Veteran trees are a source of natural enemies
Ross Wetherbee1, Tone Birkemoe2, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson2
1Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Aas, Norway. ross.wetherbee@nmbu.no.
Scientific Reports
|October 29, 2020
Summary
Veteran trees support greater predatory beetle diversity and more natural enemy attacks on pests. Protecting these veteran trees is vital for sustainable pest management and biodiversity.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Entomology
Background:
- Natural predation by enemies of invertebrate pests is crucial for reducing economic damage and pesticide reliance.
- Veteran trees are biodiversity hotspots and potential reservoirs for natural enemies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if veteran oak trees harbor higher diversity of predatory beetles.
- To determine if veteran trees enhance natural enemy predation on invertebrate pests.
Main Methods:
- Experimental design comparing veteran oaks and young oaks in Southern Norway.
- Measured predatory beetle diversity and invertebrate attack marks on artificial caterpillars.
- Data collected in summers 2017 and 2018.
Main Results:
- Higher predatory beetle diversity was observed around veteran oak trees.
- Artificial caterpillars placed near veteran trees showed significantly more arthropod attack marks.
- Results support the hypothesis that veteran trees are sources of natural enemies.
Conclusions:
- Veteran trees act as important habitats for natural enemies, contributing to biological pest control.
- Conservation of veteran trees is essential for sustainable land management and biodiversity.
- Protecting veteran trees can enhance ecosystem services and human well-being.
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