Conservation biological control /

This collection of papers by leading authorities in pest control and management takes the unique approach of using conservation biology as the central theme. It begins with a section on the relevant ideas from conservation biology and then moves onto their applications in agroecosystems. A series of chapters follow detailing the influence of plants on insect parasitoids, invertebrate predators, and the conservation of effective parasitoids. In addition, there are sections on habitat enhancement for natural insect enemies, habitat manipulation, natural biological controls, pesticides, mobile pests, etc. The different sections are all well written and provide insights into the efforts to both conserve natural enemies and control pests through conservation biological control (e.g., strip-harvesting of alfalfa, etc.). The authors point out the value of this approach and the difficulties involved with its application under current agricultural and economic systems. Often this is not used in more developed countries because it would require changing longstanding practices. However, this approach is well suited to less-developed agricultural systems and may be best implemented in these areas. For advanced students in agriculture or natural resource-related fields. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. D. W. Kitchen; Humboldt State University