Local species-specific effect of trees and shrubs on the incidence of the millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)
Data files
Aug 07, 2025 version files 27.69 KB
-
dataset.csv
9.92 KB
-
moran_test.csv
567 B
-
R_code.qmd
13.52 KB
-
README.md
3.69 KB
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between crop pests, natural enemies, and semi-natural habitats in agricultural landscapes is crucial for developing ecology-based pest management in agroecosystems. In the present study, we investigated the local-scale species-specific effect of tree and shrub cover on the incidence and natural pest regulation of the millet head miner (MHM), Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis, and subsequent grain losses, in a tree-crop agroforestry system in Senegal. To this purpose, we monitored a network of 60 millet fields with variable tree and shrub species composition within a 50 m radius buffer around the center of the millet fields.
Baobabs (Adansonia digitata) and apple-ring acacias (Faidherbia albida) increased pest incidence and associated grain loss, likely by providing favorable microhabitats for MHM or limiting habitats for natural enemies, respectively. In contrast, soapberry trees (Balanites aegyptiaca) and, to a lesser extent, bushwillow shrubs (Combretum micranthum) increased natural pest regulation, but not enough to disrupt the relationship between crop colonization, pest incidence, and yield loss. Furthermore, Shannon’s diversity index had no measurable influence on pest dynamics, suggesting that species identity and functional traits are more important than diversity per se.
These findings underline the importance of careful woody species selection in agroforestry design strategy for optimizing the delivery of multiple ecosystem services by these trees and shrubs. Integrating tree functional traits, seasonal canopy dynamics, and spatial scale considerations is key to enhancing ecosystem services such as biological control in agroecological intensification.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.tqjq2bw9z
Description of the data and file structure
These data were collected as part of a research project to assess the specific local effect of trees and shrubs on the incidence of the millet leafminer, Heliocheilus albipunctella (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), in Senegal.
Two years of data collection were carried out on a network of 60 millet plots, in order to assess crop colonization, the incidence of the pest and associated grain losses, but also the components of its natural regulation (parasitism of eggs, larvae and index of biocontrol services). We also characterized the tree and shrub species around the millet plots monitored.
Files and variables
File: dataset.csv
Description: Database of two years of data collected on a network of 60 millet sampling plots in Senegal
Variables
- year: cropping year
- cluster: cluster ID
- id_plot: millet fields
- lon: longitude coordinates
- lat: latitude coordinates
- pestj0: Egg and first-instar larvae counting, as an indicator of “crop colonization".
- pestj18: Larva counting, as an indicator of “pest incidence” was performed 18 days later by the inspection of the entire panicle.
- egg_para: Egg parasitism rate (possibly % or count)
- larv_para: Larval parasitism rate
- bsi: biocontrol sevice index
- yloss0: grain loss
- Acacia_mellifera: area covered by "Acacia mellifera"
- Acacia_nilotica: area covered by "Acacia nilotica"
- Acacia_senegal: area covered by "Acacia_senegal"
- Acacia_seyal: area covered by "Acacia_seyal"
- Adansonia_digitata: area covered by "Adansonia_digitata"
- Anogeissus_leiocarpa: area covered by "Anogeissus_leiocarpa"
- Azadirachta_indica: area covered by "Azadirachta_indica"
- Balanites_aegyptiaca: area covered by "Balanites_aegyptiaca"
- Bauhinia_rufescens: area covered by "Bauhinia_rufescens"
- Borassus_aethiopum: area covered by "Borassus_aethiopum"
- Celtis_toka: area covered by "Celtis_toka"
- Combretum_micranthum: area covered by "Combretum_micranthum"
- Combretum_paniculatum: area covered by "Combretum_paniculatum"
- Euphorbia_balsamifera: area covered by "Euphorbia_balsamifera"
- Faidherbia_albida: area covered by "Faidherbia_albida"
- Gmelina_arborea: area covered by "Gmelina_arborea"
- Guiera_senegalensis: area covered by "Guiera_senegalensis"
- Jatropha_curcas: area covered by "Jatropha_curcas"
- Moringa_oleifera: area covered by "Moringa_oleifera"
- Piliostigma_reticulatum: area covered by "Piliostigma_reticulatum"
- Prosopis_juliflora: area covered by "Prosopis_juliflora"
- Senna_singueana: area covered by "Senna_singueana"
- Tamarindus_indica: area covered by "Tamarindus_indica"
- Ziziphus_mauritiana: area covered by "Ziziphus_mauritiana"
- H_Shannon: Tree and shrubs species H' Shannon diversity
File: R_code.qmd
Description: File containing R codes in .qmd format used for data analysis, (i) spatial autocorrelation test, (ii) variable selection with PLS regression, (iii) and modeling of interactions between tree and shrub species abundance and diversity and the incidence of MHM and its natural regulation.
File: moran_test.csv
Description: Dataset used to test spatial autocorrelation by clustering using Moran's I test. The descriptions of variables are same as above.
Variables
- cluster:
- lon:
- lat:
- pestj0:
- pestj18:
- egg_para: Egg parasitism rate
- larv_para: Larval parasitism rate
- bsi:
- yloss0:
Code/software
R software version v.4.4.0