Invasion of floating fern alters freshwater macroinvertebrate community structure with implications for bottom-up processes

Wahl, Charles; Kaller, Michael D.; Díaz, Rodrigo

doi:10.1007/s10750-021-04571-4

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 56 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Submerged aquatic vegetation recovered quickly following the reduction of giant salvinia (Figure 4A and 4B). The recovery of SAV results in increased food and habitat for fish, waterfowl, and invertebrates (Poirrier et al 2010;Van Driesche et al 2010;Wahl et al 2021a). Following biocontrol of giant salvinia, Motitsoe et al (2020b) showed that aquatic communities recovered quickly and subsequently increased food chain length and biodiversity.…”

Section: Adult Salvinia Weevil Phenologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, if plant cover is high at a site and salvinia weevil densities are low, it will likely take a longer time for the insects to control giant salvinia; thus, a more rapid form of control may be desired. As importantly, the timing of the recovery of ecological functions of wetlands following the control of giant salvinia is less understood and includes the reestablishment of SAVs, recovery of macroinvertebrate communities, and subsequent increase of dissolved oxygen levels (Wahl et al 2021a(Wahl et al , 2021b. Additionally, the process of restoring ecosystem state and function to preinvaded conditions during and following biological control is not well documented (Motitsoe et al 2020a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Biological control of invasive floating fern leads to rapid recovery of ecological functions in coastal fresh water wetlands in Louisiana

Woodley,

Wahl,

Tryforos

et al. 2023

J Aquat Plant Manage

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite the success of the salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae) at controlling giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta), its impact on the timing of reduction of giant salvinia cover and recovery of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and dissolved oxygen remains unknown. A two-year field study (2016 to 2017) was conducted in coastal wetlands in southwestern Louisiana to measure the impact of biological control of giant salvinia. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, weevil densities, and giant salvinia and SAV cover were assessed at 36 sampling locations comprising canals, small ponds, and large ponds. Results showed that adult weevils were distributed across the landscape. In 2016 mean adult densities were 46.9 weevils kg À1 in canals, 42.5 weevils kg À1 in small ponds, and 38.7 weevils kg À1 in large ponds. In 2017 mean adult weevil densities were 28.2 kg À1 in canals, 12.3 kg À1 in small ponds, and 29.4 kg À1 in large ponds. Percent cover of SAV was zero at all three site types in July 2016 but increased by 29.4, 35.0, and 73.3% in small ponds, canals, and large ponds, respectively, from July 2016 to January 2017. Our models demonstrate that higher adult weevil densities in June lead to faster control of giant salvinia and SAV recovery, subsequently increasing dissolved oxygen levels. The models can be used to estimate months needed to control salvinia given weevil density, percent salvinia cover, and site type. Resource managers could apply this to inform about timing to control and guide management decisions.

show abstract

Section: Adult Salvinia Weevil Phenologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological control of invasive floating fern leads to rapid recovery of ecological functions in coastal fresh water wetlands in Louisiana

Woodley,

Wahl,

Tryforos

et al. 2023

J Aquat Plant Manage

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Under ideal conditions, the plant has the ability to form extensive layers of vegetation across the surface of lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and swamps [13,14]. The expansion of salvinia in water bodies can limit the growth of native species and reduce light penetration and dissolved oxygen below the mats, affecting water quality and ecosystem structure and service [15][16][17]. Rapid rates of nutrient uptake combined with relatively slow rates of decomposition enable salvinia to tie up nutrients that could be used by other primary producers that contribute to complex food chains [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limnological Response of Las Curias Reservoir, San Juan, Puerto Rico: Successful Management of the Invasive Aquatic Fern, Salvinia molesta

García-López,

Ortiz-Zayas,

Díaz

et al. 2023

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The anthropogenic deterioration of aquatic ecosystems affects water resources due to agricultural malpractices, pollution from domestic septic tanks, recreational activities, and poor watershed management, among other factors. This study examines the management of Las Curias Reservoir, San Juan, Puerto Rico, after the 2016 arrival of the invasive aquatic fern Salvinia molesta. In September 2019, a community-led initiative introduced the Cyrtobagous salviniae weevil, an effective biological control agent for S. molesta, and commenced a mechanical removal campaign using an aquatic harvester. Limnological sampling (September 2019 to September 2022) and drone flights were employed to measure physicochemical and floating plant cover changes, respectively, in the reservoir. Monitoring of weevils in the reservoir demonstrated rapid establishment and dispersal, which resulted in visible damage including browning of plants and eventually sinking of entire mats. From 23 July 2019, the reservoir surface was predominantly covered by salvinia, occupying an area of 17.7 ha (100% coverage). This coverage decreased to 12.6 ha (71%) by 29 January 2021. By 12 August 2022, the coverage had been substantially reduced to just 1.1 ha, representing only 6% of the reservoir surface. In 2022, the reservoir recorded an average dissolved oxygen concentration of 2.4 mg L−1 (±0.0, n = 144), the highest in the study period and indicative of ecosystem recovery. After three years of control efforts, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance returned to levels recorded prior to Salvinia molesta introduction. This ecosystem recovery, a first in Puerto Rico, could be attributed to early use of mechanical control and the long-term impact of biological control.

show abstract

“…Numerous aquatic macrophytes have high ecological plasticity (Thiebaut et al 2021) and developed characteristics that allow fast dispersion, growth and reproduction (Spencer e Bowes, 1990; Hussner et al 2021). For these reasons these plants comprise a group with many potentially invasive species (Pieterse and Murphy, 1990) and constitute a threat in ecological and economic terms to a variety of aquatic ecosystems (Kolada and Kutyla 2016; Wahl et al 2021). Particularly in Brazil, 12 species of freshwater aquatic exotic species have been identi ed (Latini et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low genetic diversity in an African invasive Poaceae in Brazil

Scorsim

Diamante

Fabrin

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Poaceae has numerous species that are highly invasive thorough the planet. Urochloa, native to Africa, stands out in terms of invasion and impacts in South America. However, the correct identification of the species included in this genus is complex due to their morphological similarity with other species and there is a lack of studies involving the genetic variability of some species in Brazil, which is important for understanding the invasion mechanisms and planning control measures. In this study, we evaluated the genetic variability of the invasive exotic Poaceae Urochloa arrecta in different Brazilian regions, by using the nuclear marker ITS and the chloroplast marker trnL-trnF. The sequences obtained were compared with those available in GenBank (NCBI). The results indicated a low genetic differentiation among the sampled populations. Seven and ten distinct haplotypes were identified for ITS and trnL-trnF, respectively, and most specimens shared a single haplotype. These results indicate that a limited number of propagules were introduced in the invasive range and/or that this species reproduces mainly through asexual reproduction. This last possibility is suggested by the great regeneration and colonization rates of asexual propagules of this species. The data obtained are useful for understanding the invasion mechanisms of the group in the region.

show abstract

Invasion of floating fern alters freshwater macroinvertebrate community structure with implications for bottom-up processes

Cited by 9 publications

References 56 publications

Biological control of invasive floating fern leads to rapid recovery of ecological functions in coastal fresh water wetlands in Louisiana

Biological control of invasive floating fern leads to rapid recovery of ecological functions in coastal fresh water wetlands in Louisiana

Limnological Response of Las Curias Reservoir, San Juan, Puerto Rico: Successful Management of the Invasive Aquatic Fern, Salvinia molesta

Low genetic diversity in an African invasive Poaceae in Brazil

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About