Using economics to inform and evaluate biological control programs: opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for future research

Assessing the economics of biological controls in pest and invasive species control is pivotal for guiding research and decision making. The field of economics provides numerous systematic methods to assess the impacts and values created by biocontrol programs, as well as weigh the trade-offs of allocating resources to research, development, and management activities. This article discusses economic methods used to evaluate the impacts and quantify the net benefits of biological control programs, including data needs and shortcomings of methodologies. We cite examples from the literature on the economics of biological control to provide insight into the various ways in which economics contributes to the design, evaluation, and development of recommendations for biological control programs. We then discuss general trends and highlight knowledge gaps, providing suggestions for enhancing the use of economics in the analysis of biological control programs in the existing literature. This article is intended to serve as resource for researchers and policymakers interested in assessing benefits and trade-offs of biological control programs through the lens of economics.