Distribution and diversity of leaf-cutting ants in Northeastern Argentina: species most associated with forest plantations

Sánchez‐Restrepo, Andrés F.; Jiménez, Nadia Lis; Confalonieri, Viviana A.; Calcaterra, Luis A.

doi:10.1080/09670874.2018.1555343

Cited by 14 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Practical implementation of EIL and ET enables pest managers to identify particular pest LCA species in their plantations (not all LCA are damaging), continuously monitoring, not only the inner forest plantation but also the surrounding areas, and responding quickly when thresholds occur (Mumford & Norton, 1984; Cantarelli et al ., 2006; Sánchez‐Restrepo et al ., 2019). Based on our experience, the nests could easily be detected at the beginning of the plantation, after the herbicide application, when the ground is mostly bare of vegetation (a lot of nests are expected to occur in the area at this time), but difficult when spontaneous vegetation starts to grow and it is not cut, especially in species such as A. lundii that do not form conspicuous nests with domes above ground level, as Acromyrmex ambiguus or even the most conspicuous Atta species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Acromyrmex species have been a problem in diverse productive systems in Argentina since 1907, when they were declared a pest (Bonetto, 1959). A single colony of Acromyrmex lundii in the lower basin of the Paraná River, can consume up to 6 kg/year of mixed native and exotic plant dry biomass, including leaves, flowers and seeds of Salicaceae (Jiménez, 2019; Sánchez‐Restrepo et al ., 2019). In spite of its evident impact on forest plantations, there are no published estimations of its EIL and ET for Argentina.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are no estimations of EIL for the Acromyrmex species yet (Montoya-Lerma et al, 2012), although they are the most detrimental pests in forest plantations in Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil (Bouvet, 2011;Nickele et al, 2012Nickele et al, , 2020Sánchez-Restrepo et al, 2019). Acromyrmex species have been a problem in diverse productive systems in Argentina since 1907, when they were declared a pest (Bonetto, 1959).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Economic Injury Level and Economic Threshold as required by Forest Stewardship Council for management of leaf‐cutting ants in forest plantations

Jiménez

Fosco²,

Nassar³

et al. 2020

Agri and Forest Entomology

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The most commonly used method to control insect pests, such as leaf-cutting ants (LCA) in forest plantations, is the application of chemical insecticides, but their use was forbidden in plantations certified by the Forest Stewardship Council because of their negative effect on the environment. 2 A 5-year derogation of their prohibition was obtained in 2016 in Argentina, on the condition that forestry companies reduce pesticide doses by 5% per year and inform the Economic Injury Level (EIL). 3 The EIL and the Economic Threshold (ET) were estimated for the first time for the Acromyrmex genus in a Salicaceae forestation. As a model, we used the damage caused by the most detrimental LCA species of Argentina (Acromyrmex lundii) in the first, most critical year of a willow plantation (Salix nigra) in the lower basin of the Paraná River. 4 The EIL (8-15 nest/ha) was useful to demonstrate the real magnitude of the damage caused by A. lundii, which justified the need for its control. The ET for profitable production (∼3 nests/ha) would not be operatively applicable in a long-term management program in our study site. This methodology could be extrapolated to other Neotropical forest plantations attacked by Acromyrmex species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Economic Injury Level and Economic Threshold as required by Forest Stewardship Council for management of leaf‐cutting ants in forest plantations

Jiménez

Fosco²,

Nassar³

et al. 2020

Agri and Forest Entomology

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“…34 In this region, LCA species Acromyrmex ambiguus and A. lundii, are considered to be the most important pests affecting young forestry plantations. 36 The aim of this study was to evaluate a push-pull strategy for management of LCAs in young willow plantations in the Delta of Parana River. In order to estimate the possibility of using farmland vegetation as a cutting alternative for LCAs, we assessed its availability and palatability around the cultivated area, and its selection for consumption by foragers of A. ambiguus in comparison with the most common cultivated willow, under field and lab conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), 35 and the amount of cattle has increased by an order of magnitude along a decade 34 . In this region, LCA species Acromyrmex ambiguus and A. lundii , are considered to be the most important pests affecting young forestry plantations 36 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Push‐pull to manage leaf‐cutting ants: an effective strategy in forestry plantations

Perri

Gorosito

Schilman

et al. 2020

Pest Management Science

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BACKGROUND: Leaf-cutting ants (LCAs) are amongst the most important forestry pests in South America. Currently, their control is carried out almost exclusively through the application of toxic baits of restricted use. Here we evaluate a push-pull strategy (i.e., the simultaneous use of attractant and repellent stimuli in order to divert pests) to manage LCAs Acromyrmex spp. in young willow plantations in the area of Delta of the Parana River, Argentina, a wetland ecosystem. First, we surveyed ants' selection of farmland vegetation during one year. Then, we estimated ants' preferences between the willow Salix babylonica and a subsample of plant species from farmland vegetation under laboratory conditions. Finally, we designed and performed a fully crossed experimental field assay to evaluate a push-pull strategy by using farmland vegetation as pull stimulus. RESULTS: We surveyed 39 plant species in the area, 19 of which had been foraged by LCAs along the year. Plants were selected by species, not by abundance. In the lab, ants showed similar preference for the cultivated willow and the subsample of plant species. Push-pull was the only treatment that maintained willow remaining vegetation above 60-80% at the end of the growing season. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time the push-pull strategy was evaluated in social insects. We demonstrated that it can be successfully used to manage LCAs in young willow plantations. Our strategy generates biodiversity, which can improve the ecosystem functioning, and it can be easily implemented by producers since its design is based on regular willow plantations.

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Local and landscape drivers of ground-dwelling ant diversity in agroecosystems of Dry Chaco

Castellarini,

Cuezzo,

Luna Toledo

et al. 2024

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

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Distribution and diversity of leaf-cutting ants in Northeastern Argentina: species most associated with forest plantations

Cited by 14 publications

References 46 publications

Economic Injury Level and Economic Threshold as required by Forest Stewardship Council for management of leaf‐cutting ants in forest plantations

Economic Injury Level and Economic Threshold as required by Forest Stewardship Council for management of leaf‐cutting ants in forest plantations

Push‐pull to manage leaf‐cutting ants: an effective strategy in forestry plantations

Local and landscape drivers of ground-dwelling ant diversity in agroecosystems of Dry Chaco

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