- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
He focuses his research on the behavioral, population and evolutionary ecology of parasitoid-host and predator-prey interactions. His work has direct applications to integrated pest management and biological control in agriculture.
Rosenheim explains on his website: "I am an ecologist with broad interests, including behavioral and evolutionary ecology as well as population and community ecology. I focus on predator-prey, parasitoid-host, pathogen-host, and plant-insect interactions. My general approach is to try to ask important, fundamental questions in ecology with an eye to advancing our basic understanding and, when possible, to simultaneously make contributions to solving problems in the real world. I attempt to integrate empirical studies (observational work, manipulative experiments) with theoretical investigations (simulation and basic analytical models); I often find that I can make the best progress with my research problems by conducting a dialogue between theory and experiment. I also try to balance work in natural ecosystems and in agricultural ecosystems, where predators and parasitoids are so important as biological control agents."
Rosenheim joined the UC Davis faculty in 1990 as an assistant professor, advancing to associate professor in 1994, and full professor in 1998. He is active in the Entomological Society of America, Ecological Society of America, Society for the Study of Evolution and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
He received his bachelor's degree in entomology and genetics from UC Davis in 1983, and his doctorate in entomology in 1987 from UC Berkeley.
The International Organization for Biological Control was established in 1956 to promote environmentally safe methods of pest and disease control in plant protection. The Global Council sponsors many international working groups and publishes a newsletter.