Considering climate change impact on the global potential geographical distribution of the invasive Argentine ant and little fire ant.

The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) and the little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) are among the top 100 invasive alien species globally, causing significant ecological and economic harm. Therefore, it is crucial to study their potential geographic distribution worldwide. This study aimed to predict their global distribution under current and future climate conditions. We used distribution data from various sources, including CABI, GBIF, and PIAKey, and key climate variables selected from 19 environmental factors to model their potential geographic distribution using MaxEnt. The AUC values were 0.925 and 0.937 for L. humile and W. auropunctata, respectively, indicating good predictive performance. Suitable areas for L. humile were mainly in southern North America, northern South America, Europe, central Asia, southern Oceania, and parts of Africa, while W. auropunctata suitable areas were mostly in southern North America, most of South America, a small part of Europe, southern Asia, central Africa, and some parts of Oceania. Under climate change scenario, suitable areas for L. humile increased, while highly suitable areas for W. auropunctata decreased. The top four countries with the largest areas of overlapping suitable habitat under current climate were Brazil, China, Australia, and Argentina, while under future SSP585 climate scenario, the top four countries were Brazil, China, Indonesia, and Argentina. Some countries, such as Estonia and Finland, will see an overlapping adaptation area under climate change. In conclusion, this study provides insight into controlling the spread and harm of L. humile and W. auropunctata.

Daily activity patterns and body temperature of the Oriental migratory locust, Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen), in natural habitat.

Current pest management techniques would benefit from understanding the behavioural rhythms of the target pest and its body temperature, a critical aspect not well studied and potentially limiting the effectiveness of biopesticides under natural conditions. This study aims 1) to understand under natural conditions the behavioural patterns of different stages of hoppers and adults of Locusta migratoria manilensis and 2) to identify the environmental factors modulating their body temperature through field observation. We carried out an intensive field sampling in two of the main locust breeding regions in China, recording the body temperature (day and night), morphological traits (stage, sex and size) and microhabitat of 953 individuals. The results revealed that locusts preferred the ground as their main activity subhabitat, particularly for hoppers. Adults tended to move upper in the reed canopy at two peaks (10-11 h and 14-15 h). Locusts body temperature during daytime increased with development stage and size, while the opposite pattern occurred during night time. Entompathogenic fungi are more effective if the body temperature of the target pest is in a proper range without too high or too low. Application of biopesticides should focus on younger locusts spraying in the morning or at dusk as the locusts have lower body temperatures.

A nationwide survey on the endosulfan residues in Chinese cotton field soil: Occurrence, trend, and ecological risk.

The nationwide occurrence of endosulfan residues in cotton fields has not yet been investigated. Therefore, in this study, 202 surface soil samples from 27 cities were collected from cotton fields in 8 major cotton-planting provinces of China, covering more than 97% of the national cotton sown area. The results showed that endosulfan residues were detected in cotton fields throughout the country. The main type of residue found was endosulfan sulfate (ES-sulfate), followed by ß-endosulfan and α-endosulfan, with average concentrations of 0.475, 0.129, and 0.048 µg/kg, respectively. Significant spatial variations in the endosulfan residues was noted, and the highest concentration of endosulfan residues was observed in the northwest inland cotton-growing area, followed by that in the Yellow River basin and Yangtze River basin cotton-growing areas. The endosulfan residues showed significant positive correlations with soil organic matter and soil clay contents. The α/ß endosulfan ratio was determined to be in the range of 0.02-1.20, indicating that endosulfan residues originated from the endosulfan application performed in historical cotton cultivation efforts. Together with the literature data, the concentrations of α-endosulfan and ß-endosulfan residues peaked in 2015 and 2017, respectively, and showed an overall decreasing trend from 2002 to 2021. The results of the ecological risk assessment suggested that Folsomia candida was most sensitive to endosulfan residues, with 20.8% of the sites presenting a high risk. However, in general, the soil ecological risk of cotton fields across the country was low. Our study demonstrated that China has achieved promising results in controlling the use and pollution of endosulfan, especially after 2014.

Concentrations, distribution, and risk assessment of endosulfan residues in the cotton fields of northern Xinjiang, China.

In the current study, surface soil samples were collected from cotton fields in Shawan and Shihezi areas in northern Xinjiang and tested for endosulfan residues using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results showed endosulfan sulfate was the predominant compound in the surface soil studied, followed by ß-endosulfan and α-endosulfan with detection rates of 86.9%, 55.7%, and 49.2%, respectively, for the 61 soil samples collected. The average concentrations of endosulfan sulfate, α-endosulfan, and ß-endosulfan were 0.743, 0.166, and 0.073 µg/kg, respectively. The ratios of α-/ß-endosulfan were below 2.33 in all samples tested, suggesting no new endosulfan was added to the soil and the presence of endosulfan residues in this region was due to historical application in the past. According to the health risk assessment model recommended by the USA Environmental Protection Agency, the health risk of endosulfan residues in the studied area was low, and the maximum values of noncarcinogenic risks for children and adults were 2.30 × 10-5 and 2.70 × 10-6, respectively. Folsomia candida was the most sensitive organism to total endosulfan residues, with 38% of the total sampling sites classified as high risk. For earthworms, the proportion of high risk site was 13%. Lactuca sativa was the most tolerant organism to ∑ESs, with all sampling sites identified as negligible risk. This study provided current status of endosulfan residues and related risk in cotton fields, which could be used to support decision makers to prepare relevant regulations.