Hoverflies of the subfamily Microdontinae have a reputation for causing confusion. The adult flies differ so much from other hoverflies that according to some they should be placed in a family of their own. Their diversity in shape and size is astonishing: from large, furry-haired species and convincing wasp-mimics to tiny, unsightly creatures, easily mistaken for something uninteresting. This paper introduces a new generic classification of the Microdontinae. A key to all 43 genera, 7 subgenera and some species groups is presented. All 552 available species names are classified into (sub)genera and species groups. The resulting classification comprises 454 valid species and 98 synonyms, of which 17 valid names and three synonyms are left unplaced. A total number of 26 new species are described, 267 new combinations of species and genera are proposed. The paper concludes with a discussion on diagnostic characters of Microdontinae.

Each issue to contain material in each of seven subject fields: botany, forestry research, environmental sciences, phytochemistry, tropical medicine, zoology and technology.

The production of food crops helps us meet the basic need of human nutrition. The world's population now exceeds 7 billion people and continues to grow. Alongside this growth, the human demand for food also increases rapidly. Crop production is becoming increasingly intensive and large-scale and, as a result, simplified landscape-systems form. Crop production in simplified agricultural landscapes often face or suffer from various threats, such as pest damage (caused by diseases, insect pests, weeds and rodents) or a shortage of pollinators. These pests can cause serious damage to seeds, germination, growth, breeding and maturity during crop production and food storage, however, effective pest management can help to reduce crop loss. Most crops, in particular fruit trees and vegetables, require insect pollination to ensure high yields and high quality. Research into ecosystem services and their potential impact on pest control and pollination in agricultural landscapes is of great significance to sustainable crop production. Simplified and intensive agricultural landscapes can support crop production, but often have reduced biodiversity as monoculture cropping systems have limited surrounding natural habitat. This lack of natural surrounding habitat leads to the loss of ecosystem service benefits such as natural pest control and pollination. Over the past few decades, pest control has largely relied on chemical pesticides which can control pests and reduce crop losses in the short term. However, chemical pesticides cause a number of problems in the long run, for example, pest resistance to pesticides, and residues of pesticides in soil, water, and agricultural products. Excessive, improper, and long-term use of pesticides during crop production ultimately harms human health and biodiversity, especially beneficial microbes, natural enemies and pollinators. To achieve and ensure food security, food safety and ecological security, new theories, methods, practice, and application patterns need to be developed for environmentally friendly pest control and maintenance of pollination in agricultural landscapes for sustainable food production. The aim of this Research Topic is to promote the sustainable management of crop production and ecological environment protection through the discussion of crop pest control and pollination, and the publication of original research articles and reviews of research and theory. We welcome high-quality and original contributions that present original papers on basic and applied research covering aspects of natural pest control and pollination. Coverage for this Research Topic includes the biology and ecology of pollinators (including wild and managed), organisms (including parasitoids, invertebrate and vertebrate predators of insect pest and plants, mites, plant and insect pathogens, nematodes, and weeds) used for biological control, and aspects of use including biological control agents for integrated pest management on food crops, fruits and vegetables in agricultural landscapes. Natural pest control is an environmentally beneficial and effective means of reducing or mitigating pests and pest damage through the use of natural enemies. Ecological, ethological, molecular, and biotechnological approaches to the understanding of natural pest control and pollination in agricultural landscapes are welcome. Such as, by maintaining and increasing crop genetic diversity (not including genetically engineered crops), crop diversity, species diversity (not including genetically altered insects) and landscape diversity in cropping systems.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has captured the worldwide attention of biologists, conservationists, and ecologists and has been the setting for extensive investigation over the past 30 years. Roughly 40,000 ecotourists visit the Cloud Forest each year, and it is often considered the archetypal high-altitude rain forest.This volume brings together some of the most prominent researchers of the region to provide a broad introduction to the biology of the Monteverde, and cloud forests in general. Collecting and synthesizing vital information about the ecosystem and its biota, the book also examines the positive and negative effects of human activity on both the forest and the surrounding communities. Ecologists, tropical biologists, and natural historians will find this volume an indispensable resource, as will all those who are fascinated by the magnificent wonders of the tropical forests.

Concerns about global biodiversity are rising dramatically, yet we are lagging behind in the most basic prerequisite for its understanding and conservation: the inventory. Insect species may make up five or ten times the number of all other plant and animal species combined, and as such they represent one of the major challenges in biosystematic science. World Catalogue of Insects is an initiative aiming at compiling worldscale, authoritative catalogues of monophyletic insect taxa. Volumes in this series contain standard nomenclatoral information on all names pertaining to the taxon treated, including type locality and distribution to the extent this is relevant. Additional information is optional, e.g., location, status and condition of types; biology; bibliographical information; pest status; vector status; etc. This volume nine focuses on Drosophilidae (Diptera). (Series: World Catalogue of Insects)