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Using qualitative food webs to predict species at risk of indirect effects from a proposed biological control agent

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Abstract

Indirect effects of biological control agents (BCAs) are difficult to assess because they are mediated through the complex connections between species within the ecological community. Being able to visualise such complex connections by constructing qualitative food webs could greatly enhance our ability to predict indirect effects that could then be evaluated through empirical studies or modelling. Qualitative food webs were constructed for two case studies of entomophagous BCAs using the existing literature on invertebrate consumer relationships and status (e.g., as pest or rare species). We suggest that these webs can reduce uncertainty around the species that may be at risk, can predict species that perhaps should be monitored post-release, or identify knowledge gaps on species and their feeding relationships prior to the release of a BCA. Thus, these webs may be useful for those who need to consider the potential indirect risks of BCAs when making decisions about the release of a BCA into new regions.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Melanie Davidson and Gonzalo Avila for their useful comments on draft versions of this manuscript, and also the anonymous reviewers as part of the peer-review process. We are also extremely grateful to Donna Gibson for producing the figures.

Funding

This study was funded by the New Zealand Government as part of the Better Border Biosecurity (B3) (https://www.b3nz.org.nz/) research collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand

    Jacqui H. Todd & Brittany M. Pearce

  2. Invermay Agricultural Centre, AgResearch, Private Bag 50034, Mosgiel, 9053, New Zealand

    Barbara I. P. Barratt

  3. Better Border Biosecurity (http://www.b3nz.org), Lincoln, New Zealand

    Jacqui H. Todd & Barbara I. P. Barratt

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  1. Jacqui H. Todd
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  2. Brittany M. Pearce
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  3. Barbara I. P. Barratt
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Correspondence to Jacqui H. Todd.

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There were no human or animal participants in this study.

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Handling Editor: Debora Pires Paula.

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Todd, J.H., Pearce, B.M. & Barratt, B.I.P. Using qualitative food webs to predict species at risk of indirect effects from a proposed biological control agent. BioControl 66, 45–58 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-020-10038-7

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