Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantations
Abstract Pest responses to landscape complexity show variable patterns globally, primarily related to species traits and specific managed habitats. Leaf-cutting ants (LCAs) are native insects and important pests of plantation forests in South America. We evaluated the responses of LCA nests in young...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40426-9 |
| _version_ | 1797453082265649152 |
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| author | Pablo Cavigliasso Ezequiel González Abel Scherf José Villacide |
| author_facet | Pablo Cavigliasso Ezequiel González Abel Scherf José Villacide |
| author_sort | Pablo Cavigliasso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Pest responses to landscape complexity show variable patterns globally, primarily related to species traits and specific managed habitats. Leaf-cutting ants (LCAs) are native insects and important pests of plantation forests in South America. We evaluated the responses of LCA nests in young Eucalyptus plantations to different spatial contexts: land uses, interfaces (adjacent land use pairs), agroecosystems, and landscapes. We selected 30 sites in the littoral region of Argentina representing three types of land uses neighboring Eucalyptus plantations: adult eucalypt plantations, citrus plantations, and semi-natural habitats. At each site, we quantified and identified LCA nests and characterized landscape composition and configuration in circles of 250 m radius. LCA nest abundance and presence were similar across different land uses, interfaces, and agroecosystems. Nest presence decreased in landscapes with increasing mean perimeter/area ratio and citrus coverage, whereas LCA abundance showed a similar trend. This indicates that heterogeneous landscapes and those with greater citrus plantation coverage were less likely to have LCA nests. Our findings suggest that landscape configuration was the main predictor of the LCA presence. Understanding the dynamics of LCAs populations and their complex associations with landscape components will contribute to developing successful environmental pest management strategies for plantation forests. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:17:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-afc92ed1e5d34b0f822e22d2e411b470 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:17:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-afc92ed1e5d34b0f822e22d2e411b4702023-11-26T12:59:16ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-08-011311910.1038/s41598-023-40426-9Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantationsPablo Cavigliasso0Ezequiel González1Abel Scherf2José Villacide3INTA EEA ConcordiaInstituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC)INTA EEA MontecarloGrupo de Ecología de Poblaciones de Insectos, IFAB-INTA BarilocheAbstract Pest responses to landscape complexity show variable patterns globally, primarily related to species traits and specific managed habitats. Leaf-cutting ants (LCAs) are native insects and important pests of plantation forests in South America. We evaluated the responses of LCA nests in young Eucalyptus plantations to different spatial contexts: land uses, interfaces (adjacent land use pairs), agroecosystems, and landscapes. We selected 30 sites in the littoral region of Argentina representing three types of land uses neighboring Eucalyptus plantations: adult eucalypt plantations, citrus plantations, and semi-natural habitats. At each site, we quantified and identified LCA nests and characterized landscape composition and configuration in circles of 250 m radius. LCA nest abundance and presence were similar across different land uses, interfaces, and agroecosystems. Nest presence decreased in landscapes with increasing mean perimeter/area ratio and citrus coverage, whereas LCA abundance showed a similar trend. This indicates that heterogeneous landscapes and those with greater citrus plantation coverage were less likely to have LCA nests. Our findings suggest that landscape configuration was the main predictor of the LCA presence. Understanding the dynamics of LCAs populations and their complex associations with landscape components will contribute to developing successful environmental pest management strategies for plantation forests.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40426-9 |
| spellingShingle | Pablo Cavigliasso Ezequiel González Abel Scherf José Villacide Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantations Scientific Reports |
| title | Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantations |
| title_full | Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantations |
| title_fullStr | Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantations |
| title_short | Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantations |
| title_sort | landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf cutting ants in eucalypt plantations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40426-9 |
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