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Potential effects of climate change on biological control systems: case studies from New Zealand

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Abstract

Biological control systems are integral to New Zealand’s success as a nation reliant on exporting quality agricultural, forestry and horticultural products. The likely impacts of climate change projections to 2090 on one weed and four invertebrate management systems in differing production sectors were investigated, and it was concluded that most natural enemies will track the changing distributions of their hosts. The key climate change challenges identified were: disparities in natural enemy capability to change distribution, lack of frosts leading to emergence of new pests and additional pest generations, non-target impacts from range and temperature changes, increased disruptions caused by extreme weather events, disruption of host-natural enemy synchrony, and insufficient genetic diversity to allow evolutionary adaptation. Five classical biological control systems based on the introduced species Longitarsus jacobaeae, Cotesia kazak, Aphelinus mali, Microctonus aethiopoides and Microctonus hyperodae are discussed in more detail.

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Acknowledgments

The project was funded by MAF Policy (Project 0910-11689) and the paper by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (LINX0804 Ecosystems Bioprotection). The authors thank Barbara Barratt, Jenny Dymock, Linda Faulkner, Travis Glare, Garry Hill, Lynley Hayes Trevor Jackson, Geoff Ridley, Cor Vink, Sue Worner, and Sue Zydenbos for contributing their expert insights, opinions and support at the climate change/biocontrol workshop at Lincoln.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand

    P. J. Gerard

  2. Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln, 8140, New Zealand

    J. R. F. Barringer & S. V. Fowler

  3. Plant & Food Research Limited, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand

    J. G. Charles, J. M. Kean & G. P. Walker

  4. AgResearch, PO Box 60, Linn, 8140, New Zealand

    C. B. Phillips

  5. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 14901, Wellington, New Zealand

    A. B. Tait

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  1. P. J. Gerard
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  2. J. R. F. Barringer
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  3. J. G. Charles
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  4. S. V. Fowler
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Correspondence to P. J. Gerard.

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Gerard, P.J., Barringer, J.R.F., Charles, J.G. et al. Potential effects of climate change on biological control systems: case studies from New Zealand. BioControl 58, 149–162 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-012-9480-0

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