Arthropod Diversity and Pest Suppression in Agricultural Landscapes

Research at the Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research site (KBS LTER) is focused on understanding the ecological interactions underlying the productivity of row-crop ecosystems. Within these systems, insect pests and weeds represent two major groups of organisms that farmers must consistently and effectively manage. Since its inception in 1989, entomologists associated with KBS LTER have sought to develop a better understanding of the ecology of beneficial insects and the crop pests they control within agricultural landscapes. As a group, we have specifically focused on key taxa involved in pest suppression, namely, predators and parasitoids of insect herbivores and predators of weed seeds. The long-term goal of this work has been to inform agricultural practices that might enhance natural pest suppression and thus reduce the need for chemical pest controls. Working toward this goal has involved long-term observations coupled with shorter-term, hypothesis-driven experiments. This combination has proven a fruitful model for advancing science at KBS and the LTER Network in general (Knapp et al. 2012).