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Levi-Mourao, AlexandreAuthor

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January 13, 2025
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Biological Control of Aphids in Spain's Urban Green Spaces

Publicated to: Sustainability. 16 (24): 11225- - 2024-12-21 16(24), DOI: 10.3390/su162411225

Authors:

Lumbierres, Belen; Meseguer, Roberto; Levi-Mourao, Alexandre; Pons, Xavier
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Affiliations

Inst Agrifood Res & Technol IRTA, Sustainable Plant Protect, Lleida 25198, Spain - Author
Producció Vegetal. IRTA Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentarias - Author
Protecció Vegetal Sostenible . IRTA Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentarias - Author
Protecció Vegetal Sostenible . Producció Vegetal - Author
Univ Lleida, Agrotecnio Ctr, Dept Agr & Forest Sci & Engn, Lleida 25198, Spain - Author
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Abstract

Green spaces in urban areas, such as parks and gardens, provide recreational, social, and health benefits for more than half of the world's inhabitants. Arthropods in urban vegetation may cause some disruption to humans but also provide vital ecological services such as biological control and pollination. However, little is known about the ecology of urban pests, their natural enemies, and how to manage them in an ecofriendly manner, especially in Southern Europe. In this review article, we consider the information available concerning the biological control of aphids in the urban green areas of Spain, mainly focusing on the different aphid species, their natural enemies (and how to enhance them), and the sampling methods used to study them. A wide range of aphid species is found in Spain, but only a few are responsible for the majority of damage (so-called k-aphids, most of which are holocyclic species), and these show two distinct injury profiles (short and long) that determine monitoring and control strategies. Urban aphids have numerous natural enemies, including more than 20 species of ladybeetles, as well as predatory hoverflies, midges, lacewings, bugs, and other groups. More than 40 species of aphid parasitoids and their tritrophic aphid plant associations have been reported. The availability and usefulness of commercially reared aphid natural enemies is discussed, and two methods to enhance natural enemies are described. We also review aphid sampling methods developed for urban green spaces. The studies provide basic information on the ecology of aphids to support conservation biological control as a reliable strategy in the urban green areas of Spain.
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Keywords

AbundanceAphid natural enemy associationsBiocontroCoccinellidsConservation biological controlDifferent plant-communitiesHarlequin ladybirdHarmonia-axyridisHemiptera aphididaeInvasion historyInvasive specieNatural enemiesParasitoidsPredatorsSamplingService plantsUrbanization

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Sustainability due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2024 there are still no calculated indicators, but in 2023, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Geography, Planning and Development.

Independientemente del impacto esperado determinado por el canal de difusión, es importante destacar el impacto real observado de la propia aportación.

Según las diferentes agencias de indexación, el número de citas acumuladas por esta publicación hasta la fecha 2026-04-05:

  • WoS: 1
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Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-04-05:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 19 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

    It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

    • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
    • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/3588
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