Mapping the spatiotemporal distributions of the Desert Locust in Mauritania and Morocco to improve preventive management

Piou, Cyril; Bacar, Mohamed El Hacen Jaavar; Ebbe, Mohamed Abdallahi Ould Babah; Chihrane, J.; Ghaout, Saïd; Cissé, Sory; Lecoq, Michel; Halima, Thami Ben

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2017.10.002

Cited by 34 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…This study concerns Algeria, Mali, Mauritania and Morocco, that provide quasi‐permanent habitats of desert locust in recession periods where breeding can occur in summer, autumn and winter in different areas (Piou et al., ; Popov, ). The four national anti‐locust centres conduct regular surveys on a large part of their territories (Figure ) and store information in databases.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, solitarious populations are considered as the origin of invasions (Lecoq, 2005) and are probably more abundant than previously believed (Chapuis et al, 2014). To better understand the distribution and dynamics of solitarious desert locust, several recent studies used the accumulated field data from management surveys (Babah Ebbe, 2008;Lazar, Piou, Doumandji-Mitiche, & Lecoq, 2016;Piou et al, 2013Piou et al, , 2017.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Soil moisture from remote sensing to forecast desert locust presence

Piou

Gay

Benahi

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Preventive control of desert locusts is based on monitoring recession areas to detect outbreaks. Remote sensing has been increasingly used in the preventive control strategy. Soil moisture is a major ecological driver of desert locust populations but is still missing in the current imagery toolkit for preventive management. By means of statistical analyses, combining field observations of locust presence/absence and soil moisture estimates at 1 km resolution from a disaggregation algorithm, we assess the potential of soil moisture to help preventive management of desert locust. We observe that a soil moisture dynamics increase of above 0.09 cm3/cm3 for 20 days followed by a decrease of soil moisture may increase the chance to observe locusts 70 days later. We estimate the gains in early warning timing compared to using imagery from vegetation to be 3 weeks. We demonstrate that forecasting errors may be reduced by the combination of several types of indicators such as soil moisture and vegetation index in a common statistical model forecasting locust presence. Policy implications. Soil moisture estimates at 1 km resolution should be used to plan desert locust surveys in preventive management. When soil moisture increases in a dry area of potential habitat for the desert locust, field surveys should be conducted two months later to evaluate the need of further preventive actions. Remote sensing estimates of soil moisture could also be used for other applications of integrated pest management.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil moisture from remote sensing to forecast desert locust presence

Piou

Gay

Benahi

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…LAI or surface SM environmental variables do not seem to exert direct effect on desert locust distribution, although further improvements in spatial or temporal resolution of the remote sensing datasets might enhance their influence in the model. These results concur with previous studies (Cherlet et al, 2000;Cherlet et al, 2017;Despland et al, 2004;Escorihuela et al, 2018;Lazar et al, 2016;Liu et al, 2008;Noy-Meir, 1973;Piou et al, 2017;Tratalos & Cheke, 2006) that individually survey certain environmental variables such as NDVI, SM or rainfall to identify habitat suitability for desert locust. Nevertheless, the use of pseudo-absences may bring some uncertainties into our model (Wisz & Guisan, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Identifying Desert locust breeding areas by means of Earth Observation in Mauritania

Aragón¹

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Firstly, I would like to show my sincere gratitude to José Luis Casanova to trust on me and provide a great support during my PhD. Without his recommendations, advices and knowledge, this thesis would not have been possible. I would also like to thank my PhD directors Julia Sanz, Pablo Salvador and Carlos Casanova for their continuous support during this time, for their patience, motivation, and immense knowledge. Their guidance helped me in all the time of research and writing of this thesis. I could not have imagined having better advisors and mentors for my PhD study. I would like to thank to the rest of my fellow lab-mates at LATUV (Miguel and Dani) their support, the stimulating discussions about programming, encouragement and good advices during my research, what has permitted to enrich this work from various perspectives. Last but not least; I would like to thank my family: my parents and sister for supporting me to get to the point where I am today, and to my partner and friends to encourage me to keep on until this desired goal.

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“…Mauritania, in West Africa, is an important area for desert locust outbreaks (Ould Babah, 1997Piou et al, 2017). Our study site (18°51′N, 15°36′W) is located in Oumtounsy, midway between Nouakchott and Akjoujt, in north-western Mauritania.…”

Section: Study Area and Climatementioning

confidence: 99%

Defence tactics cycle with diel microhabitat choice and body temperature in the desert locust,Schistocerca gregaria

et al. 2019

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We examined environmental factors influencing plasticity in antipredator defences of adult gregarious desert locusts, Schistocerca gregaria, including daily cycles in temperature, light, microhabitat occupied and predator threat. In the Sahara Desert in Mauritania, West Africa, daily temperature fluctuated widely from below locusts’ cold thermal limits for jump‐ and flight‐defence, to above their preferred body temperature. Locusts changed microhabitats throughout the 24‐hr period in synchrony with the daily thermo‐photocycle. They roosted in tall trees and large bushes at night, moved to the ground in the morning, shaded under or in small bushes and annuals at midday, moved back to the ground in the afternoon and then returned to night roosting sites around dusk. Locust antipredator defences varied throughout the 24‐hr period, and these changes were correlated with temperature, photocycle and habitat. Flight escape was associated with daytime, high temperatures and the ground habitat. Dropping escape (= releasing hold of vegetation and dropping to the ground or into vegetation) was associated with cool temperatures and low‐to‐medium sized bushes. Stationary behaviour was associated with the tree microhabitat and height off the ground. Roosting (a primary defence) was associated with cool temperatures at night and early morning, tree habitats and nocturnal ground‐foraging times of endothermic mammals. In summary, we propose that temperature is the key factor in determining both changing microhabitat choice and changing antipredator defence, due to thermal constraints on locust muscle for this ectothermic insect. The thermocycle also influences temporal predator loads, which influence the evolution of locust diel defence strategies. These various environmental factors not only influence one another, they also interact to influence antipredator defence expression in locusts. Overall, our study suggests that plasticity in locust antipredator defences is a complicated matter mediated by the interactions of multiple environmental factors and physiological and ecological constraints and trade‐offs.

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Mapping the spatiotemporal distributions of the Desert Locust in Mauritania and Morocco to improve preventive management

Cited by 34 publications

References 31 publications

Soil moisture from remote sensing to forecast desert locust presence

Soil moisture from remote sensing to forecast desert locust presence

Identifying Desert locust breeding areas by means of Earth Observation in Mauritania

Defence tactics cycle with diel microhabitat choice and body temperature in the desert locust,Schistocerca gregaria

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