Award details

Dynamic responses of predators to biodiversity in sustainable agriculture: spatial and molecular analyses

Reference	BBS/E/C/00004809
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Ian Denholm
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr David Bohan
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	49,124
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/09/2005
End date	31/08/2008
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Our overall objective is to study the spatio-temporal responses of predators to biodiversity and the effects of these interactions on pest suppression and crop yield. Our objective will then be to test the following five hypotheses: 1. that the predators respond spatially to diversity of prey and not simply to its abundance, 2. that the predators respond spatially to prey biomass when prey density is suboptimal but to prey diversity when there is an excess of prey, 3. that when the predators encounter greater diversity they respond by eating a greater range of prey rather than simply being more selective, 4. that increased alternative prey diversity and/or abundance leads to reduced pest density (both spatially and temporally) mediated by increased predator abundance and/or diversity 5. that increased alternative prey diversity and/or abundance leads to increased crop yield (both spatially and temporally) mediated by increased predator abundance and/or diversity 6. that predators change their prey choices in response to previous feeding history.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	Crop Science, Plant Science
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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