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Management strategies in apple orchards influence earwig community
Laure Malagnoux1, Gaëlle Marliac2, Sylvaine Simon3
1Université d'Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse UMR 7263 CNRS-IRD, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie (IMBE), 301 rue Baruch de Spinoza, BP 21239, 84916 Avignon Cedex 09, France.
Chemosphere
|January 12, 2015
Summary
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) significantly reduces earwig populations in apple orchards, impacting beneficial insects. Organic and low-input farming practices support higher earwig densities, crucial for natural pest control.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Entomology
- Ecology
- Pest Management
Background:
- Earwigs are vital natural enemies of apple pests.
- Orchard management strategies can influence beneficial insect populations.
- Understanding these impacts is key for sustainable agriculture.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of different apple orchard management strategies on earwig communities.
- To compare earwig densities in low-input, organic, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and abandoned orchards.
- To determine the influence of pesticide use on earwig abundance and sensitivity.
Main Methods:
- A three-year study in 74 orchards near Avignon.
- Quantified earwig (Forficula auricularia and Forficula pubescens) density.
- Characterized pesticide usage, orchard traits, and landscape parameters.
- Conducted LD50 assays for key pesticides.
Main Results:
- IPM orchards had significantly lower F. auricularia density compared to organic, low-input, and abandoned orchards.
- F. pubescens was nearly absent in IPM orchards and more abundant in abandoned/low-input settings.
- Pesticide use strongly impacted earwig communities, with F. pubescens showing higher sensitivity to tested insecticides.
- Earwig community composition shifted from predominantly F. pubescens in abandoned orchards to F. auricularia in IPM orchards.
Conclusions:
- Orchard management, particularly pesticide application intensity, significantly alters earwig community structure.
- IPM strategies, while effective for pest control, drastically reduce beneficial earwig populations.
- Earwigs serve as effective bioindicators for assessing the ecological impact of agricultural management practices in fruit orchards.
