TY - JOUR
T1 - Plant composition modulates arthropod pest and predatorabundance: Evidence for culling exotics and planting natives
AU - Parry, H.R.
AU - Macfadyen, S.
AU - Hopkinson, J.E.
AU - Bianchi, F.J.J.A.
AU - Zalucki, M.P.
AU - Bourne, A.
AU - Schellhorn, N.A.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - We investigate the role of plant species in crops, pasture and native vegetation remnants in supporting agronomic pests and their predators. The study was conducted in three Australian States and across 290 sites sampled monthly for two years. Pastures played a key role in harbouring pest species consistent across States, while native vegetation hosted relatively more predators than other habitat types within each State. Furthermore, native plant species supported the lowest pest density and more predators than pests; in contrast, 75% of the exotic weed species surveyed hosted more pests than predators. Despite the role of pasture in harbouring pests, we found in NSW that pasture also supported the highest proportion of juvenile predators, while native vegetation remnants had the lowest.
Our results indicate that non-crop habitat (native remnants or pasture) with few exotic weeds supports high predator and low pest arthropod densities, and that weeds are associated with high pest densities. By linking broad response variables such as ‘all pests’ with specific predictors such as ‘plant species’, our study will inform on-farm management actions of which weeds to control and which natives to plant or regenerate. This study shows the importance of knowing the function of habitats and plants species in supporting pests and predators in agricultural landscapes across multiple regions.
AB - We investigate the role of plant species in crops, pasture and native vegetation remnants in supporting agronomic pests and their predators. The study was conducted in three Australian States and across 290 sites sampled monthly for two years. Pastures played a key role in harbouring pest species consistent across States, while native vegetation hosted relatively more predators than other habitat types within each State. Furthermore, native plant species supported the lowest pest density and more predators than pests; in contrast, 75% of the exotic weed species surveyed hosted more pests than predators. Despite the role of pasture in harbouring pests, we found in NSW that pasture also supported the highest proportion of juvenile predators, while native vegetation remnants had the lowest.
Our results indicate that non-crop habitat (native remnants or pasture) with few exotic weeds supports high predator and low pest arthropod densities, and that weeds are associated with high pest densities. By linking broad response variables such as ‘all pests’ with specific predictors such as ‘plant species’, our study will inform on-farm management actions of which weeds to control and which natives to plant or regenerate. This study shows the importance of knowing the function of habitats and plants species in supporting pests and predators in agricultural landscapes across multiple regions.
KW - Biological control
KW - Ecosystem services
KW - Habitat functionality
KW - Integrated pest management
KW - Pest suppressive landscapes
KW - Re-vegetation
KW - Sustainable farming
U2 - 10.1016/j.baae.2015.05.005
DO - 10.1016/j.baae.2015.05.005
M3 - Article
SN - 1439-1791
VL - 16
SP - 531
EP - 543
JO - Basic and Applied Ecology
JF - Basic and Applied Ecology
IS - 6
ER -