Abstract

Plants that become invasive outside their native range often benefit from the absence of their native-range herbivores. Ficus microcarpa is a widely-planted Asian–Australasian species of fig tree that has become invasive in parts of its introduced range. As in most places where it is planted, the pollinator of F. microcarpa has been introduced to Cyprus, together with at least six other Asian fig wasp species. We recorded the other insects feeding on the leaves, buds and stems of this fig tree in southern Cyprus. Eight sap-sucking insects were recorded, and one leaf-galling species, with some present at high frequencies and densities. The insects were a mix of introduced polyphagous species and introduced F. microcarpa specialists. They included the first European record of the fig leaf galling psyllid Trioza brevigenae, which was described from India. Ficus microcarpa has not escaped from its native-range phytophages, but they appear to be free of their own specialist parasitoids and predators. The result is a herbivore load than may be comparable with what the plant experiences in its countries of origin. This is likely to reduce the invasiveness of F. microcarpa, but at the same time makes the plant a less attractive option for future planting.

中文翻译：

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无法逃脱：塞浦路斯引进的无花果树的大多数昆虫定居者都来自该植物的原生地

摘要

在其自然范围以外侵入的植物通常会因缺乏其自然范围的草食动物而受益。无花果榕是一种广泛种植于亚洲-澳大利亚的无花果树种，已在其部分引进范围内具入侵性。像在大多数种植地一样，微型果皮传粉者的传粉者已经与至少其他六种亚洲无花果黄蜂一起被引入塞浦路斯。我们记录了以塞浦路斯南部无花果树的叶子，芽和茎为食的其他昆虫。记录了八种吸吮树液的昆虫，以及一种啮齿动物，其中一些以高频率和高密度存在。昆虫是引入的多食性物种和引入的小果木香的混合物。专家。它们包括印度最早记载的无花果叶木虱木虱Trioza brevigenae的欧洲记录。榕果没有逃脱其本地范围的噬菌体，但它们似乎没有它们自己的专门寄生物和捕食者。结果是食草动物的负载量可能与该植物在其原产国所经历的相当。这可能是减少的侵袭F.叶榕，但在同一时间，使厂未来种植不太有吸引力的选择。