Geographical dispersion of ragweed leaf beetle (Ophraella communa) based on climatic and biological characters in the Palearctic habitats

摘要

Abstract The accidentally introduced ragweed leaf beetle (Ophraella communa) is a most promising biological control agent for common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), which herbivore has already emerged in several areas of the Palearctic region. The aim of our study was to model the expansion of O. communa and the number of generations in the various Palearctic regions. Furthermore, our objective was to determine the effect of the prevailing wind on the direction of its spread and to ascertain the relationship between the green biomass production of ragweed and individual numbers of this leaf beetle. According to our meta‐analytical findings, the advancement of O. communa is continuous in the Palearctic areas. This phytophagous insect invades new habitats, which are occupied by A. artemisiifolia, and spreads quickly. The stable populations of O. communa seem to be strictly linked to the presence of its primary host, A. artemisiifolia. We show that the rapid spread of this insect is due to the combination of wind direction and topography features, which was reinforced by our analysis. O. communa possesses uniformly multivoltine populations in its Palearctic habitats. So, insects possessing facultative diapause are able to colonize northern areas depending on the presence of their host, which statement is based on the processing of 143 East‐ and 68 West‐Palearctic records According to our investigations, the mass appearance of this phytophagous insect coincided with the assimilation peak of its main host, common ragweed.