Plant composition modulates arthropod pest and predator abundance: Evidence for culling exotics and planting natives

We investigate the role of plant species in crops, pasture and native vegetation remnants in supporting agronomic pests and their predators. The study was conducted in three Australian States and across 290 sites sampled monthly for two years. Pastures played a key role in harbouring pest species consistent across States, while native vegetation hosted relatively more predators than other habitat types within each State. Furthermore, native plant species supported the lowest pest density and more predators than pests; in contrast, 75 of the exotic weed species surveyed hosted more pests than predators. Despite the role of pasture in harbouring pests, we found in NSW that pasture also supported the highest proportion of juvenile predators, while native vegetation remnants had the lowest. Our results indicate that non-crop habitat (native remnants or pasture) with few exotic weeds supports high predator and low pest arthropod densities, and that weeds are associated with high pest densities. By linking broad response variables such as ‘all pests’ with specific predictors such as ‘plant species’, our study will inform on-farm management actions of which weeds to control and which natives to plant or regenerate. This study shows the importance of knowing the function of habitats and plants species in supporting pests and predators in agricultural landscapes across multiple regions.

Manual of botany, for North America : containing generic and specific descriptions of the indigenous plants and common cultivated exotics, growing north of the Gulf of Mexico /

Botanical grammar and dictionary: [13]-63, [71] p. at end.

Hortus jamaicensis, or, A botanical description, (according to the Linnean system) and an account of the virtues, &c., of its indigenous plants hitherto known, as also of the most useful exotics / compiled from the best authorities, and alphabetically arranged in 2 volumes by John Lunan.

Inlcudes index.

Manual of botany for North America: containing generic and specific descriptions of the indigenous plants and common cultivated exotics, growing north of the Gulf of Mexico.

Includes index.

The English flora: or, A catalogue of trees, shrubs, plants and fruits, natives as well as exotics, cultivated, for use or ornament, in the English nurseries, greenhouses and stoves, arranged according to the Linnæan system; with the Latin trivial, and common English names, and an English index referring to the Latin names. Also, a general catalogue of seeds ...

Added t.-p. in Latin.

Manual of botany, for the northern and middle states of America : containing generic and specific descriptions of the indigenous plants and common cultivated exotics, growing north of Virginia ... /

" To which are prefixed, the natural and artificial classes and orders of Linneus, and the natural orders of Jussieu, with the medicinal properties of each order".

Familiar lectures on botany, practical, elementary and physiological; with an appendix, containing descriptions of the plants of the United States and exotics, &c., for the use of seminaries and private students.

Mode of access: Internet.

A manual of botany, for the northern and middle states of America : containing generic and specific descriptions of the indigenous plants and common cultivated exotics, growing north of Virginia, to which is prefixed a grammar and vocabulary : also the natural orders of Linneus and of Jussieu, with the medicinal properties of each order /

Includes index.

Familiar lectures on botany, practical, elementary and physiological; with descriptions of the plants of the United States and exotics. For the use of seminaries and private students.

Mode of access: Internet.

Familiar lectures on botany, practical, elementary and physiological; with an appendix, containing descriptions of the plants of the United States and exotics, &c. For the use of seminaries and private students.

The lectures on botany were first published in 1829.

Manual of botany for North America: containing generic and specific descriptions of the indigenous plants and common cultivated exotics, growing north of the gulf of Mexico.

pt. 1. North American plants, arranged according to the Linnean artificial method: improved by Persoon, Pursh, Nuttall, and others.--pt. 2. North American plants, arranged according to Jussieu's natural method; improved by Lindley, Brown, De Candolle and others.

Development of hazard site surveillance programs for forest invasive species: A case study from Brisbane, Australia

Hazard site surveillance is a system for post-border detection of new pest incursions, targeting sites that are considered potentially at high risk of such introductions. Globalisation, increased volumes of containerised freight and competition for space at domestic ports means that goods are increasingly being first opened at premises some distance from the port of entry, thus dispersing risk away from the main inspection point. Hazard site surveillance acts as a backstop to border control to ensure that new incursions are detected sufficiently early to allow the full range of management options, including eradication and containment, to be considered. This is particularly important for some of the more cryptic forest pests whose presence in a forest often is not discovered until populations are already high and the pest is well established. General requirements for a hazard site surveillance program are discussed using a program developed in Brisbane, Australia, in 2006 as a case study. Some early results from the Brisbane program are presented. In total 67 species and 5757 individuals of wood-boring beetles have been trapped and identified during the program to date. Scolytines are the most abundant taxa, making up 83% of the catch. No new exotics have been trapped but 19 of the species and 60% of all specimens caught are exotics that are already established in Australia.

Gene flow from Corymbia hybrids in northern New South Wales

Some of the most productive taxa for forestry are interspecific F1 hybrids grown as exotics in the tropics and subtropics. Attributes of resilience, adaptability and vigour which engender the hybrids for wood production, may also exacerbate the risk they present from gene flow to native species gene pools or to local ecologies as weeds. To determine the biological and genetic factors that influence the extent of hybridisation, we examine the distribution and genealogy of wildlings surrounding plantings of locally-exotic Corymbia torelliana (Section Cadageria) near native C. henryi (Section Maculatae) in northern New South Wales. Our study showed pre-mating and pre- and post-zygotic barriers were incomplete, with in situ generation and natural establishment of both F1 hybrids (n = 3) and advanced generation hybrids under the disturbed conditions bordering native forest. As hybrids were located on alluvial flats exposed to frost, they also likely have an extended ecological range relative to native C. henryi. Despite the likely generation of large viable seed crops on F1 trees at the site over many years, establishment success and survival of advanced generation hybrids may be low, as only 5 immature and no mature advanced generation hybrids were identified. Propagation and genetic analysis of a seed crop from one F1 wildling showed early survival and vigour of seedlings in cultivation was high, and that at least for some F1 in some seasons, backcrossing to the recurrent native C. henryi parent is favoured (60%), whereas selfing (10%) and crossing with other F1 (30%) was less frequent. Transport of seed by stingless bees probably accounted for long distance dispersal from C. torelliana, but this mechanism does not appear to supplement gravity-dispersal of seed from the F1. Coupled with other evidence from studies of bee behaviour, controlled pollination in Corymbia sp., and long-term fitness in second generation eucalypt hybrids, we anticipate gene flow via pollen rather than seed will be the greater challenge for managing the risk of introgression of C. torelliana ancestry into native species from the planted F1 hybrid. If large sources of F1 pollen become available to compete with native pollen, gene flow will probably be frequent and hybrids may establish in disturbed conditions and in habitats beyond the ecological range of their native parent. Further study is needed to determine the degree to which outbreeding depression and poor survival inhibits on-going gene flow.

An interdisciplinary framework to evaluate bioshield plantations: Insights from peninsular India

Bioshields or coastal vegetation structures are currently amongst the most important coastal habitat modification activities in south-east Asia, particularly after the December 2004 tsunami. Coastal plantations have been promoted at a large scale as protection against severe natural disasters despite considerable debate over their efficacy as protection measures. In this paper, we provide an interdisciplinary framework for evaluating and monitoring coastal plantations. We then use this framework in a case study in peninsular India. We conducted a socio-ecological questionnaire-based survey on government and non-government organizations directly involved in coastal plantation efforts in three 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami affected states in mainland India. We found that though coastal protection was stated to be the primary cause, socio-economic factors like providing rural employment were strong drivers of plantation activities. Local communities were engaged primarily as daily wage labour for plantation. rather than in the planning or monitoring phases. Application of ecological criteria has been undermined during the establishment and maintenance of plantations and there was a general lack of awareness about conservation laws relating to coastal forests. While ample flow of international aid has fuelled the plantation of exotics in the study area particularly after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, the long term ecological consequences need further evaluation and rigorous monitoring in the future. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.