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The abundance of native insects on the introduced weed Mimosa pigra in Northern Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

G. J. Flanagan ,
C. G. Wilson  and
J. D. Gillett
G. J. Flanagan
Affiliation:
Division of Plant Industry, Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, GPO Box 990, Darwin, Northern Territory 0801, Australia
C. G. Wilson
Affiliation:
Division of Plant Industry, Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, GPO Box 990, Darwin, Northern Territory 0801, Australia
J. D. Gillett
Affiliation:
Division of Plant Industry, Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, GPO Box 990, Darwin, Northern Territory 0801, Australia
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Abstract

A monospecific stand of the alien shrub Mimosa pigra (Mimosaceae) was examined weekly for 14 months from March 1984. A total of 44 phytophagous insect species were found on M. pigra. The five most abundant of these made up 74% of the total community. This insect community in general showed a distinct seasonal cycle of abundance with maximum numbers during the wet season. However, a few species had a completely different pattern.

Two species, Mictis profana (Hemiptera: Coreidae) and Platymopsis humeralis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), were observed to cause substantial damage to M. pigra. When compared with the fauna of M. pigra from its native region, Central America, that of the Northern Territory is low in leaf and flower-feeding insects. It is suggested that these types of insects be sought as future biocontrol agents to complement those native insects causing damage and those biocontrol agents already released.

Keywords

Australiabiological controlcommunity structureinsectsMimosa pigraplant-insect interactionsseasonal abundance
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , May 1990 , pp. 219 - 230
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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