Causes of mite pest outbreaks in bamboo forests in Fujian, China: analyses of mite damage in monoculture versus polyculture stands

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Abstract
Damage caused by the phytophagous mites Schizotetranychus nanjingensis Ma & Yuan, Aponychus corpuzae Rimando and/or Aculus bambusae Kuang to the moso bamboo (Phyllostaychs pubescens) was examined for ten pairs of monoculture versus polyculture forests at six locations in Fujian, China. Mite damage in the monoculture forests (35%) was on average twice as high as that in the polyculture forests (17.5% < the injury level of 20%). The relative contribution of each mite species to total damage varied among sites, but Ap. corpuzae was the dominant pest at all sites except one, where S. nanjingensis was the major pest. Polyculture forests overall had more predatory mites than monoculture forests. Mite damage was inversely correlated with the altitudes of individual forests across sites. These results are discussed in light of ecological theories on the effects of plant diversity on animal abundance and suggestions for possible measures to control pest mites on bamboo in Fujian.