Biological control in winter: Novel evidence for importance of generalist predators
| Title in English | Biological control in winter: Novel evidence for the importance of generalist predators |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Journal of Applied Ecology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12363 |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | agroecology; agroecosystems; biological control; intraguild predation; Araneae; Cacopsylla; model; Homoptera |
| Description | The role of generalist predators in pest control has been neglected because generalists are not able to track pest populations. Generalist predators are suggested to be important in spring before specialist predators become active. Here, we show that some generalist predators are important even during winter, when the majority of arthropod pests and their enemies are dormant. We quantified the role of winter-active generalist predators on the suppression of pear psylla during winter using a discrete nonlinear model of an intraguild predation system. |
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