Date of Award

Fall 2024

Language

English

Embargo Period

9-15-2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College/School/Department

Department of Geography and Planning

Program

Biodiversity, Conservation & Policy

First Advisor

Jeffrey Zappieri

Second Advisor

Rui Li

Third Advisor

Michael Sarnowski

Keywords

spotted lanternfly, invasive species, geographic information sciences, agriculture, spatial statistics

Subject Categories

Geographic Information Sciences | Natural Resources and Conservation | Physical and Environmental Geography | Spatial Science

Abstract

Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive treehopper native to Asia. It was first introduced to Pennsylvania in 2014, and as of 2020 it has expanded to New York state. Their preferred host tree is the invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), but they will feed on over 173 different plants worldwide. Preferred host species in New York state include agricultural vegetation such as grape vines and fruit trees. Positive Spotted Lanternfly site data collected by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets and iMapInvasives were analyzed using ArcGIS Pro to assess spatial distribution patterns. Spotted Lanternfly egg masses can be unknowingly spread via transportation pathways such as highways and railroads. Using a multi-scale geographically weighted regression, proximity to these pathways and tree of heaven presence were shown to be significant factors in the location of spotted lanternfly sightings in New York state. Additionally, infestation risk was geographically categorized based on proximity to these transportation pathways and agricultural regions.

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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