Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agroecosystems

ISBN-13: 9781560229230 / Angielski / Miękka / 2004 / 252 str.

Miguel A. Altieri; Clara I. Nicholls

Opis

Explore the latest research on biological control
Completely updated for 2004, this new edition examines methods for making agricultural systems less susceptible to insect pests. Containing new findings and reports of strategies, Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agroecosystems, Second Edition will show you how pests can be managed by enhancing beneficial biodiversity using agroecological diversification methods.
Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agroecosystems, Second Edition provides you with an essential overview of the role of biodiversity in agriculture and then gets specific, with new and updated information on:

• the agroecology of pest management
• plant diversity and pest outbreaks within agroecosystems
• diversification strategies for pest management
• how sustainable farming systems are designed

You'll also explore:

• the role of plant diversity on the biology of beneficial insects
• insect regulation in diverse agroecosystems
• manipulation of plant diversity in agroecosystems
• ecological and socioeconomic implications

The fact is, many modern agroecosystems are unstable as a consequence of constant human intervention in crop systems which ignore ecological principles. With case studies on a variety of crops and pests, Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agroecosystems, Second Edition explores entomological aspects of agriculture and analyzes the ecological basis for the maintenance of biodiversity. It will familiarize you with the theory and practice of enhancing biological pest control in agricultural systems by managing vegetational diversity via multiple cropping, cover cropping, rotations, and other spatial and temporal designs. With studies on intercropping, cover cropping, weed management, and crop-field border vegetation manipulation, this book covers the effects of these diverse systems on pest population density and the mechanisms underlying pest reduction in polycultures. Make it a part of your reference/teaching collection today

Spis treści

Preface to the Second Edition Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. The Ecological Role of Biodiversity in Agriculture Traditional Agroecosystems As Models of Biodiverse Farms The Ecological Role of Biodiversity The Nature of Biodiversity in Agroecosystems Chapter 2. Agroecology and Pest Management The Nature of Agricultural Habitats and its Relation to Pest Buildup Crop Diversification and Biological Control Chapter 3. Plant Diversity and Insect Stability in Agroecosystems Ecological Theory Theory Dilemmas Chapter 4. Insect Manipulation Through Weed Management Weeds As Sources of Insect Pests in Agroecosystems The Role of Weeds in the Ecology of Natural Enemies Insect Dynamics in Weed-Diversified Crop Systems Isolating the Ecological Effects of Weed Diversity Crop-Weed Management Considerations Chapter 5. Insect Management in Multiple-Cropping Systems Patterns of Insect Abundance in Polycultures Herbivore Trends in Polycultures Case Study 1: Maize Intercrops and Pest Attack Case Study 2: Cassava Intercrops and Pest Incidence Case Study 3: Reducing Stemborers in Africa Living Mulches: A Special Type of Intercrop Methodologies to Study Insect Dynamics in Polycultures Management Considerations Chapter 6. Insect Ecology in Orchards Under Cover-Crop Management Selecting and Managing Cover Crops in Orchards Case Study 1: Apple Orchards in California Case Study 2: Pecan Orchards in Georgia Case Study 3: Summer Cover Crops in Vineyards Chapter 7. The Influence of Adjacent Habitats on Insect Populations in Crop Fields Crop Edges and Insect Pests Field Boundaries and Natural Enemies Designing and Managing Borders Case Study 1: Exchange of Arthropods at the Interface of Apple Orchards and Adjacent Woodlands Manipulating Crop-Field Border Vegetation Case Study 2: Biological Corridors in Vineyards Case Study 3: Strip Management to Augment Predators Chapter 8. The Dynamics of Insect Pests in Agroforestry Systems The Effects of Trees in Agroforestry on Insect Pests Designing Natural Successional Analog Agroforestry Systems The Need for Further Research Chapter 9. Designing Pest-Stable Vegetationally Diverse Agroecosystems Monocultures and the Failure of Conventional Pest-Control Approaches Towards Sustainable Agriculture Requirements of Sustainable Agroecosystems Designing Healthy Agroecosystems Healthy Soils—Healthy Plants Restoring Diversity in Agricultural Systems Enhancing Surrounding Biodiversity Case Study 1: Diversification of an Onion Agroecosystem in Michigan Case Study 2: A Diversified Small Farming System in Chile Conclusion References Index

O autorze

Clara Nicholls, Miguel Altieri