Economic Entomology: Insect Ecology and Pest Management
Classified in Biology
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Economic Entomology
It refers to the study of all aspects of insects that are related in a way or another with human activity involving the economic, ecological and social.
Ecology of Insects
Species: A group of individuals who share common characteristics, can interbreed and produce fertile offspring under natural conditions.
Population: Group of organisms of the same species that occupy a certain space at a given time.
Community: A group of populations of several species of plants or animals that share a certain time regardless.
Ecosystem: Habitat where biotic and abiotic factors interact to exchange energy and matter in a continuous cycle.
Agroecosystem: Artificial system manipulated by man but stable in nature.
Ecological Niche: Resources that provide a kind of your requirements to live and reproduce.
Trophic Level: Position in the food chain determined by the number of successive steps in which energy transfer occurs.
Food Chain: It is an abstract representation of the transfer of energy through a community population.
Factors that Determine the Population of Arthropods in a Community
- Vegetation diversity
- Structural diversity of plants
- Distance of the community reserve areas
- Time of colonization
- Time for coevolution between host-herbivore-natural enemy
Factors Affecting Birth, Mortality, Development and Emergency Agencies in an Agroecosystem
- Quantity and Quality of Food
- Natural Enemies
- Pesticides
- Climate
Intraspecific Competition: It is one that occurs between individuals of the same species, highlighting the competition for territory, light, reproduction and feeding.
Interspecific Competition: Competition is one that occurs between individuals of different species, highlighting the competition for territory, light, food and reproduction.
Difference Between Ecosystems and Agroecosystems
| Feature | Agroecosystem | Ecosystem |
|---|---|---|
| Climate | Altered | Natural |
| Species Diversity | Low | High |
| Land | Disturbed | Not Disturbed |
| Organic Matter | Not Recyclable | Recyclable |
| Energy Flow | Linear | Cyclic |
Settler Insects (r-Strategists)
High dispersal capacity, high progeny, low competitiveness, reduced maturation, early parental care.
Competitor Insects (K-Strategists)
Low progeny, low dispersal ability, high competitiveness, late maturation, parental care of offspring.
Plague
Those organisms that can cause damage or get help with a threat to humans and their welfare.
Population Parameters for Use in Pest Management: Infestation Levels
General Equilibrium Position (GEP): Average of the density of an insect population over a period of time in the absence of permanent changes in the environment.
Economic Threshold (ET): Population density of the pest which is necessary to apply a control measure to prevent the population from continuing to increase.
Economic Injury Level (EIL): Population density that causes economic harm, where the cost of implementing a control measure would be equal to the value of the crop.
Categories of Pests
Non-Economic Pest: Insects feed on crops without reaching densities high enough to cause economic damage so therefore are seldom noticed (e.g., Heliothis zea).
Occasional Pest: The population density reaches levels that cause economic damage only when there are unusual weather conditions or improper use of insecticides.
Severe Pest: The present population density always causes economic damage; it is necessary to frequently apply insecticides to produce cash crops or to prevent disease transmission to humans or animals.