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Discoveries in Natural
History & Exploration This site is an international,
intergovernmental, not-for-profit database coordinated by researchers at the
University of California and associated agencies worldwide. Its mission is to facilitate the
dissemination, application and generation of scientific knowledge in support
of sustainable solutions to problems in agriculture, forestry, human health
and the management of natural resources, and with particular attention to the
needs of developing countries “Discoveries in Natural History &
Exploration” includes a Biological
Pest Control database that incorporates lecture
notes and a Biological Control text developed over many years as teaching
materials for courses at the University of California Riverside. The database, which is for educational
purposes only, is a 'one-stop shop' for the student of Biological Control, and
especially Classical Biological Control.
This database has a long and
distinguished history. It began as a
course taught by the founder of the Department of Biological Control, Harry
Scott Smith. Later Paul DeBach, Charles
Fleschner and Ernest Bay developed the course further, with Fred Legner
teaching the final version for advanced students, which is what comprises
most of the Database on the Internet now.
Now retired from the University of California at Riverside, Professor
Legner is devoting time to developing an unparalleled Internet resource. Exhaustive coverage of the theory and
practice of Biological Pest Control:
everything from ecological theory to implementation and evaluation
methods, is backed up by sections covering this subject on a group-by-group
basis, and also on a regional basis.
The extensive coverage afforded by the database allows inclusion of
topics often given scant space elsewhere and for which summarized information
can be hard to find. There is, for
example, an in-depth review in the section, 'Economic gains from biological
control' of not only the measurable monetary costs and benefits of biological
control, but also less-easily quantifiable economic gains from increased food
security and reduced pesticide use. Professor Legner has considerably enlarged the
database, too, to include peripheral aspects of Biological Control, such as Insect Morphology, Taxonomy and Integrated
Control. Other links developed naturally from the numerous
travels that he made to secure natural enemies of insects and weeds from many
lands. There is a disheartening
endnote, though. The University of
California, Riverside used to have a Department of Biological Control of
international renown. In 1962, when
Fred Legner joined the Department, there were about 45 full-time faculty and
staff devoted to the deployment of natural Biological Control (a branch of
the Department resided at Albany, California). Most efforts involved the importation of natural enemies to
combat alien pest insects, weeds and mites.
There cannot be many readers of this journal who have not benefited
either directly or indirectly from the work and research of this department,
yet today only remnants remain. An enduring
legacy of the people who worked there, though, is this authoritative and
comprehensive Biological Control Database.
There are no restrictions on the use and dissemination of information,
as long as it is for non-profit educational purposes. Dr. Legner says he is still developing the
site, and is still in the process of obtaining feedback from colleagues;
parts of it are changing daily. It is impossible to give more than a
flavour of what the site contains here, so readers are encouraged to take a
look for themselves. Rebecca Murphybni@cabi.orgCABI Bioscience UK Centre (Ascot), Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot,Berkshire SL5 7TA, UKPhone: +44 1491 829121 / +44 1344 872999Fax: +44 1491 829123 VITA: E. F. Legner |