IDENTIFICATION OF INVASIVE PESTS TROPHIC ASSOCIATIONS ON THE BASIS OF THE COLLECTION OF THE ARBORETUM “SOUTHERN CULTURES”
N. N. Karpun1, E. I. Shoshina1, A. A. Plotnikov2, S. G. Shevelev2
1Federal Research Centre the Subtropical Scientific Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Sochi, Russian Federation
2Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve named after H. G. Shaposhnikov, Sochi, Russian Federation
Keywords: invasion, phytophage, cypress jewel beetle, frosted moth-bug, Lamprodila festiva, Metcalfa pruinosa, fodder plants, arboretum, new trophic associations, harmfulness
Abstract
More than 50 invasive insect species have appeared on the Black Sea coast of Russia in the last two decades. The study of trophic interactions of alien insects is of great importance for understanding the invasive processes. Dendrological collections of parks and botanical gardens play an important role in this case. The purpose of this study was to clarify the trophic associations of invasive pest species - the cypress jewel beetle Lamprodila festiva (Linnaeus, 1767) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and the frosted moth-bug Metcalfa pruinosa (Say, 1830) (Homoptera: Flatidae) in ornamental plantations of the dendrological park “Yuzhnye Kultury” and to determine their role in the drying out of woody plants. The studies were carried out in 2020-2021 on the territory of the mentioned above dendrological park (Russia, the federal territory of Sirius). The botanical collection of this park is represented by 665 species, varieties and garden forms. For the cypress jewel beetle Lamprodila festiva 13 taxa (species, varieties and garden forms) from Cupressaceae were identified as host plants, of which Cupressus lusitanica and Juniperus squamata were noted as novel hosts. Only Cupressus sempervirens var. pyramidalis and Juniperus communis originate from the pest’s primary range, - the Mediterranean region and North Africa (15.4 % of all plant species examined). Cypress jewel beetle commonly kills its hosts within 1-7 years. Metcalfa pruinosa was detected on 25 species of woody plants, of which only 4 species have North American origin (as well as M. pruinosa ): Torreya californica , Magnolia grandiflora , Catalpa bignonioides and Celastrus scandens (16 % of the all plant species examined). Eleven plant species from the genera Torreya, Magnolia, Eurya, Euonymus, Cotoneaster, Citharexylum, Ilex, Schinus, Pterocarya, Sorbus, Celastrus and families Taxaceae, Magnoliaceae, Pentaphylacaceae, Celastraceae, Rosaceae, Verbenaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Anacardiaceae, Juglandaceae turned to be the novel hosts of the insect on the Black Sea coast of Russia. The frosted moth-bug does not notably affect its host plants, but reduces their decorative effect.
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