Study: Birds, Beetles, Bugs as Pesticide Alternatives

Natural predators can reduce pest populations by 70% and increase crop yields by 25%, according to a new study.Pesticides are widely used to control crop pests, but they have many negative impacts on the environment and human health. Could natural predators like birds, beetles and bugs do the job as well? A new study says yes.

The study

Researchers in Brazil, the United States and the Czech Republic analyzed past research on predator pest control and found that they helped reduce pest populations by more than 70 percent, while increasing crop yields by 25 percent .

The study, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, reviewed 98 experiments from around the world that compared pest control by natural predators with other methods or no intervention.

The researchers found that predators were more effective at pest control in regions with greater rain variability—which is expected to increase because of climate change.

They also found that having a single species of natural predator was as effective as having multiple species, which challenges the conventional wisdom that biodiversity is essential for ecosystem functioning.

The implications

The study’s lead author, Gabriel Boldorini, a Ph.D. student at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco in Brazil, said that natural predators are good pest control agents, and their maintenance is fundamental to guaranteeing pest control in a future with imminent climate change.

He said that the damage that pesticides cause to ecosystems and biological control was well documented, from biodiversity loss and water and soil pollution to human health risks.

He also said that the conservation of invertebrates guarantees pest control and increased productivity, without damaging ecosystems.

The study suggests that farmers could benefit from enhancing natural predator populations on their fields, such as by providing habitats, food sources and refuge areas for them.

The study also calls for more research on how climate change affects predator-pest interactions, and how different types of predators complement each other in pest control.

Conclusion

Natural predators like birds, beetles and bugs could be an effective alternative to pesticides, keeping crop-devouring pests populations down while boosting crop yields, researchers said. The study highlights the importance of conserving and promoting natural predator diversity for sustainable agriculture.

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