Beckler, Amber A., B.W. French, L.D. Chandler. 2004. Characterization of western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) population dynamics in relation to landscape attributes. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 6: 129-139.
Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, is a serious pest throughout the major corn growing regions of the United States. Population densities can vary considerably at different location between seasons. In order to avoid unnecessary use of insecticides, and to manage corn rootworm more efficiently, the authors examined the relationship between western corn rootworm population distribution and shifts in landscape structure, soil texture and elevation. The study area was in South Dakota. Sample sites were georeferenced and vegetation type was recorded annually. Vector map layers of the data were created. Insect population distributions were estimated using Inverse Distance Weighted interpolation techniques and raster map layers were created. Size of corn field and the number and arrangement of habitat patches showed some correlation with insect distribution and abundance. In particular, abundance was shown to be correlated with both soil texture and elevation. High corn rootworm densities were associated with loam and silty clay loam, and at elevations between 500 and 509 meters. See French, et al (2004), below, for a similar study examining northern corn rootworm.
Carrière, Yves, P.C. Ellsworth, P.P. Dutilleul, C. Ellers-Kirk, V. Barkley, L. Antilla. 2006. A GIS-based approach for areawide pest management: the scales of Lygus hesperus movements to cotton from alfalfa, weeds, and cotton. Entomologia experimentalis et applicata 118: 203-210.
GIS technology was utilized to explore relationships between the population distribution of the western tarnished plant bug (Lygus hesperus), and crop type with distance between fields. L. hesperus is a polyphageous pest in several cropping systems. The authors examined the response of population density to distance between forage and seed alfalfa, fallow fields with weeds, and cotton. A GPS unit was used to identify field locations and were mapped with ESRI GIS tools. Concentric rings were drawn around focal points of insect density, each ring was 750 meters wide. Multiple regression analysis assessed correlations. The authors found that alfalfa and weeds acted as sources for insects in cotton fields, which in turn acted as sinks. The source effect extended to 375, 500 and 1500 meters for forage alfalfa, weeds and seed alfalfa, respectively. The sink effect extended to 750 meters for cotton fields.
French, Wade B., A.A. Beckler, L.D. Chandler. 2004. Landscape features and spatial distribution of adult northern corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the South Dakota Areawide Management Site. Journal of Economic Entomology 97(6): 1943-1957.
The northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi, is a serious pest of corn. The authors used GIS to test the correlation of insect distribution with vegetation type, soil and elevation, from 1997 to 2001. This study is quite similar to Beckler, et al. (2004), above, which studied similar spatially referenced landscape features and the population distribution of western corn rootworm. The study site was within the tall grass prairie region of South Dakota. FRAGSTAT software was used to examine landscape class and patch metrics. Increasing insect densities were associated with loam and silty clay loam soils and elevations between 500 and 509 meters. These results are strikingly similar to the results of Beckler, et al (2004).
García, F.J.M. 2006. Analysis of the spatio-temporal distribution of Helicoverpa armigera Hb. in a tomato field using a stochastic approach. Biosystems Engineering 93(3): 253-259.
GIS tools were used to examine variation of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in a 20 hectare tomato field in Spain. A single female moth can lay thousands of eggs, quickly increasing population size, with potentially devastating effects for crop production. The objective of the study was to develop methods for predicting distribution of the pest by sampling male adults. Densities were interpolated using the block ordinary kriging method. Percentage of cloudless day and wind direction correlated with population catch. Within field insect densities were greatest at the edges, decreasing toward the center.
Gutierrez, A.P., M.J. Pitcairn, C.K. Ellis, N. Carruthers, R. Ghezelbash. 2005. Evaluating biological control of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) in California: a GIS based supply-demand demographic model. Biological Control 34: 115-131.
Yellow starthistle is an exotic plant (native to Europe), invasive throughout a large section of western North America. Four biocontrol agents used to manage starthistle are the weevils Bangasternus orientalis and Eustenopos villosus, and the flies Urophora sirunaseva and Chaetorellia succinea. The impact of these insects were examined, along with competition with annual grasses, utilizing weather-driven, physiologically based, age-structured, simulation models. The models were incorporated into a GIS (ESRI ARC/Info 8) and used to examine various zones across California. The analysis provided evidence that the observed incomplete control of C. solstitialis is in part due to competition between plants. This competition has variable effects on starthistle seed production, and thus impacts the efficacy of the biocontrol agents across different landscape types.
Kabaluk, J.T., and R.S. Vernon. 2000. Effect of crop rotation on populations of Epitrix tuberis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in potato. Journal of Economic Entomology 93(2): 315-322.
The authors examine the impact of crop rotation on populations of the pest insect E. tuberis, the tuber flea beetle, in British Columbia. The tuber flea beetle is a pest in potatoes, where it overwinters primarily on field margins. The authors utilized GIS software to analyze pesticide use data and field history. A georeferenced digital basemap (UTM, NAD 83, Zone 10) was created using MapInfo. Annual land use data were collected from a private IPM consulting agency and by visual inspection. The authors found a 4.2-7.3% increase in the area requiring insecticidal spay when crop rotation was not practiced. The cost of not rotating potato crops was estimated to be an approximately $20/hectare increase after 3 years when compared to annually rotated potato crops.
Klass, J.I., B. Simon, M.B. Thomas. 2007. Use of a geographic information system to explore spatial variation in pathogen virulence and the implications for biological control of locusts and grasshoppers. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 9: 201-208.
The authors utilize a GIS framework to study spatial variability of the effects of a fungal derived biopesticide used for controlling locusts and grasshoppers (Dociostaurus maroccanus, Locustana pardalina, Nomadacris septemfasciata, and Oedaleus senegalensis). A previously constructed mortality model for the biopesticide was examined after incorporation of meteorological data into a spatially aware analysis. Surface temperatures gathered from the National Climate Data Center were interpolated along an altitudinal gradient using the 5 nearest weather stations. The Digital Elevation Model was downloaded from the USGS website for this purpose. Maps were produced which show predicted time to 90% mortality, and these predictions conformed well with field sampling.
Kyriakeas, S.A., M.C. Watzin. 2006. Effects of adjacent agricultural activities and watershed characteristics on stream macroinvertebrate communities. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 42(2): 425-441.
The authors examine how non-point agricultural pollutions affects macroinvertabrate communities in freshwater streams. They qualify the study by arguing that while much is known about the content and quantity of non-point pollution, little is known about the effects of these supposed contaminates on biological communities. They use GIS to determine drainage basin area, percent land use/land cover and the distance between sample sites and the stream. They measured substrate size, water velocity, stream depth and wetted width, total suspended solids, grain size distribution and percent organic matter, and riparian vegetation types. Cattle presence and corn cultivation was associated with decreased benthic macroinvertibrate species diversity compared to reference sites.
Letourneau, D.K, B. Goldstein. 2001. Pest damage and arthropod community structure in organic vs. conventional tomato production in California. Journal of Applied Ecology 38(3): 557-570.
The authors examine whether organic versus conventional tomato crops had different levels of pest damage and overall arthropod community assemblages in California. GIS analyses were completed in ArcInfo version 6 and ArcView version 2. No measured landscape variables differed between organic and conventional farms. The study found no difference in rate of pest damage in organic versus conventional farms. However, insect community structure varied widely between the two cropping types. Insect diversity and abundance was greater in organic tomato fields than in conventional fields.
Lushai, G., H.D. Loxdale. 2004. Tracking movement in small insect pests, with special reference to aphid populations. International Journal of Pest Management 50(4): 3007-315.
The authors describe a national survey system which could be used to track insect populations efficiently and effectively. This would be useful for tracking agricultural and forest pest insects over a large region, as well as monitoring the spread of invasive insect species and introduced biocontrol agents. The authors identify a number of approaches for tracing insect movement. They emphasize the importance of species identification, which can be done fairly quickly and cheaply once appropriate molecular markers are developed. They suggest a sampling design of concetric circles which, if used consistently would allow comparisons of species across multiple studies and between different populations.
Ricci, B., P. Franck, J. Toubon, J. Bouvier, B. Sauphanor, C. Lavigne. 2009. The influence of landscape on insect pest dynamics: a case study in southeastern France. Landscape Ecology 24: 337-349.
If characteristics of the landscape can be discovered which influence insect population distribution, then the landscape might be managed in such a way as to decrease pest insect densities in crop areas on a large scale. This case study examines the distribution of codling moths against the explanatory variables pear versus apple, organic versus conventional, as well as orchard density and hedgerow network attributes. The study site was in France. Orchards and hedgerows were manually digitized using ArcView 9.1 and an aerial photograph layer. The authors found that moth density decreased with orchard density. However, colinearity of density with orchard type (i.e. conventional versus organic) may have influenced this result.
Venette, R.C., D.W. Ragsdale. 2004. Assessing the invasion by soybean aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae): Where will it end? Annals of the Entomological Society of America 97(2): 219-226.
The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines is a relatively recently introduced invasive species in North America. Currently, it is one of the most important pest insects in soybean crops. In this 2004 paper, the authors consider the probability of spread and establishment of A. glycines thoughout the US. They examine climate and historical records which suggest that the aphid species was introduced from China or Japan. They conclude that the insect will probably spread throughout the soybean growing regions of the US, but population distribution through space and time will be quite variable.
| Beckler, et al (2004)
Carrière, et al (2006)
García (2006)
Gutierrez, et al (2005)
Klass, et al (2007)
Letourneau, et al (2001)
Ricci, et al (2009)
Venette and Ragsdale (2004)
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