Location: Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research
Project Number: 2092-22430-003-012-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2018
End Date: Sep 29, 2022
Objective:
Objective 1: Identify invasive insect pests potentially found in British Colunbia (BC) green yard waste.
Objective 2: Quantify the risk of introduction of potential invasive insect pests from BC to Washington (WA) through green yard waste transportation pathway.
Objective 3: Assess the establishment and spread risk of potential invasive insect pests from BC to WA.
Objective 4: Compare and match the climatic conditions of green yard waste source sites with that of waste processing and receiving sites.
Approach:
We propose a collaborative research approach that involves personnel from the Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Wapato, Washington (WA), and from the Center for Sustainable Food Systems, University of British Colombia (UBC), Canada. Surveying and modeling are the two important approaches selected in this study. Surveying will be conducted to sample green yard wastes from Vancouver area. Representative samples will be collected from a minimum of three landfill facilities in British Columbia (BC) in 2018 and 2019. After receiving freezing treatment, the samples will be transported to USDA-ARS laboratory in Wapato, WA, for pest identification. Internal (USDA-ARS, Wapato) and external specialists will use molecular barcoding techniques to identify the insect pests. Moreover, detailed information on the range and distribution of invasive species present in BC will be compiled from secondary sources. The risk of introduction of invasive species from BC to WA will be analyzed using @Risk software. The process involves selecting a probability distribution that represents the identified pathway, using Monte Carlo simulations, and quantifying the risk of introduction. Establishment and spread risks will be assessed using Ecological Niche Modeling techniques (ENMs). Particularly CLIMEX and Maxent ENM approaches will be used to rank sites in terms of potential risks in WA. List the major tasks of the proposed project, the responsible party, and the timeline (1) Samples of green waste from at least three landfill facility locations in British Columbia will be collected and saved in bags and brought to a laboratory and frozen to kill all potential insects. After at least 1 month in storage (-20°C), samples will be sent to the USDA-ARS facility in Wapato, WA. (2) Samples will be sieved and all insects removed and frozen at -20°C. Responsible parties: BC cooperator and USDA-ARS; October 2018 to October 2020. (3) USDA-ARS in-house and external specialists will examine specimens and identify potential invasive insect pests. Responsible parties: USDA-ARS; October 2018 to October 2020.
(4) Based on identifications, the comprehensive biology of the different potential pests, in particular the thermal, moisture, and host plant requirements needed for optimal survival, will be gathered from the literature; responsible parties: USDA-ARS; October 2018 to October 2020.
(5) Risk assessment models for these insect species will then be constructed using Ecological Niche Modeling techniques, specifically CLIMEX and Maxent. responsible parties: USDA-ARS; October 2018 to October 2020.
(6) CLIMEX and Maxent will also be used to rank sites in terms of potential risks for WA; responsible parties: USDA-ARS; October 2018 to October 2020.
