Responses by farmers to the apple snail invasion of Ecuador's rice fields and attitudes toward predatory snail kites

Horgan, FG; Felix, MI; Portalanza, DE; Sánchez, L; Moya Rios, WM; Farah, SE; Wither, JA; Andrade, CI; Espin, EB

Responses by farmers to the apple snail invasion of Ecuador's rice fields and attitudes toward predatory snail kites

Horgan, FG

Felix, MI Portalanza, DE Sánchez, L Moya Rios, WM Farah, SE Wither, JA Andrade, CI Espin, EB

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Crop Protection, 2014, 62 pp. 135 - 143
Issue Date:: 2014-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Horgan, FG https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3796-667X	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Felix, MI	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Portalanza, DE	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sánchez, L	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Moya Rios, WM	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Farah, SE	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Wither, JA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Andrade, CI	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Espin, EB	en_US
dc.date.issued	2014-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Crop Protection, 2014, 62 pp. 135 - 143	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0261-2194	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/118193
dc.description.abstract	Since its introduction in the mid-2000s, the apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck) has spread throughout Ecuador's southern lowlands. This paper collates information from government surveys, farmer interviews and roadside mapping to track the distribution and rate of spread of the snail. The paper also examines the impact on the rice (Oryza sativa L.) sector of the snail invasion and farmers' preferred management practices in response to high snail densities. Since its initial introduction, and following severe flooding in Guayas and Los Rios Provinces during 2008, the snail has invaded most of Ecuador's major rice-growing regions. The snail invasion of Ecuador has been fundamentally different from other regional invasions because of the presence of a specialized snail predator, the snail kite, Rostrhamus sociabilis Vieillot. Snail kite densities increased in response to the snail invasion, but snail densities have remained high, particularly in areas of 'stepped rice' - where rice is planted to floodplains in response to natural receding of water levels. The Ecuadorean government responded to the snail invasion by investing in data collection, farmer training and molluscicide distribution. Farmers have overwhelmingly opted to control the snails using insecticides and molluscicides despite training in alternative control methods; however, farmers have experienced increased rice damage from insects and diseases that may be associated with high pesticide use. Farmers perceive snail kites as beneficial predators, but have not been pro-active in enhancing kite numbers or their efficiency. We present a series of recommendations for sustainable apple snail management in Ecuador. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Crop Protection	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.cropro.2014.04.019	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Entomology	en_US
dc.title	Responses by farmers to the apple snail invasion of Ecuador's rice fields and attitudes toward predatory snail kites	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	62	en_US
utslib.for	0703 Crop and Pasture Production	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	62	en_US

Abstract:

Since its introduction in the mid-2000s, the apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck) has spread throughout Ecuador's southern lowlands. This paper collates information from government surveys, farmer interviews and roadside mapping to track the distribution and rate of spread of the snail. The paper also examines the impact on the rice (Oryza sativa L.) sector of the snail invasion and farmers' preferred management practices in response to high snail densities. Since its initial introduction, and following severe flooding in Guayas and Los Rios Provinces during 2008, the snail has invaded most of Ecuador's major rice-growing regions. The snail invasion of Ecuador has been fundamentally different from other regional invasions because of the presence of a specialized snail predator, the snail kite, Rostrhamus sociabilis Vieillot. Snail kite densities increased in response to the snail invasion, but snail densities have remained high, particularly in areas of 'stepped rice' - where rice is planted to floodplains in response to natural receding of water levels. The Ecuadorean government responded to the snail invasion by investing in data collection, farmer training and molluscicide distribution. Farmers have overwhelmingly opted to control the snails using insecticides and molluscicides despite training in alternative control methods; however, farmers have experienced increased rice damage from insects and diseases that may be associated with high pesticide use. Farmers perceive snail kites as beneficial predators, but have not been pro-active in enhancing kite numbers or their efficiency. We present a series of recommendations for sustainable apple snail management in Ecuador. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/118193