Most mathematical models of disease assume that transmission is linearly dependent on the densities of host and pathogen. Recent data for animal diseases, however, have cast doubt on this assumption, without assessing the usefulness of alternative models. In this article, we use a combination of laboratory dose-response experiments, field transmission experiments, and observations of naturally ...

(1) Research Highlights: Applications of a species-specific baculovirus is promising method to control the gypsy moth and regulate its population dynamics in forest ecosystems. (2) Background Objectives: Cork oak protection against Lepidopteran defoliator Lymantria dispar requires an appropriate ecosystem management program, involving application eco-sustainable microbial products during outbre...

Motivated by the particular problem of predicting defoliation based on a measure of gypsy moth egg mass density, prediction in the presence of measurement error is discussed. The measurement error variances and covariances are allowed to vary from unit to unit and are estimated by some type of within unit sampling. A general discussion is given as to when one should correct for the measurement ...

We develop the theory of optimal control for a system of integrodifference equations modelling a pest-pathogen system. Integrodifference equations incorporate continuous space into a system of discrete time equations. We design an objective functional to minimize the damaged cost generated by an invasive species and the cost of controlling the population with a pathogen. Existence, characteriza...

We investigate an interacting particle system inspired by the gypsy moth, whose populations grow until they become sufficiently dense so that an epidemic reduces them to a low level. We consider this process on a random 3-regular graph and on the d-dimensional lattice and torus, with d ≥ 2. On the finite graphs with global dispersal or with a dispersal radius that grows with the number of sites...

R public concerns over the transgenic (genetically modified) plants and nontarget impacts such as those from Bttoxin expressing corn pollen on the monarch butterfly populations have escalated, despite good pest management intentions and good science (1–9). Plant resistance to insect pests has evolved naturally over many millions of years and involves (i) both constitutive and inducible phytoche...

The objectives of this investigation were to evaluate the EO-1 Hyperion hyperspectral sensor for mapping forest composition and structure in rugged terrain and to compare its performance with that of AVIRIS and the Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). The study focused on species composition mapping with Hyperion, AVIRIS, and Landsat using a study site in the Green Ridge State Forest...