Assessing the Prevalence of Wood-Boring Insects in Green Spaces of Herat City, Afghanistan
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Abstract
Elevated temperatures, changes in precipitation, and extreme weather events associated with climate change can subject trees to increased stress. Stressed trees are more susceptible to pest infestations, as their weakened state makes them less able to defend against attacks. Pests of green areas are one of the most important challenges for maintaining and developing urban green areas. Among these pests, wood-boring insects, the most important pests of trees in green spaces, play an important role in causing damage and destroying green spaces. Many insects feed on different parts of the tree, such as roots and stems, causing damage and even death. This study aims to determine the prevalence of wood-boring insects in four important green areas of Herat City. In this research, trees, and shrubs in the green spaces of Bagh-e-Mellat, Takht-e-Saffar, Malekyar, and Farhang parks have been investigated and studied based on their visible signs and symptoms. The two extensive areas of Takht-e-Saffar and Bagh-e-Mellat were subdivided into 10 plots, and 5 plots were randomly selected. The trees and shrubs in the other two areas, Farhang and Malekyaar Parks underwent a comprehensive examination. Subsequently, the collected data were analyzed using the Excel program. The lowest occurrence of wood-boring insects was noted in the Farhang Park area, with 6 infested trees out of 268, while the highest prevalence was observed in Takht-e-Saffar, where 45 trees out of 400 were infested.
Keywords
Climate, change, Green, spaces, Herat, city, Wood-boring, insects##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##
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