Modeling and valuating the effects of landscape management on the ecosystemservice of biological pest control – a spatial dynamic perspective

Abstract: Biological control of crop pests is affected by a broad range of organisms which need avariety of resources in the crop and non-crop elements in the landscape to complete their lifecycles. The effect of enemies on the population dynamics of pests depends on enemy density anddiversity, and is critically affected by spatial and temporal scales. Recent studies illustrate howmodels can help to bridge those scales and quantify: (1) the relationship between sink-sourcedistance in the landscape and time of colonization; (2) the relationship between time ofcolonization and enemy impact on pest population dynamics; (3) the relationship between enemyimpacts, crop damage, and economic loss. Such models help to predict the effect of landscape andcrop management on the effectiveness of ecosystem services. They are indispensible tools forintegrating information across spatial and temporal scales, and translate ecological thinking intoeconomic valuation.