Dr. Adrienne Godschalx – When is a pest not a pest? How soil food webs shape plant-insect interactions
Plant biochemistry fundamentally influences the function of all terrestrial ecosystems on our planet. Root exudates fuel diverse communities of bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protists, who, in turn, build structure and cycle nutrients. My talk will explore how predator-prey interactions in the soil shape the above ground interactions between plants and insects. Insects are not pests when they are unable to outbreak on highly-defended, nutrient-dense plants, and instead, are food for predatory insects and birds. Come learn how we can eliminate pesticides by restoring soil food webs.