Skip to main content

Why do droughts often result in devastating insect epidemics? The African armyworm, Spodoptera exempta, as an example

  • Conference paper
Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Insect-Plant Relationships

Part of the book series: Series Entomologica ((SENT,volume 49))

Abstract

Insect outbreaks can either be caused by a sudden change in the environment of an insect or by changes in the intrinsic genetic or physiological properties of individual organisms in a population (Berryman, 1987). Drought has long been recognized as an important factor in causing outbreaks. Two different situations can be distinguished in the drought-outbreak relationship: one in which outbreaks develop on plants that are being stressed by drought, and one in which outbreaks develop on unstressed plants that have recently been stressed by drought.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Berryman, A.A. (1987). The theory and classification of outbreaks. In: P. Barbosa & J.C. Schultz (eds), Insect Outbreaks, pp. 3–30. San Diego: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birch, H.F. (1959). Further observations on humus decomposition and nitrification. Pl. Soil 11: 262–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, E.S. (1962). The African army worm Spodoptera exempta (Walker) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae): a review of the literature. London: Commonwealth Institute of Entomology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcovitch, S. (1957). Forecasting armyworm outbreaks - a possibility. J. Econ. Entomol. 50: 112–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattson, W.J. & R.A. Haack (1987). The role of drought stress in provoking outbreaks of phytophagous insects. In: P. Barbosa & J.C. Schultz (eds), Insect Outbreaks,pp. 365–407. San Diego: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald, G., K.P. Bryceson & R.A. Farrow (1990). The development of the 1983 outbreak of the common armyworm, Mythimna convecta, in Eastern Australia. J. appl. Ecol. 27: 1001–1019.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedgley, D.E., W.W. Page, A. Mushi, P. Odiyo, J. Amisi, C.F. Dewhurst, W.R. Dunstan, L.D.C. Fishpool, A.W. Harvey, T. Megenasa & D.J.W. Rose (1989). Onset and spread of an African armyworm upsurge. Ecol. Entomol. 14: 311–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhoades, D.F. (1985). Offensive-defensive interactions between herbivores and plants: their relevance in herbivore population dynamics and ecological theory. Am. Nat. 125: 205–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, T.C.R. (1984). The abundance of invertebrate herbivores in relation to the availability of nitrogen in stressed food plants. Oecologia 63: 90–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this paper

Cite this paper

Janssen, J. (1992). Why do droughts often result in devastating insect epidemics? The African armyworm, Spodoptera exempta, as an example. In: Menken, S.B.J., Visser, J.H., Harrewijn, P. (eds) Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Insect-Plant Relationships. Series Entomologica, vol 49. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1654-1_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1654-1_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4723-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-1654-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics