From parasitoid behavior to biological control: applied behavioral ecology

Abstract

AbstractA hypothetical parasitoid mass rearing facility is used to unite principles from behavioral ecology and biological control. The key to the problem is variation in the tendency of solitary parasitoids to superparasitize. Superparasitism affects individual and population parasitoid productivity, though not necessarily to the same degree. Herein, the interest is in determining conditions that will maximize parasitoid population productivity when superparasitism varies. To accomplish this, a combination of graphical marginal analysis (to provide an economic context), dynamic optimization models (to determine individual parasitoid superparasitism tendency), and functional response models (to determine parasitoid population productivity) has been used. Marginal analysis shows that marginal returns decrease with an increase in the number of parasitoids released but that the slope of the marginal returns curve depends upon the sensitivity of superparasitism to environmental conditions. In addition, results show that parasitoid responses can be highly nonlinear and, as such, can greatly affect optimal numbers of parasitoids released in a nonintuitive manner. This behavioral ecology approach greatly increases efficiency and predictability of parasitoid production.