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A molecular approach to elucidate the role of invasive mollusk pests in Kentucky agriculture
University of Kentucky Approximately 15% of global food production is lost annually to pests before it reaches the consumer. Of these, pestiferous slugs are among the most important agents attacking crops in many parts of the USA. Currently there are over 80 exotic gastropods with established populations in the contiguous US and Canada, many of which are significant threats to horticulture, agriculture, urban and natural environments. Current slug control measures are either impractical for large areas (e.g., copper barriers) or only successful against certain species (e.g., biological control with nematodes). While molluscicide use is the most widespread, it is not the most effective means of control with many commercial products being overtly toxic to non-target organisms. The goals of this project are therefore to utilize molecular gut-content analyses to understand the role of carabid beetles in potentially regulating mollusk pests, and document the presence of new invasive populations. An understanding of the emerging trophic relationships associated with these exotic species will help provide tools for development of viable management options, potentially minimizing their impact. To fully comprehend interaction pathways within complex terrestrial food webs, it is necessary to characterize encounter frequencies of each constituent part of the web, and describe the consequence of these interactions. This study will therefore examine the structure of native and invasive mollusk communities in agroecosystems within Kentucky, and using molecular analysis of gut-content identify the interaction pathways between predators and prey that will subsequently enable the development of management recommendations for biological control of these invasive pests.
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