新一代生物防治及其在天敌瓢虫中的研究进展

生物防治是一种利用自然天敌控制有害生物的手段.当前生物防治的发展面临着使用成本高和效果不稳定的两大难题.这要求我们更精准地选育和释放天敌.随着测序技术的进步,学界提出了新一代生物防治(Next Generation Biological Control),旨在利用遗传学和基因组学来认识天敌昆虫种下水平的多样性和变异规律,以此优化天敌昆虫的选育和释放效果评估.天敌瓢虫是生物防治的重要成员,但它们使用风险大、商品资源少,而新一代生物防治有望提升它们的使用效果.本文介绍新一代生物防治的提出过程和具体内容,以及近几年来该领域在天敌瓢虫中的研究案例,讨论新一代生物防治在我国国情下的发展方向.     

麦蚜与龟纹瓢虫在麦田的空间格局分析

【目的】为保护麦田天敌并合理利用天敌对麦蚜进行控制。【方法】通过田间网格式取样调查,应用生态位和地统计学方法研究了麦田中麦蚜及其主要天敌龟纹瓢虫Proplaea japonica的时空分布格局。【结果】麦蚜及瓢虫时间序列上的种群动态分析显示,麦田中龟纹瓢虫发生期比麦蚜滞后,麦蚜与龟纹瓢虫的种群数量动态趋势相似,种群相关系数为0.930,表明龟纹瓢虫与麦蚜种群呈明显的跟随关系。在空间上,麦蚜和龟纹瓢虫两者的生态位重叠度随着麦蚜的发生量增多而增高,最高达0.52。麦蚜与龟纹瓢虫的空间格局在时间序列上,随着种群数量改变而变化。在低种群密度下,麦蚜的半变异函数为线性模型,呈随机分布;在高密度下,麦蚜和龟纹瓢虫的的半变异函数均为指数模型,呈聚集分布。Block Kriging空间插值分析,得到二维空间插值模拟图,较好反映了麦蚜和龟纹瓢虫种群在麦田的时空分布。【结论】麦田生态系统中麦蚜与其天敌——龟纹瓢虫在时空分布上具有较强的相似性。同时研究结果提示,评价自然天敌对害虫的控害功能时,要综合分析两者的数量关系和空间分布关系及其控害功能的协同作用,才能提出可靠的防治策略。     

美国杏李园瓢虫群落组成及生态位

对美国杏李园中瓢虫的种群动态和生态位进行研究,结果表明,异色瓢虫、龟纹瓢虫、多异瓢虫为优势种群,黑缘红瓢虫、红点唇瓢虫、七星瓢虫、马铃薯瓢虫、深点食螨瓢虫、二星瓢虫种群密度长时间处于稳定状态。马铃薯瓢虫占据生态位最宽,对美国杏李树危害时间较长。红点唇瓢虫和七星瓢虫的生态位重叠较高,出现频率高。在瓢虫类天敌中,生态位宽度越宽的种类往往数量较低,且持续时间较长,对害虫种群的控制程度较低,生态位宽度较低的种类出现时间较短,短时间内种群数量较高,可以控制害虫种群数量。     

叶螨的重要天敌——深点食螨瓢虫的研究进展

叶螨个体小、分布广、繁殖力高、扩散速度快,易对化学杀虫剂产生抗性,在农业生产中为害严重且防治困难,是世界性的重要害虫。在果园等农业生态系统中,深点食螨瓢虫Stethorus punctillum Weise是食螨瓢虫和叶螨天敌中的优势种,对叶螨种群的生物防治起着极其重要的作用。本文综述了深点食螨瓢虫的研究进展,主要包括形态特征、地理分布、发生规律、生态学、行为学、人工饲养等方面的研究,阐明了深点食螨瓢虫作为叶螨天敌的重要作用,以期为充分利用该瓢虫生物防治叶螨提供科学参考。     

瓢虫种群对棉花-玉米农田景观格局的响应

本文研究了华北棉花-玉米农田景观格局中龟纹瓢虫Propylaea japonica(Thunberg)和异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis(Pallas)种群动态,发现农田景观格局中作物类型(棉花与玉米)对两种瓢虫种群密度动态有显著的影响,两种天敌瓢虫都趋向在玉米斑块上栖息。两种瓢虫在棉花斑块上呈现出时间分化,其中龟纹瓢虫在棉花种植的前中期种群密度较大,后期较少;而异色瓢虫在棉花前中期种群密度较少,后期较多,表明农田景观中种植玉米有利于增强瓢虫对棉花害虫的控制作用。进一步的研究表明,农田景观系统中玉米斑块所占的面积比对龟纹瓢虫和异色瓢虫种群密度均产生显著影响。这说明在农田景观系统中开展区域性生态调控的时候,需要考虑到各类斑块组合的面积比例,从而有利于增强多种天敌昆虫的协调控害作用。     

梨园芳香植物间作区中国梨木虱与其天敌类群的相互作用

为探讨间作芳香植物对梨园中国梨木虱与其天敌类群相互作用的影响,在梨园中设置不同种类的芳香植物间作处理,以清耕区为对照,研究不同芳香植物间作区中国梨木虱及其天敌类群组成、种群消长动态、时间生态位的变化,并进行灰色关联度分析。结果表明,不同处理区中国梨木虱及其天敌类群数量和发生频率、组成及时序特征、时间生态位宽度与重叠存在明显差别。在梨树年生长周期中,薄荷间作区的中国梨木虱的时间生态位宽度明显增大,多数天敌的时间生态位宽度显著增加,中国梨木虱与天敌种群发生量分布较均匀,但发生的高峰不明显,时间生态位重叠指数均较大,表现出时序上的同步性和跟随性。孔雀草间作区、罗勒间作区、自然生草区的中国梨木虱的生态位宽度较薄荷间作区小,有明显的高峰期,天敌的生态位宽度较对照大,无明显的高峰期。一些天敌种群如跳小蜂、丽草蛉、茧蜂、姬蜂与中国梨木虱在时序上同步性较大,跟随现象明显;而龟纹瓢虫、异色瓢虫和七星瓢虫等天敌种群与中国梨木虱在时序上同步性较差,跟随现象较弱。灰色关联度分析结果表明,薄荷间作区跳小蜂、孔雀草间作区中华大草蛉、罗勒间作区龟纹瓢虫和中华大草蛉、自然生草区丽草蛉、茧蜂、赤眼蜂对中国梨木虱的影响程度较其它种群大。结果显示,梨园间作芳香植物可能通过改变中国梨木虱及其天敌类群的组成、时序特征和生态位特征等控制中国梨木虱的发生。     

食螨瓢虫自然种群基地建立的研究

腹管食螨瓢虫Stethorus siphonulus Kapur是福建省柑桔全爪蠕(红蜘蛛)Panonychus eitri MeGregor的优势种天敌,控制作用显．已在我省柑桔产区大面积应用成功。为了使柑桔全爪蠕生物防治持续发展,古螨瓢虫自然种群基地的建立至关重要．本将多年来在闽清白中柑桔场、福建农业大学金山柑桔园、福州北郊峙头柑桔场、长泰柑桔园等地进行食螨瓢虫自然种群基地建立的研究,进行总结报道。     

区域性农田景观格局对麦蚜及其天敌种群的生态学效应

明确农田景观格局对害虫及其天敌种群的生态学效应,是开展区域性害虫生态调控的基础.以前的研究大多集中于小空间尺度下、单个景观因子对昆虫种群的作用,而从省级范围的大空间尺度、多个景观因子的分析很少.本文以山东省区域性小麦种植区为研究对象,基于遥感影像和土地覆盖分类数据以及田间调查的昆虫种群数据,分析了景观组成类型(component type)、构成比例(component proportions)和形状结构(shape structure)多因子对麦蚜及其天敌寄生蜂和瓢虫种群的综合作用.结果发现,农田景观组成类型中斑块类型(patch type)越多,越利于麦蚜和天敌瓢虫种群数量的增长;且斑块密度(patch density)越大,越利于麦蚜寄生蜂和天敌瓢虫数量的增加;景观形状结构中边界密度(edge density)越高,也越利于麦蚜寄生蜂和天敌瓢虫种群数量的增加.进一步定量评估了农田景观组成类型、构成比例和形状结构对麦蚜及其天敌种群影响的作用大小.结果表明,三类景观格局因子对麦蚜影响较小,权重为9.81%;而对麦蚜寄生蜂的影响权重为25.87%;对天敌瓢虫种群高达47.86%.本研究清楚地表明,通过优化农田景观中作物与非作物生境布局,可直接调节和增加天敌昆虫种类与数量,有效控制和减少小麦蚜虫的种群数量,从而提高区域性农田景观中天敌昆虫的生物控害服务功能.     

美国杂交杏李花果期节肢动物的生态位分析

美国杏李园害虫中绣线菊蚜与山楂叶螨的生态位宽度较宽,占据空间较大,为害虫优势种群,在空间维度上害虫之间存在较大竞争;大草蛉在各期的生态位宽度最大,说明大草蛉是重要的优势天敌,且天敌与主要害虫在空间上相遇机率较大;天敌之间生态位重叠指数较高,表明主要天敌之间存在明显的相互竞争关系;美国杏李园天敌对主要害虫在时间维度上有较强的追随效应和控制作用.主要天敌的数量与主要害虫绣线菊蚜种群数量追随关联度顺序为草蛉类>龟纹瓢虫>蜘蛛类>异色瓢虫>其它瓢虫类>食蚜蝇类>七星瓢虫>多异瓢虫.草蛉类和龟纹瓢虫与绣线菊蚜的模糊贴近度最高,说明这两种天敌与绣线菊蚜的同域效应高,对绣线菊蚜有较强的追随作用,抑制着绣线菊蚜种群数量的增长.     

孟氏隐唇瓢虫研究现状及其种质资源描述规范的建立

孟氏隐唇瓢虫Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant原产于澳大利亚,是粉蚧的重要捕食性天敌,作为生物防治重要的天敌资源被广泛引进世界各地.本文介绍了国内外近几十年来对孟氏隐唇瓢虫在生活史、行为、抗药性以及生物防治等方面的研究概况,并提出建立孟氏隐唇瓢虫种质资源描述规范的必要性,为充分发挥其控害潜能提供理论依据.     

定量评价天敌控害功能的生态能学方法

由于昆虫的能量完全来自于寄主,因此昆虫摄入的能量相当于食物的被取食消耗量。生态能量学方法的基本原理就是捕食性天敌完全依靠捕食猎物(害虫)而获取能量。显然,捕食性天敌摄入的能量就相当于为猎物(害虫)的被捕食消耗量,也即是捕食性天敌摄入量等于猎物(害虫)的被捕食消耗量。由此,可通过研究捕食性天敌和害虫种群的能量动态,定量分析捕食性天敌对害虫的控制作用。本文详细论述了生态能量学方法的基本原理、测算方法,并以棉田捕食性瓢虫类捕食作用为例,介绍了该方法的应用,为定量评价天敌的控害作用提供了一种新方法。     

Mealybug avoidance responses to ladybird semiochemicals

The predatory ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant is a very effective natural enemy of the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso), and has a worldwide distribution. This study investigated how the citrus mealybug responded to semiochemicals from the ladybird. In laboratory experiments, mealybug response to semiochemicals left by ladybirds on leaf surfaces was measured. The results indicated that the presence of ladybirds can change the settling behaviour of P. citri. The exposure of plant material to C. montrouzieri had a significant influence on the settling of mealybugs added to the same plant. The distribution of citrus mealybugs in the Petri dishes was significantly affected by the previous presence of ladybirds. The avoidance response may aid in the biological control of mealybugs by coccinellids released onto crops infested with mealybugs.     

Intraguild predation: fiction or reality?

Intraguild predation has become a major research topic in biological control. Quantification of multipredator interactions and an understanding of the consequences on target prey populations are needed, which only highlights the importance of population dynamics models in this field. However, intraguild predation models are usually based on Lotka–Volterra equations, which have been shown not to be adequate for modeling population dynamics of aphidophagous insects and their prey. Here we use a simple model developed for simulation of population dynamics of aphidophagous insects, which is based on the type of egg distribution made by predatory females, to estimate the real strength of intraguild predation in the aphidophagous insects. The model consists of two components: random egg distribution among aphid colonies, and between-season population dynamics of the predatory species. The model is used to estimate the proportion of predatory individuals that face a conflict with a heterospecific competitor at least once during their life. Based on this, predictions are made on the population dynamics of both predatory species. The predictions are confronted with our data on intraguild predation in ladybirds.     

Population genetic structure of the biological control agent Macrolophus pygmaeus in Mediterranean agroecosystems

Biological control of agricultural pests relies on knowledge of agroecosystem functionality, particularly when affected by the use of mass‐produced biological agents. Incorporating pre‐ and/or post‐release information such as genetic diversity and structure on these agents using molecular‐based approaches could advance our knowledge of how they perform in agroecosystems. We evaluated the population genetics of Macrolophus pygmaeus, the most widely used predatory mirid against many arthropod pests of greenhouse crops in the Mediterranean region, using the mitochondrial Cytb sequence and microsatellite data, and population genetics and phylogeny approaches. We investigated commercially mass‐produced insects (i.e., commercial insects either mass‐reared in the laboratory for many generations, or purchased by farmers and released in the greenhouses) and “wild” insects (i.e., that occur naturally outside or are collected in nature for release in the greenhouses). The mirids were mainly collected in agroecosystems in which solanaceous plants are grown in northern Spain, southern France and Greece. Both molecular markers and approaches distinguished 2 genetically differentiated populations. The less genetically diverse population, hereafter named the “commercial” strain included all individuals from laboratory mass‐rearings and most releases of commercially bred individuals. The most genetically diverse population mainly comprised individuals originating from noncultivated environments, or from releases of “wild” individuals. Rare examples of hybridization between M. pygmaeus from the 2 populations were observed and asymmetric gene flow was revealed. These findings provide new insights into what happens to M. pygmaeus released in the agroecosystems we studied, and show that it is possible to monitor some commercial strains.     

Population genetics strategies to characterize long-distance dispersal of insects

Population genetics strategies offer an alternative and powerful approach for obtaining information about long-distance movement, and have been widely used for examining patterns and magnitude of insect dispersal over geographic and temporal scales. Such strategies are based on the principle that genetic divergence between local populations reflects the interplay between genetic drift and gene flow, and thus can function as an indicator of dispersal capacity. Relatively new approaches for inferring population history are widely applicable for documenting introduction routes of invasive or quarantine species. These approaches are based on genetic variability calculated from changes in gene frequency of subpopulations, measured using molecular genetic markers. Inferences from population genetics can supplement and corroborate conventional observational approaches for characterizing insect dispersal and have provided important clues to many questions raised in the field of behavior and ecology of insects. Here, we summarize our work on the boll weevil as a case study to illustrate the kinds of information on dispersal capacity and dispersal patterns that can be obtained from population genetics techniques that would be difficult or impossible to acquire in other ways. Then we provide examples of how the molecular markers and population genetics tools have been applied to answer immediate questions of relevance to eradication program managers. Though the latter are idiosyncratic to this particular pest, they demonstrate the kinds and range of problems that can be addressed in other systems through application of population genetics strategies.     

Genetic bottlenecks and successful biological invasions: the case of a recent Lessepsian migrant

Our current understanding of the mechanisms that lead to successful biological invasions is limited. Although adaptations play a central role in biological invasions, genetic studies have so far failed to produce a unified theory. The bluespotted cornetfish, a recent Red Sea invader in the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal, provides an ideal case study for research in the mechanisms of invasive genetics. In this study, we show that the invading bluespotted cornetfish underwent a severe population bottleneck that reduced the genetic diversity of this immigrant to only two mitochondrial haplotypes. Although loss of genetic diversity is considered detrimental to the need to adapt to new environments, bluespotted cornetfish experienced an unprecedented success and rapid spread across the Mediterranean.     

棉田捕食性瓢虫控害功能的分析

在系统调查棉田捕食性飘虫种数量动态的基础上,应用生态能学的方法,分析并比较了不同插种期、套间作等农业措施对棉田捕食性飘虫控害虫功能的影响。结果表明,不同类型棉田飘虫对害虫的摄入量为26．45－70kJ.m^-2,分别占整个捕食性在天敌摄入量的28．30％－47．88％,是棉田捕食性天敌的优势种类;不同类型棉田飘虫对棉蚜的控害系数为5．07％－12．85％,并随着棉花播种期的推后和间套作呈现出下降趋势,它们在棉田生态系统害虫生态调控中发挥着重要作用。     

Comparative genetics of invasive populations of walnut aphid,Chromaphis juglandicola,and its introduced parasitoid,Trioxys pallidus,in California

Coevolution may be an important component of the sustainability of importation biological control, but how frequently introduced natural enemies coevolve with their target pests is unclear. Here we explore whether comparative population genetics of the invasive walnut aphid, Chromaphis juglandicola, and its introduced parasitoid, Trioxys pallidus, provide insights into the localized breakdown of biological control services in walnut orchards in California. We found that sampled populations of C. juglandicola exhibited higher estimates of genetic differentiation (F_ST) than co‐occurring populations of T. pallidus. In contrast, estimates of both the inbreeding coefficient (G_IS) and contemporary gene flow were higher for T. pallidus than for C. juglandicola. We also found evidence of reciprocal outlier loci in some locations, but none showed significant signatures of selection. Synthesis and applications. Understanding the importance of coevolutionary interactions for the sustainability of biological control remains an important and understudied component of biological control research. Given the observed differences in gene flow and genetic differentiation among populations of T. pallidus and C. juglandicola, we suspect that temporary local disruption of biological control services may occur more frequently than expected while remaining stable at broader regional scales. Further research that combines genomewide single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping with measurements of phenotypic traits is needed to provide more conclusive evidence of whether the occurrence of outlier loci that display significant signatures of selection can be interpreted as evidence of the presence of a geographic mosaic of coevolution in this system.     

Decline in native ladybirds in response to the arrival of Harmonia axyridis: early evidence from England

1. Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an invasive non‐native ladybird in Europe, where it was introduced as a biological control agent of aphids and coccids. 2. This study assesses changes to ladybird species assemblages, in arboreal habitats, over a 3‐year period encompassing the invasion phase of H. axyridis in eastern England. The effects of H. axyridis and other factors (weather and prey availability) on native ladybirds are assessed. 3. Harmonia axyridis increased from 0.1% to 40% of total ladybirds sampled, whilst native aphidophagous species declined from 84% to 41% of total ladybirds. The actual number of native aphidophagous ladybirds per survey decreased from a mean of 19.7 in year 1, to 10.2 in year 3. 4. Three ladybird species in particular experienced declines: Adalia bipunctata, Coccinella septempunctata, and Propylea quattuordecimpunctata. Harmonia axyridis was the most abundant species by the end of the study. 5. The decline in native aphidophagous ladybirds could be attributed to competition for prey and intraguild predation of eggs, larvae, and pupae by H. axyridis. Physiological and behavioural traits of H. axyridis are likely to confer an advantage over native ladybird species.     

Techniques and statistical data analysis in molecular population genetics

Following the development of PCR methods, molecular techniques have become widely used for detecting genetic variation in natural populations. Most nucleotide changes can be detected by these techniques. Many of these changes probably reflect silent substitutions that are likely to be selectively neutral, making them particularly suitable to population genetic studies. In this paper, we review the published literature on molecular population genetics, with respect to the genome assayed (nuclear, mitochondrial or chloroplast), the organisms studied, the molecular techniques used, and the biological problems addressed. Several molecular techniques are then compared using experimental results obtained from a population genetic study of the Mytilus complex in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. Finally, the most appropriate theoretical tools to analyse molecular population genetic data are discussed.