The Seasonal Population Dynamics of Corythucha arcuata (Say, 1832) (Hemiptera: Tingidae) and the Relationship between Meteorological Factors and the Diurnal Flight Intensity of the Adults in Romanian Oak Forests

Forests

Dragoș Toma¹  Flavius Bălăcenoiu¹  Dieter Carol Simon¹  Ion Cătălin Petrițan¹  Constantin Nețoiu² 

[1] Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Brașov, Sirul Beethoven 1, 500123 Brașov, Romania;National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry “Marin Dracea”, Eroilor 128, 077190 Voluntari, Romania;

关键词: oak lace bug;    ecology;    oak forests;    pests;    invasive alien species;   

DOI  :  10.3390/f12121774

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

To control a forest pest, it is necessary to understand the biotic and/or abiotic factors that can lead to population regulation. Such knowledge is even more critical if the pest is an invasive alien species. This is the case for Corythucha arcuata (Say, 1832), commonly known as the oak lace bug (OLB), an alien insect species that has invaded oak forests on a large scale, both in Romania and other European countries. In this study, we set out to examine the relationship between adults of this species and meteorological factors, such as air temperature and humidity. The study lasted for two years (2019–2020) and was performed on three plots in Romania, in Ilfov, Giurgiu, and Călărași counties. In the first year, the seasonal dynamics of the OLB populations and the meteorological factors potentially influencing those were studied, whilst in the second year, the dynamics of the diurnal activity of the insect population were examined. We found that Corythucha arcuata experienced two population peaks—in July and August—and a diurnal population dynamic that reached a maximum at midday. Data analysis indicated that, for most of the time, the adult activity was influenced by both temperature and humidity. In addition, the population dynamics were not constant over the course of the day, preferring relatively high temperatures and low humidity but not exceeding certain thresholds of thermal discomfort.

【 授权许可】

Unknown