Loading...
Enemies Hypothesis: A Review of the Effect of Vegetational Diversity on Predatory Insects and Parasitoids
Russell, Edmund P.
Russell, Edmund P.
Citations
Altmetric:
Abstract
The enemies hypothesis holds that predatory insects and parasitoids are more effective at controlling populations of herbivores in diverse systems of vegetation than in simple ones. Eighteen studies that tested the enemies hypothesis are reviewed. Of those studies reporting mortality from prédation or parasitism, nine found higher mortality rates in diverse systems; two found a lower mortality rate; and two found no difference. The mechanisms that are thought to underlie the enemies hypothesis and directions for future research are discussed. Evidence suggests that the enemies hypothesis and the resource concentration hypothesis (which predicts that herbivores more easily find, stay in, and reproduce in monocultures of host plants than in polycultures) are complementary mechanisms in reducing numbers of herbivores in diverse agricultural systems.
Description
Date
1989-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Environmental Entomology
Files
Loading...
Russell_1989.pdf
Adobe PDF, 1.44 MB
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Insecta, Enemies hypothesis, Resource concentration, Predators
Citation
Russell, Edmund P. “Enemies Hypothesis: A Review of the Effect of Vegetational Diversity on Predatory Insects and Parasitoids” Environmental Entomology, Volume 18, Number 4, August 1989 , pp. 590-599(10)