KMLA, which is located in Hoengsung, contains a huge insect fauna of diverse taxons. The insect survey that I started last year, revealed total 4 species of invasive insect in KMLA campus. The 4 species are: Rice water weevil(Issorhoptrus oryzophilus), Citrus flatid planthopper (Metcalfa pruinosa), Chrysanthemum lace bug(Corythucha marmorata), and Western conifer seed bug(Leptoglossus occidentalis). As I researched about them, it revealed that all four species originate from North america, and most of them are introduced to Korean fauna very recently. Citrus flatid planthopper: 2009, Chrysanthemum lace bug: 2011, Western conifer seed bug: 2010. They were introduced to korea only 10 years ago, and they had became a major agricultural pest in most part of Korea. Luckily, plant population in KMLA campus hadn't much damaged by those insects. Why?
I personally assume that the invasive species found in KMLA originates from nearby rice paddy and farms. Since all 4 invasive insect have their host plant which are mostly crops, it is reasonable to think that they had introduced to local fauna via agricultural means, and spread out to nearby plants.
Most insects have their specific host plants therefore if some plant population boom, it is likely that the insect which feds on them can also increase in number and becomes serious problem. So, some insects can thrive in environment which have considerable amount of their host plant, such as farms. The reason why the invasives does not increase in number in KMLA is that the plant population in the campus have a great biodiversity and the number of plants are in a balanced state that it is hard for one species of plant to incerase in number, which can lead to incerase of insect number.
You forgot a 5th species of invasive pest - studiosus hominum. They are pesky indeed, and run amok over the campus.
답글삭제