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Progress on the biological control of gorse (Ulex europaeus) in Australia.
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Ireson, J. E. Kwong, Raelene M. Gourlay, Helen Davies, Jamie T. Holloway, Rj Chatterton, Ws Cullen, John M. Briese, D. T. Kriticos, Darren J. Lonsdale, Wade Morin, Louise Scott, John K. |
| Copyright Year | 2004 |
| Abstract | Gorse, Ulex europaeus, occurs in all Australian states, but principally in Tasmania and Victoria. An early attempt at biological control in Australia resulted in the establishment of the gorse seed weevil, Exapion ulicis, in 1939. E. ulicis is now widespread in Tasmania and Victoria, but its impact has been limited. In Tasmania, the number of pods attacked annually ranges from 15–44%. Gorse was declared a target for biological control in Australia in 1995. Since then, two foliage-feeding agents, the gorse spider mite, Tetranychus lintearius (of mixed European origin via New Zealand), and the gorse thrips, Sericothrips staphylinus (of English origin via New Zealand), have been released. T. lintearius was first released in Tasmania and Victoria in December 1998. By spring 2001, it had become widely established throughout most of the major gorse infestations in Tasmania and over large areas in Victoria. However, predation by the introduced Chilean predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis, and the native coccinellid, Stethorus histrio, is already widespread. P. persimilis has been associated with the destruction of entire T. lintearius colonies in both Tasmania and Victoria, and it is expected that both predators will significantly restrict its impact. S. staphylinus was first released in Tasmania and Victoria in January and March 2001, respectively. Post-release surveys in Tasmania show that the agent has successfully established but dispersal is slow. Acceleration of its dispersal will need to rely on planned redistribution programs. However, S. staphylinus of Portuguese origin (via Hawaii via New Zealand) is now being reared for field release in Tasmania and Victoria to determine whether it spreads more rapidly than S. staphylinus of English origin. Planned releases of two additional European agents established in New Zealand, the gorse pod moth, Cydia succedana (a seed feeder), and the oecophorid moth, Agonopterix ulicetella (a foliage feeder), will be dependent on the outcome of investigations into their host specificity that are now being conducted. In the long term it is hoped that the combined effect of the biological control agents can reduce the spread, vigour and longevity of gorse and become useful components of area-based integrated management strategies. |
| Starting Page | 415 |
| Ending Page | 418 |
| Page Count | 4 |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://www.invasive.org/proceedings/pdfs/11_415-418.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
