Insects to Control Alligatorweed: An Invader of Aquatic Ecosystems in the United States

Maddox, D. M.; Andres, L. A.; Hennessey, R. D.; Blackburn, Robin; Spencer, N. R.

doi:10.2307/1296135

Cited by 37 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…It was suggested by Maddox et al (1971) that A. hygrophila was 'limited by frost', but the supposed limitations were not quantified either in terms of effect on A hygrophila or by definition of the frost conditions. Cold temperatures close to 0°C were tested in this study and adult survival was high for one-off 13 h chilling periods at 2° and -4°C (Table 5).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of temperature on the development and survival ofAgasicles hygrophilaSelman & Vogt (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent for alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)

Stewart

Chapman

Emberson

et al. 1999

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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Agasicles hygrophila was introduced into New Zealand in 1982 for the biological control of alligator weed, Alternanthera philoxeroides. The optimum temperature for A. hygrophila development was 27-30°C where development time was 19-20 days. Mortality was lowest (13-14%) at temperatures between 23-25°C. The estimated lower development threshold for A. hygrophila was 13.3°C. Adult beetles reared at 23-27°C were heavier than those reared at 15-20°C and 30°C, and females were heavier than males. There was significant mortality of adults during exposure to low temperatures. Mortality was 92% for adults exposed for four weeks at 10°C and 70% for adults exposed for 12 weeks at 15°C. The number of eggs laid subsequently decreased as the time adults were exposed to chilling was increased. Viability decreased as the temperature to which adults were exposed was lowered, and Received 10 March 1998; accepted 3 August 1998 with increased chilling time. Females survived longer than males when chilled at 10° and 15°C. All adults died when chilled for 13 h at -8°C; at 2° and -4°C there was high adult survival, but the viability of eggs laid was low. These results suggest the overwintering capacity of A. hygrophila is much reduced when exposed to temperatures of 15°C and below. Z98010

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of temperature on the development and survival ofAgasicles hygrophilaSelman & Vogt (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent for alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)

Stewart

Chapman

Emberson

et al. 1999

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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“…Second, both Apa and Apo have been introduced into USA ( Kay and Haller 1982), and there is evidence that slow-growing Apo plants in USA are larger and grow faster than those in home ranges (Jia 2008;Pan et al 2011), being consistent with Blumenthal's prediction. Third, A. philoxeroides has many known species of specialist natural enemy in its home range (Sosa et al 2004) and there are few native insects feeding on alien A. philoxeroides in USA (Maddox et al 1971) and China (Li et al 2008;Pan et al 2010), suggesting that release from natural enemies could have contributed to the invasion success of this plant in its introduced ranges. Although the specialist A. hygrophila has been employed as biological control agent in USA (since 1964) and China (since 1986), A. hygrophila is still restricted to certain areas of the introduced ranges of A. philoxeroides, which allows enemy release to continue acting on the host ).…”

Section: Alternanthera Philoxeroides and Agasicles Hygrophilamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the specialist A. hygrophila has been employed as biological control agent in USA (since 1964) and China (since 1986), A. hygrophila is still restricted to certain areas of the introduced ranges of A. philoxeroides, which allows enemy release to continue acting on the host ). Additionally, A. philoxeroides is invading both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, but A. hygrophila has a preference for aquatic habitats and is poorer performer in terrestrial A. philoxeroides (Maddox et al 1971;Pan et al 2007). In the present study we sampled A. philoxeroides plants in terrestrial habitats to ensure that the condition of enemy release is met for testing the EICA.…”

Section: Alternanthera Philoxeroides and Agasicles Hygrophilamentioning

confidence: 99%

For or against: the importance of variation in growth rate for testing the EICA hypothesis

et al. 2011

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The evolution of increased competitive ability (EICA) hypothesis proposes that invasive species evolve decreased defense and increased competitive ability following natural enemy release. Previous studies have found evidence both for and against EICA. The resource-enemy release hypothesis (R-ERH) suggests that fast-growing species may experience stronger enemy release than slow-growing species. On the basis of R-ERH, the prediction of EICA will be held true for slow-growing genotypes, i.e., the slow-growing genotypes from the introduced range will be less resistant to herbivory and grow faster than those from the home range; while the EICA will not be held for fast-growing genotypes, i.e., there will be no significant differences in growth and defense traits between the introduced and native fast-growing genotypes. We tested these predictions preliminarily using five populations of the invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides. This species has two varieties in its home range, which showed a distinct growth-defense strategy: the northern A. p. var. acutifolia (Apa) had higher growth rate but lower resistance, while the southern A. p. var. obtusifolia (Apo) had lower growth rate but higher resistance level. Our results suggest that the EICA hypothesis is consistent with the slow-growing Apo, but not with the fast-growing Apa. We suggest that evolutionary changes in growth or resistance following enemy release are influenced by variation in growth rate within an invasive alien plant. These findings have important implications for the EICA hypothesis, and may partially explain why previous studies have found evidence both for and against EICA.Keywords Alien plant Á Biological invasions Á Growth-defense trade-off Á Growth rate hypothesis Á Resource-enemy release hypothesis (R-ERH)

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“…Besides the importance as an impediment of waterways, the dense mats of submerged and aerial vegetation provide ideal habitats for mosquitos such as Culex pipiens. The introduction of the flea beetle Agasicles hygrophilia, and a moth, Vogtia malloi, both enemies of the plant in South America, has provided excellent control of this plant in many areas (Maddox andothers 1971, Andres 1977). Elimination of mosquito breeding habitats proved to be a beneficial side effect to the purpose of the original introduction of the beetle, which was to open up waterways.…”

Section: Organisms Altering Mosquito Habitatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mosquito management: Ecological approaches

Garcia

1983

Environmental Management

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Insects to Control Alligatorweed: An Invader of Aquatic Ecosystems in the United States

Cited by 37 publications

References 6 publications

The effect of temperature on the development and survival ofAgasicles hygrophilaSelman & Vogt (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent for alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)

The effect of temperature on the development and survival ofAgasicles hygrophilaSelman & Vogt (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent for alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)

For or against: the importance of variation in growth rate for testing the EICA hypothesis

Mosquito management: Ecological approaches

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