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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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International agroecology short course

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There is no doubt that humanity needs an alternative agricultural development paradigm, one that encourages more ecologically sound, biodiverse, resilient, sustainable, and socially just forms of agriculture. The basis for such new systems are the myriad of ecologically based agricultural styles developed on hundreds of millions small farms that produce a large share of the food consumed today in the world, mostly without agrochemicals. Agroecology represents this paradigm: a dialogue of wisdoms between traditional agricultural knowledges and modern agricultural sciences that uses ecological concepts and principles for the design and management of sustainable agroecosystems where external inputs are replaced by natural processes. This international Agroecology short course was held from May 2nd to 5th, 2018 at the Center for “Climate Change and Biodiversity in Lakes and Wetlands” located on Polvese Island , Lake Trasimeno, Umbria (Italy), and was designed for scholars, students, farmer
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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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