Predictive Determination of Cydalima perspectalis Spread Areas by Using Maxent Model

Boxwood, which is used as a source of raw material in various areas and contributes greatly to nature with its ecological properties, is in danger of extinction due to pests, primarily the boxwood moth (Cydalima perspectalis), uncontrolled cutting, fungal drying and diseases. In addition to these, climate change also plays a negative role on biodiversity and the distribution of many species. Therefore, necessary measures need to be taken to minimize the effects of climate change on species. In this study, coordinate information of 45 boxwood locations obtained with the help of field studies and literature was used. The presence of Cydalima perspectalis in these locations was observed with field studies. After data acquisition, the current potential distribution area of boxwood (Buxus spp.) and its pest, the boxwood moth (Cydalima perspectalis), which naturally spread in Türkiye, was modeled using the Maxent 3.4.4 program and the WorldClim V1 database obtained from the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. According to the modeling results, the pest is expected to spread mainly in the Black Sea Region and the West Marmara Region, and boxwood (Buxus spp.) is expected to spread in the Aegean and Mediterranean Regions in addition to these regions. It was also observed that the current locations overlap with the potential distribution areas to a great extent.