Dynamics of the Italian locust <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calliptamus italicus</Emphasis> L. population in the southeast of the West Siberian Plain

Seasonal dynamics and changes in the general condition of the Italian locust population in the southeast of the West Siberian Plain that were observed throughout the 20th century are characterized in this paper. It was demonstrated that during the last outbreaks of mass reproduction of this species, dominant were individuals transitional from typical gregarious to typical solitary ones. A complicated undulating picture of long-term spatial redistribution of maximum and minimum densities of the Italian locust is detected for the first time, and drastic dynamic differences between neighboring groups of its local populations are shown. The regularities found are in discrepancy with the traditionally accepted unidirectional character of long-term changes in the species numbers within one physiographic region.     

新疆典型蝗虫适生区分布预测

新疆草原面积广阔,农牧业地位突出,蝗灾对当地经济、生态威胁很大,近年新疆极端天气日渐频发,蝗灾监测与防治任务艰巨。以意大利蝗、西伯利亚蝗和亚洲飞蝗为代表的蝗虫数据为基础,综合考虑对蝗虫各生命周期有重要影响的环境因素,运用BIOCLIM模型、领域模型(DOMAIN)、马氏距离模型(MAHAL)、广义线性模型(GLM)、随机森林模型(RF)、提升回归树模型(BRT)、支持向量机模型(SVM)、最大熵模型(MaxEnt)等八种经典物种分布模型及集成模型对新疆典型蝗虫适生区展开了预测。结果表明：(1)不同模型对新疆典型蝗虫适生区预测存在差异,其中DOMAIN最差(曲线下面积(AUC)=0.688,真实技巧统计(TSS)=0.301),而提升回归树(BRT)最佳(AUC=0.920,TSS=0.910),基于BRT、SVM和MaxEnt 3个集成模型预测的新疆蝗虫适生区可靠性更高;(2)新疆典型蝗虫不同等级适生区面积约56.844万km²,占新疆总面积的36%,其中高适生区面积16.568万km²;(3)新疆典型蝗虫适生区主要集中于北疆阿勒泰、塔城地区...     

Ecology and migration patterns of solitary red locusts,Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serville) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in southwestern Madagascar

Red locusts frequently cause crop damage in Madagascar. This problem has worsened in recent years, likely due to the intensive deforestation that is under way. Little is known about this locust In Madagascar, contrary to continental Africa. Several studies have been carried out in southwestern Madagascar, where locust damage is regularly reported, with the aim of determining the cause of recent outbreaks and improving control strategies—they included surveys of rural inhabitants and an analysis of over 25 years of archival data at the Centre national antiacridien (Malagasy locust control centre). The results revealed several zones between which the red locust—a single-generation species that undergoes imaginal diapause in the dry season—seasonally migrates on a northeast to southwest track, and vice versa, depending on rainfall and wind patterns. The migration dynamics and interannual variations associated with rainfall irregularity certainly partially account for the recurrence of red locust outbreaks in Madagascar.     

Demographic processes shaping genetic variation of the solitarious phase of the desert locust

Between plagues, the solitarious desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is generally thought to exist as small populations, which are particularly prone to extinction events in arid regions of Africa and Asia. Given the high genetic structuring observed in one geographical area (the Eritrean coast) by former authors, a metapopulation dynamics model involving repeated extinction and colonization events was favoured. In this study, we assessed the validity of a demographic scenario involving temporary populations of the solitarious phase of the desert locust by analysing large‐scale population genetic data. We scored 24 microsatellites in 23 solitarious population samples collected over most of the species range during remission. We found very little genetic structuring and little evidence of declining genetic diversity. A Bayesian clustering method distinguished four genetically differentiated units. Three groups were largely consistent with three population samples which had undergone recent bottleneck events. Nevertheless, the last genetically homogeneous unit included all individuals from the remaining 18 population samples and did not show evidence of demographic disequilibrium. An approximate Bayesian computation treatment indicated a large population size for this main genetic group, moderately reduced between plague and remission but still containing tens of thousands of individuals. Our results diverge from the hypothesis of a classical metapopulation dynamics model. They instead support the scenario in which large populations persist in the solitarious phase of the desert locust.     

蝗虫的发生与防控

蝗虫暴发引起的灾害是全球重要的生物灾害,可影响到全世界十分之一的人口。自2019年,东部非洲、西亚、南亚多个国家遭遇严重的沙漠蝗虫灾害,这场蝗灾不但对该区域的粮食安全构成严重威胁,而且还有可能引发严重的人道主义危机。为了制定合理的防治方案,实施有效防控,避免大规模蝗灾的发生,需要掌握蝗虫的生物学、生态学、暴发和为害规律、防治策略和技术特点及其进展等。本文介绍了世界各地包括沙漠蝗、飞蝗、澳大利亚疫蝗在内的11种可以引起灾害的重要种类的主要分布、为害和特性,并对国内外蝗虫防治策略、技术进展进行了重点综述。最后,针对目前蝗虫防治存在的问题提出了相应建议。     

Modelling locust foraging: How and why food affects group formation

Locusts are short horned grasshoppers that exhibit two behaviour types depending on their local population density. These are: solitarious, where they will actively avoid other locusts, and gregarious where they will seek them out. It is in this gregarious state that locusts can form massive and destructive flying swarms or plagues. However, these swarms are usually preceded by the aggregation of juvenile wingless locust nymphs. In this paper we attempt to understand how the distribution of food resources affect the group formation process. We do this by introducing a multi-population partial differential equation model that includes non-local locust interactions, local locust and food interactions, and gregarisation. Our results suggest that, food acts to increase the maximum density of locust groups, lowers the percentage of the population that needs to be gregarious for group formation, and decreases both the required density of locusts and time for group formation around an optimal food width. Finally, by looking at foraging efficiency within the numerical experiments we find that there exists a foraging advantage to being gregarious.     

Behavioural phase polyphenism in the Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera)

Swarming and the expression of phase polyphenism are defining characteristics of locust species. Increases in local population density mediate morphological, physiological and behavioural changes within individuals, which correlate with mass marching of juveniles in migratory bands and flying swarms of adults. The Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) regularly forms migratory bands and swarms, but is claimed not to express phase polyphenism and has accordingly been used to argue against a central role for phase change in locust swarming. We demonstrate that juvenile C. terminifera express extreme density-dependent behavioural phase polyphenism. Isolated-reared juveniles are sedentary and repelled by conspecifics, whereas crowd-reared individuals are highly active and are attracted to conspecifics. In contrast to other major locust species, however, behavioural phase change does not accumulate across generations, but shifts completely within an individual''s lifetime in response to a change in population density.     

Habitat quality and population density drive occupancy dynamics of snowshoe hare in variegated landscapes

The influence of habitat quality and population density on occupancy dynamics may surpass that of traditional metrics of area and isolation, but often this is not considered explicitly in studies of spatially structured populations. In landscapes that are not easily characterized as binary habitat/non‐habitat (e.g. variegated landscapes), this influence may be even more important and occur at both local and landscape levels. It follows that occupancy dynamics may be driven by disparate processes depending on how extinction or colonization relate to habitat quality and population density. We examined the relative influence of area, structural isolation, habitat quality, local population density, and neighborhood population density (i.e. population density in the landscape around a site) on the probability of extinction and colonization of snowshoe hare Lepus americanus across an expansive forest mosaic landscape (encompassing the northern third of Idaho). Habitat quality and population density were highly influential in determining extinction and colonization, whereas patch area and isolation were much less important. Sites with heavier vegetative cover at the site or landscape‐level were more likely to be colonized and less likely to go extinct, and sites with greater local population density in the previous time step had lower probability of extinction. Sites embedded in high density neighborhoods also were less likely to go extinct, but not more likely to be colonized. We found a significant interaction between local and neighborhood population density on extinction in 1 yr, suggesting that the strength of demographic rescue may vary dependent on local site densities. Our results add to a growing literature showing that factors outside of structural metrics of area and isolation are important drivers of occupancy dynamics. Given the multi‐scaled influence of habitat quality and population density on occupancy dynamics, our work also indicates that research on snowshoe hare must extend beyond simply assessing local factors to understand the spatial dynamics of populations.     

东亚飞蝗天敌——中国雏蜂虻的研究

中国雏蜂虻Anastoechus chinensis Paramonov 是主要以幼虫取食东亚飞蝗Locusta migratoria manilensis(Meyen)蝗卵的重要天敌,隶属双翅目,短角亚目,蜂虻科Bombyliidae.蜂虻亚 科Bombyliinae,它是国内首次发现;研究其大面积的保护利用在国内外均属首例。中国雏蜂虻主要分布 在山东,河北,天津等省、市滨海蝗区,发生于蝗卵卵块的比率较高,一般年份在50%左右,高达75%以上。 它一年发生一代,以卵在蝗卵块内及附近土中越冬,翌年4至5月以幼虫吸取蝗虫卵粒汁液,对东亚飞蝗一代控制能力较强,有较高的保护利用价。作者从1982年至1987年间,对中国雏蜂虻的形态特征,生物学特性,生态学特性及其保护利用措施等方面进行了较系统的研究,并进行了大面积的保护利用工作,为生物治蝗开拓了新的途径。     

Phylogeny of bird-grasshopper subfamily Cyrtacanthacridinae (Orthoptera: Acrididae) and the evolution of locust phase polyphenism

Locust phase polyphenism is an extreme form of density-dependent phenotypic plasticity in which solitary and cryptic grasshoppers can transform into gregarious and conspicuous locusts in response to an increase in local population density. We investigated the evolution of this complex phenotypic plasticity in a phylogenetic framework using a morphological phylogeny of Cyrtacanthacridinae, which contains some of the most important locust species, and a comprehensive literature review on the biology and ecology of all known members of the subfamily. A phylogenetic analysis based on 71 morphological characters yielded a well-resolved tree and found that locust phase polyphenism evolved multiple times within the subfamily. The literature review demonstrated that many cyrtacanthacridine species, both locust and sedentary, are capable of expressing density-dependent color plasticity. When this color plasticity was divided into two smaller components, background coloration and development of black pigmentation, and when these plastic traits were optimized on to the phylogeny, we found that the physiological mechanisms underlying this plasticity were plesiomorphic for the subfamily. We also found that different locust species in Cyrtacanthacridinae express both similarities and differences in their locust phase polyphenism. Because locust phase polyphenism is a complex syndrome consisting of numerous plastic traits, we treat it as a composite character and dissected it into smaller components. The similarities among locust species could be attributed to shared ancestry and the differences could be attributed to the certain components of locust phase polyphenism evolving at different rates.
© The Willi Hennig Society 2007.     

Cyclicity and variability in prey dynamics strengthens predator numerical response: the effects of vole fluctuations on white stork productivity

Theory predicts that optimality of life-long investment in reproduction is, among other factors, driven by the variability and predictability of the resources. Similarly, during the breeding season, single resource pulses characterized by short periods and high amplitudes enable strong numerical responses in their consumers. However, it is less well established how spatio-temporal dynamics in resource supplies influence the spatio-temporal variation of consumer reproduction. We used the common vole (Microtus arvalis)—white stork (Ciconia ciconia) resource—consumer model system to test the effect of increased temporal variation and periodicity of vole population dynamics on the strength of the local numerical response of storks. We estimated variability, cycle amplitude, and periodicity (by means of direct and delayed density dependence) in 13 Czech and Polish vole populations. Cross-correlation between annual stork productivity and vole abundance, characterizing the strength of the local numerical response of storks, increased when the vole population fluctuated more and population cycles were shorter. We further show that the onset of incubation of storks was delayed during the years of higher vole abundance. We demonstrate that high reproductive flexibility of a generalist consumer in tracking the temporal dynamics of its resource is driven by the properties of the local resource dynamics and we discuss possible mechanisms behind these patterns.     

Non-Linear Neuronal Responses as an Emergent Property of Afferent Networks: A Case Study of the Locust Lobula Giant Movement Detector

In principle it appears advantageous for single neurons to perform non-linear operations. Indeed it has been reported that some neurons show signatures of such operations in their electrophysiological response. A particular case in point is the Lobula Giant Movement Detector (LGMD) neuron of the locust, which is reported to locally perform a functional multiplication. Given the wide ramifications of this suggestion with respect to our understanding of neuronal computations, it is essential that this interpretation of the LGMD as a local multiplication unit is thoroughly tested. Here we evaluate an alternative model that tests the hypothesis that the non-linear responses of the LGMD neuron emerge from the interactions of many neurons in the opto-motor processing structure of the locust. We show, by exposing our model to standard LGMD stimulation protocols, that the properties of the LGMD that were seen as a hallmark of local non-linear operations can be explained as emerging from the dynamics of the pre-synaptic network. Moreover, we demonstrate that these properties strongly depend on the details of the synaptic projections from the medulla to the LGMD. From these observations we deduce a number of testable predictions. To assess the real-time properties of our model we applied it to a high-speed robot. These robot results show that our model of the locust opto-motor system is able to reliably stabilize the movement trajectory of the robot and can robustly support collision avoidance. In addition, these behavioural experiments suggest that the emergent non-linear responses of the LGMD neuron enhance the system''s collision detection acuity. We show how all reported properties of this neuron are consistently reproduced by this alternative model, and how they emerge from the overall opto-motor processing structure of the locust. Hence, our results propose an alternative view on neuronal computation that emphasizes the network properties as opposed to the local transformations that can be performed by single neurons.     

河北省东亚飞蝗发生动态及未来灾变趋势分析

80年代以来 ,尤其进入 90年代 ,由于受异常气候、农业生态及人为因素的影响 ,河北省东亚飞蝗Locustamigratoriamanilensis (Meyen)出现了暴发频次增加、发生期提前、秋蝗发生加重、潜在和隐伏蝗区突发等特点。作者分析了 5 0年来影响河北省东亚飞蝗发生动态的 5种因素 :气象因素、生态因素、湖库水位因素、河泛流量因素、人为因素等。并对河北省东亚飞蝗未来灾变趋势做了展望。     

A behavioural analysis of phase change in the desert locust

A programme of research into phase change in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, is described. The ability to change phase between solitarious and gregarious forms in response to population density is a key feature of locusts and is central to their occasional yet catastrophic impact on humans. Phase polymorphism is an extreme form of phenotypic plasticity. The most labile phase characteristic is behaviour. It is argued that a fully integrated study of behavioural phase change provides a powerful tool for understanding both the mechanisms of phase change and locust population dynamics, both of which offer possibilities for improved management and control of desert locust plagues. An assay for measuring behavioural phase-state in individual locusts was derived, based on logistic regression analysis. Experiments are described that used the assay to quantify the time-course of behavioural change, both within the life of individual locusts and across generations. The locust-related stimuli that provoke behavioural gregarization were investigated. Complex interactions were found between tactile, visual and olfactory stimuli, with the former exerting the strongest effect. Behavioural analysis also directed a study of the mechanisms whereby adult females exert an epigenetic influence over the phase-state of their developing offspring. Female locusts use their experience of the extent and recency of being crowded to predict the probability that their offspring will emerge into a high-density population, and alter the development of their embryos accordingly through a gregarizing agent added to the foam that surrounds the eggs at laying. There is also a less pronounced paternal influence on hatchling phase-state. An understanding of the time-course of behavioural phase change led to a study of the effect of the fine-scale distribution of resources in the environment on interactions between individual locusts, and hence on phase change. This, in turn, stimulated an exploration of the implications of individual behavioural phase change for population dynamics. Cellular automata models were derived that explore the relationships between population density, density of food resources and the distribution of resources in the environment. The results of the simulation showed how the extent of gregarization within a population increases with rising population size relative to food abundance and increasing concentration of food resources. Of particular interest was the emergence of critical zones across particular combinations of resource abundance, resource distribution and population size, where a solitarious population would rapidly gregarize. The model provided the basis for further laboratory and field experiments, which are described.     

Cover Caption

Gregarious locust and solitary locust display significant differences in behavior, physiology, and morphology in response to the changes in population density. Here, we show that two phases also differ significantly in volatile composition and their emission dynamics along with the development and sexes. The body odors of the gregarious and solitary nymphs are mainly consisted of aromatic compounds, such as benzaldehyde, guaiacol, phenol, anisole, veratrole, and aliphatic acids (C2 and C6). PAN and 4‐vinylanisole are present in gregarious locust, but are absent in solitary locust. These two compounds were completely lost in gregarious nymphs during solitarization process, but were obtained by solitary nymphs during gregarization. The amounts of benzaldehyde, guaiacol, and phenol only unidirectionally decreased from solitary to crowded treatment (see pages 60–72). Picture provided by Jianing Wei.     

Nitrogen stocks in a riparian area invaded by N-fixing black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)

Fixation of river flow passages and riverbed degradation may facilitate the development of higher floodplains with the establishment of exotic species such as black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). We quantitatively evaluated the relationship between nitrogen (N) levels in black locust trees and in sediments under different flood disturbance regimes in a riparian area of the Chikuma River. In this study, allometric equations were developed for relating leaf N content to diameter at breast height of black locust. The amount of leaf N in black locust increased with distance from the river, reaching 159 kg N ha⁻¹ at 180 m from the river. There was a small difference in N content between green and fallen leaves (0.2%), and so the leaf N was almost equivalent to N input to riparian sediments. Fine sediments accumulated on the riparian area, where the amount of sediments N increased with distance from the river, ranging from 1091 ± 767 to 4953 ± 2953 kg N ha⁻¹. The N accumulation rates also increased with distance from the river, corresponding with the amount of leaf N in black locust per unit area, but the former exceeded the latter. The sediment N accumulation might be accelerated by sediment trapping effect due to riparian vegetation itself. A large input of N provided by invaded black locust might alter nutrient dynamics and native plant community structure in the riparian area.     

Importance of solitarious desert locust population dynamics: lessons from historical survey data in Algeria

The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), is a major pest and well known in its gregarious phase. However, it is not well understood during recession periods, when the solitarious phase populations are discrete. Nonetheless, these populations are at the origin of the invasions when ecological conditions become favourable. This lack of knowledge of the solitarious phase individuals impedes effective preventive management of this pest. Archive data collected in Algeria from 1980 to 2011 were used to analyse solitarious population dynamics across the Algerian Sahara where some outbreak areas are located that play a major role in the invasion process. The results confirm previous empirical observations on solitarious population dynamics. First, a clear difference could be documented between the northern and southern Saharan regions of Algeria concerning the locust dynamics and the impact of environmental conditions. The importance of runoff was clear to create suitable habitats over a long period and to very distant places from rainy areas. Second, a link, on an annual basis, between green vegetation and presence of solitarious locusts was found. Third, statistical relationships between various locations demonstrated a clear regional dynamics. Our study confirmed the importance of migrations of solitarious populations among Algerian regions and more generally within the recession area of this species. The operational implications of these findings are multiple. First, they confirm the need of a flexible and scalable preventive system during the year, from 1 year to another and with a clear distinction between the northern and southern Saharan areas of Algeria. Second, they also confirm the necessity for the inclusion of wadis and soil moisture estimations from remote sensing in geographic information systems for preventive management. And third, they clearly illustrate the importance to target solitarious locusts for more efficient preventive survey operations.     

Evaluation of glyphosate application in regulating the reproduction of riparian black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) after clear-cutting,and the possibility of leaching into soil

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)—an invasive alien species in riparian forests—is becoming more prevalent in many rivers of eastern Japan. Riparian black locust forests are typically cut down to maintain river-flow capacity. However, such forests often reproduce rapidly by stump sprouting and root suckering and regenerate by germination. Thus, more effective riparian forest management approaches are required. To regulate the reproduction of black locust forests after clear-cutting, we examined the regrowth-inhibiting effects of glyphosate herbicide application to stumps, in accordance with current river management protocol (i.e., winter logging operation). Further, we investigated the concentrations of glyphosate leaching into the soil at a depth of 30 cm in a riparian area of the Tenryu River. Our results showed that glyphosate application to stumps completely inhibited stump sprouting but not root suckering or seedling germination. The glyphosate concentration leaching into the soil reached a maximum (2.6 ± 0.7 mg kg^?1, mean ± standard error) on day 1 after the application, and subsequently declined to below the detection limit on day 2. Thus, the rapid degradation of glyphosate was confirmed, despite the fact that the herbicide leached into the soil after application to the stumps. The glyphosate application has limited effectiveness against root suckering and germination of riparian black locust forests after clear-cutting in winter, in accordance with the current river management protocol.     

中国东亚飞蝗新类型蝗区——海南热带稀树草原蝗区的生态地理特征及其与大沙河蝗区比较

本文系统地对海南热带稀树草原蝗区的生态地理结构特征进行了分析,说明本蝗区是 Uvarov(1936)提出的飞蝗两类蝗区理论中,由于森林破坏而形成的一类蝗区,作者将它定名为“热带稀树草原蝗区”。这类蝗区在我国过去尚缺乏研究。文中进而根据本蝗区的成因、生态特征以及对蝗区的生态控制对策,分别与我国大陆的东亚飞蝗大沙河类型蝗区进行了比较。     

用MODIS遥感数据监测东亚飞蝗灾害——以河北省南大港为例

东亚飞蝗自20世纪80年代以来在我国再度猖獗危害。本文选择国家一类蝗区河北省南大港农场水库为实验区,以2002年东亚飞蝗（夏蝗）大发生为背景,测定了不同受害程度芦苇的光谱曲线,并用MODIS遥感数据分析蝗灾危害范围和程度。结果表明,健康芦苇（未受害）呈现出典型植被光谱的“峰和谷”特征;而受害芦苇,其红光区处反射率增加,且受害程度越重,增加愈显著,近红外区的反射率则显著降低,且受害程度越重,反射率愈低。比较多时相归一化植被指数（NDVI）受灾前后的变化,NDVI值增加表明未受蝗虫危害,而其下降则表明是受灾区域,结合地面数据,找出了不同危害程度的NDVI临界值;其次根据像元累计法,确定了不同受灾程度的面积。结果显示,NDVI小于0.2156和0.2389分别为严重受灾区和中等受灾区,其发生面积依次为168.74 hm²和337.48 hm²,判对率分别为72.97%和68.35%。MODIS遥感监测蝗灾发生面积（中等受灾及严重受灾）占实际发生面积的82.76%。研究结果为实时、快速、大面积监测蝗虫种群动态奠定了基础,并为合理 、经济地防治蝗灾提供了科学依据。