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Invasive Aquatic Plants

Invasive Aquatic Plants. Gary J. Burtle Animal & Dairy Science University of Georgia Tifton, GA. Georgia Invasive Aquatic Plants Georgia Exotic Pest Control Council (www.gaeppc.org). Alligatorweed Hydrilla Parrotfeather Phragmites Giant Salvinia Torpedograss Water Hyacinth.

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Invasive Aquatic Plants

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  1. Invasive Aquatic Plants Gary J. Burtle Animal & Dairy Science University of Georgia Tifton, GA

  2. Georgia Invasive Aquatic PlantsGeorgia Exotic Pest Control Council (www.gaeppc.org) • Alligatorweed • Hydrilla • Parrotfeather • Phragmites • Giant Salvinia • Torpedograss • Water Hyacinth

  3. Other Exotic Aquatic PlantsSea Grant, Univ. Florida • Egeria densa – Brazilian elodea • Ipomea aquatica – Swamp cabbage • Lythrum salicaria – Purple loosestrife • Melaleuca quinquenervia –Melaleuca • Myriophyllum spicatum – Eurasian milfoil • Nympohoides peltata – Yellow floating heart • Pistia stratiotes – Water lettuce • Potamogeton crispus – Curlyleaf pondweed • Urochloa mutica – Para grass • At least eight others targeted by committee

  4. AlligatorweedAlternanthera philoxerioides

  5. Alligatorweed Ecology • Native to South America • Introduced 1890’s • Emersed, perennial • Adapts structually to the environment • Vegetative reproduction • Stem node buds take root with soil contact • Flea beetle, Agasicles hygrophila

  6. HydrillaHydrilla verticillata

  7. Hydrilla Ecology • Invaded Florida, 1959 • Found worldwide • Submersed, rooted • Whorls of 3-10 leaves with toothed margins • Fast growing, reproduces from pieces of broken stems and underground propagule. Seed rare.

  8. Hydrilla Control • Costs up to $5 million/yr in Florida, $2.5 million/yr in South Carolina • Contact herbicides followed by grass carp • Diquat or endothal • Tuber weevil, Bagous affinis • Stem borer, Bagous hydrillae • Leaf mining fly, Hydrellia balciunasi or Hydrellia pakistanae, Hydrellia bilbifera • Impact mature plants and destroy reproductive structures

  9. ParrotfeatherMyriophyllum aquaticum

  10. Parrotfeather Ecology • Native to S. America • Aquarium plant • Perennial rooted, with rhizomes • Deep water to mudflat • Yellow-green, graceful foliage above water • 2,4-D or other systemic herbicide • Contact herbicide then grass carp • Cover after drawdown

  11. PhragmitesPhragmites australis

  12. Phragmites Ecology • European introduction • Aggressive genotype,1800’s • Erect along waterways in several feet of water to moist soil, perenial • Dense hedge-like stands • Systemic herbicides • Glyphosate, Imazapyr • Mechanical removal • After removal plant native plants quickly

  13. Biological Control of Phragmites • Phragmites damages natural areas and reduces biological diversity • Biological control work is rather recent, late 1990’s • Native herbivores • Yuma skipper – Ochlodes yuma • Dolichopodid fly – Thrypticus sp. • Gall midge – Calamomyia phragmites • At lest 21 species of exotic herbivores have been unintentionally introduced (Tewksbury et al.)

  14. Giant SalviniaSalvinia molesta, Salvinia biloba, Salvinia herzogii, Salvinia minima, Salvinia auriculata

  15. Giant Salvinia Ecology • Recent invader, probably from aquarium release • Floating fern • Spreads very fast • Biological control • Wide use in Texas • Contact herbicides • Diquat, Diquat & Cutrine-Plus • Report all sightings

  16. TopedograssPanicum repens

  17. Torpedograss Ecology • S. America and West Indes and widely distributed • Marginal and forming mats • Rhizomes and seeds • Displaces Maidencane • Control with systemic herbicides • Imazapyr, glyphosate

  18. Water HyacinthEichhornia crassipes

  19. Water Hyacinth Ecology • One of first exotic invasives, 1884 • Federal control efforts for more than 100 yrs • Floating or rooted • Spread by stolon • Seeds germinate after reflooding • Systemic (2,4-D) or contact (diquat) herbicides

  20. Biological Control of Water Hyacinth • Mottled waterhyacinth weevil - 1972 • Neochetina eichorniae • Chevroned waterhyacinth weevil - 1974 • Neochetina bruchi • Waterhyacinth moth larvae - 1977 • Smeodes albiguttalis

  21. Water LettucePistia stratiotes

  22. Water Lettuce Ecology • S. America in 1700’s • Floating mats or roots • Buds in still water • Not cold tolerant • Mosquito habitat, navigation impact, clogs water intakes • Water lettuce weevil • Neohydronomous affinis • Water lettuce moth • Spodoptera pectinicornis

  23. Information Sources • Florida Sea Grant • aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/seagrant/aquinv.html • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • www.saj.usace.army.mil/conops/apc/

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