Capturing the pest control services of native vegetation

Citation

Land & Water Australia. 2009. Capturing the pest control services of native vegetation. [Online] (Updated April 23rd, 2009)
Available at: http://lwa.gov.au/node/3256 [Accessed Tuesday 26th of April 2011 03:36:39 PM ].

This project aims to help answer three of the most frequently asked questions by agricultural landholders: "Why should I maintain / create areas of native vegetation, how can it benefit me, and how do I know it will not add to pest problems? The project will build on current knowledge and demonstrate to growers the quantifiable benefit of pest control in cotton / grain systems as it relates to native vegetation remnants.

The project will do this by improving understanding of the contribution that native vegetation and native plant communities are making to growing populations of key beneficial insects (predators and parasitoids) and pests, whether a high native remnant: arable land ratio results in greater pest suppression, and the spatial scale at which native remnants contribute to the ecosystem service of pest control.

Expected project completion date: June 2009

Outcomes

To demonstrate the quantifiable benefit of pest control in cotton / grain systems as it relates to native vegetation and native remnant communities by understanding:

1. The contribution that native vegetation and native plant communities are making to growing populations of key beneficial insects and pests;

2. Whether a high native remnant : arable land ratio results in greater pest suppression;

3. The spatial scale at which native remnants contribute to the ecosystem service of pest control.