Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T04:06:54.243Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Population Dynamics and Impacts of the Red-Headed Leafy Spurge Stem Borer on Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Robert A. Progar ,
George Markin ,
Joseph Milan ,
Tom Barbouletos  and
Matthew J. Rinella
Robert A. Progar*
Affiliation:
U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, La Grande, OR 97850
George Markin
Affiliation:
U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Bozeman, MT 59717 (retired)
Joseph Milan
Affiliation:
Bureau of Land Management, Boise District, Boise, ID 83705
Tom Barbouletos
Affiliation:
U.S. Forest Service Forest Health Protection, Kalispell, MT 59901
Matthew J. Rinella
Affiliation:
U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, 243 Fort Keogh Road, Miles City, MT 59301
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: rprogar@fs.fed.us
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We evaluated the efficacy of the biological control agent, red-headed leafy spurge stem borer, against the nonnative invasive plant leafy spurge. Our three treatments were release of the biological control agent into uncaged plots, release of the biological control agent into plots caged to prevent agent escape, and control plots caged to prevent agent entry. These treatments were replicated three times at six sites in the western United States. We measured leafy spurge biomass for 1 or 2 yr following release. We also measured the percentage of leafy spurge stems showing evidence of red-headed leafy spurge stem borer oviposition for either 1 or 2 yr following agent release, depending on the site. Red-headed leafy spurge stem borer did not demonstrably reduce leafy spurge biomass in our study. Moreover, compared to the release year, evidence of red-headed leafy spurge stem borer oviposition declined with time, suggesting the agent population was diminishing. This suggests the agent is incapable of building large populations capable of controlling leafy spurge at the sites we studied. However, after being released, populations of biological control agents sometimes go through long lag phases and then begin rapid population increases, so we cannot completely dismiss the possibility that red-headed leafy spurge stem borer might become effective given more time.

Keywords

Red-headed leafy spurge stem borer, Oberea erythrocephala Schrank.leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L.Biocontrolinvasive weedsleafy spurgeOberea erythrocephala
Type
Research
Information
Invasive Plant Science and Management , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , April 2011 , pp. 183 - 188
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

Bangsund, D. A., Nudell, D. J., Sell, R. S., and Leistritz, F. L. 2001. Economic analysis of using sheep to control leafy spurge. J. Range Manag 54:322–329.Google Scholar
Best, K. F., Bowes, G. G., Thomas, A. G., and Maw, M. G. 1980. The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 39. Euphorbia esula L. Can. J. Plant Sci 60:651–663.Google Scholar
Britton, N. L. 1921. The leafy spurge becoming a pest. J. N. Y. Bot. Gard 22:73–75.Google Scholar
Coombs, E. M., Clark, J. K., Piper, G. L., and Cofrancesco, A. F. Jr. 2004. Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the United States. Corvallis, OR Oregon State University Press. 467 p.Google Scholar
Cousens, R. and Mortimer, A. M. 1995. Dynamics of Weed Populations. Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press. 322 p.Google Scholar
Crone, E. E., Marler, M., and Pearson, D. E. 2009. Non-target effects of broadleaf herbicide on a native perennial forb: a demographic framework for assessing and minimizing impacts. J. Appl. Ecol 46:673–682.Google Scholar
Deredec, A. and Courchamp, F. 2007. Importance of the Allee effect for reintroductions. Ecoscience 14:440–451.Google Scholar
Duncan, C. A., Jachetta, J. J., Brown, M. L., et al. 2004. Assessing the economic, environmental, and societal losses from invasive plants on rangeland and wildlands. Weed Technol 18:1411–1416.Google Scholar
Gassmann, A. and Schroeder, D. 1995. The search for effective biocontrol agents in Europe: history and lessons from leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) and cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias L.). Biol. Control 5:466–477.Google Scholar
Gassmann, A., Schroeder, D., Maw, E., and Sommer, G. 1996. Biology, ecology, and host specificity of European Aphthona spp. (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) used as biocontrol agents for leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula (Euphorbiaceae), in North America. Biol. Control 6:105–113.Google Scholar
Gelman, A. and Hill, J. 2007. Data Analysis using Regression and Multilevel/Hierarchical Models. New York Cambridge University Press. 625 p.Google Scholar
Hansen, R. W., Richard, R. D., Parker, P. E., and Wendel, L. E. 1997. Distribution of biological control agents of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) in the United States: 1988–1996. Biol. Control 10:129–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kolpin, D. W., Thurman, E. M., and Linhart, S. M. 1998. The Environmental occurrence of herbicides: The importance of degradates in ground water. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 35:385–390.Google Scholar
Ireson, J. E., Gourlay, A. H., Holloway, R. J., Chatterton, W. S., Foster, S. D., and Kwong, R. M. 2008. Host specificity, establishment and dispersal of the gorse thrips, Sericothrips staphylinus Haliday (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a biological control agent for gorse, Ulex europaeus L. (Fabaceae), in Australia. Biol. Control 45:460–471.Google Scholar
Larson, D. L., Grace, J. B., and Larson, J. L. 2008. Long-term dynamics of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) and its biocontrol agent, flea beetles in the genus Aphthona . Biol. Control 47:250–256.Google Scholar
Lym, R. G. 1998. The biology and integrated management of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) on North Dakota rangeland. Weed Technol 12:367–373.Google Scholar
Lym, R. G. and Messersmith, C. G. 1985. Leafy spurge control and improved forage production with herbicides. J. Range Manag 38:386–391.Google Scholar
Lym, R. G. and Messersmith, C. G. 1994. Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) control, forage production, and economic return with fall-applied herbicides. Weed Technol 8:824–829.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lym, R. G. and Nelson, J. A. 2000. Biological control of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) with Aphthona spp. along railroad right-of-ways. Weed Technol 14:642–646.Google Scholar
Marsico, T. D., Burt, J. W., Espeland, E. K., et al. 2010. Underutilized resources for studying the evolution of invasive species during their introduction, establishment, and lag phases. Evol. Appl 3:203–219.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Olson, D. L. and Mundal, D. A. 2001. The Utilization of Oberea erythrocephala as an Additional Bio-Control Agent on Leafy Spurge in the Little Missouri River Basin, and Southeast and North Central North Dakota. http://www.team.ars.usda.gov/spurgefest2/abstracts/eight.html. Accessed: January 24, 2011.Google Scholar
Progar, R. A., Markin, G., Milan, J., Barbouletos, T., and Rinella, M. J. 2010. Inundative release of Aphthona spp. flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) as a biological “herbicide” on leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) in riparian areas. Environ. Entomol 103:242–248.Google Scholar
Randall, S. S., Barysund, D. A., and Leistritz, F. L. 1999. Euphorbia esula: perceptions by ranchers and land managers. Weed Sci 47:740–749.Google Scholar
Rees, N. E., Pemberton, R. W., Rizza, A., and Pecora, P. 1986. First recovery of Oberea erythrocephala on leafy spurge complex in the United States. Weed Sci 34:395–397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rinella, M. J., Maxwell, B. D., Fay, P. K., Weaver, T., and Sheley, R. L. 2009. Control effort exacerbates invasive species problem. Ecol. Appl 19:155–162.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schroeder, D. 1980. Investigations on Oberea erythrocephala (Schrank) (Col. Cerambycidae), a possible biocontrol agent of leafy spurge, Euphorbia spp. (Euphorbiaceae) in Canada. J. Appl. Entomol 90:237–254.Google Scholar
Selleck, G. W., Coupland, R. T., and Frankton, C. 1962. Leafy spurge in Saskatchewan. Ecol. Monogr 32:1–29.Google Scholar
Trammell, M. A. and Butler, J. L. 1995. Effects of exotic plants on native ungulate use of habitat. J. Wildlife Manag 59:808–816.Google Scholar
Walker, J. W., Kronberg, S. L., Al-Rowaily, S. L., and West, N. E. 1994. Comparison of sheep and goat preferences for leafy spurge. J. Range Manag 47:429–434.Google Scholar
Weisenburger, D. D. 1993. Human health effects of agrichemical use. Human Pathology 24:571–576.Google Scholar