Weed biological control: Challenges and opportunities
Michael Day and Arne Witt have just published ‘Weed biological control: Challenges and opportunities’ in the first edition of a new journal, Journal of Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society. Their paper traces the history of weed biological control and points to the many successes.
Eucalyptus – the ‘thirsty’ trees threatening to ‘drink’ South Africa dry
Eucalyptus species are widely grown and utilized throughout much of the world, Dr Arne Witt reports. They are a valuable source of timber, fuelwood, paper, nectar, etc. and as such often grown in woodlots and plantations. However, many of these introduced species have escaped cultivation and become invasive.
Redistribution of Zygogramma bicolorata to control Parthenium in Faisalabad
Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) is a serious problem in wastelands throughout Pakistan and so far, no single method alone has proven effective in its management. Among the various causes of its rapid spread in Pakistan, lack of natural enemies or presence of a natural enemy in a specific part of the country is perhaps the…
Enabling access to FAIR and open agricultural data: CABI’s Action on Invasives takes the lead
For many centuries, data has been used in agriculture to help farmers, researchers and policymakers make more informed decisions. For instance, farmers use weather and soil data to decide how and when to fertilise, plant or harvest; and policymakers use data about the impact of pest and disease management interventions during evidence-based decision making.
New study: current resource use in areas of increasing prosopis cover is unsustainable
By Dr Urs Schaffner, Head Ecosystems Management In a newly-published paper in the journal Ecosystems Services: ‘The impact of invasive species on social-ecological systems: Relating supply and use of selected provisioning ecosystem services’, CABI scientists joined an international team of researchers who, in respect of the invasive weed prosopis, conducted the first study that integrates…
Invasives Most Read 2019
As 2019 draws to a close, we have crunched the numbers and pulled together the year’s most read articles. Plus some firm favourites. Fall armyworm continues to be a popular topic for our readers and this year, blogs on biocontrol efforts to control the invasive caterpillar make the top 20. CABI’s Pest Risk Analysis tool…
Invading Europe’s waterways: the crayfish occupation
Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans that can be found in a range of freshwater habitats, from fast-flowing rivers to swamps and ditches. Even in places where they are abundant, they are secretive and not commonly seen, so the ongoing widespread invasion by non-native crayfish species is unknown to many.
Work like a dog: Sniffing out Japanese Knotweed
Native species are disappearing forever because of alien invasions. Never before has it cost the environment, economy and tax payer more, and decline has never been more rapid than in the last 30 years. Following New-Zealand’s trailblazing government-funded model, we have every reason to believe we can tackle invasive weed management better around the world…
CABI shares expertise on highly noxious and invasive parthenium weed at international conference on climate smart agriculture
By Dr Kazam Ali, Biocontrol Research Officer – CABI Central and West Asia (CWA) International conferences are priceless opportunities, not only for researchers and scientists but also for experts, policy makers, stakeholders and students, to ‘sharpen your saw’ by learning new skills in a different environment.
Invasive parakeets disrupt Hawaii’s agriculture
Originally published on Island Conservation Community members look for solutions to the threat of invasive Rose-ringed Parakeets in Kauai which are impacting native wildlife and the economy.