Investigating beetle communities in and around entry points can improve surveillance at national and international scale

By

Mas, Hugo
Santoiemma, Giacomo
Lencina, José Luis
Gallego, Diego
Pérez-Laorga, Eduardo
Ruzzier, Enrico
Rassati, Davide

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

85

Pages

145--165

Subjects

baited traps , Coleoptera , early-detection , insect invasions , nonnative species

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.85.103904

 

Abstract

Beetles are commonly moved among continents with international trade. Baited traps set up in and around entry points are commonly used to increase chances of early-detection of incoming species and complement visual inspections. A still underestimated benefit of this surveillance approach is the high number and diversity of collected bycatch species. In this study, we exploited a multiyear surveillance program carried out with baited traps at five Spanish ports and their surrounding natural areas to investigate i) the importance of identifying bycatch to more promptly detect nonnative species belonging to non-target groups; ii) patterns of native and nonnative species richness and abundance inside the port areas vs. surrounding natural areas; iii) the occurrence of spillover events between natural areas surrounding ports and the port areas, and iv) whether the native species most commonly introduced into other countries are more abundant in port areas than in surrounding natural areas. A total of 23,538 individuals from 206 species representing 33 families were collected. The number and taxonomic diversity of the 26 bycatch nonnative beetle species testified that the identification of these unintentionally trapped species can provide additional information on ongoing invasions. Patterns of spillover and native species richness and abundance in port areas vs. surrounding natural areas highlighted a differential ability of different beetle families to colonize port areas. Finally, native species most commonly introduced into other countries were more abundant in port areas than in their surroundings, while the opposite trend occurred for native species that have not been introduced elsewhere. Our study highlighted that the use of traps baited with generic attractants can aid in early-detection of nonnative beetle species, and that the identification of native species can provide useful information on the risk of introduction in other countries.