Biocontrol Basics
Section One. Biocontrol Basics and Portal Navigation
In this section you will learn skill sets to navigate the portal to access four different eduction programs and their lesson plans and curriculum, interactive and independent media, and training movies and short clips.
Biocontrol is a short word for biological control.
Bio means "life" (biology is the study of living things, a biography is a book about a person's life).
So, a biocontrol is a tool to control other plants and insects that uses a living organism, such as an insect, fungus or germ, to weaken a weed or other insect pest.
Can bugs really make a difference?
The toadflax flower-feeding beetle Brachypterolus pulicarius eats the tips of shoots, and the beetle's larvae feed on the plant's pollen, flower parts, and seeds. On yellow toadflax, the beetle reduces the number of seeds produced by 80 to 90 percent! Even though seed destruction is high, plant populations are not affected.
More than 350 bugs and other biological control agents have been released in 70 countries around the world to control weeds. More have been introduced to control other invasive pests like the Emerald Ash Borer. In the United States, about 50 biological control agents are in use to control weeds.
In this introduction to the biological control section of the tutorial, you will come to understand the importance of biological weed control as part of an effective integrated approach to making management decisions. We will begin with why we should care about the Problem With Weeds; and then share some shortcuts to help you easily access peer-reviewed content to become familiar with invasive plants and biological control agents: the differences in how biocontrol is used to stop weed spread.
Learn how to navigate this Portal to access lesson plans and interactive media.
Section One. Biocontrol Basics and Portal Navigation
- Step One. The Weed Problem
- Step Two. Why We Care About Weeds and What To Do
- Step Three. Integrating Biocontrol Basics
- Step Four. Lessons Learned
- Step Five. Training Clips
Section Two. Biocontrol Curriculum and Searching for Lesson Plans by Topic
- Core Subjects
- Core Skills
- Core Concepts
- Core Objectives
- Adapting content for your State Core Curricular Requirements
Section Three. Designing Biocontrol Lesson Plans
- Step One. Finding core elements in four Intermountain West programs
- Step Two. Designing a lesson plan using stand alone elements
- Step Three. Planning a training program for specific audiences and geographic sites
- Step Four. Writing grants to support workshops and service learning
Section Four. Training Design Tips
- Tip One. Access Points in Biocontrol In Your Backyard
- Tip Two. Customizing lesson plans using stand alone elements
- Tip Three. Access to biocontrol resources in The Bugwood Network
- Tip Four. Creating your own biocontrol resource library
- Content for Biocontrol in Your Backyard is provided by individual program sponsors.
- Content is formatted and uploaded by InterMedia
- The Biocontrol In Your Backyard Portal collaboration with The Bugwood Network and its content accessible
- format are sponsored by USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team.
