Dogs can sniff out huanglongbing months before symptoms appear
Study finds that using dogs to survey for citrus greening disease is more accurate and efficient than current methods. Huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease, is a bacterial disease of citrus plants cause by Candidatus Liberibacter spp. It is thought to have been primarily an insect endophyte, but made the jump to its alternative host – citrus plants…
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…
Using animals in the fight against invasive species
Whilst prevention is better than a cure, it is not always possible to stop every invasive species from entering an area. In these instances, early detection and rapid response are crucial, as management is much easier while the population of an invasive species remains small. Detection of small populations, however, can be incredibly difficult. With…