When and where do birds help plants? Natural enemy interactions and their impact on biological control in agricultural systems
Birds have the potential to enhance or reduce biological control by feeding on arthropod pests or natural enemies, respectively, but the impact of birds on agricultural crops is poorly understood. This project studies how birds influence interactions between plants, pests, and natural enemies, and how these effects are mediated by plant volatiles. Arthropod natural enemies can locate herbivorous pests through volatiles emitted by plants, and recent studies show that birds can also use olfaction (scent) for foraging. The project explores links between crop yields and natural enemy interactions by 1) assessing birds’ ability to learn and apply olfactory cues in foraging, 2) identifying factors which shape arthropod activity patterns in response to bird predators, and 3) evaluating the combined effects of plant volatiles and birds on pests, natural enemies, and crops by comparing levels of biological control in fields with artificial volatile addition and bird exclusion.
Led by: Dr. Diana Rubene (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)
Team: Prof. Dr. Emily Poppenborg Martin
Year: 2020
Funding: FORMAS (Swedish Research Council)
Duration: 01.01.2020 – 31.12.2023