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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Lauderdale, Florida » Invasive Plant Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #342512
Research Project: Identification, Evaluation, and Implementation of Biological Control Agents for Invasive Weeds of Southeastern Ecosystems

Location: Invasive Plant Research Laboratory

Title: A Review of the Integration of Classical Biological Control with other Management Techniques to Manage Invasive Weeds in Natural Areas and Rangelands

Author
item Lake, Ellen
item MINTEER, CAREY - University Of Florida

Submitted to: BioControl
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/7/2017
Publication Date: 2/1/2018
Citation: Lake, E.C., Minteer, C.R. 2018. A Review of the Integration of Classical Biological Control with other Management Techniques to Manage Invasive Weeds in Natural Areas and Rangelands. BioControl. 63:71-86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-017-9853-5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-017-9853-5

Interpretive Summary: Integrating classical biological control with other management techniques such as herbicide, fire, mechanical control, grazing, or plant competition, can be the most effective way to manage invasive weeds in natural areas and rangelands. However, these conventional control techniques may have negative impacts on the biological control agents. The agents can be protected through untreated refuges or by applying the treatment at a time when the agent is not vulnerable. A literature review of experiments that integrated biological control with other management strategies from 1987 to 2017 yielded 39 terrestrial and 15 aquatic studies. The tactics most frequently integrated with biological control were herbicide applications and plant competition. Despite many examples of successful programs and calls for more widespread integration of biological control with other weed management strategies, there was no increase in the number of studies reported annually over time. Additional studies investigating the ecological and economic benefits of integrated weed management are needed.

Technical Abstract: Integrating classical biological control with other management techniques such as herbicide, fire, mechanical control, grazing, or plant competition, can be the most effective way to manage invasive weeds in natural areas and rangelands. Biological control agents can be protected from potential negative impacts of these weed control methods through untreated refugia or by applying the treatment at a time when the agent is not vulnerable. A literature review of experiments that integrated biological control with other management strategies from 1987 to 2017 yielded 39 terrestrial and 15 aquatic studies. The tactics most frequently integrated with biological control were herbicide applications and plant competition. Despite numerous examples of successful programs and calls for more widespread integration of biological control with other weed management strategies, there was no increase in the number of studies reported annually over time. Additional studies investigating the ecological and economic benefits of integrated weed management are needed.