The biological control of aquatic weeds in South Africa: Current status and future challenges

By M. Hill, J. Coetzee. 2017

89 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Background : Aquatic ecosystems in South Africa are prone to invasion by several invasive alien aquatic weeds, most notably, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms-Laub. (Pontederiaceae) (water hyacinth); Pistia stratiotes L. (Araceae) (water lettuce); Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitch. (Salviniaceae) (salvinia); Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell. Conc.) Verd. (parrot’s feather); and Azolla filiculoides Lam. (Azollaceae) (red water fern). Objective : We review the biological control programme on waterweeds in South Africa. Results : Our review shows significant reductions in the extent of invasions, and a return on biodiversity and socio-economic benefits through the use of this method. These studies provide justification for the control of widespread and emerging freshwater invasive alien aquatic weeds in South Africa. Conclusions : The long-term management of alien aquatic vegetation relies on the correct implementation of biological control for those species already in the country and the prevention of other species entering South Africa.

Subfields: Ecology, Environmental Chemistry, Insect Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/b927a0079cecd6c9b8c55d875ae56d303b75eecb

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Ecology

1. Lesley Henderson
2. John R. U. Wilson

In Environmental Chemistry

1. Lesley Henderson
2. John R. U. Wilson

In Insect Science

1. Lesley Henderson
2. John R. U. Wilson
3. M. Day
4. R. Winston
5. M. Schwarzländer
6. H. Hinz
7. D. Richardson

Citations in the corpus

• Biological control of weeds: an analysis of introductions, rates of establishment and estimates of success, worldwide (2018, background): “In these countries, CBC of weeds continues to thrive and is enjoying broad public support (Martin et al. 2018; Hayes et al. 2013; Hill and Coetzee 2017).”
• Changes in the composition and distribution of alien plants in South Africa: An update from the Southern African Plant Invaders Atlas (2017, methodology): “In SAPIA, absence records have only been recorded for five aquatic species (see Table 4) as part of the Rhodes Invasive Aquatic Plants Surveys (Hill & Coetzee 2017).”