Mark Hoddle

Extension Specialist, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Entomology, University of California Riverside

(951) 827-4714
mark.hoddle@ucr.edu

Fields of Interest
Biological control is the intentional use of host specific natural enemies (predators, parasitoids, and pathogens) by humans to suppress population growth of noxious plants and animals to levels which are no longer damaging. Many of our current agricultural pest problems are amenable to biological control, and when successful, natural enemies provide enduring, environmentally benign, pest control. Biological control is also being used in conservation efforts to restore natural areas invaded by exotic organisms, especially weeds. The emphasis of my work is to identify pest problems where biological control could be successful, locate and release natural enemies, and then evaluate natural enemy impact on pest population growth. Evaluations of biological control agents are conducted primarily in the field, and when necessary, aspects of both pest and natural enemy biology and behavior are studied in the laboratory. I am particularly interested in determining; 1) the magnitude of reduction in pest population growth caused by natural enemies, 2) the mechanisms by which pests and natural enemies co-exist at low densities, 3) the number of natural enemy species that are needed to give control, 4) inter-specific competition between natural enemies which utilize the same host, and 5) the economics of biological control when compared to pesticides. Website: www.biocontrol.ucr.edu

BSc Zoology 1988 University of Auckland, New Zealand
MSc Zoology 1991 University of Auckland, New Zealand
PhD Entomology 1996 University of Massachusetts