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Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T20:59:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-01-01 Ecological modeling is an important tool for investigating dynamic behavior patterns in populations, trophic interactions, and behavioral ecology. However, the ecological patterns that reflect population oscillation trends are often not clearly visible without analytical instruments such as ecological models. Thus, ecological modeling plays a fundamental role in describing demographic processes that are important for population dynamics. Ecological models, besides making possible the visualization of ecological patterns, may also reveal patterns of population persistence in many trophic systems, including prey-predator or host-parasitoid relationships, interactions that are commonly present in integrated pest management programs. In this forum, we present the main ecological aspects important for model building and implementation of integrated pest management programs for insects. Particularly, in this study, we analyze the combination between host-parasitoid models and the concept of economic threshold level on a spatio-temporal scale. As a conclusion about the model combination, spatial structure is essential for models of this nature, since its introduction into the system significantly alters the economic threshold-level values. Depto. de Bioestatística Instituto de Biociências Univ. Estadual Paulista, 18618-000 Botucatu, SP Depto. de Entomologia e Acarologia Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz USP, Av Pádua Dias 11, C. postal 9, 13418-900 Piracicaba, SP Depto. de Bioestatística Instituto de Biociências Univ. Estadual Paulista, 18618-000 Botucatu, SP