Assessing the non-target impacts of classical biological control agents: is host-testing always necessary?

BioControl ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 619-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G. Charles
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Host Testing

Yellow Brazilian Pepper-tree Leaf Galler (suggested common name) Calophya latiforceps Burckhardt (Insecta: Hemiptera: Calophyidae: Calophyinae)

EDIS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Cuda ◽  
Patricia Prade ◽  
Carey R. Minteer-Killian
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
North America ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Pepper Tree ◽  
Brazilian Pepper ◽  
Close Relatives ◽  
Tree Leaf

In the late 1970s, Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), was targeted for classical biological control in Florida because its invasive properties (see Host Plants) are consistent with escape from natural enemies (Williams 1954), and there are no native Schinus spp. in North America. The lack of native close relatives should minimize the risk of damage to non-target plants from introduced biological control agents (Pemberton 2000). [...]

scholarly journals Current levels of suppression of waterhyacinth in Florida USA by classical biological control agents

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 65-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip W. Tipping ◽  
Melissa R. Martin ◽  
Eileen N. Pokorny ◽  
Kayla R. Nimmo ◽  
Danyelle L. Fitzgerald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agents

scholarly journals Interactions between Two Biological Control Agents on Lygodium microphyllum

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 180
Author(s):  
Ian Jones ◽  
Ellen Lake
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Oviposition Behavior ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Larval Survival ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Oviposition Choice ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Feeding Trials ◽  
Antagonistic Interactions ◽  
Over Time

Lygodium microphyllum (Lygodiaceae) is an invasive climbing fern in peninsular Florida. Two classical biological control agents are currently being released against L. microphyllum: a leaf galling mite, Floracarus perrepae (Acariformes: Eriophyidae), and a moth, Neomusotima conspurcatalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Little is known about how the two species interact in the field; thus we conducted oviposition choice tests to determine the effects of F. perrepae presence on oviposition behavior in N. conspurcatalis. Further, we conducted feeding trials with N. conspurcatalis larvae to establish the effects of gall presence on larval survival and rate of development, and determine whether N. conspurcatalis larvae would directly consume F. perrepae galls. Neomusotima conspurcatalis laid significantly more eggs on mite galled (52.66 ± 6.211) versus ungalled (34.40 ± 5.587) L. microphyllum foliage. Feeding trials revealed higher mortality in N. conspurcatalis larvae raised on galled (60%) versus ungalled (36%) L. microphyllum material. In gall feeding trials, N. conspurcatalis larvae consumed or damaged 13.52% of galls, and the rate of direct gall feeding increased over time as leaf resources were depleted. Our results suggest that, where N. conspurcatalis and F. perrepae co-occur, competitive interactions could be more frequent than previously anticipated; however, we do not expect these antagonistic interactions to affect the establishment of either agent.

Predicting the Outcome of Biological Control

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith H. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Native Habitat

The movement of humans around the earth has been associated with an amazing redistribution of a variety of organisms to new continents and exotic islands. The natural biodiversity of native communities is threatened by new invasive species, and many of the most serious insect and weed pests are exotics. Classical biological control is one approach to dealing with nonindigenous species. If introduced species that lack natural enemies are competitively superior in exotic habitats, introducing some of their predators (herbivores), diseases, or parasitoids may reduce their population densities. Thus, the introduction of more exotic species may be necessary to reduce the competitive superiority of nonindigenous pests. The intentional introduction of insects as biological control agents provides an experimental arena in which adaptations and interactions among species may be tested. We can use biological control programs to explore such evolutionary questions as: What characteristics make a natural enemy a successful biological control agent? Does coevolution of herbivores and hosts or predators (parasitoids) and prey result in few species of natural enemies having the potential to be successful biological control agents? Do introduced natural enemies make unexpected host range shifts in new environments? Do exotic species lose their defense against specialized natural enemies after living for many generations without them? If coevolution is a common force in nature, we expect biological control interactions to demonstrate a dynamic interplay between hosts and their natural enemies. In this chapter, I consider biological control introductions to be experiments that might yield evidence on how adaptation molds the interactions between species and their natural enemies. I argue that the best biological control agents will be those to which the target hosts have not evolved resistance. Classical biological control is the movement of natural enemies from a native habitat to an exotic habitat where their host has become a pest. This approach to exotic pests has been practiced since the late 1800s, when Albert Koebele explored the native habitat of the cottony cushion scale, Icrya purchasi, in Australia and introduced Vadalia cardinalis beetles (see below) to control the cottony cushion scale on citrus in California. This control has continued to be a success.

scholarly journals Sleeper thistles in New Zealand status and biocontrol potential

2013 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
pp. 99-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.G. Cripps ◽  
G.W. Bourd?t ◽  
S.V. Fowler
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Specific Target ◽  
Biocontrol Potential

Globally the thistle tribe Cardueae (Asteraceae) contains approximately 2500 species of which at least 339 have weed status In New Zealand 63 of these are present but only nine are recognised problems with the remainder being potential threats or quot;sleeper weedsquot; To evaluate these potential threats the 339 global thistle weeds were ranked from most to least important based on an assigned Index of Weed Importance and grouped into five weed importance categories Extreme High Moderate Low and Minor Of the global species in these categories 94 56 28 19 and 7 respectively are present in New Zealand and mitigating the most serious potential threats would be prudent An option is the novel use of classical biological control agents that specialise on the thistle tribe rather than specific target species This is feasible for New Zealand because in the tribe Cardueae there are no natives and few economicallyvalued exotic species

scholarly journals Effects of flowers on parasitoid longevity and fecundity

2003 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
pp. 239-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.D. Wratten ◽  
B.I. Lavandero ◽  
J. Tylianakis ◽  
D. Vattala ◽  
T. Cilgi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Conservation Biological Control ◽  
Alternative Prey ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Floral Nectar ◽  
Control Efficacy ◽  
Research Questions

Conservation biological control (CBC) enhances biological control efficacy by providing pollen nectar shelter and/or alternative prey to biological control agents It is a fastgrowing subdiscipline of biological control with notable recent successes In contrast classical biological control in spite of its long history has not risen above a 10 success rate since 1880 and can have muchpublicised negative consequences This paper presents recent data on CBC research in brassicas in New Zealand and discusses how understanding and effectiveness can be improved The provision of floral nectar to parasitoids such as Diadegma can enhance longevity from two days in the presence of water only to 30 days and can lead to higher fecundity The paper outlines key research questions for the future

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