Annual Report 1975-1976

Clemson University reports to the Office of State Budget its annual accountability report that includes a discussion and analysis, major accomplishments, strategic planning and performance measurement

Sensitivity of Arthropod and Microbial Communities Associated with Vertebrate Carrion in Response to Delayed Blow Fly Access: Implication for Carrion Ecology and Forensic Entomology

The objectives of this study were to determine the sensitivity of microbial metabolic community profiles, terrestrial and soil arthropod community structures and function, and soil chemistry dynamics associated with carrion experiencing delayed Diptera colonization. Bacterial metabolism profiles indicate a significant difference between carrion with immediate insect access (Control) and carrion with delayed insect colonization for seven days and 14 days (Treatments). In contrast, soil samples demonstrated no significant change in soil microbial metabolic profiles in 2013, but exhibited significant difference in 2014 trial. These results suggest high sensitivity of microbial community function on pig carrion, but a stochastic response in the soil microbial ecosystem. This phenomenon may be due to the significant abiotic change in the temperatures as well as the differences in the amount of precipitation between trials. Soil chemistry profiles were significantly different between Control and Treatment carcasses. Furthermore, significant differences were found between days of decomposition (temporal sensitive) and soil regions (spatial sensitive). Soil nutrients, such as ammonium, phosphate, non-purgeable organic carbon and total nitrogen were sensitive to treatment effects, but nitrate was not. The treatment effects, community divergence, convergence and resilience for aboveground and belowground arthropods depended on trial, sampling methods (sticky traps, pitfall traps, and sweep nets), taxonomic resolutions (Order, Family, and Genus) and ecological indices (richness, Simpson’s diversity, Shannon-Wiener’s diversity, evenness, and effective number of species) tested. In general, soil arthropod (including acari) community structures were sensitive to treatment effects only at the Family level. The total abundance of acari was not significantly different across treatments in all-sampling days. For aboveground arthropod community structure and function trapped by sticky traps, significant differences in treatments were detected at the Order and Genus levels for both pitfall traps and sweep nets. The present study demonstrated that insect succession on carrion by family level is predictable. However, insect succession by genus level demonstrated stochasticity when dealing with disturbances. Hence, both Clementsian and Gleasonian models explained insect succession and scale matters with regards to these ecological phenomena. These data are valuable for a host of applications, such as forensic sciences, disease ecology, and conservation biology

Pest and Pathogen Control: Strategic, Tactical, and Policy Models

This book describes mathematical models and systems analysis techniques applied to the study of insect pest, plant pathogens, and human diseases. The research programs of over 40 scientists from all over the world are compared and contrasted in detail to provide a state-of-the-art review on how such modeling can increase the effectiveness of more traditional ecological, biological, and chemical control methods. This is the first time such a synthesis has been attempted, and arises in part from a conference hosted by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria. Papers from this event, plus additional solicited material, have been grouped by Professor Conway into three sections representing strategic, tactical, and policy decision models. An introduction and three linking chapters are provided to place these models in context. Discussing specific case histories in these mathematical terms and the consequent transfer of insights and methods will be of long-term interest to both professional and academic applied entomologists, plant pathologists, medical epidemiologists, applied ecologists, and systems analysts

Strategic irrigation against apple scab

Proceedings to the 15th International Conference on Organic Fruit Growing

Panicle insect pests of sorghum and pearl millet:proceedings of an International Consultative Workshop 4-7 Oct 1993 ICRISAT Sahelian Center Niamey, Niger

This workshop brought together national and international scientists from 12 countries to assess the economic importance of panicle-feeding insect pests of sorghum and pearl millet worldwide and review existing knowledge; provide concise and up-to-date information on current research on management tactics; develop research themes and priorities for their management in various cropping systems and agroecologies; and develop/strengthen linkages and enhance collaboration and partnership between international agricultural research systems, universities, and NARS, in order to achieve more effective technology transfer, resulting in increased and sustained productivity on farmers' fields. The sessions covered bioecology and crop losses, and management strategies (including host-plant resistance, crop management and biological control, and integrated pest management). Regional reports were presented from western, eastern, and southern Africa, Asia, and the Western Hemisphere. Discussions of working groups and recommendations are included. Presentations are reproduced in the original language of submission (English/French), followed by an extended swnmary in French/English as the case may be. The opening session addresses, objectives, discussions at the end of each session, general discussion session, and recommendations are in both language