Relationships of Natural Enemies and Non-prey Foods

Here is an examination of the intricate and diverse interactions between non-prey foods and natural enemies from both parties' perspectives, taking readers on a journey that shows how these interactions are tied to the outcome of biological control programs.

Feeding on Non-Prey Resources by Natural Enemies Moshe Coll Reports on the consumption of non-prey food sources, particularly plant materials, by predators and parasitoids are common throughout the literature (reviewed recently by Naranjo and Gibson 1996, Coll 1998a, Coll and Guershon, 2002). Predators belonging to a variety of orders and families are known to feed on pollen and nectar, and adult parasitoids acquire nutrients from honeydew and floral and extrafloral nectar. A recent publication by Wäckers et al. (2005) discusses the p- visioning of plant resources to natural enemies from the perspective of the plant, exploring the evolutionary possibility that plants enhance their defenses by recru- ing enemies to food sources. The present volume, in contrast, presents primarily the enemies' perspective, and as such is the first comprehensive review of the nut- tional importance of non-prey foods for insect predators and parasitoids. Although the ecological significance of feeding on non-prey foods has long been underappreciated, attempts have been made to manipulate nectar and pollen ava- ability in crop fields in order to enhance levels of biological pest control by natural enemies (van Emden, 1965; Hagen, 1986; Coll, 1998a). The importance of n- prey foods for the management of pest populations is also discussed in the book.

Organized according to major classes of non-prey foods, including micro-organisms, sugar sources, pollen, and seeds Complete compilations of granivorous carabids and pollinivorous natural enemies Discusses the nutrition and defense of non-prey foods, as pertinent to entomophagous species Outlines broad similarities in the morphology and physiology of entomophagous insects that facilitates omnivory Special sections with new perspectives on how omnivory by beneficials fits within IPM frameworks

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There are very few natural enemies so maladapted as to rely on prey as their sole nutritional resource. The importance of non-prey sources of nutrition have received disproportionately less attention than prey when one considers how important non-prey foods are to the evolution and ecology of natural enemies. This book examines the intricate and diverse interactions between non-prey foods and natural enemies from both parties' perspectives, beginning at an organismal level and taking the reader on a journey that illustrates how these interactions are inextricably tied to the outcome of biological control programs targeting insects and weed seeds.

Contenu
Glucophagy.- The Functions of Non-Prey Foods in the Diets of Entomophagous Species.- The Sugar Feeders.- Floral Nectar.- Extrafloral Nectar.- Honeydew.- Pollinivory.- The Pollen Feeders.- Adaptations to Pollen feeding.- Pollen Nutrition and Defense.- Granivory.- The Seed Feeders.- Adaptations to Granivory.- Seed Nutrition and Defense.- Seed-Associated Food Bodies.- Seed Preferences of Natural Enemies.- Fungi and Microorganisms.- Mycophagy.- Symbioses with Microorganisms.- Applied Aspects of Non-Prey Foods for Natural Enemies.- Non-Prey Foods and Biological Control of Arthropods.- Plant-Incorporated Pest Resistance and Natural Enemies.- Biological Control of Weed Seeds in Agriculture Using Omnivorous Insects.- Conclusions and the Relative Quality of Non-Prey Foods for Natural Enemies.