Climate change effects on behavioral and physiological ecology of predator–prey interactions: Implications for conservation biological control

Habitat management under the auspices of conservation biological control is a widely used approach to foster conditions that ensure a diversity of predator species can persist spatially and temporally within agricultural landscapes in order to control their prey (pest) species. However, an emerging new factor, global climate change, has the potential to disrupt existing conservation biological control programs. Climate change may alter abiotic conditions such as temperature, precipitation, humidity and wind that in turn could alter the life-cycle timing of predator and prey species and the behavioral nature and strength of their interactions. Anticipating how climate change will affect predator and prey communities represents an important research challenge. We present a conceptual framework—the habitat domain concept—that is useful for understanding contingencies in the nature of predator diversity effects on prey based on predator and prey spatial movement in their habitat. We illustrate how this framework can be used to forecast whether biological control by predators will become more effective or become disrupted due to changing climate. We discuss how changes in predator–prey interactions are contingent on the tolerances of predators and prey species to changing abiotic conditions as determined by the degree of local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity exhibited by species populations. We conclude by discussing research approaches that are needed to help adjust conservation biological control management to deal with a climate future.     

Sphecid wasps (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Sphecidae) as potential control agents of acridid pests (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Ethiopia

The possibility of using sphecid wasps to control acridid pests is discussed. A list of 19 Ethiopian species that could be utilized for this purpose is provided.     

芥蓝田主要害虫种群生态位研究

2001年秋季在福州郊区对芥蓝田BrassicaalboglabraBailey害虫种群的生态位进行了初步研究,研究结果表明:蚜虫、粉虱和小菜蛾为秋季芥蓝田的优势种害虫,菜青虫、黄曲条跳甲和斑潜蝇为随从种害虫。这些主要害虫的生态位在时间、空间维度和时-空二维上存在明显分化,各种害虫对资源的竞争主要集中在对空间资源的竞争,即随着时间的推移,害虫间的竞争主要集中在对植株上可获得的产卵、取食和栖息的空间资源的竞争。     

频振式杀虫灯在茶树害虫测报、防治中的应用

应用佳多频振式杀虫灯进行了茶树害虫的预测预报和防治试验。结果表明,该灯对茶园中的茶细蛾Caloptiliatheivora(walsingham)、茶毛虫EuproctispseudoconspersaStrand、斜纹夜蛾Prodenialitura(Fabricius)等茶树主要害虫有明显的诱集作用;同时,根据害虫成虫诱集时间、数量与面上生育期观察,其动态变化基本一致,可以用于幼虫的发生期、发生量预报,在面上应用频振式杀虫灯对3种的防治试验中取得明显的效果。认为该灯是一种安全、经济、有效、无污染的茶树害虫预测预报和防治工具。     

基于Oracle数据库的水稻病虫综合防治专家系统

应用数据库、计算机网络和空间信息技术,研制出基于Oracle数据库的“水稻病虫综合防治专家系统RIPMES Ⅱ”。系统包括数据采集、数据维护专家决策和GIS应用等子系统,能解决实时数据采集、海量数据存贮与分析、病虫害防治辅助决策、虫害空间分布特征分析等问题,是水稻病虫害综合防治的一个有效工具,同时也可为类似的专家系统的研究提供参考。     

Field evaluation of some selected plant materials for the control of major insect pests of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata(L.) Walp.) in the Northern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi during the rainy season of 2005. The study was carried out with sole objective of evaluating the efficacy of six selected plant materials (sweetsop, red pepper, garlic, neem, mahogany and gmalina) against the major insect pests of cowpea variety, Dan Sokoto. The experiment was laid down in randomised complete block design with seven treatments. Each treatment was replicated three times. The results of the study showed that all the plant materials used were significantly (p < 0.05) better than control where no plant material was used in controlling the population of B. tabaci, E. dolichi, M. sjostedti and C. tomentosicollis at 1, 2 and 3 days after application of the treatments. Similarly the effects of these plant materials on the number of seeds/pod showed a significant (p < 0.05) difference between plots treated with plant materials and control. On the grain yield of the crop, all the plant materials showed significant effect except mahogany and the control which were statistically similar. Furthermore, the order of level of control indicated that sweet sop has (70.7%), garlic (69.3%), neem (61.0%), red pepper (54.0%), ash (30.9%), and mahogany (3.5%). The result of the present finding therefore recommends the use of sweet sop, garlic and neem as they were found to be the most promising in the control of major cowpea insect pests.     

Potentialities of methoxyfenozide for the integrated management of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on cotton in Benin,West Africa

Intensive use of chemical insecticides against Helicoverpa armigera has led to the development of resistance to the major chemical families of insecticides. Consequently, management of H. armigera using conventional chemical insecticides is increasingly difficult. Methoxyfenozide is an agonist of the insect moulting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone that acts faster than chitin synthesis inhibitors. The present work is aimed to assess the effectiveness of methoxyfenozide for use against H. armigera on cotton in Benin, West Africa. Laboratory tests and field experiments have been carried out. For laboratory studies, topical application of methoxyfenozide was done using L2 and L5 instar larva of H. armigera. Tested methoxyfenozide concentrations varied from 24 μl/ml to 144 μl/ml and the control is water only. For field experiments, a complete randomised block design was used with methoxyfenozide (72 μl/ml) and a control (no spraying). Berthoud Ultra Low Volume sprayer was used to spray methoxyfenozide suspension at 60-l per hectare. Two sprays were applied, 7 days apart. Laboratory tests indicated that 24 h after application of methoxyfenozide, about 100% of treated L2 and L5 larva were morbid or dead compared with 0% for the control larva. There are no significant differences between tested concentrations. Morbid larvae died within 2 days. In field experiments, cotton yield harvested on methoxyfenozide treated plants was double of that obtained on untreated plants (9375 kg and 4875 kg per hectare respectively). Thus methoxyfenozide may be used as component of Integrated Pest Control Programme on cotton in Benin, West Africa.     

大豆、玉米与水稻配置对稻田寄生蜂的影响

本文研究了稻田生境和非稻田生境间寄生性天敌的迁移扩散规律及其对水稻主要害虫的控制作用.结果表明,寄生蜂从大豆生境扩散到稻田生境的数量显著高于其从玉米生境扩散到稻田生境,而田埂种植玉米的寄生蜂扩散数量与不种植玉米相比无显著性差异.田埂配置大豆的有机稻田内二化螟Chilo suppressalis、三化螟Tryporyza incertulas、稻纵卷叶螟Cnaphalocrocis medinalis cnienee和褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens的卵寄生率分别为17.8％,20.3％,10.2％和12.4％,与未配置大豆的对照相比分别增加了4.3％,7.5％,2.1％,和3.4％;它们的幼虫寄生率分别为14.7％,31.7％,21.3％,7.3％,与对照相比分别增加了5.3％,9.8％,5.7％和2.8％.而田埂配置玉米的有机稻田的二化螟,三化螟,稻纵卷叶螟和褐飞虱的卵寄生率分别为10.3％,14.4％,8.6％和9.3％;与未配置玉米的对照相比分别降低了3.2％,增加1.6％,0.5％和0.3％;它们的幼虫寄生率分别为10.3％,19.4％,17.5％和2.6％,与对照相比分别增加了0.9％,降低了2.5％,增加了1.9％和降低了1.9％.研究结果可为通过建立合理的水稻邻作模式进行害虫生物防治提供重要科学依据.