Pests and Diseases in Resources Management

MS 544

Extended Outline

Course Description: The course covers the general principles of the management of pests and diseases. It will focus on aquaculture and fisheries problems but it will draw on case histories in the control of human diseases and agricultural pests for comparisons. Students will learn basic tenets in resource management, integrated pest management, and certain ecological principles that apply to introductions of pests, and epizootics of parasitic diseases. The efficacy of various control measures, practices, and regulations will also be explored.

Possible Texts: There is no one text book that covers the diverse topics featured in the course. Readings will be required from DeBach's Biological Control of Natural Enemies, and from various texts on ecological invasions, introductions, and others on disease management.

Pests and Diseases in Resource Management

• Basic Principles of Resource Management
  • Ecological Principles for Economic Development
    • Cost-benefit
  • What is the resource? is it a species? a habitat? a fishery?
  • What resources are threatened and at what level?

• Basic Principles of Pest Management
  • Factors that contribute to Epizootics/Outbreaks
    • Population density & critical mass
    • Environmental conditions and stress
    • Vector biology
    • Transmission dynamics and mechanics
    • Host behavior
  • Cost-benefit analysis
  • Threshold levels and the effective cost of management

• Integrated Pest Management
  • Control methods
    • Biological control methods
      • Types of Agents
      • Predators
      • Competitors
      • Diseases
    • Specificity
    • Negative consequences
  • Chemical control methods
    • Pesticides
      • Historical uses
      • Anti-mosquito campaigns of the 1950s
      • Resistance
      • Legislative changes and issues
    • Therapeutics
    • Vaccines, hormones, and natural chemicals
  • Physical control methods
    • Types of Changes
      • Dams
        • Aswan Dam and Schistosomiasis
        • Colorado River and effects on fish communities
      • Canals
        • Saltwater/freshwater migrations
        • Alewive and lamprey
      • Deforestation/reforestation
        • the tsetse and the treehole mosquito

• Terrestrial Case Histories
  • Insects
    • Scabies, Wolves and Sheep
    • Scale and Oranges in California
    • Scale and Prickly Pear: The Australian Conundrum
    • Ultraspecialists: Wasps and their hosts
    • The Flying Needles: Myxomatosis, Mosquitoes and Rabbits
    • Cane Beetles, Cane Toads, and the Sweet Sugar
  • The Human Condition or The Management of Selected Human Diseases
    • The Litany of Water-borne Diseases
      • Viruses, bacteria, protozoa, helminths, arthropods
      • Santitation and sanitary improvements
      • Human diseases and their effect on resources and resource management
    • Onchocerciasis and the effect of River Blindness
      • Vector control
        • Black fly spraying programs
      • Physical control - dams
      • Therapies - nodulectomies, suramin, mebendazole
    • Schistosomiasis
      • Biocontrol measures
        • Marisa, Macrobrachium, Echinostomatids
      • Physical control
        • Flow alteration, weed control
      • Chemical control
        • Tween nut, soapberry, bayluscide
        • drugs, vaccines

• Aquaculture/Mariculture Case Histories (6)
  • Aphanomyces and the European Crayfish
  • Viruses and Shrimps
  • MSX, Dermo and Oysters
  • PKD and Salmon
  • Bumper car disease and lobster holding pens
  • Water quality in aquaculture

• Fisheries Case Histories (7)
  • Lamprey and Lake Trout
    • Introduction of lamprey with the Seaway
    • reduction of lake trout
    • established control techniques
    • alewive and the introduction of coho salmon
    • the continuing saga
  • Crabs and their diseases
    • Carcinonemertes
    • Sacculina
    • Hematodinium
  • Abalone withering syndrome
  • Whirling disease in trout
  • MSX, Perkinsus, and Oyster
  • Trypanoplasma and flounder
  • Respiratory diseases and pinnipeds

• The Ramifications of Disease and Pests in the Ecological Community
  • Eelgrass wasting disease and ramifications through the ecosystem
  • Zebra mussels and the trophic system
  • Oyster diseases and the reduction of a trophic level
  • Harmful algal blooms and catastrophic losses
  • Millefoile & viral control
  • Water hyacinth and Amur amur
  • Phragmites and fire

• Transportation and the Spread of Diseases
  • The Human examples: AIDS, Tuberculosis and Influenza
  • Import/Export Regulations: The spectre of introductions
    • Rationale (shellfish)
    • Examples
      • Crassostrea gigas
      • Bonamia
      • QX
      • Perkinsus
      • Loxothylacus panopaei
      • Sabellid worms in abalone aquaculture
    • Solutions
      • The role of participants
      • ICES Model
      • Japanese Model?

• Integrated Management Revisited
  • Factors for success
    • Education of involved parties
    • Realistic appraisal of cost-benefit
    • Realistic appraisal of abiotic and biotic factors
    • Monetary resources to support adequate control measures
    • Sufficient research base to support appraisals
  • Factors for failure
    • Overfishing
    • Ecologically stable strategies (ESS)
    • Insufficient knowledge of system
    • Lack of concern by participants

• Summary and Overview