Loading...
Publication
Urban trees facilitate the establishement of non-native forest insects
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.12 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Cities, due to the presence of ports and airports and the high diversity of trees in streets, parks, and gardens,
may play an important role for the introduction of invasive forest pests. We hypothesize that areas
of urban forest facilitate the establishment of non-native forest pests. Based on scientific literature and a
pan-European database on non-native species feeding on woody plants, we analysed where the first detections
occurred in European countries. We collected site data for 137 first detections in Europe and 508
first European country-specific records. We also estimated the percentage of tree cover and suitable habitat
(green areas with trees) in buffers around detection points. The large majority of first records (89% for first
record in Europe and 88% for first records in a European country) were found in cities or suburban areas.
Only 7% of the cases were in forests far from cities. The probability of occurrence decreased sharply with
distance from the city. The probability to be detected in urban areas was higher for sap feeders, gall makers,
and seed or fruit feeders (>90%) than for bark and wood borers (81%). Detection sites in cities were
highly diverse, including public parks, street trees, university campus, arboreta, zoos, and botanical gardens.
The average proportion of suitable habitat was less than 10% in urban areas where the species were
detected. Further, more than 72% of the cases occurred in sites with less than 20% of tree cover. Hotspots
of first detection were identified along the coastal regions of the Mediterranean and Atlantic, and near
industrial areas of central Europe. We conclude that urban trees are main facilitators for the establishment
of non-native forest pests, and that cities should thus be intensely surveyed. Moreover, as urban areas are
highly populated, the involvement of citizens is highly recommended
Description
Research Article
Keywords
cities forest pests invasive species surveillance urban trees
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Branco M, Nunes P, Roques A, Fernandes MR, Orazio C, Jactel H (2019) Urban trees facilitate the establishment of non-native forest insects. NeoBiota 52: 25–46
Publisher
Pensoft Publishers