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Habitat diversity in forest plantations reduces infestations of the pine stem borer Dioryctria sylvestrella

  1. H. Jactel1,*,
  2. M. Goulard2,
  3. P. Menassieu1,
  4. G. Goujon1

Article first published online: 5 AUG 2002

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2664.2002.00742.x

Issue

Journal of Applied Ecology

Journal of Applied Ecology

Volume 39, Issue 4, pages 618–628, August 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Jactel, H., Goulard, M., Menassieu, P. and Goujon, G. (2002), Habitat diversity in forest plantations reduces infestations of the pine stem borer Dioryctria sylvestrella. Journal of Applied Ecology, 39: 618–628. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2664.2002.00742.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Laboratory of Forest Entomology, Forest Research Centre, INRA, BP45, 33612, Cestas, Cedex, France; and

  2. 2

    Unité de Biométrie et d’Intelligence Artificielle, INRA, BP 27, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, Cedex, France

* H. Jactel, Laboratory of Forest Entomology, Forest Research Centre, INRA, BP45, 33612, Cestas, Cedex, France (fax +33 5 56 68 05 46; e-mail jactel@pierroton.inra.fr).

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 5 AUG 2002
  2. Article first published online: 5 AUG 2002
  3. Received 30 May 2001; final copy received 1 May 2002

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Keywords:

  • biodiversity;
  • forest management;
  • insect damage;
  • spatial patterns

Summary

  • 1
    The risk of pest damage in forest monocultures is a growing concern as the area of plantation forest expands world-wide and sustainable management is becoming a general goal. Numerous studies have demonstrated that pest insects are less abundant in more diverse agroecosystems, but limited experimental evidence exists for a similar relationship in forestry. Because plantation forests are usually mosaics of single-species stands, the aim of this study was to test the effect of forest diversity at a landscape level on pest insect infestations.
  • 2
    Within a stand of maritime pine, trees attacked by the stem borer Dioryctria sylvestrella showed no spatial aggregation and clusters of 66 trees proved to be an optimal sampling unit for determining overall percentage infestation.
  • 3
    The spatial distribution of stem borer infestation levels was examined in three maritime pine stands bordered by mixed-species stands of broad-leaved trees, and overall infestation levels compared between four such maritime pine stands and four other maritime pine stands of the same structure but far from any broad-leaved stands.
  • 4
    The percentage of trees infested was significantly lower in the pine stands bordered by broad-leaved stands than in the pine stands surrounded by other pine stands, and in the former, stem borer infestation showed a significant logistic increase with distance from the stand edge. This could be due to effects of resource concentration or natural enemy attack, both of which are discussed.
  • 5
    These results suggest that the conservation or restoration of non-productive mixed-species stands adjacent to intensively managed plantations is a useful preventive method for pest management in forest monocultures.
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