Management of Sirex noctilio populations in exotic pine plantations: critical issues explaining invasion success and damage levels in South America

Abstract

Plantation forestry with non-native trees is steadily increasing in the southern hemisphere and alien pest problems are also accumulating, as a consequence of the growing international movement of people and goods. Here, we present an overview of studies on the ecology and on the control practices deployed against the European woodboring wasp Sirex noctilio, in South America. Management actions have been largely adopted from other southern hemisphere countries, although generally with very little local adaptation or critical evaluation of successes and failures. The knowledge acquired in South America allows us to look retrospectively at critical issues that explain woodwasp invasion success and damage levels, and to identify specific research areas that warrant further work. We emphasize the need of population ecology studies in both the invaded and native ranges, the development of specific sampling protocols, and detailed studies aimed at evaluating the role played by natural enemies in preventing large-scale population outbreaks. These demands may be generalized to the management of other invasive pests in plantation forestry with non-native trees in the southern hemisphere.