Abstract
Tropical dry forests are threatened by invasive species. In Puerto Rican dry forests, two of these invasive species are the Harrisia cactus mealybug Hypogeococcus sp. (HCM), a member of the H. pungens-complex (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), and the liana Jasminum fluminense (Oleaceae). Here, we aim to determine the effects of HCM and J. fluminense on the flower and fruit production of Pilosocereus royenii and on the short-term mortality of the native columnar (P. royenii and Stenocereus fimbriatus), semi-epiphytic (Selenicereus trigonus and Leptocereus quadricostatus), and globular (Melocactus intortus) cacti of Puerto Rico. To assess HCM infestation, we created a numerical infestation index with six categories, ranging from uninfested and healthy, to heavily infested cacti (0–5) based on the number and size of tumors. Flower and fruit production of P. royenii was observed at three sites, while the survival of all cactus species was observed at twelve sites for 2 years. Mortality of all cacti species increased with severe HCM infestation. Mortality was highest in M. intortus, and lowest in St. fimbriatus and L. quadricostatus. Mortality of P. royenii was negatively correlated to precipitation, and positively to HCM and liana infestation. Individuals of P. royenii that were heavily infested with both HCM and lianas were more likely to die than healthy cacti only infested with lianas, while P. royenii flower and fruit production was negatively correlated only with HCM infestation. This suggests that J. fluminense becomes a better competitor during dry periods when P. royenii is infested with HCM. While other members of the H. pungens-complex are considered biocontrol agents in places where columnar cacti are not native, this study demonstrates that HCM species found in Puerto Rican dry forests could potentially decrease the biodiversity of these cacti in their native habitats.
Resumen
Los bosques secos tropicales están amenazados por especies invasoras. En los bosques secos puertorriqueños, dos de estas especies invasoras son la chinche harinosa Hypogeococcus sp. (HCM), miembro del complejo de especies en H. pungens (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), y la liana Jasminum fluminense (Oleaceae). Nuestro objetivo es determinar los efectos de HCM y J. fluminense en la producción de flores y frutos de P. royenii y en la mortalidad a corto plazo de las cactáceas columnares (P. royenii y Stenocereus fimbriatus), semi-epífitas (Selenicereus trigonus y Leptocereus quadricostatus) y un cactus globular (Melocactus intortus), todas nativas o endémicas de Puerto Rico. Para evaluar la infestación de HCM, creamos un índice de infestación numérica con seis categorías, desde cactáceas no infestadas y sanas hasta severamente infestadas (de 0 a 5) según la cantidad y el tamaño de los tumores causados por HCM. Se observó la producción de flores y frutos de P. royenii en tres lugares, mientras que la supervivencia de todas las especies de cactus se observó en doce sitios durante dos años. La mortalidad de todas las cactáceas incrementó a mayor era la severidad de infestación por HCM. La mortalidad más alta fue la de M. intortus, mientras que las de St. fimbriatus y L. quadricostatus fueron las más bajas. La mortalidad de P. royenii estuvo relacionada con la precipitación, la infestación de HCM y lianas. Individuos de P. royenii severamente infestados con HCM y lianas tienen una mayor probabilidad de morir que los individuos sanos, mientras que la reducción en producción de flores y frutos en P. royenii fue atribuida únicamente a la infestación con HCM, incluso en índices de infestación bajos. Esto sugiere que J. fluminense tiende a ser un mejor competidor durante los períodos de sequía cuando P. royenii está infestado con HCM. Mientras que otros miembros del complejo de H. pungens representan un agente de remediación en lugares donde las cactáceas columnares no son nativas, este estudio confirma que el HCM encontrado en Puerto Rico representa una amenaza a la biodiversidad donde las cactáceas están ocurriendo en sus hábitats nativos.
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Acknowledgements
This research would not have been possible without the field and technical assistance of Wilmarie Plaza-Muñíz, Juan G. Garcia-Cancel, Jesús Seguí, Robert McPhail, Christian Millan, Saely Rosado, Carmen O. Martínez-Almodóvar, Ana M. Caraballo-Martínez, Joe Caraballo-López, Fernando Carrera-Caraballo, Amanda Ocasio-Caraballo, Alejandra Malavé-Caraballo, Edgardo R. Vélez-Ruiz and Karina Toro. Thanks to Omar Monsegur, Oscar Díaz, Wetsy Cordero, Eloy Martínez-Rivera, and Carlos Casanova, for providing access to lands and to Jeanine Velez, Omar Monsegur and Jarrod M. Thaxton for helping with the initial identification of cacti. We are also thankful for the text revisions by Ellie Fowler, Melanie K. Taylor, Jo Ann López-Santana and Andrea Swan, and the suggestions of two anonymous reviewers that greatly improved the manuscript. We give a special thanks to Carmen O. Martínez-Almodóvar & Raul R. Carrera-Montalvo for providing the necessary funding to conduct the research.
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Carrera-Martínez, R., Aponte-Díaz, L.A., Ruiz-Arocho, J. et al. The effects of the invasive Harrisia cactus mealybug (Hypogeococcus sp.) and exotic lianas (Jasminum fluminense) on Puerto Rican native cacti survival and reproduction. Biol Invasions 21, 3269–3284 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-019-02046-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-019-02046-1
Keywords
- Flower and fruit production
- Hypogeococcus
- Invasion
- Tropical dry forests
- Plant–insect interaction
- Conservation