The Sirex Woodwasp and its Fungal Symbiont [recurso electrónico]: Research and Management of a Worldwide Invasive Pest

The Sirex woodwasp, Sirex noctilio, is the most important invasive alien insect pest of Pinus plantations in the Southern Hemisphere. It now also threatens pines in North America. This book brings together the worldwide knowledge of researchers from Universities and Government institutions, as well as forest industry practitioners that have worked on the pest. Importantly, it is the first comprehensive treatment of the subject since S. noctilio was discovered outside its native range around 1900. The book covers all aspects of the biology and management of S. noctilio, including aspects of the insects’ taxonomy, general life history, host-plant relationships, population dynamics, chemical ecology and symbiosis with the fungus Amylostereum areolatum. The book also contains a comprehensive synthesis of the history and current status of the pest and worldwide efforts to control it, including biological control, silviculture and quarantine. The Sirex woodwasp, Sirex noctilio, is the most important invasive alien insect pest in Pinus plantations across the Southern Hemisphere, and it now threatens pines in North America. Sirex noctilio is native to Eurasia, where it causes little damage and is better known for its fascinating biology, including an obligate mutualism with the fungus Amylostereum areolatum. The wasp first appeared outside its native range around 1900 in New Zealand, and it has subsequently spread to Australia, South America and Africa. The pest continues to spread globally and this is vividly illustrated by its recent appearance in North America. The genesis of the book was an International Sirex Symposium held in South Africa in May 2007. This symposium recognised the growing global threat from the woodwasp and the realization that a sustained research effort would be required to deal with it. This meeting succeeded remarkably in bringing together a diverse mosaic of government, industry and academic experience from many parts of the world. The shared experience emerging from the meeting, as well as the research and management work that has been undertaken subsequently, is captured in this book. This book covers aspects of the insect's taxonomy, life history, host-plant relationships, population dynamics and chemical ecology, as well as the nature of its obligate mutualistic relationship with the fungus Amylostereum, its distribution, diversity and biology. There is also a focus on the development and adaptation of biological control systems using various parasitic wasps and the nematode Deladenus siricidicola. Importantly, the book contains a complete synthesis of the history and current status of the pest as well as efforts to control it in the Southern Hemisphere and in North America. Overall, this book illustrates the need for a global community effort to combat the increasing threat of invasive alien pests andpathogens to the world's forests Front Matter....Pages i-xii Sirex Systematics; Problems and Solutions....Pages 1-14 Life History and Biology of Sirex noctilio ....Pages 15-30 Susceptibility and Response of Pines to Sirex noctilio ....Pages 31-50 Population Dynamics of Sirex noctilio : Influence of Diapause, Spatial Aggregation and Flight Potential on Outbreaks and Spread....Pages 51-64 The Woodwasp Sirex noctilio and Its Associated Fungus Amylostereum areolatum in Europe....Pages 65-80 Genetics of Amylostereum Species Associated with Siricidae Woodwasps....Pages 81-94 Siricid Woodwasps and Their Fungal Symbionts in Asia, Specifically Those Occurring in Japan....Pages 95-102 Parasitoids in the Management of Sirex noctilio : Looking Back and Looking Ahead....Pages 103-117 Factors Affecting the Efficacy of Deladenus siricidicola in Biological Control Systems....Pages 119-133 Ecological Considerations in Using Deladenus ( = Beddingia) siricidicola for the Biological Control of Sirex noctilio in North America....Pages 135-148 The Chemical Ecology of Sirex noctilio ....Pages 149-158 The Use of Kairomone Lures for the Detection of Sirex noctilio in Susceptible Pinus radiata Plantations in Australia....Pages 159-166 The Sirex Woodwasp in New Zealand: History and Current Status....Pages 167-173 Sirex Woodwasp in Australia: Current Management Strategies, Research and Emerging Issues....Pages 175-201 The Ecology and Biological Control of the Woodwasp Sirex noctilio in Patagonia, Argentina....Pages 203-215 The Woodwasp Sirex noctilio in Brazil: Monitoring and Control....Pages 217-228 Surveillance and Control of the Sirex Woodwasp: The Chilean Experience....Pages 229-245 The Control of the Sirex Woodwasp in Diverse Environments: The South African Experience....Pages 247-264 Sirex, Surveys and Management: Challenges of having Sirex noctilio in North America....Pages 265-286 Sirex Research and Management: Future Prospects....Pages 287-295 Back Matter....Pages 297-301 Annotation This book covers the taxonomy, life history, host-plant relationships, population dynamics and chemical ecology of the sirex woodwasp. It also examines the nature of its relationship with the fungus amylostereum, its distribution, diversity and biology