Consequences of environmental factors on the population distribution of Acrida exaltata (Walker), a pest in different ecosystems

Abstract

The relations between environmental factors and population of Acrida exaltata (Walker) in three ecosystems were studied for two years. The biplot revealed that the total population was related to the temperature. The total population at fallow land was correlated with temperature (r = 0.4578, p< 0.05 for maximum temperature and r = 0.6644, p< 0.05 for minimum temperature. Biplot of total population, nymphal population, and male population of A. exaltata at the forest ecosystem showed a close relation to minimum temperature. But the female population was related to precipitation and temperature. The correlation matrix revealed a positive correlation of total population with relative humidity (r = 0.4502, p< 0.05) at agriculture land. The environmental factors regulated the vegetation as well as the soil consistence of the ecosystem. The eggs of acridids were capable of surviving in adverse conditions of weather and maintained the population throughout the year in the forest and fallow land due to the availability of the supporting vegetation.