The use of plasticine caterpillar-like objects to quantify predation rates along an urbanisation gradient in Denmark was the topic of my BSc thesis project back in 2010. This work results in my first article in an international peer-reviewed journal (Ferrante et al. 2014, J Eur Entomol).
During my PhD, I developed the use of artificial sentinel prey to quantify vertebrate and invertebrate predators activity under field conditions, contributed to best practice, and co-authored the first review of the sentinel prey method (Lövei & Ferrante 2017, Insect Sci, equal joint authorship). I have also proven that an invertebrate predator has the sensory capacity to detect prey chemical cues but does not always use this information, not distinguishing between intact live vs artificial prey, thus strengthening the basis of using the sentinel prey method (Ferrante et al. 2017, BioControl).
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I have used this method in several habitats finding high predation pressure, usually higher by invertebrates on the mainland but not on oceanic islands. Collaborating with several colleagues around the world, I have proven that predation rates in maize fields in Europe and Argentina are comparable (Ferrante et al. 2019, Insect Sci), that predation pressure in forest remnants in a cultivated landscape in Argentina is higher than in the surroundings, but there is no spillover into the crop (Ferrante et al. 2017, Ecol & Evol), and that flower strips do not necessarily boost predation pressure, indicating that habitat structure and the plant species selected for the flower strip also play an important role (Mansion-Vaquié et al. 2017, J Appl Entomol; Ferrante et al. submitted). We also verified a positive correlation between large ground beetle abundance and predation pressure, providing a link between ecological community structure and function (Mansion-Vaquié et al. 2017, J Appl Entomol).
As a contribution to ecological theory, I have proven that claiming that during the night, Lepidoptera larvae have enemy-free time is not correct (Ferrante et al. 2018, Comm Ecol), confirmed the existence of biotic resistance on a species-poor remoted island and showed that a novel morphological phenotype does not guarantee reduced predation pressure. (Ferrante et al. 2022, Biol Inv).
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We also made it to the cover page of Ecology and Evolution quantifying vertebrate and invertebrate predation rates in a desert ecosystem over the year, demonstrating that predation rates in this ecosystem are not necessarily lower than those in temperate and tropical areas (Ferrante et al. 2021). This was also the first year-round quantification of predation for a natural ecosystem.
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Here is the list of articles I co-authored which include the use of artificial caterpillars:​
Ferrante M, Lamelas-López L, Nunes R, Monjardino P, Lopes DJH, Soares AO, Lövei GL & Borges PAV (2022). A simultaneous assessment of multiple ecosystem services and disservices in vineyards and orchards on Terceira Island, Azores. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2022.107909
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Ferrante M, Nunes R, Lamelas-López L, Lövei GL, & Borges PAV (2022). A novel morphological phenotype does not ensure reduced biotic resistance on an oceanic island. Biological Invasions.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02686-2
​Ferrante M, Möller D, Möller G, Menares E, Lubin Y & Segoli M (2021). Invertebrate and vertebrate predation rates in a hyper-arid ecosystems following an oil spill. Ecology & Evolution 11, 12153-12160.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ece3.7978
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​Valdes-Correcher E et al. (2021). Search for top-down and bottom-up drivers of latitudinal trends in insect herbivory in oak trees in Europe. Global Ecology and Biogeography 30, 651–665.
https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13244​​
González E, Seidl M, Kadlec T, Ferrante M & Knapp M (2020). Distribution of ecosystem services within oilseed rape fields: effects of field defects on pest and weed seed predation rates. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 295, 106894.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2020.106894​
Castagneyrol B et al. (2020). Can school children support ecological research? Lessons from the ‘Oak bodyguard’ citizen science project. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 5, p.10.
http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.267
Ferrante M, Lövei GL, Magagnoli S, Minarcikova L, Tomescu EL, et al. (2019). Predation pressure in maize across Europe and Argentina: an intercontinental comparison. Insect Science 26, 545-554.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7917.12550
Ferrante M, Barone G, Kiss M, Bozóné-Borbáth E & Lövei GL (2017). Ground-level predation on artificial caterpillars indicates no enemy-free time for lepidopteran larvae. Community Ecology 18, 280-286.
https://doi.org/10.1556/168.2017.18.3.6
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Ferrante M, Barone G & Lövei GL (2017). The carabid Pterostichus melanarius uses chemical cues for opportunistic predation and saprophagy but not for finding healthy prey. BioControl 62, 741-747.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-017-9829-5
Ferrante M, González E & Lövei GL (2017). Predators do not spill over from forest fragments to maize fields in a landscape mosaic in central Argentina. Ecology & Evolution 19, 7699-7707.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3247
Mansion-Vaquié A, Ferrante M, Cook SM, Pell JK & Lövei GL (2017). Manipulating field margins to increase predation intensity in fields of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum). Journal of Applied Entomology 141, 600-611.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jen.12385
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Lövei* GL & Ferrante* M (2017). A review of the sentinel prey method as a way of quantifying invertebrate predation under field conditions. Insect Science 24, 528-542. *equal joint authorship
https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7917.12405
Begg GS, Cook SM, Dye R, Ferrante M, Franck P, et al. (2017). A functional overview of conservation biological control.
Crop Protection 97, 145-158.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2016.11.008
Ferrante M, Lo Cacciato A & Lövei GL (2014). Quantifying predation pressure along an urbanisation gradient in Denmark using artificial caterpillars. European Journal of Entomology 111, 649-654.
https://doi.org/10.14411/eje.2014.082
