Search

Taking the wheat-alfalfa and wheat-wheat interfaces as model systems, sampling points were set by the method of pitfall trapping in the wheat field at the distances of 3 m, 6 m, 9 m, 12 m, 15 m, 18 m, 21 m, 24 m, and 27 m from the interface. The species composition and abundance of ground carabid beetles and spiders captured in pitfalls were investigated. The results showed that, to some extent there was an edge effect on species diversity and abundance of ground carabid beetles and spiders along the two interfaces. A marked edge effect was observed between 15 m and 18 m along the alfalfa-wheat interface, while no edge effect was found at a distance over 20 m. The edge effect along the wheat-wheat interface was weaker in comparison to the alfalfa-wheat interface. Alfalfa mowing resulted in the migration of a large number of ground carabid beetles and spiders to the adjacent wheat filed. During ten days since mowing, both species and abundance of ground carabid beetles and spiders increased in wheat filed within the distance of 20 m along the alfalfa-wheat interface. The spatial distribution of species diversity of ground beetles and spiders, together with the population abundance of the dominant Chlaenius pallipes and Pardosa astrigera, were depicted, which could directly indicate the migrating process of natural enemy from alfalfa to wheat field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the desert landscape in mid-eastern Ningxia of Northeast China as the background, eighteen patches of Caragana shrub lands (natural or manned) with the habitat types of manually-fixed sandy land, mobile sandy land, and silty-loam downland were selected as study sites to investigate the responses of three Caragana seed pest species (Kytorhinus immixtus, Etiella zinckenella, and Bruchophagus neocaraganae) to the host plant patch quality, patch area, and patch spatial pattern. The damaged rate of host plant by the pests had close relations to the patch quality, patch pattern, and the transferring capability of the pests. The responses of the pests to patch quality were affected by patch scale, and among the three habitat types, manually-fixed sandy land had the highest damaged rate, followed by mobile sandy land, and silty-loam downland, with significant differences among them (P<0.05). In small scale patch pattern, there existed definite correlations between the pest number and the patch area and its fragmentation degree. The decrease of patch area and the increase of the fragmentation degree reduced the damage rate of high transferring capability Etiella zinckenella (r = 0.365), but had less effects on low transferring capability K. immixtus (r = 0.160) and B. neocaraganae (r = 0.193). The strength of patch edge effect and the mutual complement of the resources around patches had positive effects on the population density of the pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimum amount of suitable habitat (MASH) is the minimum habitat area that a population requires to persist in a given environmental setting for a long time, being an important aspect of population viability analysis (PVA). In this paper, we estimated the MASH for wheat aphids, parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids in facility-based agricultural landscapes in Yinchuan Plain of Northwest China, based on the relationships between population density and habitat area, and by using regression analysis. It was found that the population density and growth rate were consistently inversely related to area, but the exact mathematical functions varied with different species, especially those at different trophic levels. The MASH values for Macrosiphum avenae, Schizaphis graminum, Aphidius avenae, Aphidius gifuensis, and Pachyneuron aphidis were estimated with a polynormal regression model of density-area relationship, and the results were similar to those estimated from an inverse relationship between population and area. The differences of MASH between trophic levels were significant. It was concluded that these species had different values of MASH, which reflected their different habitat requirements and their differences in body size, migration, trophic position, and habitat quality. For parasitoids, the highest parasitic rates always took place at a spatial scale of 800-1000 m2, which could be considered as the base of aphids control with parasitoids, while the difference of MASH among trophic levels could be used to suppress the pest population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the risk assessment of pests, both the community structure and the environmental factors should be considered at the same time, because of their mutual effects on the outbreak of disaster pests. This paper established a comprehensive assessment system, including 2 sub-systems,5 respects, and 14 indices. In the meanwhile, risk assessment indices and experience formula were used to analyze the risk degree of pests in Lycium barbarum fields under different managements. It was found that using risk assessment indices and experience formula could obtain similar results. In abandoned field, Aceria palida, Aphis sp., and Paratrioza sinica were the frequent disaster pests, Lema decempunctata, Neoceratitis asiatica, Jaapiella sp., and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests, and Psylliodes obscurofaciata and Phthorimaea sp. were general pests. In organic field, the frequent disaster pests were the same species as those in abandoned field, while P. indicus, Jaapiella sp. and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests. In chemical control field, A. palida, Aphis sp., P. sinica, and P. indicus were the frequent disaster pests, while Jaapiella sp. and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests. Optimal 5 separations most fitted the division of pest sub-communities in L. barbarum fields, which were infancy period (from March 28 to April 15), outbreak I period (from April 15 to July 18), dormancy period (from July 18 to September 8), outbreak II period (from September 8 to October 15), and recession period (after October 15). The matrix of correlation coefficient showed that the dynamics of pests in L. barbarum fields under different managements were significantly correlated with each other, suggesting that the dynamics of pest populations was similar in different L. barbarum fields, which had two population establishment stages and one exponential growth stage in every year. The optimal controlling stages were from late infancy period to early and middle outbreak I periods, and from late dormancy period to early outbreak II period, which were very critical for pest control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the wheat-alfalfa and wheat-wheat interfaces as model systems, sampling points were set by the method of pitfall trapping in the wheat field at the distances of 3 m, 6 m, 9 m, 12 m, 15 m, 18 m, 21 m, 24 m, and 27 m from the interface. The species composition and abundance of ground carabid beetles and spiders captured in pitfalls were investigated. The results showed that, to some extent there was an edge effect on species diversity and abundance of ground carabid beetles and spiders along the two interfaces. A marked edge effect was observed between 15 m and 18 m along the alfalfa-wheat interface, while no edge effect was found at a distance over 20 m. The edge effect along the wheat-wheat interface was weaker in comparison to the alfalfa-wheat interface. Alfalfa mowing resulted in the migration of a large number of ground carabid beetles and spiders to the adjacent wheat filed. During ten days since mowing, both species and abundance of ground carabid beetles and spiders increased in wheat filed within the distance of 20 m along the alfalfa-wheat interface. The spatial distribution of species diversity of ground beetles and spiders, together with the population abundance of the dominant Chlaenius pallipes and Pardosa astrigera, were depicted, which could directly indicate the migrating process of natural enemy from alfalfa to wheat field.

Taking the desert landscape in mid-eastern Ningxia of Northeast China as the background, eighteen patches of Caragana shrub lands (natural or manned) with the habitat types of manually-fixed sandy land, mobile sandy land, and silty-loam downland were selected as study sites to investigate the responses of three Caragana seed pest species (Kytorhinus immixtus, Etiella zinckenella, and Bruchophagus neocaraganae) to the host plant patch quality, patch area, and patch spatial pattern. The damaged rate of host plant by the pests had close relations to the patch quality, patch pattern, and the transferring capability of the pests. The responses of the pests to patch quality were affected by patch scale, and among the three habitat types, manually-fixed sandy land had the highest damaged rate, followed by mobile sandy land, and silty-loam downland, with significant differences among them (P<0.05). In small scale patch pattern, there existed definite correlations between the pest number and the patch area and its fragmentation degree. The decrease of patch area and the increase of the fragmentation degree reduced the damage rate of high transferring capability Etiella zinckenella (r = 0.365), but had less effects on low transferring capability K. immixtus (r = 0.160) and B. neocaraganae (r = 0.193). The strength of patch edge effect and the mutual complement of the resources around patches had positive effects on the population density of the pests.

Minimum amount of suitable habitat (MASH) is the minimum habitat area that a population requires to persist in a given environmental setting for a long time, being an important aspect of population viability analysis (PVA). In this paper, we estimated the MASH for wheat aphids, parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids in facility-based agricultural landscapes in Yinchuan Plain of Northwest China, based on the relationships between population density and habitat area, and by using regression analysis. It was found that the population density and growth rate were consistently inversely related to area, but the exact mathematical functions varied with different species, especially those at different trophic levels. The MASH values for Macrosiphum avenae, Schizaphis graminum, Aphidius avenae, Aphidius gifuensis, and Pachyneuron aphidis were estimated with a polynormal regression model of density-area relationship, and the results were similar to those estimated from an inverse relationship between population and area. The differences of MASH between trophic levels were significant. It was concluded that these species had different values of MASH, which reflected their different habitat requirements and their differences in body size, migration, trophic position, and habitat quality. For parasitoids, the highest parasitic rates always took place at a spatial scale of 800-1000 m2, which could be considered as the base of aphids control with parasitoids, while the difference of MASH among trophic levels could be used to suppress the pest population.

In the risk assessment of pests, both the community structure and the environmental factors should be considered at the same time, because of their mutual effects on the outbreak of disaster pests. This paper established a comprehensive assessment system, including 2 sub-systems, 5 respects, and 14 indices. In the meanwhile, risk assessment indices and experience formula were used to analyze the risk degree of pests in Lycium barbarum fields under different managements. It was found that using risk assessment indices and experience formula could obtain similar results. In abandoned field, Aceria palida, Aphis sp., and Paratrioza sinica were the frequent disaster pests, Lema decempunctata, Neoceratitis asiatica, Jaapiella sp., and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests, and Psylliodes obscurofaciata and Phthorimaea sp. were general pests. In organic field, the frequent disaster pests were the same species as those in abandoned field, while P. indicus, Jaapiella sp. and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests. In chemical control field, A. palida, Aphis sp., P. sinica, and P. indicus were the frequent disaster pests, while Jaapiella sp. and Phthorimaea sp. were the incidental disaster pests. Optimal 5 separations most fitted the division of pest sub-communities in L. barbarum fields, which were infancy period (from March 28 to April 15), outbreak I period (from April 15 to July 18), dormancy period (from July 18 to September 8), outbreak II period (from September 8 to October 15), and recession period (after October 15). The matrix of correlation coefficient showed that the dynamics of pests in L. barbarum fields under different managements were significantly correlated with each other, suggesting that the dynamics of pest populations was similar in different L. barbarum fields, which had two population establishment stages and one exponential growth stage in every year. The optimal controlling stages were from late infancy period to early and middle outbreak I periods, and from late dormancy period to early outbreak II period, which were very critical for pest control.