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Characteristics of successful natural enemies in models of biological control of insect pests

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Abstract

Biological control of insect pests is characterised by a persistent, strong reduction in the pest population following the introduction of a natural enemy. Analysis of mathematical models suggests that differential exploitation of patches of the pest in a spatially heterogeneous environment provides the most likely mechanism to account for known successes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, UK

    J. R. Beddington, C. A. Free & J. H. Lawton

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  1. J. R. Beddington
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  2. C. A. Free
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  3. J. H. Lawton
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Beddington, J., Free, C. & Lawton, J. Characteristics of successful natural enemies in models of biological control of insect pests. Nature 273, 513–519 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/273513a0

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