The effects of gypsy moth defoliation on acorn production (the seed source for oak regeneration), and the forest floor regeneration environment were investigated. Parameters measured included: acorn quantity, weight, development, and viability; litterfall; and forest floor depth and biomass. Nineteen plots in north-central Virginia and western Maryland on which trees suffered heavy, moderate, or no defoliation were monitored over a two-year period. / Master of Science

Fourteen plots of 25 loblolly pines each were excavated in order to determine incidence and severity of <u>Heterobasidion annosus</u> in asymptomatic loblolly pine in Virginia. Each plot was established between 30 m and 100 m from an identified source of inoculum. A bulldozer was utilized to excavate root systems of the trees. The root systems of all trees visually estimated to have greater than 1% infection (this included 51% of the trees sampled) were measured with a tape and the root length measurements were categorized as resin soaked, stringy or healthy. Of the trees sampled, 85% were infected with <u>H. annosus</u>. Basidiocarps were found on 9% of the sampled trees. The average frequency of roots per tree infected with <u>H. annosus</u> for all measured trees (>1%) was 30% of the primary roots and 31% of the secondary roots. The average root length infected for all the measured trees (>1%) was 14% for primary roots and 15% for secondary roots. The sample trees were tested for a growth difference with the t-test for unpaired plots. The sampled trees were placed into one of two classes: those trees with >1% infection of the root systems (diseased) and those with ≤1% infection of the root system (healthy). The average annual increment for each of the last five years was tested, and all five tests were significantly different in growth at the 0.01 level. The difference in growth between healthy and diseased trees over the five year period was 19% or approximately 4% per year. Of all the disease parameters measured in the study: crown rating, percentage of infected primary roots and percentage of infected secondary roots were the most effective parameters in describing the effect of disease on annual increment growth over the last five years prior to sampling. / Master of Science

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa is well-recognised for exceptionally high plant species diversity and endemism. However, little attention has been bestowed on the pests and pathogens in this region, even though these may greatly influence plant distribution and evolution. In this study we identify various arthropods and fungi as pests and diseasecausing organisms of the ecologically and economically important CFR-endemic tree taxa of Virgilia. We isolated, identified and determined the pathogenicity of key fungal taxa from diseased Virgilia trees throughout the CFR. In addition we evaluated the role of possible pest arthropod taxa, including bark beetles, phoretic mites, larvae of a cerambycid beetle and larvae of the endemic Leto venus (ghost moth), in the death of Virgilia trees. Key fungal taxa were identified by comparisons of the internal transcribed spacer rDNA regions of the isolated taxa with those available on GenBank. Pathogenicity of the most commonly encountered fungal taxa was determined both in the field and under greenhouse conditions. Five different disease symptoms were observed on Virgilia trees throughout the CFR. At Table Mountain, Virgilia oroboides subsp. oroboides showed symptoms of: (1) several small cankers on stems, seemingly caused by a Fusarium acuminatum-like fungus, (2) a root rot disease caused by Armillaria mellea and (3) small bracket fungi on stems associated with Schizophyllum commune. Virgilia oroboides from the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden was diagnosed with a root disease consistently associated with an un-described Phomopsis species. Virgilia oroboides subsp. ferruginea and V. divaricata from Knysna and the Tsitsikamma area often showed symptoms of rapid wilting and death. The Virgilia stems were damaged by the tunnelling larvae of the ghost moth and those of an unidentified cerambycid beetle. Galleries and the surrounding wood tissues often housed the ophiostomatoid fungi Ceratocystis tsitsikammensis and Ophiostoma plurianulatum. These seem to originate from nitidulid beetles found feeding on gum exudate. Pathogenicity trials confirmed the virulence of the undescribed Phomopsis species, the F. acuminatum-like fungus, S. commune and C. tsitsikammensis to Virgilia. All four morpho-species of bark beetles found in this study, together with phoretic mites on two of the beetle morphospecies, were only collected from dead and dying Virgilia hosts and were classified as secondary pests. Both beetle taxa and mites commonly carried spores of various Geosmithia spp. These are not pathogenic to Virgilia trees, but may be an important food source for the bark beetles, as it dominated the fungal community in galleries. The phoretic mites were unable to feed on their Geosmithia associates, but have been observed to feed on dead bark beetle larvae within galleries. This suggests that the relationship of bark beetles, mites and their associated Geosmithia species in this system is complex and in need of further study. Our results show that natural populations of Virgilia play host to numerous destructive pathogens, some of which are non-native (e.g. A. mellea) and a cause for special concern. Additionally, the isolation of the undescribed Phomopsis species and A. mellea from botanical gardens, with A. mellea now spreading to natural areas, calls for stricter control over the movement of organic material from these areas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Kaapse Floristiese Streek (KFS) van Suid-Afrika is bekend vir buitengewoon hoë plantspesie-diversiteit en endemisme. Min aandag is egter tot dusver geskenk aan die peste en patogene in hierdie streek, al mag hulle plantverspreiding en evolusie dramaties beinvloed. In hierdie studie identifiseer ons verskeie geleedpotige diere en fungi as peste en organismes wat siektes veroorsaak in die ekologies en ekonomies belangrike, KFS-endemiese boom genus Virgilia. Ons het die sleutel fungi vanaf Virgilia oor die hele KFS geisoleer, geidentifiseer en hulle patogeniteit bepaal. Addisioneel het ons ook die rol van moontlike pes geleedpotiges, insluitende baskewers, cerambycid kewerlarwes en die endemiese Leto venus (spookmot) in die dood van Virgilia bome geevalueer. Sleutel fungi taksa is geidentifiseer deur die interne getranskribeerde spasieerder rDNS streke van die geisoleerde taksa met die wat op GenBank beskikbaar was te vergelyk. Patogenisiteit van die mees algemeen geisoleerde fungi taxa is beide in die veld en onder glashuis-toestande bepaal. Vyf verskillende siekte simptome is by Virgilia bome regdeur die KFS waargeneem. By Tafelberg het Virgilia oroboides subsp. oroboides simptome getoon van: (1) verskeie klein kankers op stamme, blykbaar veroorsaak deur ‘n Fusarium acuminatum-agtige fungus, (2) ‘n wortelvrot siekte veroorsaak deur Armillaria mellea en (3) klein rakswamme op stamme geassosieer met Schizophyllum commune. Virgilia oroboides in die Harold Porter Nationale Botaniese Tuin is gediagnoseer met ‘n wortelvrot siekte wat altyd met ‘n onbeskryfde Phomopsis spesie geassosieer is. Virgilia oroboides subsp. ferruginea and V. divaricata van Knysna en die Tsitsikamma area het dikwels simptome getoon van vinnige verwelking en dood. Die Virgilia stamme is deur die tonnelende larwes van die spookmot en dié van ‘n ongeidentifiseerde cerambycid kewer beskadig. Galerye en die omringende houtweefsel het dikwels die ophiostomatoid fungi Ceratocystis tsitsikammensis en Ophiostoma plurianulatum gehuisves. Dit lyk asof hierdie fungi van nitidulid kewers afkomstig is wat op die gomuitskeidings gevoed het. Patogeniteitsproewe het die kwaadaardigheid van die onbeskryfde Phomopsis spesie, die F. acuminatum-agtige fungus, S. commune en C. tsitsikammensis teenoor Virgilia bevestig. Al vier morfo-spesies baskewer wat in hierdie studie gevind is, sowel as die foretiese myte op twee van die kewer morfo-spesies, is slegs van dooie of sterwende Virgilia gashere versamel, en is as sekondêre peste geklassifiseer. Beide kewerspesies en myt taksa het algemeen spore van verskeie Geosmithia spesies (Geosmithia pallida, G. flava, G. microcorthyli, G. sp. 1 en G. sp. 2) gedra. Die Geosmithia spesies is nie patogenies teenoor Virgilia bome nie, maar mag ‘n belangrike voedselbron vir die baskewers wees, aangesien dit die fungus-gemeenskap in die galarye gedomineer het. Die foretiese myte was nie instaat om op Geosmithia-assosiate te voed nie, maar is waargeneem om op dooie baskewer larwes te voed binne die galerye. Dit stel voor dat die verhouding van die baskewers, myte en hulle geassosieerde Geosmithia spesies in die sisteem kompleks is, en verdere studie benodig. Ons resultate dui aan dat natuurlike populasies van Virgilia gashere is vir verskeie destruktiewe patogene, sommige waarvan nieinheems (bv. A. mellea) wat ‘n bron van groot kommer is. Verder noodsaak die isolasie van die Phomopsis spesie en A. mellea, wat beide wortelvrot siektes in botaniese tuine veroorsaak, strenger kontrole oor die verskuiwing van organiese materiaal uit hierdie areas, veral gegewe dat A. mellea reeds na natuurlike areas versprei het. / The Centre of Excellence In Tree Health Biotechnology for a bursary and funding the research conducted in this study

Sphaeropsis sapinea and Diaporthe ambigua are important pathogens of forest and orchard tree species, respectively. Some isolates of S. sapinea are co-infected with two dsRNA viruses, SsRVl and SsRV2. Isolates of D. perjuncta (formerly thought to be D. ambigua) are infected with a positive-stranded RNA virus known as DaRV. While S. sapinea is. infected with a heterogeneous mixture of dsRNA elements of different sizes, D. perjuncta is infected with a single virus. This presents excellent opportunity for biocontrol of Diaporthe. The aim of this study was to assess these three viruses for possible application as biological control agents of S. sapinea and D. ambigua. This was' done by transfecting these with in vitro-produced RNA from the cloned viral genomes and assessing the pathogenicity of the transfected isolates on apples and apple trees. Attempts to transfect S. sapinea spheroplasts with SsRVl and SsRV2 failed. Co¬transfection of S. sapinea spheroplasts with both viruses also failed. Three isolates of D. ambigua and a single isolate of a Phomopsis sp. were successfully transfected with DaRV. Attempts to transfect the same fungi with a mutant of DaRV, bearing six codons for histidine immediately downsteam of an AUG thought to be a start codon for the translation of ORFl, failed. DaRV was originally thought to be isolated from D. ambigua. The fungal isolates transfected with DaRV were thought to be D. ambigua. The transfectants did not resemble the naturally-infected isolate. The ITS regions from the ribosomal DNA operon of these isolates were amplified using ITS 1 and ITS4 primer pair. The blast search revealed that the ITS sequence of the naturally-infected isolates are identical to D. perjuncta. One virus-free isolate was identified as a Phomopsis sp. while three other virus-free isolates were identified as D. ambigua. A PCR-based RFLP was developed to differentiate the naturally-infected D. perjuncta isolates from the virus¬free Phomopsis sp. and D. ambigua isolates. In the growth and pathogenicity studies, a DaRV-transfected, wild-type and negative control isolate of one Phomopsis and three D. ambigua isolates, were used. The DaR V -transfected Phomopsis sp. had a higher growth rate than the wild-type isolate. This DaRV-transfected Phomopsis sp. was more virulent on apples than the wild-type isolate. The wild-type isolate was slightly more virulent than the DaR V -transfected Phomopsis sp. on apple trees. There were no significant differences in growth rates between the DaRV-transfected and wild-type isolates of D. ambigua CMW5587 and D. ambigua CMW5287. There were no significant differences in virulence on apples between the DaRV-transfected and wild-type isolates of these fungi. The DaRV-transfected D. ambigua CMW5287 was more virulent than the wild-type isolate on apple trees. The DaRV-transfected D. ambigua CMW5587 had the same virulence as the wild-type isolate on both apples and apple trees. The DaRV-transfected D. ambigua CMW5288 had a slower growth rate than the wild-type isolate. There were no significant differences in virulence on apples between these isolates. The wild-type isolate of this isolate was significantly more virulent on apple trees than the DaRV-infected isolate. Although transfection was successfully done, the effects of DaRV on the Phomopsis sp. and D. ambigua isolates are not conclusive. In order to obtain conclusive results, virus-free isolates of D. perjuncta must be transfected. During the course of this study, there were no available virus-free isolates of this fungus. / Dissertation (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Genetics / Unrestricted

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004-02-17Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:45:55Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ottati_alt_dr_botfca.pdf: 651467 bytes, checksum: a1b92614d7fbcfa2a73dbf3cf0eb427b (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Empresa Privada / Os afídeos são um dos grupos de pragas amplamente distribuídos, causando perdas consideráveis em sistemas agrícolas e florestais. O pulgão-gigante-do-pinus, Cinara atlantica, é atualmente a espécie de pulgão mais disseminada nos plantios de Pinus no Brasil. Devido à sua importância econômica, esse trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito de diferentes temperaturas e da espécie hospedeira no desenvolvimento de ninfas e na longevidade e capacidade reprodutiva de adultos de C. atlantica, sob condições de laboratório, e determinar a flutuação populacional, a estrutura etária e a caracterização da estrutura espacial do afídeo em áreas florestadas com Pinus taeda e P. caribaea var. caribaea. A determinação do efeito de diferentes temperaturas (18o C, 22o C, 26o C e 30o C) e de hospedeiros (P. taeda e P. caribaea var. hondurensis) no desenvolvimento de C. atlantica foi conduzida sob fotofase de 12 h e umidade relativa do ar de 70 10%. Utilizaram-se 20 insetos (repetições) para cada combinação dos fatores temperatura e hospedeiro e obtiveram-se resultados para variáveis nos estágios ninfal e adulto e ciclo de vida. A determinação da flutuação populacional e da caracterização espacial (50 árvores/avaliação) e da estrutura etária (cinco colônias/avaliação) de C. atlantica foi realizada em áreas de 1 ha com P. taeda e P. caribaea var. caribaea nos municípios de Buri e Nova Campina/SP em 21 avaliações entre julho de 2001 e agosto de 2002. Concluiu-se que o desenvolvimento de ninfas e a longevidade e potencial reprodutivo dos adultos de C. atlantica não foram influenciados pelos hospedeiros P. taeda e P. caribaea var. hondurensis. Entretanto, as temperaturas constantes de 18o C e 22o C conferem as melhores condições, enquanto a de 30o C as piores condições de desenvolvimento aos insetos mantidos em P. taeda e P. caribaea var. hondurensis. C. atlantica... . / Aphids are one of the most widespread groups of pests, causing severe damages on agricultural and forestry systems. Nowadays, the giant conifer aphid, C. atlantica, is widely distributed on pine forests in Brazil. Due to its economic importance, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of different constant temperatures and host plants on the development of nymphs and adults and reproductive capacity in adult of C. atlantica in laboratory, monitoring the populational fluctuation, the age structure and to characterize spatial pattern of C. atlantica in Pinus taeda and P. caribaea var. caribaea plantations. The effect of constant temperatures (18o C, 22o C, 26o C e 30o C) and host plants (P. taeda and P. caribaea var. hondurensis) on the development of C. atlantica was carried out at 12 h of photophase (12 h) and 70 + 10% relative humidity. Twenty nymphs (replications) were tested for each treatment (temperature x host plant) to estimated biological variables of nymph and adult stages and life span. The study of the populational fluctuation, the spatial characterization (50 trees sampled per sampling date) and the age structure (5 aphid colonies per sampling date) of C. atlantica was carried out on P. taeda and P. caribaea var. caribaea plantations in 1 ha area in Buri and Nova Campina municipalities (SP, Brazil), between July 2001 and August 2002 (21 sampling dates). This research indicated that nymph and adult development and reproductive capacity of C. atlantica were not affected by host plants. However, temperatures of 18o C and 22o C provided better conditions for aphid development than 30o C when reared on P. taeda and P. caribaea var. hondurensis. In the field, C. atlantica had highest peaks of abundance in the winter and spring and lowest during the summer. The age structure study can give support to predict population peaks and the occurrence of stable populations indicates a low... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below).

Orientador: Carlos Frederico Wilcken / Banca: Carlos Alberto Hector Flechtmann / Banca: Célia Regina Lopes Zimback / Banca: Sonia Maria Noemberg Lazzari / Banca: Carlos Alberto Fleichmann / Banca: Edson Tadeu Iede / Resumo: Os afídeos são um dos grupos de pragas amplamente distribuídos, causando perdas consideráveis em sistemas agrícolas e florestais. O pulgão-gigante-do-pinus, Cinara atlantica, é atualmente a espécie de pulgão mais disseminada nos plantios de Pinus no Brasil. Devido à sua importância econômica, esse trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito de diferentes temperaturas e da espécie hospedeira no desenvolvimento de ninfas e na longevidade e capacidade reprodutiva de adultos de C. atlantica, sob condições de laboratório, e determinar a flutuação populacional, a estrutura etária e a caracterização da estrutura espacial do afídeo em áreas florestadas com Pinus taeda e P. caribaea var. caribaea. A determinação do efeito de diferentes temperaturas (18o C, 22o C, 26o C e 30o C) e de hospedeiros (P. taeda e P. caribaea var. hondurensis) no desenvolvimento de C. atlantica foi conduzida sob fotofase de 12 h e umidade relativa do ar de 70 10%. Utilizaram-se 20 insetos (repetições) para cada combinação dos fatores temperatura e hospedeiro e obtiveram-se resultados para variáveis nos estágios ninfal e adulto e ciclo de vida. A determinação da flutuação populacional e da caracterização espacial (50 árvores/avaliação) e da estrutura etária (cinco colônias/avaliação) de C. atlantica foi realizada em áreas de 1 ha com P. taeda e P. caribaea var. caribaea nos municípios de Buri e Nova Campina/SP em 21 avaliações entre julho de 2001 e agosto de 2002. Concluiu-se que o desenvolvimento de ninfas e a longevidade e potencial reprodutivo dos adultos de C. atlantica não foram influenciados pelos hospedeiros P. taeda e P. caribaea var. hondurensis. Entretanto, as temperaturas constantes de 18o C e 22o C conferem as melhores condições, enquanto a de 30o C as piores condições de desenvolvimento aos insetos mantidos em P. taeda e P. caribaea var. hondurensis. C. atlantica... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo). / Abstract: Aphids are one of the most widespread groups of pests, causing severe damages on agricultural and forestry systems. Nowadays, the giant conifer aphid, C. atlantica, is widely distributed on pine forests in Brazil. Due to its economic importance, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of different constant temperatures and host plants on the development of nymphs and adults and reproductive capacity in adult of C. atlantica in laboratory, monitoring the populational fluctuation, the age structure and to characterize spatial pattern of C. atlantica in Pinus taeda and P. caribaea var. caribaea plantations. The effect of constant temperatures (18o C, 22o C, 26o C e 30o C) and host plants (P. taeda and P. caribaea var. hondurensis) on the development of C. atlantica was carried out at 12 h of photophase (12 h) and 70 + 10% relative humidity. Twenty nymphs (replications) were tested for each treatment (temperature x host plant) to estimated biological variables of nymph and adult stages and life span. The study of the populational fluctuation, the spatial characterization (50 trees sampled per sampling date) and the age structure (5 aphid colonies per sampling date) of C. atlantica was carried out on P. taeda and P. caribaea var. caribaea plantations in 1 ha area in Buri and Nova Campina municipalities (SP, Brazil), between July 2001 and August 2002 (21 sampling dates). This research indicated that nymph and adult development and reproductive capacity of C. atlantica were not affected by host plants. However, temperatures of 18o C and 22o C provided better conditions for aphid development than 30o C when reared on P. taeda and P. caribaea var. hondurensis. In the field, C. atlantica had highest peaks of abundance in the winter and spring and lowest during the summer. The age structure study can give support to predict population peaks and the occurrence of stable populations indicates a low... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below). / Doutor

Sirex noctilio is causing considerable mortality in commercial pine forests in KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa. The ability to remotely detect S. noctilio infestations remains crucial for monitoring the spread of the wasp and for the effective deployment of suppression activities. This thesis advocates the development of techniques based on remote sensing technology to accurately detect and map S. noctilio infestations. To date, no research has examined the potential of remote sensing technologies for the detection and mapping of Pinus patula trees infested by S. noctilio. In the first part of this thesis, the focus was on whether high spatial resolution imagery could characterize S. noctilio induced stress in P. patula forests. Results showed that, the normalized difference vegetation index derived from high spatial resolution imagery has the potential to accurately detect and map the later stages of S. noctilio infestations. Additionally, operational guidelines for the optimal spatial resolutions that are suitable for detecting and mapping varying levels of sustained S. noctilio mortality were defined. Results showed that a pixel size of 2.3 m is recommended to detect high (11-15%) infestation levels, and a pixel size of 1.75 m is recommended for detecting low to medium infestation levels (1-10%). In the second part of this thesis, the focus was on the ability of high spectral resolution (hyperspectral) data to discriminate between healthy trees and the early stages of S. noctilio infestation. Results showed that specific wavelengths located in the visible and near infrared region have the greatest potential for discriminating between healthy trees and the early stages of S. noctilio infestation. The researcher also evaluated the robustness and accuracy of various machine learning algorithms in identifying spectral parameters that allowed for the successful detection of S. noctilio infestations. Results showed that the random forest algorithm simplified the process by identifying the minimum number of spectral parameters that provided the best overall accuracies. In the final part of this thesis spatial modelling techniques were used to proactively identify pine forests that are highly susceptible to S. noctilio infestations. For the first time the random forest algorithm was used in conjunction with geographic information systems for mapping pine forests that are susceptible to S. noctilio infestations. Overall, there is a high probability of S. noctilio infestation for the majority (63%) of pine forest plantations located in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Compared to previous studies, the random forest model identified highly susceptible pine forests at a more regional scale and provided an understanding of localized variations of environmental conditions in relation to the distribution of the wasps. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

Submitted by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-08-08T17:44:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 GHIOTTO_Thais_2016.pdf: 18907197 bytes, checksum: 0779f8ac869df152bdd7747df97a15e5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-08-08T17:44:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 GHIOTTO_Thais_2016.pdf: 18907197 bytes, checksum: 0779f8ac869df152bdd7747df97a15e5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2017-08-08T17:44:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 GHIOTTO_Thais_2016.pdf: 18907197 bytes, checksum: 0779f8ac869df152bdd7747df97a15e5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-08T17:44:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 GHIOTTO_Thais_2016.pdf: 18907197 bytes, checksum: 0779f8ac869df152bdd7747df97a15e5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-09 / Não recebi financiamento / Megastigmus transvaalensis is an exotic wasp that attacks Brazilian pepper tree drupes Schinus terebinthifolius in native forests and areas of restoration and ecological restoration in Brazil. The parasitism begins with the oviposition M. transvaalensis in drupes S. terebinthifolius where the larvae hatch and remain internally feeding of nutrients and tissue, affecting germination. The aim of this work was to study the effect of temperature, rainfall and humidity in the population dynamics of M. transvaalensis and determine the parasitism rate and sex ratio of this wasp in drupes S. terebinthifolius. The study was performed with yellow sticky traps and collection of S. terebinthifolius drupes in seasonal semideciduous forest during August 2014 to September 2015, in the region of Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The capture of insects through the sticky traps proved satisfactory, and thus can be applied to the monitoring of small Hymenopteros. Populations of M. transvaalensis were negatively correlated with the maximum temperature and population peak in the fall of 2015, meaning that when the maximum temperature has reduced, there is a higher incidence of insect field. The parasitism rate of S. terebinthifolius drupes ranged from zero to 36.34% during this period, making this value an aggravating factor for the emergence of new individuals, since this phytophagous wasp has the potential to be spread throughout Brazil and It poses a threat to the natural regeneration of S. terebinthifolius. The sex ratio of M. transvaalensis was 0.42 and 0.08 in the laboratory field. The bio-ecology and the damage caused by M. transvaalensis in drupes S. terebinthifolius warrant further studies to integrated management / Megastigmus transvaalensis é uma vespa exótica que ataca drupas de aroeira-pimenteira Schinus terebinthifolius em florestas nativas e em áreas de recomposição e restauração ecológica no Brasil. O parasitismo inicia com a oviposição de M. transvaalensis nas drupas de S. terebinthifolius, onde as larvas internamente eclodem e permanecem alimentando-se dos nutrientes e tecidos, prejudicando a germinação. O objetivo desse trabalho foi estudar o efeito da temperatura, precipitação e umidade na flutuação populacional de M. transvaalensis e determinar o índice de parasitismo e razão sexual dessa vespa nas drupas de S. terebinthifolius. O estudo foi realizado com armadilhas adesivas amarelas e coleta de drupas de S. terebinthifolius em fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual, durante agosto de 2014 a setembro de 2015, na região de Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brasil. A captura dos insetos através das armadilhas adesivas se mostrou satisfatória, podendo assim ser aplicada para o monitoramento de pequenos Hymenopteros. As populações de M. transvaalensis apresentaram correlação negativa com a temperatura máxima e pico populacional no outono de 2015, significando que, quando a temperatura máxima apresenta redução, há maior incidência do inseto em campo. O índice de parasitismo das drupas de S. terebinthifolius variou de zero a 36,34% no período avaliado, tornando este valor um agravante para o surgimento de novos indivíduos, uma vez que, essa vespa fitófaga tem potencial de ser disseminado por todo Brasil e representa ameaça para a regeneração natural de S. terebinthifolius. A razão sexual de M. transvaalensis foi de 0,42 no laboratório e 0,08 em campo. A bioecologia e os danos causados por M. transvaalensis em drupas de S. terebinthifolius justificam mais estudos visando o manejo integrado dessa vespa fitófaga.