Habitat Management for Pest Management: Limitations and Prospects

Abstract

Habitat management is an important strategy for pest control in integrated pest management (IPM). Various categories of habitat management such as trap cropping, intercropping, natural enemy refuges such as 'beetle banks', and floral resources for parasitoids and predators, have been used in applied insect ecology for many years. In a broader sense, two mechanisms, the 'enemies hypothesis' and the 'resource concentration hypothesis' have been identified as acting independently or combined in pest population dynamics. The 'enemies hypothesis' directly supports the conservation and enhancement of natural enemies, floral resources such as shelter, nectar, alternative food sources, and pollen (SNAP) to improve conservation biological control. The 'resource concentration hypothesis' emphasizes how the host selection behavior of herbivores in a diverse habitat can reduce pest colonization in crops. This review emphasizes the potential of these approaches, as well as possible dis-services, and includes limitations and considerations needed to boost the efficacy of these strategies worldwide.