New Type of Invasive Whitefly Recorded In South Africa

Reblogged from The Plantwise Blog:

A species of whitefly that transmits cassava mosaic virus has been detected in South Africa for the first time. The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci is a cryptic species complex containing some important agricultural pests and virus vectors. The term ‘cryptic species complex’ means that Bemisia tabaci is considered to be a complex of at least 24 different species that look almost identical but are in fact genetically different.  

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Research Teams and Scientists Working to Stem Ash Dieback Fungus

Reblogged from The Plantwise Blog:

Researchers are working towards developing a cost effective solution to controlling  Ash Dieback fungal disease, a major threat to 80 million ash trees in the UK. As part of the plan to tackle Ash Dieback and other invasive pests and diseases, the government has formulated a team of ten internationally recognised experts in plant health, forestry and wider related disciplines as part of the Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Taskforce.

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3D modelling: Not just for Hollywood, now for invasive species

An easily overlooked but vitally important component of invasive species management is accurate identification. Picture the scene: It’s Australia, it’s a Friday afternoon, a comprehensive fire ant management strategy has been drawn up, baits have been acquisitioned and an eager team of volunteers is ready to deal with this invasive foe and escape for the weekend. There are plenty of ants around… but nobody knows if they’ve found the right ones because the pesky little critters all look so similar! Scientists in Australia believe they have a solution – a database of 3D images of known species against which 2D photographs of organisms taken and uploaded in the field are compared, giving an estimate of their likely invasive or native status.

3D Ant – by Leo Blanchette, flickr

Evolution of "Super-Invasive" Cane Toads

The cane toad (Bufo marinus) has become invasive in much of its introduced range, impacting significantly on biodiversity in these regions. Not only does the cane toad prey upon and compete with native species, it also produces a potent toxin that can be deadly to would-be predators. Nowhere is the impact of the cane toad more apparent than in Australia and a recent study indicates that edge-of-range populations there are evolving to become even better invaders.

Cane toads in Australia (image courtesy of WAtoday.com.au)

Argentine Ant Invasion Meets Resistance from Natives

The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), from humble beginnings in South America, is now invasive on every continent and has a place on the list of 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species. Transported around the world via human activity, this omnivorous ant impacts upon native flora and fauna and has been incredibly successful in outcompeting and displacing native ants. A recent study indicates, however, that at least one species may be ready to make a stand against the onslaught of the Argentine ant.

An Argentine ant queen and worker (Source: Alex Wild)

Are we fuelling future invasions?

The world is fast running out of fossil fuels and with an energy crisis looming, intensive research is being carried out across the globe to find renewable alternatives. Top of the list are biofuels; fuels derived from biomass. Will the plants grown to provide this biomass behave themselves when introduced to sites outside their native range, or escape cultivation and invade the regions to which they are introduced?

Giant reed, Arundo donax (credited to Steve Loya and sourced from the Lompoc Record)

The invasive rinderpest virus is no more

For only the second time in history scientists have succeeded in eradicating a viral infectious disease. The first was over 30 years ago, when in 1979 scientists from the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that smallpox (Variola vera), an infectious human disease that had claimed the lives of hundreds of millions of people, was officially no longer an epidemic of human concern. Yesterday, Scientists from the UN reported rinderpest virus (RPV), an infectious virus causing cattle plague had been eradicated from the areas of the last known outbreaks.

Picture courtesy of Publicenergy