Bio/Research
My program has two complementary foci the management of pest insect populations and the management of endangered or declining insect populations. My program in pest management focuses on the ecological impacts of transgenic crops for insect control. Since I specialize in field crops, I have narro...
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Bio/Research
My program has two complementary foci the management of pest insect populations and the management of endangered or declining insect populations. My program in pest management focuses on the ecological impacts of transgenic crops for insect control. Since I specialize in field crops, I have narrowed that focus further to Bt-corn including both Btk (for lepidopteran pests) and Btt (for coleopteran pests). Ecological impacts can include both impacts on the target pest population (eg resistance) and impacts on nontarget organisms (eg monarchs and beneficial beetles). My research with Bt-corn focuses on evaluating these problems and identifying potential solutions. One group of beneficial beetles that may be impacted by Btt corn is the coccinellidae or lady beetles. This group includes many predators that are vital for the suppression of pest populations. Unfortunately, many of the most common lady beetles native to the United States are in precipitous decline. My research in insect conservation biology focuses on the assessment of the current status of both native and exotic lady beetles and the determination of the impact of recent trends in the composition of lady beetle species (e.g. a higher proportion of exotic species and individuals) on the ability of this group to suppress pest populations.
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