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What is the recommended approach when pest populations need to be lowered so that natural enemies can control them?

  1. Eradication

  2. Suppression

  3. Prevention

  4. Biological control

The correct answer is: Suppression

The recommended approach for lowering pest populations to enable natural enemies to effectively manage them is suppression. This strategy focuses on reducing pest numbers to a manageable level rather than completely eliminating them. By suppressing pest populations, natural enemies, such as predators or parasitoids, can better access and control these pests, leading to a more balanced ecosystem. This approach is advantageous as it acknowledges the role of natural enemies in maintaining pest control over time, promoting a sustainable method of managing pests without the need for continuous human intervention. Furthermore, complete eradication may disturb the ecosystem and lead to the resurgence of the pest or create more significant problems in the long run. This contrasts with prevention, which aims to avoid pest populations from becoming problematic, and biological control, which utilizes natural predators directly without initial suppression measures. Thus, suppression is the key approach that facilitates the natural dynamics between pests and their enemies.