The iEcolab published a new paper titled, “Quantifying population resistance to climatic variability: The invasive
spotted lanternfly grape pest is buffered against temperature extremes in California.” The paper was authored by iEcoLab alumna Dr. Stephanie Lewkiewicz, PI Dr. Matthew Helmus, and Dr. Benjamin Seibold, PI at the C2M2 Lab. The article investigates temperature variability impact on the establishment of the spotted lanternfly (SLF). The authors developed a model incorporating both average temperature trends and random fluctuations to simulate SLF population dynamics with and without diapause, a dormancy period in eggs. The study highlights the importance of accounting for temperature variability when predicting the establishment and spread of invasive species, especially in the context of climate change and its potential effects on agricultural pests like the SLF.
Photo credits: Hannah Slesinski, iEcoLab
Lewkiewicz, SM, B Seibold, MR Helmus. 2024. Quantifying population resistance to climatic variability: The invasive spotted lanternfly grape pest is buffered against temperature extremes in California. Ecological Modelling, 497: 110841.