Fenn-Moltu Gyda, Liebhold Andrew M, Weber Donald C, Bertelsmeier Cleo
Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
Ecol Appl. 2024 Dec;34(8):e3047. doi: 10.1002/eap.3047. Epub 2024 Oct 10.
Introductions of insect predators and parasitoids for biological control are a key method for pest management. Yet in recent decades, biological control has become more strictly regulated and less frequent. Conversely, the rate of unintentional insect introductions through human activities is rising. While accidental introductions of insect natural enemies can potentially have serious ecological consequences, they are challenging to quantify as their movements go largely unobserved. We used historical border interception records collected by the US Department of Agriculture from 1913 to 2018 to describe the diversity of entomophagous insects transported unintentionally, their main introduction pathways, and trends in host specificity. There were 35,312 interceptions of insect predators and parasitoids during this period, representing 93 families from 11 orders, and 196 species from these families. Commodity associations varied, but imported plants and plant products were the main introduction pathway. Most interceptions originated with commodities imported from the Neotropical, Panamaian, and Western Palearctic regions. Among the intercepted species, 27% were found in material originating from more than one country. Two thirds of species were polyphagous host generalists. Furthermore, 25% of species had already been introduced intentionally as biological control agents internationally, and 4.6% have documented negative impacts on native biodiversity or human society. Most of the intercepted species that have not established in the United States are host generalists or have at least one known host species available. The unintentional transport of diverse natural enemy insects has the potential to cause substantial ecological impacts, both in terms of controlling pests through accidental biocontrol and disrupting native communities. Characterizing the insects being transported and their introduction pathways can inform biosecurity practices and management.
引入捕食性昆虫和寄生性昆虫进行生物防治是害虫管理的关键方法。然而，近几十年来，生物防治受到了更严格的监管，实施频率也降低了。相反，通过人类活动无意引入昆虫的速率却在上升。虽然意外引入昆虫天敌可能会产生严重的生态后果，但由于它们的活动大多未被观察到，因此难以量化其影响。我们利用美国农业部1913年至2018年收集的历史边境拦截记录，来描述无意运输的食虫昆虫的多样性、它们的主要引入途径以及宿主特异性的趋势。在此期间，共拦截了35312次捕食性和寄生性昆虫，它们来自11个目的93个科，这些科中有196个物种。商品关联各不相同，但进口植物和植物产品是主要的引入途径。大多数拦截事件源于从新热带地区、巴拿马地区和西古北区进口的商品。在被拦截的物种中，27%在来自多个国家的货物中被发现。三分之二的物种是多食性广食性宿主。此外，25%的物种已经作为生物防治剂在国际上被有意引入，4.6%的物种已被证明对当地生物多样性或人类社会有负面影响。大多数在美国尚未定殖的被拦截物种是广食性宿主，或至少有一种已知的宿主物种。多样的天敌昆虫的无意运输有可能造成重大的生态影响，无论是通过意外生物防治控制害虫，还是扰乱当地群落。了解被运输的昆虫及其引入途径有助于生物安全实践和管理。
