Dillon, Aoife B. and Moore, Colm P. and Downes, Martin and Griffin, Christine (2008) Evict or infect? Managing populations of the large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis, using a bottom–up and top–down approach. Forest Ecology and Management, 255 (7). pp. 2634-2642. ISSN 0378-1127

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Abstract

Hylobius abietis is the most important pest of replanted coniferous sites in Northern Europe, where feeding by adult weevils can result in up to 100% mortality of seedlings. Field trials were conducted with the aim of reducing H. abietis populations developing in Sitka spruce stumps by increasing pressure from natural enemies (top–down pressure), and reducing the quality of stumps for development (bottom–up pressure). Top–down pressure was applied through inundative treatment of stumps with entomopathogenic nematodes (Heterorhabditis downesi or Steinernema carpocapsae). Bottom–up pressure was applied by treating stumps with the wood colonising fungus Trichodermakoningii. Natural levels of parasitism of H. abietis by the parasitoid Bracon hylobii and the effect of applied agents on B. hylobii were also investigated. Heterorhabditis downesi parasitised more immature weevils than S. carpocapsae, and significantly reduced numbers of adults emerging from stumps compared to controls. Entomopathogenic nematodes did not significantly impact on populations of B. hylobii, and over three sites the effects of both agents were additive. Stumps modified by application of the fungus (bottom–up pressure) did not have fewer H. abietis developing in, or emerging from them; however, development of H. abietis was more advanced in these stumps, and the success of natural enemies was differentially affected. T.koningii facilitated B. hylobii while having the opposite effect on entomopathogenic nematodes, suggesting that it affected the outcome of competition between the nematodes and the parasitoid.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Habitat manipulation; Hylobius; Integrated pest management; Entomopathogenic nematodes; Additive; Parasitoid;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Biology
Item ID:	7524
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2008.01.021
Depositing User:	Dr. Christine Griffin
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2016 14:59
Journal or Publication Title:	Forest Ecology and Management
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
Funders:	National Council for Forest Research and Development (COFORD)
URI:	http://www.sciencedirect.com
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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