BSCI 611 : Biological Suppression of Insects and Weeds

SYLLABUS

Section I. OVERVIEW OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

1. Biological Control: What Is It and Does It Work?
2. Selected Underlying Concepts of Biological Control: Their Influence on Theory and Practice
3. Tools for Biological Control
   1. The Role of Invertebrate Predators
   2. The Role of Vertebrate Predators
   3. The Role of Insect Parasitoids
   4. The Role of Insect Pathogens and Nematodes
4. Classical Biological Control
   1. Selection of Biological Control Agents and Pre-Introduction Studies
   2. Quarantine and Mass-Rearing
   3. Release and Establishment of Biological Control Agents
   4. Assessment of Impact and Efficiency
5. Other Approaches to the Biological Control of Arthropod Pests
   1. Augmentation
   2. Conservation Biological Control
   3. Recolonization
   4. Novel Associations
6. Biological Control of Weeds
   1. Introduction: Assessment of the Problem
   2. Approaches and Procedures

Section II. ECOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL BASIS OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

1. Influence of Physical Factors on Biological Control Agents
2. Influence of Biotic Factors on Biological Control Agents
   1. Influence of Hosts/Prey on Natural Enemies
   2. Influence of Plants on Natural Enemies
   3. Host Selection by Natural Enemies
   4. Influence of Natural Enemies on Hosts/Prey
   5. Synergisms and Antagonisms
      1. Parasitoid - Parasitoid Interactions
      2. Parasitoid - Predator
      3. Parasitoid - Pathogen
3. Influence of Applied Factors on Biological Control
   1. Pesticide - Natural Enemy Interactions
   2. Impacts of Other Pest Control Tactics on Natural Enemies
   3. IPM and Biological Control
4. Environmental Impacts of Biological Control