Which of the following is considered a preventive pest management strategy?

Releasing natural enemies to manage pest populations is indeed a preventive pest management strategy. This approach focuses on enhancing the natural ecological balance by introducing beneficial organisms that can suppress pest populations before they reach damaging levels. The underlying principle is to prevent the establishment and proliferation of pests rather than reacting to infestations after they've occurred. By effectively utilizing natural predators or parasites, agroecosystems can maintain lower pest densities over time, thus fostering long-term pest control and reducing the reliance on chemical interventions.

In contrast, applying pesticides to control infestations responds to existing pest problems rather than preventing them. Using traps can be part of a management strategy but is often employed as a reactive measure to monitor or reduce specific pest populations. Monitoring pest populations is essential for understanding pest dynamics and can inform management decisions, but on its own, it does not directly prevent pest issues. Each of these strategies serves its purpose in a comprehensive pest management approach, but releasing natural enemies stands out as a proactive method.