Research interests

I am interest in ecosystem services provided by insects. While my interests are broad, my research can primarily been about biological control of agricultural and urban pests. Biological control is a vitally important ecosystem service, but it can require extensive knowledge to manage and fully utilize it. I am particularly interested in developing and testing metrics that can be used by farmers and gardeners to easily assess the potential for and the efficacy of biological control. Additionally I am interested in researching and testing habitat modifications to improve biological in both agricultural and urban settings. Biological control research is only useful if it reaches the people who can use it. To further this goal, I engage in many outreach activities and research presentations.

PUBLICATIONS

Mace, K.C., and Mills, N.J. 2015. Response of walnut aphid populations to increasing foliar nitrogen content. Agricultural and Forest Entomology doi:10.1111/afe.12103

Ponisio, L.C., M'Gonigle, L.K., Mace, K.C., Palomino, J., de Valpine, P., and Kremen, C. 2015. Diversification practices reduce organic to conventional yield gap. Proceedings B doi: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1396

Singer, M.S. Mace, K.C., and Bernays, E.A. 2009. Self-medication as adaptive plasticity: Increased ingestion of plant toxins by parasitized caterpillars. PLoS One 4(3): e4796. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004796

Poster presentations