Landscape diversity facilitates population growth and abundance of polyphagous Lygus pratensis in cotton fields of northern Xinjiang

Abstract

Polyphagous insect pests are highly sensitive to landscape changes, making it essential to assess their responses across various landscapes to support regional and sustainable pest management. Lygus pratensis, a typical polyphagous pest, reaches high densities during the cotton flowering period in Xinjiang, reducing cotton yield and quality. We monitored its populations in 36 cotton fields in northern Xinjiang in 2021 and 2023. Landscape composition and configuration were quantified within 0.5–2.0 km buffers using GIS, and multi-scale models were used to evaluate their effects on abundance and population growth rate. The Shannon diversity index (SHDI) was positively associated with population growth rate at 0.5–1.5 km and with abundance at 1.0–2.0 km, whereas cotton proportion, noncrop habitats, and edge density exhibited no significant effects. These results suggest that more diverse landscapes facilitate access to host plants and refuges, thereby promoting population growth. This highlights the importance of incorporating landscape context into regional ecological pest management.

Keywords

ecological regulation / landscape diversity / Lygus pratensis / polyphagous pest / population growth

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