Mealybugs are a major pest for many crops (such as the vegetable Cassava, in Thailand). An environmentally-friendly bio-control method is implemented using an introduced predator (green lacewings) of the mealybugs...Mealybugs are a major pest for many crops (such as the vegetable Cassava, in Thailand). An environmentally-friendly bio-control method is implemented using an introduced predator (green lacewings) of the mealybugs to mitigate plant damage. This is analyzed so as to devise and determine an optimal strategy for control of the mealybug population. A predator-prey model has been proposed and analyzed to study the effect of the biological control of the spread of the mealybugs in the plant field. The behaviour of the system in terms of stability, phase space and bifurcation diagrams are considered. The results obtained from different numbers of predators being released are compared. In particular we obtain thresholds of introduced-predator level above which the prey is driven to extinction. Future models will include age-structured multi-compartments for both the prey and predator populations.展开更多
Aims Both extreme drought and insect herbivores can suppress plant growth in grassland communities.However,most studies have examined extreme drought and insects in isolation,and there is reason to believe that insect...Aims Both extreme drought and insect herbivores can suppress plant growth in grassland communities.However,most studies have examined extreme drought and insects in isolation,and there is reason to believe that insects might alter the ability of grasslands to withstand drought.Unfortunately,few studies have tested the interactive effects of extreme drought and insect herbivores in grassland communities.Methods Here,we tested the drought–herbivore interactions using a manipulative experiment that factorially crossed extreme drought with the exclusion of insect herbivores in a temperate semiarid grassland in Inner Mongolia.Important Findings Our results demonstrated that both extreme drought and insect herbivores separately decreased total plant cover.When combined,insect herbivores reduced the impact of drought on total cover by increasing the relative abundance of drought-resistant dominant species.Our results highlight that the negative effect of extreme drought on total plant cover could be alleviated by maintaining robust insect herbivore communities.展开更多
Aims Plant invasions have the potential to affect the community structure of soil nematodes,but little is known about whether such effects are mediated by aboveground herbivores since invasive plants are not completel...Aims Plant invasions have the potential to affect the community structure of soil nematodes,but little is known about whether such effects are mediated by aboveground herbivores since invasive plants are not completely released from herbivores in the introduced range.In this study,we explored how aboveground insect herbivores mediated the effect of invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides on soil nematodes and examined the temporal variations of such an herbivory-elicited effect.Methods We conducted a greenhouse experiment by applying different herbivory treatments(no insect herbivores,specialist Agasicles hygrophila and generalist Cassida piperata)to potted A.philoxeroides,and then measured the community compositions of soil nematodes in corresponding pots on the 1st,10th and 20th day after removal of all herbivores.In addition,the carbon content of roots and root exudate of A.philoxeroides were also measured.Important Findings Our results showed that aboveground herbivory significantly increased the abundance of soil nematodes of A.philoxeroides,likely plant feeder nematodes,after insect herbivores were removed immediately(1st day).However,such impacts waned with time and there was no significant difference at later stages(10th and 20th days).Furthermore,the effects of specialist A.hygrophila and generalist C.piperata herbivory were consistent on the abundance of soil nematodes.Overall,our results suggest that aboveground insect herbivores have the potential to alter the effects of plant invasions on soil nematodes,but such impacts are transient.Furthermore,our study highlighted the importance of integrating the effects of above-and belowground organisms when evaluating the impacts of plant invasions.展开更多
文摘Mealybugs are a major pest for many crops (such as the vegetable Cassava, in Thailand). An environmentally-friendly bio-control method is implemented using an introduced predator (green lacewings) of the mealybugs to mitigate plant damage. This is analyzed so as to devise and determine an optimal strategy for control of the mealybug population. A predator-prey model has been proposed and analyzed to study the effect of the biological control of the spread of the mealybugs in the plant field. The behaviour of the system in terms of stability, phase space and bifurcation diagrams are considered. The results obtained from different numbers of predators being released are compared. In particular we obtain thresholds of introduced-predator level above which the prey is driven to extinction. Future models will include age-structured multi-compartments for both the prey and predator populations.
基金This study was sponsored by the National Key R&D Program of China(2017YFA0604802,2019YFE0117000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41320104002).
文摘Aims Both extreme drought and insect herbivores can suppress plant growth in grassland communities.However,most studies have examined extreme drought and insects in isolation,and there is reason to believe that insects might alter the ability of grasslands to withstand drought.Unfortunately,few studies have tested the interactive effects of extreme drought and insect herbivores in grassland communities.Methods Here,we tested the drought–herbivore interactions using a manipulative experiment that factorially crossed extreme drought with the exclusion of insect herbivores in a temperate semiarid grassland in Inner Mongolia.Important Findings Our results demonstrated that both extreme drought and insect herbivores separately decreased total plant cover.When combined,insect herbivores reduced the impact of drought on total cover by increasing the relative abundance of drought-resistant dominant species.Our results highlight that the negative effect of extreme drought on total plant cover could be alleviated by maintaining robust insect herbivore communities.
基金supported by The National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFC1200100 to J.D.)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31822007 to W.H.).
文摘Aims Plant invasions have the potential to affect the community structure of soil nematodes,but little is known about whether such effects are mediated by aboveground herbivores since invasive plants are not completely released from herbivores in the introduced range.In this study,we explored how aboveground insect herbivores mediated the effect of invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides on soil nematodes and examined the temporal variations of such an herbivory-elicited effect.Methods We conducted a greenhouse experiment by applying different herbivory treatments(no insect herbivores,specialist Agasicles hygrophila and generalist Cassida piperata)to potted A.philoxeroides,and then measured the community compositions of soil nematodes in corresponding pots on the 1st,10th and 20th day after removal of all herbivores.In addition,the carbon content of roots and root exudate of A.philoxeroides were also measured.Important Findings Our results showed that aboveground herbivory significantly increased the abundance of soil nematodes of A.philoxeroides,likely plant feeder nematodes,after insect herbivores were removed immediately(1st day).However,such impacts waned with time and there was no significant difference at later stages(10th and 20th days).Furthermore,the effects of specialist A.hygrophila and generalist C.piperata herbivory were consistent on the abundance of soil nematodes.Overall,our results suggest that aboveground insect herbivores have the potential to alter the effects of plant invasions on soil nematodes,but such impacts are transient.Furthermore,our study highlighted the importance of integrating the effects of above-and belowground organisms when evaluating the impacts of plant invasions.