Ecological Niche Modeling to Calculate Ideal Sites to Introduce a Natural Enemy: The Case of Apanteles opuntiarum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to Control Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North America

Abstract

The cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is an invasive species in North America where it threatens Opuntia native populations. The insect is expanding its distribution along the United States Gulf Coast. In the search for alternative strategies to reduce its impact, the introduction of a natural enemy, Apanteles opuntiarum Martínez and Berta (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is being pursued as a biological control option. To identify promising areas to intentionally introduce A. opuntiarum for the control of C. cactorum, we estimated the overlap of fundamental ecological niches of the two species to predict their common geographic distributions using the BAM diagram. Models were based on native distributional data for both species, 19 bioclimatic variables, and the Maxent algorithm to calculate the environmental suitability of both species in North America. The environmental suitability of C. cactorum in North America was projected from Florida to Texas (United States) along the Gulf coastal areas, reaching Mexico in northern regions. Apanteles opuntiarum environmental suitability showed a substantial similarity with the calculations for C. cactorum in the United States. Intentional introductions of A. opuntiarum in the actual distribution areas of the cactus moth are predicted to be successful; A. opuntiarum will find its host in an environment conducive to its survival and dispersal.

Ecological importance of lepidopteran defoliators on eucalyptus plantations based in faunistic and natural enemy analyses

“…Species of this genus parasitized defoliating caterpillars, such as Automeris sp., G. bipennaria, E. imperialis magnifica, T. arnobia and S. violascens in areas with cultivated forests and agrosilvopastoral systems (Pereira et al, 2015). In North America, Braconidae are most active foragers in places with partially open vegetation and high temperature, low relative humidity and low wind speed (Pérez-de la O et al, 2020).…”

From Phenology and Habitat Preferences to Climate Change: Importance of Citizen Science in Studying Insect Ecology in the Continental Scale with American Red Flat Bark Beetle, Cucujus clavipes, as a Model Species

“…Moreover, it helped to map the future distribution of rare species and/or high modelled species richness allowing to appropriately prioritize conservation areas for the establishment of new protected areas, e.g., [ 182 , 183 , 184 , 185 ]. In addition, the ENM allowed to determine the potential distribution of species and indicate promising areas for new surveys, e.g., [ 186 , 187 , 188 ], to define the distribution of recently described taxa and areas where such species may be found, e.g., [ 189 , 190 ], and/or to indicate areas that are suitable for exotic invasive species to establish new populations, e.g., [ 191 , 192 , 193 , 194 , 195 ]. Our results clearly show that ranges of both subspecies of Cucujus clavipes will significantly change, and depending on scenario, loss of suitable niches for ssp.…”

Mapping the global distribution of invasive pest Drosophila suzukii and parasitoid Leptopilina japonica: implications for biological control

“…Ecological niche modeling (ENM) has been used extensively to identify potential distributions of species for a variety of purposes ( Raxworthy et al, 2007 ; Escobar, 2020 ; Kolanowska & Jakubska-Busse, 2020 ; Wan et al, 2020 ; Valencia-Rodríguez et al, 2021 ; Agboka et al, 2022 ; Demján et al, 2022 ; Outammassine, Zouhair & Loqman, 2022 ). In pest-parasitoid systems, identifying and comparing relative habitat suitability of pest and parasitoid can help to guide effective biological control programs ( Pérez-de la O et al, 2020 ; Tepa-Yotto et al, 2021a ; Tepa-Yotto et al, 2021b ). The utility of ENM in applications to biological control of pests can be attributed to two factors: alien parasitoid species must survive and reproduce in the geographic regions where they are released ( Mills, 2018 ; Schulz, Lucardi & Marsico, 2019 ), and unfavorable abiotic factors can reduce the long-term efficacy of biological control measures ( Olfert et al, 2016 ).…”

“…The utility of ENM in applications to biological control of pests can be attributed to two factors: alien parasitoid species must survive and reproduce in the geographic regions where they are released ( Mills, 2018 ; Schulz, Lucardi & Marsico, 2019 ), and unfavorable abiotic factors can reduce the long-term efficacy of biological control measures ( Olfert et al, 2016 ). Modeling climatic preferences of deliberately introduced parasitoid species can also provide insights into possible range expansions, an important aspect to be tested in improving effectiveness of classical biological control programs ( Pérez-de la O et al, 2020 ).…”