Industrial air pollution and the pine bark bug, Aradus cinnamomeus Panz. (Het., Aradidae)
1986
Helioevaara, K. (Helsinki Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Agricultural and Forest Zoology) | Vaeisaenen, R.
The population density of the pine bark bug, Aradus cinnamomeus Panz. (Het., Aradidae) was studied along an air pollutant gradient in the industrialized town of Harjavalta, western Finland. In the 71 sample plots, the bug density in the bark of 1380 Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) varied from 0.1 to 12.2 bugs per 100 square centimetre. Zones are presented on the basis of the bug densities. The lowest density is usually observed in the immediate vicinity of the factory complex, and at several kilometres from it. The highest bug density, also evident from the poor growth of the pines (Aradus injury), usually occurs 1-2 kilometre from the factories, the numbers decreasing rather steeply towards the pollutant source. When the bug density was compared with the deposits of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn), which indicate the general lever of air pollution, it showed positive and mostly statistically significant correlations. It is concluded that the pine bark bug, like many other sucking insects, has benefited from the increasing atmospheric pollution, which cause physiological alterations in the host trees
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