Annie Enkegaard

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About

Annie Enkegaard is a leading researcher in biological pest control, with a career-long focus on the ecology and management of arthropod natural enemies in protected cropping systems. Her work addresses a critical question in modern agriculture: how to enhance the efficacy of biocontrol agents within the often simplified, low-biodiversity environments of greenhouses and polytunnels. Her most influential paper, “Biocontrol in protected crops: Is lack of biodiversity a limiting factor?” (2007), with 21 citations, synthesizes decades of research to argue that while protected crops are structurally diverse—from simple plastic tunnels to high-tech automated glasshouses—their inherent lack of floral and faunal diversity can indeed constrain natural enemy populations. Enkegaard’s contributions have helped shape integrated pest management strategies, emphasizing the need to engineer habitat complexity within these artificial ecosystems. Her work bridges fundamental ecology and applied entomology, offering practical insights for growers seeking sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides. Through her research, Enkegaard has become a key voice in advancing the biological control of greenhouse pests, demonstrating that even in highly controlled environments, biodiversity remains a limiting—and solvable—factor.