DOI: 10.5061/dryad.tqjq2bw9z
title: Local species-specific effect of trees and shrubs on the incidence of the millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)

description: Understanding the interactions between crop pests, natural enemies, and
 semi-natural habitats in agricultural landscapes is crucial for developing
 ecology-based pest management in agroecosystems. In the present study, we
 investigated the local-scale species-specific effect of tree and shrub
 cover on the incidence and natural pest regulation of the millet head
 miner (MHM), Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis, and subsequent grain
 losses, in a tree-crop agroforestry system in Senegal. To this purpose, we
 monitored a network of 60 millet fields with variable tree and shrub
 species composition within a 50 m radius buffer around the center of the
 millet fields. Baobabs (Adansonia digitata) and apple-ring acacias
 (Faidherbia albida) increased pest incidence and associated grain loss,
 likely by providing favorable microhabitats for MHM or limiting habitats
 for natural enemies, respectively. In contrast, soapberry trees (Balanites
 aegyptiaca) and, to a lesser extent, bushwillow shrubs (Combretum
 micranthum) increased natural pest regulation, but not enough to disrupt
 the relationship between crop colonization, pest incidence, and yield
 loss. Furthermore, Shannon’s diversity index had no measurable influence
 on pest dynamics, suggesting that species identity and functional traits
 are more important than diversity per se. These findings underline the
 importance of careful woody species selection in agroforestry design
 strategy for optimizing the delivery of multiple ecosystem services by
 these trees and shrubs. Integrating tree functional traits, seasonal
 canopy dynamics, and spatial scale considerations is key to enhancing
 ecosystem services such as biological control in agroecological
 intensification.
description: # Local species-specific effect of trees and shrubs on the incidence of
 the millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)
 Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.tqjq2bw9z](10.5061/dryad.tqjq2bw9z) ##
 Description of the data and file structure These data were collected as
 part of a research project to assess the specific local effect of trees
 and shrubs on the incidence of the millet leafminer, Heliocheilus
 albipunctella (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), in Senegal. Two years of data
 collection were carried out on a network of 60 millet plots, in order to
 assess crop colonization, the incidence of the pest and associated grain
 losses, but also the components of its natural regulation (parasitism of
 eggs, larvae and index of biocontrol services). We also characterized the
 tree and shrub species around the millet plots monitored. ### Files and
 variables #### File: dataset.csv **Description:** Database of two years of
 data collected on a network of 60 millet sampling plots in Senegal  #####
 Variables * year: cropping year * cluster: cluster ID * id_plot: millet
 fields * lon: longitude coordinates * lat: latitude coordinates *
 pestj0: Egg and first-instar larvae counting, as an indicator of “crop
 colonization". * pestj18: Larva counting, as an indicator of “pest
 incidence” was performed 18 days later by the inspection of the entire
 panicle. * egg_para: Egg parasitism rate (possibly % or count) *
 larv_para: Larval parasitism rate * bsi: biocontrol sevice index * yloss0:
 grain loss * Acacia_mellifera: area covered by "Acacia
 mellifera" * Acacia_nilotica: area covered by "Acacia
 nilotica" * Acacia_senegal: area covered by
 "Acacia_senegal" * Acacia_seyal: area covered by
 "Acacia_seyal" * Adansonia_digitata: area covered by
 "Adansonia_digitata" * Anogeissus_leiocarpa: area covered by
 "Anogeissus_leiocarpa" * Azadirachta_indica: area covered by
 "Azadirachta_indica" * Balanites_aegyptiaca: area covered by
 "Balanites_aegyptiaca" * Bauhinia_rufescens: area covered by
 "Bauhinia_rufescens" * Borassus_aethiopum: area covered by
 "Borassus_aethiopum" * Celtis_toka: area covered by
 "Celtis_toka" * Combretum_micranthum: area covered by
 "Combretum_micranthum" * Combretum_paniculatum: area covered by
 "Combretum_paniculatum" * Euphorbia_balsamifera: area covered by
 "Euphorbia_balsamifera" * Faidherbia_albida: area covered by
 "Faidherbia_albida" * Gmelina_arborea: area covered by
 "Gmelina_arborea" * Guiera_senegalensis: area covered by
 "Guiera_senegalensis" * Jatropha_curcas: area covered by
 "Jatropha_curcas" * Moringa_oleifera: area covered by
 "Moringa_oleifera" * Piliostigma_reticulatum: area covered by
 "Piliostigma_reticulatum" * Prosopis_juliflora: area covered by
 "Prosopis_juliflora" * Senna_singueana: area covered by
 "Senna_singueana" * Tamarindus_indica: area covered by
 "Tamarindus_indica" * Ziziphus_mauritiana: area covered by
 "Ziziphus_mauritiana" * H_Shannon: Tree and shrubs species
 H' Shannon diversity #### File: R_code.qmd **Description:** File
 containing R codes in .qmd format used for data analysis, (i) spatial
 autocorrelation test, (ii) variable selection with PLS regression, (iii)
 and modeling of interactions between tree and shrub species abundance and
 diversity and the incidence of MHM and its natural regulation. #### File:
 moran_test.csv **Description:** Dataset used to test spatial
 autocorrelation by clustering using Moran's I test. The descriptions
 of variables are same as above. ##### Variables * cluster: * lon: * lat: *
 pestj0: * pestj18: * egg_para: Egg parasitism rate * larv_para: Larval
 parasitism rate * bsi: * yloss0: ## Code/software R software
 version v.4.4.0