Abstract Coptoborus ochromactonus (Smith and Cognato) is one of the most common and important pests of balsa, Ochroma pyramidale (Cav. Ex Lam. Urb.), an economic pillar of the wood industry in Ecuador. Commercial balsa plantations have been expanded from humid to dry climate areas to limit insect damage, but basic knowledge is still lacking on the interaction of C. ochromactonus activity with variation in climate and plantation age. We investigated the effects of climate and host age on the seasonal flight activity of C. ochromactonus and its infestation rate and intensity, as well as the effect of age and individual infestation intensity on balsa dieback. Experiments were conducted in 1-, 2-, and 3-yr-old commercial balsa plantations located in areas of humid or dry climates. Seasonal flight activity (monitored with baited traps) differed between study sites and seasons. Increased flight activity was significantly correlated with higher relative humidity, higher mean temperature, and reduced precipitation during the dry season in the humid site and with increased mean and minimum temperature and increased precipitation during the rainy season in the dry site. Infestation rates by C. ochromactonus significantly increased with plantation age, especially in the humid site. Intensity of individual infestations (measured as number of successful insect entry holes per tree) was significantly influenced by both climate and plantation age, and it was particularly severe on 3-yr-old trees in the dry site. Percentage of foliage loss significantly increased with infestation intensity. Overall, our results can be relevant for devising preventive measures and suitable management strategies for this emerging pest in Ecuadorian wood plantations.

中文翻译：

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气候和寄主年龄对厄瓜多尔商业轻木种植园中 Coptoborus ochromactonus（鞘翅目：Curculionidae：Scolytinae）的飞行活动、侵染百分比和强度的影响

摘要 Coptoborus ochromactonus (Smith and Cognato) 是厄瓜多尔木材工业的经济支柱——轻木Ochroma pyramidale (Cav. Ex Lam. Urb.) 中最常见和最重要的害虫之一。商业轻木种植园已从潮湿气候区扩展到干燥气候区以限制昆虫损害，但仍然缺乏关于 C. ochromactonus 活动与气候和种植园年龄变化的相互作用的基础知识。我们调查了气候和寄主年龄对 C. ochromactonus 季节性飞行活动及其侵染率和强度的影响，以及年龄和个体侵染强度对轻木枯死的影响。试验在位于潮湿或干燥气候地区的 1 年、2 年和 3 年历史的商业轻木种植园中进行。季节性飞行活动（用诱饵陷阱监测）在研究地点和季节之间有所不同。增加的飞行活动与较高的相对湿度、较高的平均温度和湿润地区旱季降水减少显着相关，与旱季平均和最低温度增加以及雨季降水增加显着相关。C. ochromactonus 的侵染率随着种植年龄的增加而显着增加，尤其是在潮湿的地方。个体侵染的强度（以每棵树的成功昆虫进入孔数衡量）受气候和种植年龄的显着影响，在干旱地区的 3 年生树上尤为严重。叶子损失的百分比随着侵染强度显着增加。全面的，