Forschungsprojekt risk models invasive species

• Research unit: FOEN
• Project number: 8T20/09.0047.PJ

Key words (German)

climate change
invasive crop pest species

Short description (German)

Biodiversity is endangered all over the world. Switzerland is not an exception. Invasive herbivorous insects on which this proposal focuses can have a wide variety of impacts on native populations. Plants may be affected directly through feeding or via disease transmission and indirectly via plant community alterations. Native insects can be affected through competition for resources, via apparent competition or through ecosystem processes. Almost all invasive species come from countries with a warmer climate. While some species are already established in Switzerland, it is predicted that climate change will allow the establishment of other species in our region with a potential negative impact on native biodiversity.

Being able to predict or control insect invasions at their very early stage (dispersal) would prevent new pests from becoming established, thus mitigating species loss and disruption of ecoystem functioning, preserving natural habitats and species genetic integrity. Prediction and early detection of invasions will reduce indirect costs due to environmental impact and health problems associated with control strategies such as massive pesticide use.

Results of the project will allow to identify the major drivers of bioinvasions of plant pests. Incorporating climate change will enable to pinpoint those plant pests that have the highest chance of establishing in the future. This information can be used to develop pathway- and target-based strategies to prevent environmental impact from plant pests in Switzerland.

Project aims (German)

- to identify the major drivers of bioinvasions of plant pests
- to pinpoint those plant species that have the highest chance of establishing in the future
- to develop pathway- and target based strategies to prevent environmental impacts from plant pests in Switzerland
- to develop risk models that should be transferable to other species

Transfer and application (German)

Am Beispiel von Schadorganismen für Pflanzen wurde der Einfluss des globalen Warenverkehrs und des Klimawandels im Hinblick auf die Ansiedlung von neuen invasiven gebietsfremden Arten (insbesondere Insekten) untersucht. Es wurden Risikomodelle entwickelt und anhand der Angaben europäischer Pflanzenschutzdienste validiert. Aufgrund der Resultate lassen sich mögliche Eintrittspforten für Pflanzenschadorganismen in Abhängigkeit der Art, Herkunft bzw. Zielort des transportierten Frachtgutes aufzeigen sowie gebietsfremde Insektenarten identifizieren, für welche eine Etablierung in europäischen Ländern am wahrscheinlichsten erscheint. Dazu zählen der Asiatische Baumwollwurm (Spodoptera litura), der Nördliche Maiswurzelbohrer (Diabrotica barberi) und der Drahtwurm Pheletes californicus. Die Resultate der Studie zeigen Optimierungsmöglichkeiten für die bestehenden Grenzkontrollen zu Pflanzenschadorganismen auf und machen Vorschläge für eine Weiterentwicklung der Instrumente zum Nachweis dieser invasiven gebietsfremden Arten.