An exploratory survey of long horn beetle damage on the dryland flagship tree species Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst

Negussie, Aklilu; Gebrehiwot, Kindeya; Yohannes, Mekonnen; Aynekulu, Ermias; Manjur, Belay; Norgrove, Lindsey (2018). An exploratory survey of long horn beetle damage on the dryland flagship tree species Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst Journal of Arid Environments, 152, pp. 6-11. Elsevier 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2018.01.011

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Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst, a flagship tree species in the drylands of Ethiopia, is of high ecological, economic and social value. Recent work has shown that a wood-boring beetle is threatening its survival. In situ and ex situ studies were carried out to study the biology and damage associated with the insect in the dry lowlands of Northern Ethiopia. The beetle's life cycle, biology, and population were studied for 10 months. The mortality of B. papyrifera trees due to the wood-boring beetle was assessed in two land management systems (managed and unmanaged) in 64 (400 m2) randomly allocated plots in Boswellia woodlands of Central and Western Tigray. The beetle was identified as Idactus spinipennis Gahan. Average annual tree mortality attributed to I. spinipennis was up to 7% and 8% ha−1 for Central and Western Tigray, respectively. I. spinipennis has a detrimental effect on the succession of Boswellia woodlands, causing resource loss and fragmentation. Estimated average losses in Central Tigray were 45.7 kg frankincense ha−1 (US $137.1 ha-1) and 26.9 kg frankincense ha−1 (US $80.6 ha-1) from unmanaged and managed Boswellia woodlands, respectively. Hence immediate management interventions are required to reduce ecological and economic loss of the Boswellia woodland.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL > Resource-efficient agricultural production systems School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL > HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL > Agriculture
Name:	Negussie, Aklilu; Gebrehiwot, Kindeya; Yohannes, Mekonnen; Aynekulu, Ermias; Manjur, Belay and Norgrove, Lindsey
Subjects:	Q Science > QK Botany Q Science > QL Zoology
ISSN:	01401963
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	David Zimmer
Date Deposited:	03 Sep 2019 09:16
Last Modified:	22 Sep 2020 07:35
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.jaridenv.2018.01.011
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Frankincense tree; Dryland; Insect; Idactus spinipennis; Exclosure; Open grazing; Ethiopia
ARBOR DOI:	10.24451/arbor.8117
URI:	https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/8117