Aphid Biodiversity under Environmental Change presents the results of recent research on aphid population dynamics and ecology relevant to current environmental changes resulting from global warming. It incorporates a selection of the contributions presented at the International Symposium on Aphids in Fremantle, Australia, in October 2005, plus some additional invited chapters. The objective was to incorporate the major issues in the field and simultaneously create a closely interrelated and integrated volume. The first chapter sets the scene. Kindlmann and Dixon present a critical review of existing models of aphid population dynamics, examine the biological assumptions that are incorporated in the models and present one of the latest models of aphid metapopulation dynamics.
They conclude that natural enemies are unlikely to affect aphid population dynamics late in a season, but in some years may have an effect very early in the season, when aphid colonies are still small and predators might be able to reduce the numbers of colonies. The question, whether aphids will move to different locations, adapt to the change in conditions in their current habitat or go extinct is discussed by Ameixa. She concludes that the distributions of aphids are most likely to change, with the distribution of each species moving globally as their preferred habitat moves in response to changes in the climate, which may be more difficult than in the past because of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss.
Pavel Kindlmann, Anthony F.G. Dixon and Jean-Paul Michaud: Preface
1. Pavel Kindlmann and Anthony F.G. Dixon: Modelling population dynamics of aphids and their natural enemies
2. Olga Ameixa: Aphids in a changing world
3. Richard Harrington and Suzanne Clark: Trends in the timings of the start and end of annual flight periods
4. Joan van Baaren, Cecile Le Lann and Jacques van Alphen: Consequences of climate change for aphid-based multi-trophic systems
5. Jean-Paul Michaud: Implications of climate change for cereal aphids on the great plains of North America
6. Jawwad A. Qureshi: Implications of climate change for Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy), a disease vector of citrus in Florida
7. Stephen L. Clement, Damon S. Husebye and Sanford D. Eigenbrode: Ecological factors influencing pea aphid outbreaks in the U.S. Pacific Northwest
8. Anthony F.G. Dixon and Graham W. Hopkins: Temperature, seasonal development and distribution of insects with particular reference to aphids
9. Helen E. Roy and Michael E.N. Majerus: Coccinellids in a changing world
10.Yannick Outreman, Grit Kunert, Jean-Christophe Simon and Wolfgang W. Weisser: Ecological costs of alarm signalling in aphids