Assessing the status of biological control as a management tool for suppression of invasive alien plants in South Africa

Zachariades, Costas; Paterson, Iain D; Strathie, Lorraine W; Hill, Martin P; van Wilgen, Brian W

Title: Assessing the status of biological control as a management tool for suppression of invasive alien plants in South Africa
Creator: Zachariades, Costas
Creator: Paterson, Iain D
Creator: Strathie, Lorraine W
Creator: Hill, Martin P
Creator: van Wilgen, Brian W
Date Issued: 2017
Date: 2017
Type: article
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59762
Identifier: vital:27646
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.4102/abc.v47i2.2142
Description: Biological control of invasive alien plant (IAP) species is the use of introduced, highly selective natural enemies (usually herbivorous arthropods or pathogens) to control plants. It has been used in 130 countries as a valuable tool for the control of IAP species, with a total of over 550 biological control agents having been released (Winston et al. 2014). The benefits of biological control to natural ecosystems are significant (Van Driesch et al. 2010), with some specific examples of threatened indigenous species being protected by the action of biological control agents (Barton et al. 2007; Meyer, Fourdrigniez & Taputuarai 2011). Detailed analyses of programmes on biological control of IAPs have also clearly indicated that the risks of non-target effects from biological control agents are minimal (Fowler, Syrett & Hill 2000; Funasaki et al. 1988; Moran & Hoffmann 2015; Paynter et al. 2004; Pemberton 2000; Suckling & Sforza 2014). Less than 1% of all the agents released have a negative impact on non-target plant populations, and those that do could have been predicted to do so, and would not be released today (Suckling & Sforza 2014).
Format: 19 pages
Format: pdf
Language: English
Relation: Bothalia - African Biodiversity & Conservation
Relation: Zachariades, C., Paterson, I.D., Strathie, L.W., Hill, M.P. and van Wilgen, B.W., 2017. Assessing the status of biological control as a management tool for suppression of invasive alien plants in South Africa. Bothalia-African Biodiversity & Conservation, 47(2), pp.1-19
Relation: Bothalia - African Biodiversity & Conservation 47 vol. 2 no. 1 19 2017 2311-9284
Rights: Bothalia: African Biodiversity
Rights: Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Bothalia: African Biodiversity & Conservation Open Access Policy

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Paterson, Iain D (Associate Professor)

RU DST/NRF SARChI for Insects in Sustainable Agricultural Ecosystems

RU Department of Zoology and Entomology

Hill, Martin Patrick (Distinguished Professor)

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