Effects of local and landscape factors on population dynamics of a cotton pest.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many polyphagous pests sequentially use crops and uncultivated habitats in landscapes dominated by annual crops. As these habitats may contribute in increasing or decreasing pest density in fields of a specific crop, understanding the scale and temporal variability of source and sink effects is critical for managing landscapes to enhance pest control.

Methodology/principal findings

We evaluated how local and landscape characteristics affect population density of the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus (Knight), in cotton fields of the San Joaquin Valley in California. During two periods covering the main window of cotton vulnerability to Lygus attack over three years, we examined the associations between abundance of six common Lygus crops, uncultivated ha

SUBMITTER: Carriere Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3387197 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature