Understanding biological control

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Table of contents

Introduction 
.1 Understanding biological control
.1.1 Who kills who?
.1.2 Kill the pest!
.1.3 Use predators
.1.4 Augmentative control
.1.5 Predator types
.1.6 Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
.1.7 Some vital statistics
.2 Scope of this thesis
.3 Detailed plan
Making a choice: modelling approach 
.1 Building the model
.1.1 Keeping count
.1.2 Some key assumptions
.1.3 Hybrid dynamics
.1.4 Canonical form
.2 Two mathematical properties of the impulsive model
.3 Why go impulsive?
.4 Why go qualitative? – I. Structural advantages
.4.1 Predator-prey processes
.4.2 Asymptotic behaviour
.5 Why go qualitative? – II. Field realities
.5.1 Finding the right compromise
.5.2 One model to rule them all
.6 Summary of model characteristics and aims
.6.1 Modelling features
.6.2 Analysis
Groundwork: a simple model and analytic methods
.1 A simple model
.2 Mathematical analysis of the simple model
.2.1 A local preview: with or without continuous control
.2.2 Positivity of the system and existence of the zero-pest solution
.2.3 Stability of the zero-pest solution
.2.4 A note on the computation of the global attractivity condition
.2.5 Interpreting the LAS and GAS conditions
.3 Pest control strategy
.3.1 The minimal predator release rate
.3.2 The period of release
Predators interfering with each other uring predation 
.1 The premises
.2 The model
.3 The zero-pest solution
.3.1 Stability with affine parameterisation
.3.2 Stability with nonlinear parameterisation
.4 The minimal predator release rate
.4.1 Affine parameterisation
.4.2 Nonlinear parameterisation
.5 The pest evolution rate
.5.1 Affine parameterisation
.5.2 Nonlinear parameterisation
.6 The pest control strategy
.6.1 Choice of the predator species
.6.2 The predator releases
.6.3 Additional questions: beyond sector modelling
Cannibalism among predators 
.1 Understanding cannibalism
.1.1 Cannibalism in the biomathematical jargon
.1.2 Impact of cannibalism on augmentative pest control
.1.3 General model of cannibalism
.2 Mechanism I: Territoriality
.2.1 The premises
.2.2 The model and specific hypotheses
.2.3 Existence of the zero-pest solution
.2.4 Stability of the zero-pest solution
.2.5 The minimal release rate
.3 Mechanism II: Hunger and fighting for survival
.3.1 The premises
.3.2 The model and specific hypotheses
.3.3 Existence of the zero-pest solution
.3.4 Stability of the zero-pest solution
.4 Mechanism III: Diet, alternate prey & intraguild predation
.4.1 The premises
.4.2 The model and specific hypotheses
.4.3 Existence and stability of the zero-pest solution
.4.4 The Kohlmeier- Ebenhöh model
.5 The pest control strategy
.5.1 Predator releases
.5.2 The selection of the predator species
Partial harvest effects 
.1 The premises
.2 The model
.3 Existence of the zero-pest solution
.3.1 Releases more frequent than harvests
.3.2 Releases less frequent than harvests
.4 Stability of the pest-free solution
.4.1 The methodology
.4.2 Releases more frequent than harvests
.4.3 Releases less frequent than harvests
.5 The minimal release rate
.5.1 Dependence in biological processes
.5.2 Dependence in the period of release
.5.3 Dependence in partial harvesting parameters
.6 The pest control strategy
Practical guidelinesnd experimental results 
.1 Guidelines
.1.1 Matching data with the model
.1.2 Simple augmentative control program
.1.3 Interfering predators
.1.4 Overcrowding
.1.5 Integrated Pest Management (or partial harvests)
.2 Experiments with the predator Neoseiulus cucumeris to control the pest rankliniella occidentalis
.2.1 Experiment 1: intrapredator interference
.2.2 Experiment 2: release frequencies and pest control
Conclusion and prospects 
.1 Summary
.2 Discussion