Modelling mate-finding Allee effects and populations dynamics, with applications in pest control

In this paper, we review how mate-finding Allee effects enter population dynamical models that consider both sexes, highlight possible limitations of the more widely used "one-sex" models, and outline the links between the different model classes. We further explore interactions between the mate-finding Allee effect and other mechanisms relevant to pest-control strategies: release of natural enemies, sterile male release, and culling. Many of these strategies impose an additional component Allee effect on the population, and we discuss which of them might be efficient in the control of pest species that also suffer from the failure to locate mates. We focus primarily on eradication thresholds; our simple models show that most of the strategies yield similar results, and depending on the costs, one strategy or a combination of several can lead to the most efficient control.