Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T02:14:31.157Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Feeding Impacts of a Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) Biological Control Agent on a Native Plant, Euphorbia robusta

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

John L. Baker  and
Nancy A. P. Webber
John L. Baker*
Affiliation:
Fremont County Weed and Pest Control District, 450 N. 2nd Street, Room 315, Lander, WY 82520
Nancy A. P. Webber
Affiliation:
Fremont County Weed and Pest Control District, 450 N. 2nd Street, Room 315, Lander, WY 82520
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The biological control agent Aphthona nigriscutis Foudras (Chrysomelidae) established in Fremont County, WY since 1992 on leafy spurge was released into a mixed stand a native plant Euphorbia robusta Engelm. During host range testing, E. robusta was a likely host for A. nigriscutis under laboratory conditions. In 1999, A. nigriscutis was observed feeding on both E. esula and 31 of 36 E. robusta plants present on about 2 ha (5 ac) where the visually estimated E. esula canopy cover was 50%. By August 2001, E. esula cover had declined to less than 5% and E. robusta plants had increased to 450 plants with 26 (5.8%) showing feeding damage. In 2006 Euphorbia esula ground cover was 2% and of 598 E. robusta plants originally marked, 391 could be located and four of these had damage consistent with A. nigriscutis feeding. For the 8-yr period, E. esula ground cover was inversely correlated to E. robusta density and positively correlated to A. nigriscutis feeding damage on E. robusta. This study shows that while also acceptable to A. nigriscutis in the field, feeding on E. robusta declined with declining densities of the target weed while E. robusta population densities increased. It seems that some risk in this regard is acceptable in light of the damage from the target weed and the generally high level of selectivity provided by biological control agents.

Keywords

Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L. EPHESApthona nigriscutis FoudrasNon-target feeding
Type
Research Articles
Information
Invasive Plant Science and Management , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 26 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Davies, J. C. and Greathead, D. J. 1967. Occurrence of Teleonemia scrupulosa on Seasamum indicum Linn. in Uganda. Nature 213:102–103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gassmann, A. and Louda, S. M. 2001. Rhinocyllus conicus: intial evaluation and subsequent ecological impacts in North America. Pages 147–176. in Wajnberg, E., Scott, J.K., Quimby, P.C., eds. Evaluating Indirect Ecological Effects of Biological Control. Wallingford, UK CABI.Google Scholar
Jayanth, K. P., Mohandus, S., Asokan, R., and Visalakshy, P. N. G. 1993. Parthenium pollen induced feeding by Zygogramma bicolorata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on sunflower (Helianthus annuus) (Compositae). Bull. Entomol. Res. 83:595–598.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Levy, E. B. and Madden, E. A. 1933. The point method for pasture analysis. N. Z. J. Agric. 46:267–279.Google Scholar
Nowierski, R. M. and Pemberton, R. W. 2002. Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). Pages 181–207. in Van Driesche, R., Blossey, B., Hoddle, M., Lyon, S., Reardon, R., eds. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States. Morgantown, WV U.S. Forest Service Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team 2002–2004.Google Scholar
Pemberton, R. W. 1985. Native plant considerations in biological control of leafy spurge. Pages 57–71. in Delfosse, E.S., ed. Proceedings of the VI International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Agriculture Canada.Google Scholar
Pemberton, R. W. 1986. Petition for the release of Aphthona cyparissiae, a new flea beetle for leafy spurge control in the United States. Purge Spurge Database. Sidney, MT USDA/ARS.Google Scholar
Pemberton, R. W. 1987. Petition for the release of Aphthona czwalinae Weise against leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) in the United States. Purge Spurge Database. Sidney, MT USDA/ARS.Google Scholar
Pemberton, R. W. 1989. Petition to introduce Aphthona nigriscutis Foudras (Chrysomelidae) to the United States for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) control. Purge Spurge Database. Sidney, MT USDA/ARS.Google Scholar
Pemberton, R. W. and Rees, N. E. 1990. Host specificity and establishment of Aphthona flava Guill. (Chrysomelidae), a biological control agent for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) in the United States. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 92:351–357. Reprinted in Purge Spurge Database. Sidney, MT: USDA/ARS.Google Scholar
Waage, J. K. 2001. Indirect ecological effects in biological control: the challenge and the opportunity. Pages 1–11. in Wajnberg, E., Scott, J.K., Quimby, P.C., eds. Evaluating Indirect Ecological Effects of Biological Control. Wallingford, UK CABI Publishing.Google Scholar
Wacker, S. D. and Butler, J. L. 2006. Potential impact of two Aphthona spp. on a native, nontarget Euphorbia species. Rangeland Ecol. Manag. 59:468–474.CrossRefGoogle Scholar