Amanda Chau
TITLE: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Lecturer
EDUCATION:
Ph.D., Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada, 2000
M.Sc., University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1993
B.Sc., University of London (King's College), London, UK, 1988
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Parasitoid ecology, biological control of
arthropod pests, pest management for greenhouse and interior plantscape.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: My current research focuses on the effects
of cultural practices on the population dynamics and spatial distribution
of pest insects, productivity and keeping quality of host plant, and pest
management strategies for ornamental crops. In my research, I use a number
of experimental systems including cotton aphid, western flower thrips, twospotted
spider mites, potted chrysanthemums and cut roses. My goals are to understand
how cultural inputs such as fertilizer and insecticide usage influence pest
and natural enemy populations, determine whether these inputs can be optimized
to reduce pest populations without compromising crop quality, and evaluate
how these inputs influence various pest management strategies.
TEACHING ACTIVITIES:
Starting this fall, I will be teaching General
Entomology (ENTO201), an undergraduate level
3-credit (2-2) hour course. The goals for this course are to provide an overview of the classification, identification,
anatomy, physiology, and ecology of insects and their close relatives, and their importance to human society, health,
and agriculture.
I also co-teach Horticultural
and Floricultural Entomology (ENTO405), a undergraduate
course (3-credit hours), with Dr. Kevin Heinz. The goals for this course are
to instruct students on the fundamental principles of entomology, the identification
and biology of key arthropods in ornamental crops, and the concept and practice
of integrated pest management.
I taught Principles of Biological
Control (ENTO608), a graduate course (3 credit
hours). The primary goals for this course are to teach students the fundamental
principles of biological control and equip them with the skills needed to evaluate
the use of biological control agents.
Chau A. & K.M. Heinz. 2006. Manipulating fertilization: a management tactic against Frankliniella occidentalis on potted chrysanthemum. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 120: 201-209.
Chau A., K.M. Heinz & F.T. Davies, Jr. 2005. Influences of fertilization on population abundance, distribution, and control of Frankliniella occidentalis on chrysanthemum. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 117: 27-39.
Chau A., K.M. Heinz & F.T. Davies, Jr. 2005. Influences of fertilization on Aphis gossypii and insecticide usage. Journal of Applied Entomology 129: 89-97.
Chau A., K.M. Heinz & F.T. Davies Jr. 2005. A “bottom up” approach to managing western flower thrips on potted mums. In the Proceedings of IOBC/WPRS Working Group "Integrated Control in Protected Crops, Temperate Climate " 10-14 April 2005, in Naantali, Finland. IOBC/WPRS bulletin 28: 59-62.
Davies, F.T. Jr., C.J. He, A. Chau, J.D. Spiers & K.M. Heinz. 2005. Fertiliser application affects susceptibility of chrysanthemum to western flower thrips- abundance and influence on plant growth, photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance. Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology 80: 403-412.
Chau A. & K.M. Heinz. 2004. Biological control of aphids on ornamental crops. In K.M. Heinz, R.G. van Driesche, and M.P. Parrella (eds.), Biocontrol in protected culture. Ball Publishing, Batavia, IL, USA pp. 277-295.
Chau A., K.M. Heinz, C.J. He & F.T. Davies Jr. 2004. Responses of western flower thrips to fertilization of potted chrysanthemums. Proceedings of the Southern Nursery Association Research Conference 49: 203-206.
Davies, F.T. Jr., C.J. He, A. Chau, K.M. Heinz & A.D. Cartmill.
2004.
Fertility affects susceptibility of chrysanthemum to cotton aphids:
influence on plant growth, photosynthesis, ethylene evolution and herbivore
abundance. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 129: 344-353.
Chau A., K.M. Heinz & F. T. Davies Jr. 2002. Preliminary study
on the
effect of nitrogen fertilization on cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii. In
the
Proceedings of IOBC/WPRS Working Group "Integrated Control in glasshouses" May
6-9, 2002. IOBC/WPRS bulletin 25: 53-56.
Chau A. & M. Mackauer. 2001. Host-instar selection in the aphid parasitoid Monoctonus paulensis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae): assessing costs and benefits. Canadian Entomologist 133: 549-564.
Chau A. & M. Mackauer. 2001. Preference of the aphid parasitoid Monoctonus paulensis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae) for different aphid species: female choice and offspring survival. Biological Control 20: 30-38.
Mackauer M. & A. Chau. 2001. Adaptive self superparasitism in
a solitary
parasitoid wasp: influence of clutch size on offspring size. Functional
Ecology 15: 335-343.
Chau A. & M. Mackauer. 2000. Host-instar selection in the aphid parasitoid Monoctonus paulensis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae): a preference for small pea aphid. European Journal of Entomology 97: 347-353.
Chau A. & M. Mackauer. 1999. Self-superparasitism in the solitary
parasitoid Monoctonus paulensis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae):
proximate mechanisms. Canadian Entomologist 131: 769-777.
Chau A. & M. Mackauer. 1997. Dropping of pea aphids from feeding site: a consequence of parasitism by the wasp, Monoctonus paulensis. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 83: 247-252.
