New研究inAgronomyreveals that during a recent upsurge of locusts in the Horn of Africa, the use of traditional insecticides harmed local bird and honeybee populations. But Somalia selected a treatment option that can control swarms while protecting human health and wildlife. The results suggest a path toward sustainable locust management.
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) describes the Desert Locust as “the most destructive migratory pest in the world.” In a single day, their mobile swarms can consume the与35,000人相同的食物威胁粮食安全和农业生产者的生计。
研究论文重点介绍埃塞俄比亚和索马里，最近经历了the most extreme infestation of locusts in 25 yearsaccording to the World Bank, and Kenya, which saw the worst outbreak in more than 70 years. In these countries “the massive invasions of [the Desert Locust] overwhelmed existing control capabilities,” the authors state.
随着群落的激增，埃塞俄比亚和肯尼亚对分类为有机磷酸盐和拟除虫菊酯的杀虫剂的应用做出了反应。尽管这些控制剂可以成功地迅速杀死蝗虫，但西部非洲的过去表现表明，在几周之内可能会重新侵略。
These chemicals are also known groundwater pollutants and soil contaminants. The authors note that during the recent locust invasion, limited monitoring of the environmental impact of insecticide application occurred. But, they add, it is safe to assume “negative environmental side effects” that “were widespread but remained largely unreported.”
The paper estimates that spraying of these chemicals led to the mortality of “thousands” of birds and the displacement of tens of thousands. And in Ethiopia—十大天然蜂蜜生产国之一in the world, according to research from Injibara University—honey production declined by as much as 75 percent. This is due to honeybee deaths, a reduction in honeybee lifespan, and delayed development caused by the insecticide treatment.
TMG的创始人兼董事总经理亚历山大·穆勒（AlexanderMüller）告诉《可持续发展储罐》（Think Tank）告诉食品储罐：“与2019年至2022年的沙漠蝗虫爆发的战斗与毁灭性的沙漠蝗虫爆发造成了很高的成本。”w88优德老虎机平台穆勒（Müller）是该论文的合着者，继续说：“蜂蜜生产商的收入损失估计约为5亿美元。对环境服务损失（授粉）的最初真实成本分析高15倍！这个问题出现了这个行动的生物多样性，尤其是昆虫。”
相比之下，索马里对蝗虫群的反应包括被称为生物杀菌剂metarhizium acridum有希望的结果。作者指出，治疗导致群体在几天之内崩解，更重要的是，蝗虫失去了食欲。经过彻底测试，M. Acridumalso “protects the environment and human health” unlike organophosphates, according to the researchers.
进行治疗M. Acridumeven more effective, however, the paper recommends combining the response with another intervention: predator birds.
While a bird’s consumption of locusts can vary by season or geography, they can slash locust populations by as much as 50 percent in 17 days. Though promising on its own, the application ofM. Acridum实际上可以进一步减少蝗虫种群。受生物杀菌剂影响的蝗虫倾向于在阳光下移动到农作物的顶部。一旦暴露了蝗虫，鸟类就可以更容易地找到它们，从而进一步降低了蜂群的大小。
作者发现使用M. Acridum，无论是单独还是与捕食者鸟类结合使用，最有效地作为早期的控制手段。
穆勒告诉食品坦克说：“我们需要一种创新的预警系统和更好的早期行动，以使对蝗虫和其他害虫和疾病的斗争更加有效，对人们和环境危险。”w88优德老虎机平台“（政府间气候变化小组）警告我们，气候变化将使这种爆发更加频繁，并会改变风险的传播。”
And if utilized correctly, the authors conclude, the paper’s recommended approach can manage locusts “before they develop to threaten crops, pastures, and ultimately livelihoods.”
像您刚刚阅读的文章一样，可以通过食品坦克成员的慷慨大方来成为可能。w88优德老虎机平台我们可以指望您成为我们不断发展的运动的一部分吗？立即单击此处成为会员。
Photo Courtesy of Nicolas Lindsay, Unsplash
