The role of psyllids (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and bell miners (Manorina melanophrys) in canopy dieback of Sydney blue gum (Eucalyptus saligna Sm.)

Abstract The presence of the aggressive, colony-forming honeyeater, Manorina melanophrys (bell miner), in the canopies of unhealthy eucalypts has been well reported. There is, however, some debate as to the actual mechanisms producing these unhealthy trees. To investigate further some of the processes that may be contributing to this form of canopy dieback, two field trials were carried out in Olney State Forest, near Wyong, New South Wales. The study site contained Eucalyptus saligna (Sydney blue gum) with canopy dieback and was occupied by a large colony of bell miners. Close examination of the foliage revealed a large and diverse suite of phytophagous insects, including at least 16 species of psyllid (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). In the first trial, the use of bird exclusion cages over selected branches significantly improved leaf survival compared to leaves exposed to a relatively high density of bell miners. It is proposed that colonization by bell miners may interfere with the efficacy of both other insectivorous birds (through aggressive interspecific territoriality) and the invertebrate predators and parasitoids. Interference with such regulatory factors may enable some phytophagous insect populations to rise to sustained damaging levels. In the second trial, an insecticide application combined with reduced competition from the dense understorey and neighbouring trees was required to significantly improve trunk diameter and crown condition scores. After 12 months, neither treatment, by itself, significantly improved both growth measures. Possibly both treatments were required because the E. saligna trees were suffering from another source of stress (e.g. drought) in addition to the relatively high level of insect attack.     

龙眼角颊木虱的初步研究

龙眼角颊本虱．分布于中国的福建、广东、海南和广西．是龙眼新梢嫩叶的一种重要害虫。1982—1983年在福州进行了这项研究。成虫在嫩梢,芽和叶上吸食为害,若虫固定于叶背吸食并形成下陷的虫瘘。因此在叶面布满小突起,叶片变小．畸形扭曲．影响新梢的抽生和叶片的正常生长,且为龙眼鬼帚病的传播介体。一年发生3—5代．世代重叠．并有部分滞育种群。若虫共4龄．大多数群体一年3代,8月间2龄若虫停育,继而越冬。部分发生4代2龄若虫9月底停育。发育成第五代的个体仅占少数,以2龄若虫从11月底开始停育越冬。翌年3月下旬(旬均温14．8℃),大部分若虫开始活动．3月底多数若虫老熟．成虫羽化产卵见于4月上、中旬。4月下旬盛孵。越冬代成虫迄5月中旬陆续羽化完毕。第一至四代成虫出现期．5月底至6月下旬;7月上中旬;9月上中旬;10月上旬至11月上中旬。成虫盛发产卵期与龙眼抽梢期相吻合,叶片的营养状况可能影响若虫的发育,4—6为一年中虫口数量的高峰期。文章对于形态和生物学也有较为详细的记述。     

Navigating Amazonia under uncertainty: past, present and future environmental governance

One of the major environmental challenges of the twenty-first century is the continued rapid deforestation of Amazonia. The 2005 dieback crisis emphasizes the unprecedented challenges facing Brazil. The examination of past and present institutions for ecosystem management, in Amazonia, shows structural barriers across public, private and community arrangements. The adaptive governance concept helps to understand why these institutions are failing to deliver sustainable futures. In looking forward, it is encouraging to see that important networks of knowledge and a number of novel initiatives are emerging in Brazil. These new arrangements are novel in the way that they seem to be adaptive and navigate structures in the hope of overcoming insurmountable drivers of deforestation.     

龙眼角颊木虱发生规律与防治的研究

1998年调查了泉州农校旧校园内龙眼角颊木虱发生情况,并进行了几种农药防治龙眼角颊术虱若虫的室内和田间药效试驻。调查得知,该虫在泉州年发生4—5代．世代重叠,以二龄若虫和少数一龄若虫在被害叶的虫洞内越冬。若虫在龙眼树上的分布是外部叶片多于内部叶片;南面叶片多于西北面叶片;幼嫩、浓绿的叶片多于老、黄的叶片。若虫发生总是与新梢抽发期紧密相连,一年有两个高峰期,第一高峰期主要为害春梢和早发的夏梢,第二高峰期主要为害秋梢。药剂试验结果表明,几种新型农药对龙眼角颊术虱若虫均有较好药效,且药力持续时间长,尤以1％喜洋洋2000倍液和0．6％灭虫灵4000倍液的药效更佳。     

Cacopsylla costalis (Flor 1861), as a Vector of Apple Proliferation in Trentino

Recently, a epidemic of apple proliferation (AP) in an orchard area of Trentino (North Italy) occurred. The most affected cultivars were Golden Delicious, Florina and Renetta Canada grafted on different rootstocks. In this area the known or supposed vectors of the disease were not present. At the same time as the AP symptoms appeared, a notable increase of the presence of psyllids was observed on apple trees so a correlation between these insects and the AP was hypothesized. Four different psyllid species were found in the orchard: Cacopsylla melanoneura (Förster 1848), Cacopsylla costalis (Flor 1861), Cacopsylla mali (Schmidberber 1836) and Trioza urticae (Linnaeus 1758). The first two were more frequent in spring at the adult stage. In 1997 C. costalis was particularly numerous and was used to plan AP transmission trials. The transmission from infected AP apple trees to the insect in field and from the psyllids to non-infected Golden Delicious and Florina plants in the greenhouse were conducted. For the control of phytoplasma presence in the psyllids and in the apple plants polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nested PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis were used. In autumn 1997, some inoculated plants showed symptoms of AP. Molecular results were consistent with the presence of phytoplasma in C. costalis and in inoculated apple cultivars.     

Mechanisms of Riparian Cottonwood Decline Along Regulated Rivers

Decline of riparian forests has been attributed to hydrologic modifications to river flows. However, little is known about the physiological and structural adjustments of riparian forests subject to modified flow regimes, and the potential for forest restoration using historic flow regimes is poorly understood. In this paired river study, we compared hydrology, water relations, and forest structure in cottonwood-dominated floodplains of the regulated Green River to those of the unregulated Yampa River. We measured floodplain groundwater levels, soil water availability, cottonwood xylem pressure (Ψ_xp), and leaf-level stomatal conductance (g_s) to assess current impacts of river regulation on the water status of adult cottonwoods. We also simulated a flood on the former floodplain of the regulated river to evaluate its impact on cottonwood water relations. Canopy and root structure were quantified with estimates of cottonwood leaf area and percent live canopy and root density and biomass, respectively. Regulation of the Green River has lowered the annual peak flow yet raised minimum flows in most years, resulting in a 60% smaller stage change, and lowered soil water availability by as much as 70% compared to predam conditions. Despite differences in water availability, daily and seasonal trends in Ψ_xp and g_s were similar for cottonwoods on the regulated and unregulated rivers. In addition, soil water added with the experimental flood had little effect on cottonwood water relations, contrary to our expectations of alleviated water stress. Green River cottonwoods had 10%–30% lower stand leaf area, 40% lower root density, and 25% lower root biomass compared with those for Yampa River cottonwoods. Our results suggest that water relations at the leaf and stem level are currently similar for Yampa and Green River trees due to structural adjustments of cottonwood forests along the Green River, triggered by river regulation.     

Biological performance of Diclidophlebia smithi (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), a potential biocontrol agent for the invasive weed Miconia calvescens

Diclidophlebia smithi Burckhardt, Morais and Picanço (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is a promising biological control agent of Miconia calvescens DC. (Melastomataceae), a neotropical invasive weed in forest ecosystems in French Polynesia and Hawaii and a threat in Australia, where it was also introduced. A study on the reproductive performance of D. smithi under laboratory conditions through life expectancy and fertility tables is presented. Results indicated that this psyllid has a high reproductive capacity (R ₀>1 and r _m >0) and a short life cycle (46–47 days) and can have up to nine generations per year. The critical period of its life cycle is during the nymphal stage which is clearly inadequate for field introductions. The best age for introducing D. smithi against M. calvescens is the 4th day of the adult stage. D. smithi is easily mass-reared and has a short life cycle and a high reproductive capacity, which are desirable characteristics for a biological control agent.