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Risk assessment for tiger mosquito in Europe

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The Asian tiger mosquito ( Ae. albopictus ) is indigenous to the oriental region, but is now widespread throughout the world. It is an aggressive mosquito, which causes nuisance and is well known vector of important human disease. It is one of the world’s most invasive species and is now invading Europe by both natural means and human assisted dispersal. Currently, there is no consensus on the limits of its potential geographic distribution in Europe. For this reason, studying the role that environmental driving variables, mainly temperature, play in determining the spatial variation of the potential population abundance of the mosquito should be considered a high priority. To assess the risk posed by Ae. albopictus to Europe, a lattice model based on the temperature-dependent physiologically based demographic modelling approach has been developed and is being tested against field observations. The area of potential distribution of this insect is simulated as driven by current climate...
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Impact of low temperature and host plant on Tuta absoluta

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Alternative host plants are among the key factors influencing the spread of invasive pests because they are utilized as a food source and provide shelter in unfavorable conditions. The South American tomato pinworm (SATP), Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), has a high behavioral and physiological plasticity enabling it to rapidly spread in several countries. Among the multiple strategies used by SATP in the invasion process is the use of alternative host plants including black nightshade (BNS), Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae), a perennial plant widely distributed across all habitats worldwide. Besides the life table and behavioral parameters of SATP on tomato, its survival and reproduction in low temperatures on alternative host plants should be assessed to evaluate the likely spread in temperate regions with harsh winters. In our study, comparing solanaceous species through generations, the primary difference was in the mean generation time with SATP reared on BNS, whe...
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Bio-economics of Indian hybrid Bt cotton and farmer suicides

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Background. The implementation of hybrid Bt cotton unique to India has been heralded as a grand success by government agencies, seed companies and other proponents, and yet yields have stagnated at low levels and production costs have risen 2.5–3-fold. The low-yield hybrid cotton system of India contributes thousands of farmer suicides to the annual national toll. Conceptual and methodological barriers have hindered bioeconomic analysis of the ecological and social sustainability of such cross-scale agro-ecological problems in time and geographic space, under global technology and climate change. As a paradigm shift, we use conceptually simple, parameter-sparse, theoretically based, mechanistic, weather-driven physiologically based demographic models (PBDMs) to deconstruct the bio-economics of the Indian cotton system. Results. Our analysis of Indian hybrid cotton system explains some extant ecological and economic problems, and suggests a viable solution. Specifically, the model accur...
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