Ecology, biological Control, and evolution in agricultural systems – Population and community ecology (Po Co Eco) lab

Research Topics

Ecology, Biological Control, and evolution in agricultural systems

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AS AN ECOLOGICAL PROCESS

Jervis, M.A. Kidd, N.A.C., Mills, N.J., van Nouhuys, S.Singh, A., Yazdani, M.* (2023) Population Dynamics. In: Hardy ICW & Wajnberg E (Eds) Jervis’s Insects as natural enemies: practical perspectives. Springer, Dordrecht.

*First two authors wrote the chapter for previous editions of the book. The following 4 authors made a substantial revision including new material, in order of contribution.

Impact of insecticides on biological control

Keasar, T., Wajnberg, E. Heimpel, G., Hardy, Ian C.W., Shaltiel, L., Gottlieb, D., van Nouhuys, S. 2023
Dynamic economic thresholds for agricultural pests and the importance of migration between field and off-field locations.
Forum article in Economic Entomology. 116(2), 2023, 321–330 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad019

The effects of interacting natural enemies in biological control systems

Keasar, T., Wajnberg, E. Heimpel, G., Hardy, Ian C.W., Shaltiel, L., Gottlieb, D., van Nouhuys, S. 2023 Dynamic economic thresholds for agricultural pests and the importance of migration between field and off-field locations. Forum article in Economic Entomology. 116(2), 2023, 321-330 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad019

van Nouhuy s, S., Harris, D. C., Stephen, F. M., Galligan, L. D., Hajek, A. E. 2022
Association of the native parasitic nematode Deladenus proximus with individuals and populations of the native woodwasp Sirex nigricornis . Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 24: 237-246. DOI: 10.1111/afe.12487

Hajek, A. E. and van Nouhuys, S. 2016
Fatal diseases and parasitoids: from competition to facilitation in a shared host
Proceedings of the Royal Society B 283, 10.1098/rspb.2016.0154

The evolutionary consequences of domestication

Poppy

Poppy is an ancient domesticated plant. Humans have selected it for medicinal use, food and flowers. PhD Student Pranoy is studying the how suites of plant traits have changed in response to this domestication.

Parasitoids

Plants and their pest herbivores have of course evolved due to domestication. Parasitoids that reply on herbivores in agricultural systems have also evolved. Long ago, for her PhD, Saskya studied the evolution of parasitoid wasp foraging behavior where its host is found on cultivated cabbage vs where it is found on wild mustard. van Nouhuys, S. and S. Via 1999 Natural selection and genetic differentiation of behavior between parasitoids from wild and cultivated habitats Heredity, 83: 127-137