Developments in the European parasitoid community of Dryocosmus kuriphilus

Abstract

The invasive gallwasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus was first detected in Italy in 2002, although likely to have initially arrived in the late 90s. Its ability to utilise sweet chestnut species non-native to its original Chinese range has allowed it to spread rapidly, and throughout Europe via European sweet chestnut Castanea sativa. Given the severity of its impact on C. sativa crop production, particularly in Mediterranean countries, previous studies have aimed to assess damage levels caused by D. kuriphilus, the efficacy of and potential non-target effects of the introduced biocontrol agent Torymus sinensis, and the possibility of regulation by native parasitoids. As yet a broad overview and analytical synthesis of these native parasitoid communities are absent. This review focuses on important aspects of the D. kuriphilus invasion. In particular, the invasion history and currently known distribution of D. kuriphilus, and several aspects of its associated parasitoid community. For native species to plausibly suppress D. kuriphilus, we might expect rates of parasitoid attack to increase with establishment time as native populations adapt to exploit the new resource, and this is a key focus of the review. We answer the following questions: 1) What is the distribution of D. kuriphilus in Europe, and has D. kuriphilus fully utilised the available niche space within its 20+ years in Europe? 2) Which species of native parasitoids attack D. kuriphilus in Europe and what are their ecological characteristics? 3) How consistent is the parasitoid community of D. kuriphilus across its range, and are there signs of convergence over time? 4) What effect does establishment time have on the species richness and abundance of parasitoid communities? We report the following: 1) D. kuriphilus has expanded its range throughout Europe and is present in nearly every major region where sweet chestnut is present. Native and non-native naturalised chestnut forests may be less susceptible to invasion than areas of industry due to differing socioeconomic and ecological factors, though areas with large chestnut industries also tend to be in the most heavily forested areas in the non-native range of sweet chestnut. D. kuriphilus has reportedly been eradicated from some countries, and effectively eradicated in a number of countries implementing biocontrol with T. sinensis, although successive invasions from neighbouring regions are still possible, and eradication may be transient. 2) 72 parasitoid species are identified attacking D. kuriphilus in Europe (far more species than any other gallwasp in the Western Palearctic). Its members are predominantly oak gallwasp parasitoids (82% of species), followed by gall-specialists of different host plants, leaf miner parasitoids and a minority of others with differing host life stages and ecologies. Parasitoids attacking D. kuriphilus are dominated by idiobiont ectoparasitoids of the superfamily Chalcidoidea (>96%). 3) The parasitoid community is highly variable, both temporally and spatially, although the vast proportion (>95%) of parasitoids at any one time are composed of locally common generalist oak gall parasitoids. The most common members include Bootanomyia dorsalis, Eupelmus urozonus, Eurytoma brunniventris, Mesopolobus sericeus and Torymus flavipes. 4) The length of establishment time has minimal effect on the species richness, abundance, and composition of the community, suggesting that regulation by natives, if it occurs, may take longer than the 20+ years that D. kuriphilus has persisted. While little evidence of increasing parasitoid attack of D. kuriphilus is apparent, we exercise caution by stating that the heterogeneity in available data are large, and that common biocontrol interventions using T. sinensis interrupt the natural process of community development dramatically. D. kuriphilus has been present in Europe for nearly three decades and few localities have repeated years of data collection. Even fewer studies have communities with establishment times exceeding ten years. Proper biocontrol by natives may not occur within short timeframes, although studies of other gallwasp invaders find similar results over periods exceeding 40 years. Given that many countries have chosen to implement T. sinensis for biocontrol, the focus may be better spent monitoring native gall communities for potential non-target effects.