Effects of a Biological Control Introduction on Three Nontarget Native Species of Saturniid Moths
TL;DR: The results suggest that reported declines of silk moth populations in New England may be caused by the importation and introduction of C. concinnata, a generalist parasitoid fly introduced repeatedly to North America from 1906 to 1986.
Abstract: Damage to nontarget (native) invertebrates from biological control introductions is rarely docu- mented. We examined the nontarget effects of a generalist parasitoid fly, Compsilura concinnata (Diptera: Tachin- idae), that has been introduced repeatedly to North America from 1906 to 1986 as a biological control agent against 13 pest species. We tested the effect of previously established populations of this fly on two native, nontar- get species of moths (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), Hyalophora cecropia and Callosamia promethea , in Massachusetts forests. We estimated survivorship curves for newly hatched H. cecropia larvae ( n 5 500), placed five per tree in the field and found no survival beyond the fifth instar. We simultaneously deployed cohorts ( n 5 100) of each of the first three instars to measure the effect of parasitoids during each stage of development. C. concinnata was re- sponsible for 81% of H. cecropia mortality in the first three instars. We deployed semigregarious C. promethea in aggregations of 1-100 larvae in the field and recorded high rates of parasitism by C. concinnata among C. promethea larvae exposed for 6 days (69.8%) and 8 days (65.6%). We discovered a wild population of a third spe- cies of silk moth, the state-listed (threatened) saturniid Hemileuca maia maia , and found that C. concinnata was re- sponsible for 36% ( n 5 50) mortality in the third instar. Our results suggest that reported declines of silk moth populations in New England may be caused by the importation and introduction of C. concinnata .
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TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive review of 73 historical reports of insect declines from across the globe, and systematically assess the underlying drivers of insect extinction, reveals dramatic rates of decline that may lead to the extinction of 40% of the world's insect species over the next few decades.
1,754 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that the loss of foundation tree species changes the local environment on which a variety of other species depend and how this disrupts fundamental ecosystem processes, including rates of decomposition, nutrient fluxes, carbon sequestration, and energy flow.
Abstract: In many forested ecosystems, the architecture and functional ecology of certain tree species define forest structure and their species-specific traits control ecosystem dynamics. Such foundation tree species are declining throughout the world due to introductions and outbreaks of pests and pathogens, selective removal of individual taxa, and over-harvesting. Through a series of case studies, we show that the loss of foundation tree species changes the local environment on which a variety of other species depend; how this disrupts fundamental ecosystem processes, including rates of decomposition, nutrient fluxes, carbon sequestration, and energy flow; and dramatically alters the dynamics of associated aquatic ecosystems. Forests in which dynamics are controlled by one or a few foundation species appear to be dominated by a small number of strong interactions and may be highly susceptible to alternating between stable states following even small perturbations. The ongoing decline of many foundation species provides a set of important, albeit unfortunate, opportunities to develop the research tools, models, and metrics needed to identify foundation species, anticipate the cascade of immediate, short- and long-term changes in ecosystem structure and function that will follow from their loss, and provide options for remedial conservation and management.
1,665 citations
Cites background from "Effects of a Biological Control Int..."
...Biological control of the adelgid using non-native, generalist, predaceous beetles is being explored with uneven regard for the long history of unexpected impacts that can accompany the importation of exotic insects (eg Howarth 1991; Boettner et al. 2000)....
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TL;DR: The effects caused by different insect invaders are reviewed according to their ecosystem roles, i.e. herbivores, predators, parasites, parasitoids and pollinators; the level of biological organisation at which they occur; and the direct and indirect mechanisms underlying these effects.
Abstract: A literature survey identified 403 primary research publications that investigated the ecological effects of invasive alien insects and/or the mechanisms underlying these effects. The majority of these studies were published in the last 8 years and nearly two-thirds were carried out in North America. These publications concerned 72 invasive insect species, of which two ant species, Solenopsis invicta and Linepithema humile, accounted for 18% and 14% of the studies, respectively. Most publications investigated effects on native biodiversity at population or community level. Genetic effects and, to a lesser extent, effects on ecosystem services and processes were rarely explored. We review the effects caused by different insect invaders according to: their ecosystem roles, i.e. herbivores, predators, parasites, parasitoids and pollinators; the level of biological organisation at which they occur; and the direct and indirect mechanisms underlying these effects. The best documented effects occur in invasive ants, Eurasian forest herbivores invasive in North America, and honeybees. Impacts may occur through simple trophic interactions such as herbivory, predation or parasitism. Alien species may also affect native species and communities through more complex mechanisms such as competition for resources, disease transmission, apparent competition, or pollination disruption, among others. Finally, some invasive insects, particularly forest herbivores and ants, are known to affect ecosystem processes through cascading effects. We identify biases and gaps in our knowledge of ecological effects of invasive insects and suggest further opportunities for research.
648 citations
Cites background from "Effects of a Biological Control Int..."
...Boettner et al. (2000) state that C. concinnata has significantly contributed to the decline of several native saturniid moths....
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...…affect native biodiversity through direct interactions, e.g. a herbivore feeding on a native plant (Jenkins 2003), a predator or a parasitoid attacking a native prey or host (Boettner et al. 2000; Snyder and Evans 2006), an alien species hybridizing with a native species (Jensen et al. 2005), etc....
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...These include the polyphagous tachinid fly Compsilura concinnata (Meigen), which has been implicated in the decline of several endangered saturniid moths (Boettner et al. 2000) (see section on parasitoids below)....
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TL;DR: This literature review was compiled for two reasons: to assist other researchers as a reference, summarizing most of the voluminous body of literature on H. axyridis pertaining to its biology, life history, uses in biological control, and potential non-target impacts, and to be a case study on the impacts of an exotic generalist predator.
Abstract: Throughout the last century, the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) has been studied quite extensively, with topics ranging from genetics and evolution to population dynamics and applied biological control being covered. Much of the early work on H. axyridis was conducted in the native Asian range. From the 1980's to the present, numerous European and North American studies have added to the body of literature on H. axyridis. H. axyridis has recently gained attention in North America both as a biological control agent and as a pest. This literature review was compiled for two reasons. First, to assist other researchers as a reference, summarizing most of the voluminous body of literature on H. axyridis pertaining to its biology, life history, uses in biological control, and potential non-target impacts. Secondly, to be a case study on the impacts of an exotic generalist predator.
620 citations
Cites background from "Effects of a Biological Control Int..."
...Yasuda and Kimura (2001) found that a crab spider, Misumenops trucuspidatus, preyed on C. septempunctata and Propylea japonica, but not on H. axyridis....
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...Boettner et al. (2000) suggested that there is a need to examine the potential adverse impact of H. axyridis on native aphids and the insects that depend on the aphids....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed 10 projects with quantitative data on nontarget effects and found that relatives of the pest are most likely to be attacked; host-specificity testing defines physiological host range, but not ecological range; prediction of ecological consequences requires population data; the level of impact varied, often in relation to environmental conditions; information on magnitude of nontarget impact is sparse; attack on rare native species can accelerate their decline; and no evidence on adaptation is available.
Abstract: Controversy exists over ecological risks in classical biological control. We reviewed 10 projects with quantitative data on nontarget effects. Ten patterns emerged: (a) Relatives of the pest are most likely to be attacked; (b) host-specificity testing defines physiological host range, but not ecological range; (c) prediction of ecological consequences requires population data; (d) level of impact varied, often in relation to environmental conditions; (e) information on magnitude of nontarget impact is sparse; (f) attack on rare native species can accelerate their decline; (g) nontarget effects can be indirect; (h) agents disperse from agroecosystems; (i) whole assemblages of species can be perturbed; and (j) no evidence on adaptation is available in these cases. The review leads to six recommendations: Avoid using generalists or adventive species; expand host-specificity testing; incorporate more ecological information; consider ecological risk in target selection; prioritize agents; and pursue genetic data on adaptation. We conclude that retrospective analyses suggest clear ways to further increase future safety of biocontrol.
582 citations
Cites background from "Effects of a Biological Control Int..."
...concinnatawas released repeatedly until 1986 (11, 19, 104, 130)....
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...maia maia, Eacles imperialis , Anisota stigma ) have been placed on several state endangered species lists (11), and two Citheroniaspp....
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References
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Book•
01 Jan 1978
789 citations
TL;DR: Evaluation des consequences positives and negatives of the lutte biologique contre les insectes, permettant de reduire les impacts negatifs.
Abstract: Evaluation des consequences positives et negatives de la lutte biologique contre les insectes. Presentation des nouvelles orientations dans la lutte, permettant de reduire les impacts negatifs
714 citations
"Effects of a Biological Control Int..." refers background in this paper
...…an arthropod is released to control another arthropod, we have little information about the negative effects of biological control on native invertebrates (Howarth 1991; Miller & Aplet 1993; Howarth et al. 1995; U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment 1993, 1995; Simberloff & Stiling 1996)....
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...Howarth (1991) noted that “The absence of evidence, is not evidence of absence.”...
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TL;DR: This work addressed the potential harmful effects of non—indigenous species introduced for biological control by undertaking a literature review, and concluded that current regulation of introduced biological—control agents, particularly of entomophages, is insufficient.
Abstract: The potential harmful effects of non—indigenous species introduced for biological control remain an important unanswered question, which we addressed by undertaking a literature review. There are few documented instances of damage to non—target organisms or the environment from non—indigenous species released for biological pest control, relative to the number of such releases. However, this fact is not evidence that biological control is safe, because monitoring of non—target species is minimal, particularly in sites and habitats far from the point of release. In fact, the discovery of such impacts usually rests on a remarkable concatenation of events. In addition to trophic and competitive interactions between an individual introduced species and a native one, many effects of introduced species on ecosystems are possible, as are numerous types of indirect interactions. Predicting such impacts is no mean feat, and the difficulty is exacerbated by the fact that introduced species can disperse and evolve. Current regulation of introduced biological—control agents, particularly of entomophages, is insufficient. At the very least, strong consideration should be given to the likely impact of both the pest and its natural enemy on natural ecosystems and their species, and not only on potential costs to agriculture, silvi—culture, and species of immediate commercial value.
672 citations
"Effects of a Biological Control Int..." refers background in this paper
...We examined a fourth hypothesis: the introduced generalist parasitoid fly Compsilura concinnata caused the regional declines of saturniids (Culver 1919; Simberloff & Stiling 1996)....
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...…an arthropod is released to control another arthropod, we have little information about the negative effects of biological control on native invertebrates (Howarth 1991; Miller & Aplet 1993; Howarth et al. 1995; U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment 1993, 1995; Simberloff & Stiling 1996)....
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TL;DR: The weevil Rhinocyllus conicus Froeh, introduced to control exotic thistles, has exhibited an increase in host range as well as continuing geographic expansion and significantly reduced the seed production of native thistle flowerheads.
Abstract: Few data exist on the environmental risks of biological control. The weevil Rhinocyllus conicus Froeh., introduced to control exotic thistles, has exhibited an increase in host range as well as continuing geographic expansion. Between 1992 and 1996, the frequency of weevil damage to native thistles consistently increased, reaching 16 to 77 percent of flowerheads per plant. Weevils significantly reduced the seed production of native thistle flowerheads. The density of native tephritid flies was significantly lower at high weevil density. Such ecological effects need to be better addressed in future evaluation and regulation of potential biological control agents.
515 citations
"Effects of a Biological Control Int..." refers background in this paper
...Louda et al. (1997) found that R. conicus had attacked five native thistle species, resulting in reductions of seed production in one species of up to 86%....
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