Pests, predators and parasitoids

This chapter provides a brief introduction to the response of pests to vegetation diversity and covers the direct effects of the first trophic level (plants) and effects mediated by the third trophic level (predators and parasitoids). The various ecological processes that drive these effects will be explained. This chapter will then focus on applied aspects of biodiversity, reviewing the ways in which diversity can be harnessed to help manage pest herbivores. The major forms of biological control will be introduced before a detailed exploration of conservation biological control, in which forms of habitat management are used to enhance the impact of natural enemies. This section will review recent research in the field with an emphasis on the response of natural enemies to biodiversity at various spatial scales and the emerging field of landscape ecology.