Management measures to control pine wood nematode spread in Europe

Abstract

Invasive pests, such as the pine wood nematode (PWN), threaten European forests. In De la Fuente, Saura, and Beck, Journal of Applied Ecology, 2018, 55, 2374, we modelled the natural spread of the PWN by the longhorn beetle (Monochamus galloprovincialis) on the Iberian Peninsula. We used the model to evaluate the effectiveness of several management measures to control the PWN spread: early detection and removal of infected trees, beetle mass trapping and clear‐cut belts. We simulated these particular measures because they have been or are being applied in PWN containment efforts on the Iberian Peninsula. Martínez‐Abraín and Jiménez, Journal of Applied Ecology, 2019, suggested that two other management measures would be appropriate to halt the PWN expansion: installing nest boxes for insectivorous birds in order to increase predation on vector beetles and increasing the populations of large mammalian herbivores to lower forest tree density. The results of De la Fuente, Saura, and Beck, Journal of Applied Ecology, 2018, 55, 2374 showed that a combination of measures is more likely to control PWN spread than any single one in isolation, indicating that halting this, and many other invasive species, requires a comprehensive approach. Here, we review current evidence on the efficacy of the measures proposed by Martínez‐Abraín and Jiménez, Journal of Applied Ecology, 2019, as PWN management tools. This evidence suggests that, by themselves, these measures are unlikely to significantly slow down, let alone halt, the PWN spread on the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, we indicate how the model presented in De la Fuente, Saura, and Beck, Journal of Applied Ecology, 2018, 55, 2374 lends itself to assessing this quantitatively in future research. Synthesis and applications. Lost biotic interactions in ecosystems can make them more vulnerable to invasions, and restoring interactions can in turn increase resilience. Ecosystem restoration can thus, in theory, also benefit invasive species management. Current evidence indicates however that managing natural species interactions, such as beetle predation from insectivorous birds or herbivory by large mammals, would need to be applied in combination with other measures if they are to halt or significantly slow down the expansion of the PWN in Europe.

Identifying Pine Wood Nematode Disease Using UAV Images and Deep Learning Algorithms

“…Since 1982, this disease has caused damage to hundreds of millions of pine trees when it invaded China, with economic losses amounting from hundreds to 30 billion yuan and damaging an area of 700 thousand hectares [1]. It is highly contagious and destructive, causing great damage to forest resources worldwide, especially in Europe and Asia [2]. The identification of pine wood nematodes is important for prevention and control.…”

Responses of Plant Species Diversity and Biomass to Forest Management Practices after Pine Wilt Disease

“…Although many studies have been conducted on how to prevent the spread of PWD [2,6,34] and its influence on ecosystem functions [3,20], the impact of management practices following PWD on the species diversity and ecosystem functions of Masson pine forests has been comparatively understudied (but see [15,16]). Here, we tested the effect…”

“…Although many studies have been conducted on how to prevent the spread of PWD [2,6,34] and its influence on ecosystem functions [3,20], the impact of management practices following PWD on the species diversity and ecosystem functions of Masson pine forests has been comparatively understudied (but see [15,16]). Here, we tested the effect of retaining infected pine trees compared to removing them on the alpha diversity, species composition, and biomass in Masson pine forests on a small and large scale separately.…”

“…PWN is native to North America and has rapidly spread to East Asian and European countries since it was first recorded in Japan in 1905 [3][4][5]. Short-distance dispersal of PWN is mainly carried by the pine sawyer beetle (Monochamus alternatus Hope), or the longhorn beetle (Monochamus galloprovincialis Olivier), and long-distance dispersal is mainly through timber transportation and trading [6,7]. PWD in China was first noted in Nanjing in Jiangsu Province in 1982 and has since spread rapidly in the country, causing a significant impact on China's forestry production and ecological environment [8].…”

“…In addition, due to poor economic conditions and complex topography, not all infected trees can be removed from forests in some regions. Although there are other practices to control the spread of PWD, such as biological and chemical controls, there is not yet a consensus on the effects of these approaches [4,6]. As Masson pine forests continue to rapidly become infected over large areas, it will become increasingly difficult to effectively control the spread of PWD by removing infected trees [2,14].…”