Apoyo al proyecto relacionado con el servicio ecosistémico de control biológico de plagas en caucho sabanero (Ficus americana Aubl.) en tres parques de Bogotá

Abstract

Urban trees provide multiple ecosystem services such as climate regulation, capture of particulate matter, improvement of the quality of the city landscape, and conservation of vertebrate and invertebrate biodiversity. However, urban trees are subject to multiple pressures such as environmental contamination, water stress, and mechanical damage to their organs, generating vulnerability to pests and pest-borne diseases. Bogota's urban tree population comprises native and introduced tree species. The species caucho sabanero Ficus americana Aubl. (MORACEAE), is widely distributed throughout the city, composing approximately 12% of the planted trees. Since the beginning of the establishment of the caucho sabanero, as ornamental species the city of Bogota, it has been severely affected by sap suckers, so it is of vital importance to seek solutions to the current problems of urban trees in Bogotá through research such as the one presented below. The study sampled 41 caucho sabanero trees during four months intended to compare the effect of the conditions where the trees grow (park versus sidewalk), on the abundance and diversity of associated insects, the regulation of pests by parasitoids and the phytosanitary state of the trees. As results, the abundance of herbivores and predators was higher in trees located on platforms than in parks and diversity of hervibores was higher in parks than in platforms, while not differences were observed in parasitoid and predator groups. Also, parasitism was observed in four species of scale insects and to a lesser extent in whitefly pupae, aphids and psyllids. Finally, regarding the phytosanitary status of the caucho sabanero trees, more than 50% of the trees sampled that are located on sidewalks are in categories with a high percentage of canopy damage, while 65% of the trees located in parks are in categories with a low percentage of canopy damage. Therefore, it is concluded that the location of trees in the city plays an important role in the dynamics of associated insects, factor that should be taken into account at the time of urban trees diversity and distribution planning, to better manage pest problems and to protect the beneficial diversity associated with them.