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Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

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A. Ouin et al. 2010. Do wooded elements in agricultural l<strong>and</strong>scape contribute to biological control in crops<br />

724<br />

Do wooded elements in agricultural l<strong>and</strong>scape contribute to biological<br />

control in crops<br />

A. Ouin 1 , M. Deconchat 2 , P. Menozzi 3 , C. Monteil 1 , L. Raison 2 , A. Roume 2 , J.P.<br />

Sarthou 1 , A. Vialatte 1 & G. Balent 2<br />

1 Université de Toulouse, UMR DYNAFOR, INRA / INP-ENSAT, BP 32607, 31326<br />

Castanet Tolosan, France.<br />

2 INRA, UMR DYNAFOR, INRA / INP-ENSAT, BP 52627, 31326 Castanet Tolosan,<br />

France<br />

3 CIRAD, UPR 10, 34 398 Montpellier, France<br />

Abstract<br />

Wooded l<strong>and</strong>scape elements are supposed to enhance biological control of pest thanks to natural<br />

enemies by provided with alternative preys, nectar <strong>and</strong> pollen resources, <strong>and</strong> refuges against<br />

unfavourable weather conditions. On the basis of two research studies in south western France<br />

we identified key features in woody elements contributing to biological control. The first study<br />

monitored in 14 winter wheat fields during 5 years aphids <strong>and</strong> aphidophagous hoverflies<br />

abundance in two l<strong>and</strong>scapes differing in woodlot density. L<strong>and</strong>scape with the higher (27%)<br />

wood cover sheltered higher hoverfly abundance during the early spring period (beginning of<br />

aphid pullulation), thus providing them with higher potential regulation capabilities. Afterwards,<br />

the difference decreased during the season. The second study dealt with ground beetles<br />

overwintering in woods. Taking advantage of emergence traps, we showed that many carabid<br />

species, including species controlling pest, overwinter in woodlots before colonizing fields.<br />

Within woodlot, distance from edge influenced abundance of overwintering carabids.<br />

Keywords: l<strong>and</strong>scape, hoverfly, carabid, woodlot, pest regulation<br />

1. Introduction<br />

Because most of the natural enemies of crop pests feed in fields but usually carry out other life<br />

cycle steps, like overwintering, in semi-natural habitats of farml<strong>and</strong> (Groeger, 1993), many<br />

studies focus on the important role of the latter, such as hedges, field margins, "beetle banks"<br />

<strong>and</strong> fallows, in increasing their populations <strong>and</strong> in improving their efficiency as control agents<br />

(Russel, 1989; L<strong>and</strong>is et al., 2000; Gurr et al., 2004). This is most probably because these seminatural<br />

habitats have a more buffered micro-climate, are less subject to agricultural disturbance<br />

than fields themselves <strong>and</strong> provide complementary or alternative food resources for larvae <strong>and</strong><br />

adults.<br />

A lot of studies have focused on overwintering of beneficial arthropods in field margins<br />

(Thomas et al., 1992). Fewer studies looked at woodlots as potential overwintering sites.<br />

Nevertheless, in temperate rural l<strong>and</strong>scapes, forest cover can be as high as 30% with a high<br />

proportion of small woodlots. In such situations, woodlots, which are in close contact with<br />

agriculture, are likely to play an important role as a refuge for overwintering beneficial<br />

arthropods (e.g. Sarthou et al., 2005).<br />

<strong>Forest</strong> <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Global</strong> <strong>Change</strong>-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation <strong>and</strong> Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO L<strong>and</strong>scape Ecology<br />

Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)<br />

2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.

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