Published in Scientific Papers. Series A. Agronomy, Vol. LXVIII, Issue 2
Written by Raluca-Gabriela GEORGESCU, Lorena-Roxana GURÄ‚U, Andrei CHIRILOAIE-PALADE
As predators of phytophagous insects and potential vectors of pathogens, ground beetles (Carabidae) are vital in agroecosystems. In this work, their interaction with entomopathogenic fungi and bacteria is presented to highlight the dual role of ground beetles as biocontrol agents and pathogen vectors. This includes understanding how disease propagation and dispersion in multitrophic complexes interact with parasitism, predation, and competition. Integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that consider the potential of ground beetles are evaluated in terms of their ability to enhance biological control methods. The current state of knowledge regarding the long-term ecological consequences and the function of these strategies as vectors of organisms, however, limits their scope. This work underscores the necessity of understanding multitrophic interactions to inform the integration of ground beetles into pest control strategies.
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