creators_name: Hann, Patrick
creators_name: Grünbacher, Eva-Maria
creators_name: Trska, Claus
creators_name: Kromp, Bernhard
editors_name: Šarapatka, Bořivoj
editors_name: Samsonová, Pavlína
type: conference_item
datestamp: 2009-05-26
lastmod: 2009-08-20 14:43:07
metadata_visibility: show
title: Effects of climate change on the dispersion of white grub damages in the Austrian grassland
ispublished: pub
subjects: 8planthealth
full_text_status: public
keywords: grassland, white grub damage, climate change, drought, Austria
abstract: Recent changes in occurrence of agricultural pests in Austria might already reflect climate change phenomena. In this study, an inventory of white grub (Melolontha melolontha, Amphimallon solstitiale and Phyllopertha horticola) damages in Austrian grassland including organic cultivation was performed by questioning plant protection consultants of 74 Agricultural County Chambers. Altogether, a cumulated 14.800 hectares of white grub damages were recorded. From 2000 onwards, a steady increase of white grub damages occurred with a climax in the year of heat and drought 2003. The infested fields extended along the alpine main ridge from Vorarlberg up to the alpine foreland. Additionally, southern slopes of the Danube valley in Upper and Lower Austria were affected. Very likely, the damages were mainly due to the garden chafer P. horticola. From 2004 to 2006, the extent of damages decreased again all over Austria. By studying meteorological data, it became obvious that the damaged areas were mainly situated in regions with a strong precipitation deficit. On-farm investigations performed in 2007 strengthened the hypothesis that drought and elevated soil temperatures might be the decisive factors for a strong development of grub populations and subsequent feeding damages. Additionally, drought can increase the effects of grub damage by delaying the regeneration of the damaged sward. A strongly damaged sward on slopes can be dangerous for the farmers e.g. by slipping machines.
date: 2008
date_type: published
publication: Bioacademy 2008 - Proceedings. New developments in science and research on organic agriculture.
publisher: Bioinstitut, Křížkovského 8, 771 46 Olomouc, CZ
pagerange: 62-65
refereed: yes
referencetext: Grünbacher E.-M., Hann P., Trska C., Kromp B., Formayer H. (2007): Auswirkung des Klimawandels auf die Ausbreitung der Engerlingsschäden (Scarabeidae; Coleoptera) im österreichischen Grünland. Final report, http: //www.austroclim.at/index. php?id=startclim2006.

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Kromp-Kolb H. 2004. Die Landwirtschaft im globalen und regionalen Klimawandel. Bericht ALVA Jahrestagung 2004: 8–11.

Milne A. (1983): Fluctuation and natural control of animal population, as exemplified in the garden chafer Phylloperta horticola (L.). Proceedings of the Society of Edinburgh 82B: 145–199.

Schneeberger W., Eder M., Darnhofer I., Walla Ch., Zollitsch W. (2005): Biologischer Landbau in Österreich. Ländlicher Raum, BMLFUW, http: //www.wiso.boku.ac.at/fi leadmin/_/ H73/H733/pub/Biolandbau/2005_LuR_Schneeb.pdf, (accessed 2008-06-12).

Strasser H. (2004): Biocontrol of important soil-dwelling pests by improving the efficacy of insect pathogenetic fungi. Laimburg Journal 1(2): 236–241.

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citation: Hann, Dr. Patrick; Grünbacher, Mag. Eva-Maria; Trska, Mag. Claus and Kromp, Dr. Bernhard (2008) Effects of climate change on the dispersion of white grub damages in the Austrian grassland. Bioacademy 2008. New Developments in Science and Research on Organic Agriculture. 1st scientific conference within the framework of the 8th European summer academy on organic farming., Lednice na Moravě, Czech Republic, 3. - 5. September 2008. In: Šarapatka, Bořivoj and Samsonová, Pavlína (Eds.) Bioacademy 2008 - Proceedings. New developments in science and research on organic agriculture., Bioinstitut, Křížkovského 8, 771 46 Olomouc, CZ, pp. 62-65.
document_url: http://orgprints.org/15730/1/Grub_damages_Hann_et_al_2008.pdf