Biological control

Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests such as insects, mites, weeds and plant diseases using other living organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also involves an active human management role. It can be an important component of integrated pest management programs.

Types of Biological Control

There are three basic types of biological pest control strategies: importation (or classical biological control), augmentation and conservation.

Importation

Importation or classical biological control involves the introduction of a pest's natural enemies to a new locale where they do not occur naturally. This is usually done by government authorities. This method is long-term and can be used to reduce pests over a wide area.

Augmentation

Augmentation involves the supplemental release of natural enemies, boosting the naturally occurring populations. There are two types of augmentation: inoculative release and inundative release.

Inoculative Release

In inoculative release, small numbers of the control agents are released at intervals to allow them to reproduce, in the hope of setting up longer-term control, and thus keeping the pest down to a low level, constituting prevention rather than cure.

Inundative Release

In inundative release, in contrast, large numbers are released in the hope of rapidly reducing a damaging pest population, correcting a problem that has already arisen. Augmentation can be very effective, but is not guaranteed to work, and depends on the precise details of the interactions between each pest and control agent.

Conservation

Conservation of natural enemies is perhaps the most important and readily available biological control practice available. It involves measures to maintain natural enemies through provision of habitats and reduction of harmful activities.

Benefits and Risks

Biological control can have side-effects on biodiversity through attacks on non-target species by any of the same mechanisms, especially when a species is introduced without thorough understanding of the possible consequences.

See Also

• Integrated pest management
• Pest (organism)
• Invasive species