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Mike Irwin
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Email: meirwin@illinois.edu Title: Professional Scientist / Biodiversity and Crop Protection Specialist
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| Research |
Research Emphasis Biosystematics of Therevidae and phylogeny of the Asiloidea; interchange of biota betweenmanaged and natural systems; Plant virus epidemiology; aphid migration and movement; and international crop protection and soybean pest management Faculty Member - Insect Ecology Faculty Member - Sustainability Description of Research Biosystematics of Therevidae and Phylogeny of the Asiloidea I am elucidating the phylogenetic relationships of the Therevidae (stiletto flies) and other families of the Asiloidea (Diptera: Brachycera). Through the use of morphological, geographical, genetic, behavioral, and ecological characteristics, a large team of researchers and graduate students is describing and modeling the historical relationships among these taxa. We are employing web interfaces and powerful databases in our study. Our team has an NSF PEET (Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy) and Schlinger Foundation grants for this project, which run through the fall, 2005. Biodiversity, Bioindicators, and the Interchange of Biota between Agricultural and Wild Systems The importance of understanding global aspects of biodiversity cannot be overstated. Our effots are now focused on Madagascar and New Caledonia, and we are attempting to become involved with biodiversity questions in the more xeric zones of Spain, Bolivia, and Cuba. Bioindicators are an important means of ascertaining environmental quality; we are pursuing hypotheses that could lead to breakthroughs in this area for xeric climates and agroecosystems. Biotic movement between natural and agricultural ecosystems is an important factor in maintaining the viability and sustainability of those systems. My interests lie in understanding how species and their genes flow between systems, and how an understanding of this can contribute to the knowledge base underpinning the issues of sustainability. Plant Virus Epidemiology Plant virus epidemiology is a complex study involving interactions of plants and viruses, viruses and vectors, and vectors and their environment. Work to date has stressed the behavioral ecology of vectors, primarily of soybean mosaic virus, bean common mosaic virus, and barley yellow dwarf virus. My goal has been to explore alternate control tactics, such as modifying vector flight or probing behavior, using live barriers as dampers to field spread, breeding for host plant resistance, and employing chemicals to disrupt the transmission process. These tactics have been incorporated into models of plant virus epidemics that can be used to develop appropriate control strategies. Aphid Migration and Movement Understanding the complex aspects of pest migration: source area, distribution in the atmosphere, distribution on an area-wide basis, and local movement and settling requires an intensive team approach. Results of this study are already beginning to provide a predictive capability to determine timing and abundance of aphid invasion into, and possible colonization of, crops. International Crop Protection and Soybean Pest Management Because my position was earlier supported by the International Soybean Program (INTSOY), I developed expertise and guidelines for managing insect pests of soybeans and insect vectors of soybean diseases, especially for developing countries. I sought generalized technologies for establishing pest management programs, including sampling plans, monitoring strategies, and establishing ecologically sound and environmentally compatible methods for controlling complexes of soybean pests. I also endeavored to developing countries desiring to undertake, or currently undertaking, soybean cultivation. This developed into a broad-based effort to assist developing countries in the development and execution of crop protection, across crops and across disciplines. |
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| Recognition | 2001 Elected to the Board of Directors of Discover Life in America, responsible for the biotic inventory of the Smoky Mountain National Park 2001 Appointed as an advisor to the All Species Borad of Directors, San Francisco, CA 2001 Named Professorship: Schlinger Arthropod Biodiversity Research Scholar 1997-2000 XXI International Congress of Entomology, Brazil, 2000: Section 2 Convenor, Agricultural Entomology 1999- Elected as Honorary Fellow, California Academy of Sciences 1998- External member of the Technical Committee of the USAID IPM CRSP; Virginia Technical University, lead institution. 1994-1998 Entomological Society of America, Presidential Committee of Policy Statement on Insects and Biodiversity, Chair 1996 American Meteorolgical Society award for outstanding achievement in biometeorology 1996 Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, Thomas and Nina Leigh Distinguished Alumni Seminar award (first awardee) 1995-1996 International Congress of Entomology, Italy, 1996: Section 15 Co-Convenor, Agricultural Entomology 1993-1997 Alliance for Aerobiology Research, Governing Board; 1993-5, Chair |
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| Selected publications |
Metz, M. A., and M. E. Irwin. 2000. A new therevid genus from Dominican amber, the revisions of Lindneria Kršber and Insulatitan gen. nov. and their phylogenetic relationships with closely related extant Therevinae (Diptera: Therevidae). Annals of the Entomolgical Society of America 93: 977-1018. Fereres, A., G. E. Kampmeier and M. E. Irwin. 1999. Aphid attraction and preference for soybean and pepper plants infected with potyviridae. Annals Entomol. Soc. America 92: 542-548. Fisher, J. T., M. Stafford Smith, R. Cavazos, H. Manzanilla, P. F. Ffolliott, D. Saltz, M. E. Irwin, T. W. Sammis, D. Swietlik, I. Moshe, and M. Sachs. 1999. Chapter 9, pages 143-170, Land use and management: Research implications from three arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In T. W. Hoekstra and M. Shachak, eds., Arid Lands Management-Towards Ecological Sustainability. Univ. Illinois Press, Urbana. Armer, C. A., R. N. Wiedenmann, and M. E. Irwin. 1998 Effects of soybean mosaic virus on the facultative phytophagous predator Orius insidiosus (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae). Environ. Entomol. 28: 1036-1043. Webb, D. W., and M. E. Irwin. 1999. Revision of Tabuda Walker and Tabudamima Irwin & Lyneborg, with the description of a new genus Incoxoverpa Webb and Irwin (Diptera: Therevidae: Therevinae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 92: 644-674. Winterton, S. L., M. E. Irwin, and D. K. Yeates. 1999. Phylogenetic revision of the Taenogera Kršber genus-group (Diptera: Therevidae), with descriptions of two new genera. Australian J. Entomol. 38: 274-290. Aylor, D. and M. E. Irwin (guest eds.). 1999. Aerial Dispersal of Pests and Pathogens. Journal of Agric. Forest Meteorology: Volume 97, Number 4 (November 1999). Irwin, M. E. 1999. Implications of Movement in Developing and Deploying Integrated Pest Management Strategies. Lead article of issue, D. Aylor and M. E. Irwin (eds.), Aerial Dispersal of Pests and Pathogens: Implications for Developing and Deploying Integrated Pest Management Strategies. Journal of Agric. Forest Meteorology 97: 235-248. Yang, L., B. M. Wiegmann, D. K. Yeates, and M. E. Irwin. 1999. Higher-level phylogeny of the Therevidae (Diptera: Insecta) based on 28S Ribosomal and elongation Factor 1a gene sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 15: 440-451. Ekbom, B., M. E. Irwin, and Y. Robert, eds., 2000. Interchanges of insects between agricultural and surrounding landscapes. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands. 239 pp. Irwin, M. E., L. R. Nault, C. Godoy, and G. E. Kampmeier. 2000. Diversity and movement patterns of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) in a heterogeneous tropical landscape: Implications for redressing the integrated pest management paradigm. Chapter 9, pages 141-168, in B. Ekbom, M. E. Irwin, and Y. Robert, eds., Interchanges of insects between agricultural and surrounding landscapes. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands. 239 pp. Winterton, S. L., D. J. Merritt, A. O'Toole, D. K. Yeates, and M. E. Irwin. 1999. Morphology and histology of the spermathecal sac, a novel structure in the female reproductive system of Therevidae (Diptera: Asiloidea). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology 28: 273-279. Gaimari, Stephen D. and Michael E. Irwin. 2000. Phylogeny, classification, and biogeography of the cycloteline Therevinae (Insecta: Diptera: Therevidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 129: 129-240. Madden, L. V., G. Hughes, and M. E. Irwin. 2000. Coupling disease-progress-curve and time-of-infection functions for predicting yield loss of crops. Phytopathology 90: 788-800. |
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| Program Affiliates |
Co-Principal Investigators and Collaborators on Grants: Professor David K. Yeates, University of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Professor Brian M. Wiegmann, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC Dr. F. Christian Thompson, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Dr. Stephen Gaimari, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Donald W. Webb, Illinois Natural History Survey Academic Professionals: Gail Kampmeier, Research Associate Jill Mullett, Scientific Illustrator Graduate Students: Honghong Zhang Kevin Hoslton Mark Metz Martin Hauser |
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| Professional society involvement and activities |
American Institute of Biological Sciences Association of Applied Biologists Canadian Entomological Society Entomological Society of America 1989-1992 Editorial Board, American Entomologist 1991-1994 Governing Board 1993-1994 Presidential Committee on Insects and Biodiversity, Chair Entomological Society of Washington Journal of Agricultural Entomology Sociedad Entomologica del Peru International Working Group on Plant Virus Epidemiology Program committee 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999 |
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| Education | PhD, Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 1971 BS, Entomology, University of California, Davis, 1963 | |||
Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois
INRS State Scientific Surveys
