Data from: Resistance to genetic insect control: modelling the effects of space

Genetic insect control, such as self-limiting RIDL2 (Release of Insects Carrying a Dominant Lethal) technology, is a development of the sterile insect technique which is proposed to suppress wild populations of a number of major agricultural and public health insect pests. This is achieved by mass rearing and releasing male insects that are homozygous for a repressible dominant lethal genetic construct, which causes death in progeny when inherited. The released genetically engineered ('GE') insects compete for mates with wild individuals, resulting in population suppression. A previous study modelled the evolution of a hypothetical resistance to the lethal construct using a frequency-dependent population genetic and population dynamic approach. This found that proliferation of resistance is possible but can be diluted by the introgression of susceptible alleles from the released homozygous-susceptible GE males. We develop this approach within a spatial context by modelling the spread of a lethal construct and resistance trait, and the effect on population control, in a two deme metapopulation, with GE release in one deme. Results show that spatial effects can drive an increased or decreased evolution of resistance in both the target and non-target demes, depending on the effectiveness and associated costs of the resistant trait, and on the rate of dispersal. A recurrent theme is the potential for the non-target deme to act as a source of resistant or susceptible alleles for the target deme through dispersal. This can in turn have a major impact on the effectiveness of insect population control.遗传害虫防治技术（如自限性RIDL2（Release of Insects Carrying a Dominant Lethal，携带显性致死因子的昆虫释放）技术）是不育昆虫技术的迭代发展成果，旨在抑制多种重大农业害虫与公共卫生害虫的野生种群。该技术通过大规模饲养并释放携带可抑制型显性致死遗传构件的纯合雄性昆虫实现：此类构件在子代继承后将导致其死亡。释放的基因工程（genetically engineered, GE）昆虫会与野生个体争夺交配权，最终实现种群抑制。此前已有研究采用频率依赖型群体遗传学与种群动力学方法，针对该致死构件的假设抗性演化开展建模，结果发现抗性扩散具备可行性，但可通过释放的纯合易感型GE雄性昆虫所带来的易感等位基因渐渗得以稀释。本研究在空间框架下拓展了该研究方法，针对由两个同类群构成的集合种群，建模了致死构件与抗性性状的扩散过程及其对种群防治效果的影响，且仅在其中一个同类群中开展GE昆虫释放作业。研究结果表明，空间效应可导致靶标与非靶标同类群内的抗性演化程度出现升高或降低的变化，具体取决于抗性性状的有效性、相关成本以及种群扩散速率。一个反复出现的核心结论是，非靶标同类群可通过种群扩散成为靶标同类群的抗性或易感等位基因来源，这进而会对害虫种群防治的整体效果产生重大影响。