests of the Russian Federation being fires, insect outbreaks and strong wind. These factors caused degradation of forests up to 21,000, 3000 and 300 ha per year in 2001–2003, respectively. There is a need for further development and correction of the databases on forest degradation by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, particularly with respect to forest degradation resulting from insect outbreaks. Data on degradation areas after forest fires and storms can be verified and corrected to bring them to a representative level. Official statistics on areas of fires and number of fires can be used for initial disturbance assessment. This paper describes the new database structure for insect outbreaks using various sources of information, including official statistics, published data, special forest pathology assessment reports, data from local subdivisions of the forest service and the reports of local experts. The database developed demonstrates the enhanced importance of insect outbreaks. The taxonomic structure of insect pest outbreaks is different to the official statistics and the list of species is longer; the frequency and scale of outbreaks are also much higher. It should be possible to create databases for other important forest disturbance agents such as diseases and air pollution in a similar way.

Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) Diversity and Abundance in Two Quebec Vineyards

Abstract The wine-making region of southern Quebec in Canada experiences growing conditions that are unique in northeastern North America. After an outbreak of insect pests in 1996, a study of insect groups that may include potential pests or beneficial species was initiated. This article reports on the weevil diversity and abundance during three consecutive years of sampling (1997–1999) in two vineyards. All weevils were collected using pitfall and flight intercept traps. In total, 3,176 specimens were collected, representing 73 species in three families of Curculionoidea. The family Curculionidae was the most species rich, especially the subfamilies Ceutorhynchinae, Curculioninae, and Entiminae. Four of the species recorded are known to feed on the genus Vitis (Vitaceae) in North America: Madarellus undulatus (Say), Barypeithes pellucidus (Boheman), Otiorhynchus ovatus (L.), and Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.). Of these, O. sulcatus is thought to represent the greatest potential threat based on adult abundan...

Efficacy of Piper (Piperaceae) extracts for control of common home and garden insect pests.

Extracts from three species of the plant family Piperaceae, Piper nigrum [L.], Piper guineense [Schum & Thonn, and Piper tuberculatum [Jacq.], were tested for efficacy against insects from five orders. All three species contain isobutyl amides, plant secondary compounds that act as neurotoxins in insects. These materials are considered safe to mammals because Piper spp. were used for centuries for spice and medicinal purposes. When 24-h P. nigrum LC50 values were compared between common insect pests from eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, the most sensitive species in order of increasing lethal concentration were eastern tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum (F.) < European pine sawfly larvae, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffroy) < spindle ermine moth larvae, Yponomeuta cagnagella [Hübner] < viburnum leaf beetle larvae, Pyrrhalta viburni [Paykull] < stripped cucumber beetle adults, Acalymma vittatum (F.) < Colorado potato beetle adults, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) < Japanese beetle adults, Popillia japonica [Newman] < hairy chinch bug, Blissus leucopterus hirtis [Montandon]. The life stage tested was the point at which each species causes the greatest amount of damage to the host plant and the point at which most gardeners would likely choose to treat with a conventional synthetic insecticide. Greenhouse trials revealed that the pepper formulations also had a repellent activity, thus protecting plant leaves from 1) herbivory (lily leaf beetle, Lilioceris lilii [Scopoli], adults and larvae and stripped cucumber beetle adults) and 2) oviposition [European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner)]. Combinations with other botanical extracts were additive at best in toxicity and repellent trials. Nontarget toxicity to beneficial invertebrates is a possibility because the P. nigrum LC50 for beneficial ladybird beetles was 0.2%. P. nigrum extracts can provide a reasonable level of control against lepidopteran and European pine sawfly larvae and also will work as a short-term repellent and feeding deterrent. It is recommended that the use of Piper extracts be restricted to small-scale spot treatments in residential areas where insect pest outbreaks have occurred.

Forest Fragmentation Hits Insectivorous Birds Hard

animal sciences, entomology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, biodiversity, ecosystems and communities, environmental monitoring, forestry, tropical systems Habitats around the world, especially in the tropics, are being fragmented at a rapid rate, causing a tremendous loss of biodiversity[1]. For example, 12% of the approximately 10,000 bird species are threatened with extinction in the next 10 to 100 years, and another 8% are near-threatened[2]. This loss of species is likely to result in the collapse of significant ecosystem processes and free ecosystem services to people[3], such as pest control by insectivorous birds. Tropical forest insectivorous birds, such as antbirds, woodcreepers, and wrens, present a good example of an important, species-rich group of small, noncharismatic organisms who do not get much public attention, but whose demise may have significant negative ecological and financial consequences. They are among the species most likely to go extinct as a result of forest fragmentation[4] and their loss may result in insect pest outbreaks in tropical forests and surrounding agricultural areas. Finding out the causes of the disappearance of understory insectivores may help explain the disappearance of the other small, short-lived, and specialized bird species that comprise the majority (65%) of threatened bird species in the world[5]. In a recent study of the factors behind the disappearance of insectivorous birds in Costa Rican forest fragments reported in the

Meteorological data for agricultural applications

Many agricultural applications are based on meteorological data. For example estimation of surface moisture, crop yield or forecasting of outbreak of crop diseases or insect pests is largely dependent on meteorological conditions. To ensure that there continuously is a (in spite of changes in meteorological observing network) spatially and temporally adequate amount of meteorological data available a system was taken into use in Finland, where parameters measured at observation stations are first interpolated onto a 10 km×10 km grid. The data is stored as grid square values in a database and calculations are made using this gridded data. The spatial interpolation method currently used at the Finnish Meteorological Institute is known as kriging. The interpolated data has successfully been used in several agricultural applications.

PEST OUTBREAKS CONTROL: THE APPROACH OF PEAK‐TO‐PEAK DYNAMICS

ABSTRACT. Insect pest outbreaks in natural and exploited forests are often recursive but aperiodic. We show, by means of a continuous‐time model, that the randomness of these devastating episodes is a very special kind of deterministic chaos, known as peak‐to‐peak dynamics, since the intensity of any outbreak can be predicted from that of the previous episode. This fact allows one to solve various control problems such as the minimization of the mean damage associated with the pest outbreaks or the regularization of their time pattern.

The Influence of Macronutrient Fertilization on Diamondback Moth Infestation on Head Cabbage

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is a serious insect pest of head cabbage, Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. High macronutrient applications have been reported to enhance insect pest outbreaks in crops. Research was conducted at Purdue University to examine the consequences of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilization on diamondback moth infestation in head cabbage. No relationship was detected between macronutrient fertilization and diamondback moth populations. Sulfur content of cabbage correlated negatively with diamondback moth infestation. Foliar application of sulfur caused a significant decrease in diamondback moth oviposition with increasing dosage. There was no relationship between macronutrient application and S accumulation. Application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at recommended rates does not undermine current pest management strategies for diamondback moth on head cabbage.

Is a Warmer Climate Wilting The Forests of the North?

The far-northern climate has warmed 2 degrees Celsium since the 1880s, much more than the rest of the world. A warmer climate might be expected to speed tree growth and drive the northern edge of the forest farther into the Arctic. However a 4 year study of growth rings in trees growing near the timberline in northern and central Alaska indicated differently. Two researchers, Jacoby and D`Arrigo of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, report that as the high latitudes warmed over the past 100 years, tree growth accelerated at first, but recently the growth rate has flattened while the climate continues to warm. This article discusses how the research was done and the possible implications and explanations, including the possibility that warmer temperatures may encourage outbreaks of insect pests.

Degradation of selected insecticides by bacteria isolated from soil.

V. Rangaswamy and K. Venkateswarlu Department of Microbiology, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur 515 003, India In semi-arid tropics, monocropping of groundnut, involving high- yielding varieties, has led to the outbreak of serious insect pests causing major losses in crop yield (Reddy and Ghewande 1986). As a consequence, there has been the use, both extensively and intensively, of organophosphorus insecticides, particularly monocrotophos and quinalphos, for an effective control of the insects (Patel and Vora 1981). Also, there is a steady increase in the application of large quantities of synthetic pyrethroids, mainly cypermethrin and fenvalerate, in groundnut pest management (Das 1988). The entry of such widely used insecticides into soil might have far-reaching consequences because it would disturb the delicate equilibrium between a microorganism and its environment, both involved in an important biological process. It has now been well established that the major or fequently the only means of degradation for several pesticides in the environment is microbial. Also, the data available in literature indicate that soil bacteria may be more important in the degradation of certain pesticides (Tu and Miles 1976). No information is, however, available on degradation of monocrotophos, quinalphos, cypermethrin and fenvalerate by soil bacteria. The present study has, therefore, been aimed at assessing the capability of pure cultures of bacteria, isolated from insecticide-treated soil by enrichment culture technique, in degradation of insecticides commonly used in groundnut cultivation. MATERIALS AND METHODS To isolate soil bacteria, capable of degrading the selected insecticides, enrichment culture technique was followed. One millilitre aliquots of 500 ppm aqueous solutions prepared from commercial formulations of the four insecticides (Table I) were added separately to 10 g portions of a black soil, collected from a fallowlgroundnut field to provide a final concentration of 5 kg ha- . The insecticide-treated soil samples were maintained at 60% water-holding capacity and incubated at room temperature (28 • 4~ Ten days after four such additions, at Send reprint requests to Professor K. Venkateswarlu, at the above address.

Factors Affecting Insect Population Dynamics: Differences Between Outbreak and Non-Outbreak Species

Even though outbreaks of insects are temporally rare events, they have aroused the interest of theoretical and applied entomologists alike. The pop­ ulation dynamics of spatially rare species have been the subject of long-term studies concerned with the extirpation of these species, the unusual habitats they occupy, or the unique adaptations they possess (5, 107, 112) . A compari­ son of the features of insects possessing different population processes may lead to a more thorough understanding of insect population dynamics. Past Annual Review of Entomology articles have addressed a number of population dynamics topics including density dependence (100), life tables (54), dynam­ ics (160), stability and diversity (153), and pest management (159). However, no review has specifically addressed insect pest outbreaks or attempted to compare population dynamics of outbreak and nonoutbreak species. Richards (118) pointed out that this comparison is essentially an issue of popUlation balance versus population fluctuation. Populations of organisms are never truly stable, but rise from some low density and then fall to approximately their original size. They may exhibit stable equilibrium points, stable cyclic oscillations between two popUlation points, stable cycles, or a regime of aperiodicity (87). Insect pests usually

Testing model feasibility and sufficiency through laboratory simulation: A case study

Complex computer simulations of ecological models often fail to have much impact on later stages of applied research and management. We believe that this reflects a methodological gap. We present a case study where we try to bridge this gap. A recently published general model for insect outbreak has not yet been tested adequately in the field because of the complexity, size, and time involved in real-world insect pest outbreaks. However, a modified version of the model can be used to predict complex dynamics for a laboratory managed population of vinegar flies (Drosophila melanogaster). A comparison of the dynamics of the laboratory system with the simulation predictions allowed us to conclude that the model is “feasible”, i.e. under certain circumstances the model can predict the dynamics of some real system. These results were obtained despite considerable environmental and biological variability, indicating the robustness of the model. The factors chosen for the model appear to be “sufficient” to describe the real system's essential dynamics. Testing for feasibility and sufficiency should, in our opinion, always precede the much more expensive stages of field testing.

Vegetation diversity and insect pest outbreaks

The development of most insect pest complexes have been associated with the expansion of crop monocultures at the expense of weeds, hedgerows and other natural vegetation, thereby decreasing local habitat diversity. This simplification can seriously affect the abundance and efficiency of natural enemies, which depend on habitat complexity for sources of alternate prey/hosts, pollen and nectar, shelter, nesting and overwintering sites. Plant diversification of agroecosystems can result in increased environmental opportunities for natural enemies, and consequently improved biological pest control. Agronomically, there are two ways to design plant diverse cropping systems. One way is by manipulating the vegetation of field margins, and this can imply the management of the species composition and density of plants in ditchbanks, hedgerows, windbreaks and other types of shelterbelts. Within‐field plant diversity can be manipulated by designing polycultures of various temporal and spatial crop arrangements. The...

Pest and Parasite Species-Richness Problems

Previous articleNext article No AccessNotes and CommentsPest and Parasite Species-Richness ProblemsAndrew R. Blaustein, Armand M. Kuris, and Jose Javier AlioAndrew R. Blaustein Search for more articles by this author , Armand M. Kuris Search for more articles by this author , and Jose Javier Alio Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 122, Number 4Oct., 1983 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/284156 Views: 4Total views on this site Citations: 10Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1983 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Sarah E. Perkins, Tom A. White, Emily L. Pascoe, Emma L. Gillingham Parasite community dynamics in an invasive vole – From focal introduction to wave front, International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 6, no.33 (Dec 2017): 412–419.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2017.07.005Armand M. Kuris The Global Burden of Human Parasites: Who and Where are They? How are They Transmitted?, Journal of Parasitology 98, no.66 (Dec 2012): 1056–1064.https://doi.org/10.1645/12-90.1Andrée D. Gendron, David J. Marcogliese, Michael Thomas Invasive species are less parasitized than native competitors, but for how long? The case of the round goby in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin, Biological Invasions 14, no.22 (Aug 2011): 367–384.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-011-0083-yChela J. Zabin, John Zardus, Fábio Bettini Pitombo, Vanessa Fread, Michael G. Hadfield A tale of three seas: consistency of natural history traits in a Caribbean–Atlantic barnacle introduced to Hawaii, Biological Invasions 9, no.55 (Nov 2006): 523–544.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-006-9056-yI. A. Bogacheva, G. A. Zamshina Correlated northward distribution of macrolepidopterans and their food plants along the Ural Mountains, Russian Journal of Ecology 37, no.55 (Sep 2006): 344–351.https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413606050080Karin M. Lindström, Johannes Foufopoulos, Henrik Pärn, Martin Wikelski Immunological investments reflect parasite abundance in island populations of Darwin's finches, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 271, no.15471547 (Jul 2004): 1513–1519.https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2004.2752 References, (Jan 1990): 595–652.https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-88034-5.50047-9 References, (Jan 1989): 572–615.https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-078146-1.50028-6K. A. McGuinness Species-area curves, Biological Reviews 59, no.33 (Jan 2008): 423–440.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.1984.tb00711.xMiguel A. Altieri, Deborah K. Letourneau, Stephen J. Risch Vegetation diversity and insect pest outbreaks, Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 2, no.22 (Dec 2008): 131–169.https://doi.org/10.1080/07352688409382193

Remote Sensing Survey of Pecan Trees in Five Texas Cities

Canopy coverage of the total tree populations and pecan tree populations in five Texas urban areas were estimated and recorded based on an existing method of survey. This method utilized color infrared aerial photography in conjunction with the Universal Transverse Mercator grid system to inventory the trees and create a permanent data file for each urban area. Several modifications were made to increase the compatibility of the existing survey method to urban areas and to expand the amount of information recorded for each area. Analysis of the data collected was based on computer software programs, and the output was in tabular and graphical formats. Uses of these types of data files include landscape and city planning, surveys, and monitoring vegetation for disease or insect pest outbreaks.

Forest entomology in China—a general review

The structure of Chinese organizations for research into forest entomology is outlined. The major species of tree found in Chinese forests are Pinus spp., China fir ( Cunninghamia lanceolata), tea-oil tree ( Camellia oleifera), bamboo ( Phyllostachys pubescens), poplars ( Populus spp.), willows ( Salix spp.), elm ( Ulmus pumila) and locust tree ( Robinia pseudoacacia). The most important insect pests of pine and China fir include the China fir shoot moth ( Polychrosis cunninghamicola Liu et Pei (Lepidoptera, Torticidae, Olethreutinae)), the two-striped long-horned beetle ( Semanotus bifaciatus sinoauster Gressitt (Coleoptera, Ceramycidae, Cerambycinae)), two species of termites ( Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki and Macrotermes barneyi Light (Isoptera, Termitidae)), the pine caterpillar ( Dendrolimus punctatus Walker (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae)), the splendid knot-horn moth ( Dioryctria splendidella Herrich-Shaeffer (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae)) and pine bast scales ( Matsucoccus matsumurae Kuw. and M. massoniana Y.H.R). In man-made forests in China, the use of poor-quality seeds and seedlings, the unsuitability of some tree species for a particular site and the planting of pure rather than mixed stands, have created conditions conducive to outbreaks of insect pests. Current pest-control methods include the use of insecticides, biological control with Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis and Trichogramma dendrolimi, and silvicultural methods such as selective cutting, with planting of mixed stands and protection of beneficial birds.

Aerial Treatments in Forest Areas

Aircraft have been profitably employed in a multitude of forest operations in many parts of the world. Their usefulness is, of course, greatest where the forest cover is extensive and more or less continuous and where ground access is difficult. In such situations, as, for example, in parts of the American continent and in some tropical areas, aircraft have become indispensable forest tools and are used for such varied duties as the survey and evaluation of the species composition and volume of the standing crop; the detection of outbreaks of fire, disease, and insect pests; the transport of men and materials for fire fighting; the application of chemicals, in either liquid or solid form, for the control of damaging insects, fungal disease, and rodents; the application of herbicides and fertilisers; the re-seeding of cut-over areas; and for surveys of wild life resources.

INSECT INVASIONS TEST DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS

SEVERE and extensive outbreaks of major insect pests, covering large areas of the nation and striking major crops such as cotton and wheat, challenged the industry's ability, not only to produce, but to maintain effective distribution of a wide range of agricultural chemicals. In spite of unprecedented call for its products, the industry was able to meet this challenge through effective use of its resources in skilled personnel, plant facilities, and distribution systems, with the result that no farmers or growers were unable to buy materials to control insects, diseases, and weeds. One of the most dramatic instances of insect control during 1950 was the green bug or aphid infestation on Well over half a million acres of small grains, principally wheat. Control of this infestation wras possible because of the postwar development of new insecticidal materials. Under the guidance of the industry scientists, federal and state entomologists, and extension workers, treatments were applied either ...