Slugs and nematodes in a fighting arena - individual based models of parasitism

摘要

Slugs are one of the most important pests in agricultural and horticultural crops in the UK and Europe. The slug-parasitic nematode biocontrol agent, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, is available commercially in the UK. We have developed an individual based model to describe the temporal and spatial dynamics of slug and nematode populations and their interaction. The model depicts a simulated field using a grid of cells. The carrying capacity of each cell permits the elaboration of density-dependent slug behaviour, and allows the integration of small-scale interaction studies into wider spatial dynamics. The dispersal, in space, and density changes of the slug population can be traced across the simulated field, following nematode application. In thismodelling study scenarios for individual-slug state-dependent egg-hatching, development, oviposition, growth, mortality, and dispersal were constructed and investigated. The model proves to be a powerful tool to observe changes in control success for different scenarios of nematode application.