Pollen supply promotes, but high temperatures demote, predatory mite abundance in avocado orchards

• Published in: Agriculture, ecosystems & environment Vol. 164; no. 1; pp. 155 - 161
• Main Authors: Montserrat, M., Guzmán, C., Sahún, R.M., Belda, J.E., Hormaza, J.I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.01.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; avocados; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Climate change; environmental factors; Evolutionary; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Mites; natural enemies; Nonlinear dynamics; Oligonychus perseae; Orchards; Persea americana; pest control; Pests; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Phytoseiids; Pollen; population dynamics; predatory mites; Strategy; Summer; temperature; Climate change; Oligonychus perseae; Phytoseiids; Biological control; Persea americana; High temperature; Orchard; Acari; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Pollen; Fruit tree; Lauraceae; Gamasida; Parasitiformes; Tetranychidae; Ecology; Dynamical climatology; Acariformes; Arachnida; Actinedida; Arthropoda; Avocado; Spermatophyta; Predator; Invertebrata; Phytoseiidae
• ISSN: 0167-8809; 1873-2305
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2012.09.014

► Exposure to high temperatures negatively affects predators and prey. ► Negative effects are stronger on predators than prey. ► Pests’ probability to escape predator control will increase with climate change. A biological control strategy aimed at enhancing the performance in the field of two predatory mites that are natural enemies of an invasive pest of avocado orchards was applied during two consecutive years. Unexpected poor pest control led us to analyse additional factors involved in the dynamics of the community such as summer environmental conditions, which were very hot and dry. Non-linear regressions considering biotic and abiotic effects suggested that high temperatures during the second half of the summer were central to predator/prey population dynamics. Harsh environmental conditions were therefore a direct cause of biological control disruption. We believe that, in the future, the success of biological control strategies will be limited by the natural enemy's capacity to respond adaptatively to rapid climate changes, and that research aimed at evaluating the evolutionary potential of natural enemies to rapid climate change should be the focus of future investigations.