Biological control of Salvinia molesta in South Africa revisited
- Martin, Grant D, Coetzee, Julie A, Weyl, Philip S R, Parkinson, Matthew C, Hill, Martin P
- Authors: Martin, Grant D , Coetzee, Julie A , Weyl, Philip S R , Parkinson, Matthew C , Hill, Martin P
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/103878 , vital:32318 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.06.011
- Description: The aquatic weed Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitch. (Salviniaceae) was first recorded in South Africa in the early 1900s, and by the 1960s was regarded as one of South Africa’s worst aquatic weeds. Following the release of the weevil, Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in 1985, the weed is now considered under successful biological control. However, the post-release evaluation of this biological control programme has been ad hoc, therefore, to assess the efficacy of the agent, annual quantitative surveys of South African freshwater systems have been undertaken since 2008. Over the last ten years, of the 57 S. molesta sites visited annually in South Africa, the weevil has established at all of them. Eighteen sites are under successful biological control, where the weed no longer poses a threat to the system and 19 are under substantial biological control, where biological control has reduced the impact of the weed. Since 2008, the average percentage weed cover at sites has declined significantly from 51–100% cover to 0–5% cover in 2017 (R2 = 0.78; P < 0.05). Observations of site-specific characteristics suggest that biological control is most effective at small sites and more difficult at larger and shaded sites. Our findings show that S. molesta remains under good biological control in South Africa, however, some sites require intermittent strategic management, such as augmentative releases of C. salviniae.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Martin, Grant D , Coetzee, Julie A , Weyl, Philip S R , Parkinson, Matthew C , Hill, Martin P
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/103878 , vital:32318 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.06.011
- Description: The aquatic weed Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitch. (Salviniaceae) was first recorded in South Africa in the early 1900s, and by the 1960s was regarded as one of South Africa’s worst aquatic weeds. Following the release of the weevil, Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in 1985, the weed is now considered under successful biological control. However, the post-release evaluation of this biological control programme has been ad hoc, therefore, to assess the efficacy of the agent, annual quantitative surveys of South African freshwater systems have been undertaken since 2008. Over the last ten years, of the 57 S. molesta sites visited annually in South Africa, the weevil has established at all of them. Eighteen sites are under successful biological control, where the weed no longer poses a threat to the system and 19 are under substantial biological control, where biological control has reduced the impact of the weed. Since 2008, the average percentage weed cover at sites has declined significantly from 51–100% cover to 0–5% cover in 2017 (R2 = 0.78; P < 0.05). Observations of site-specific characteristics suggest that biological control is most effective at small sites and more difficult at larger and shaded sites. Our findings show that S. molesta remains under good biological control in South Africa, however, some sites require intermittent strategic management, such as augmentative releases of C. salviniae.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Evaluating the effects of catch-and-release angling on Cape stumpnose Rhabdosargus holubi in a South African estuary
- Arkert, N K, Childs, Amber-Robyn, Parkinson, Matthew C, Winkler, Alexander C, Butler, Edward C, Mannheim, Samantha L, Potts, Warren M
- Authors: Arkert, N K , Childs, Amber-Robyn , Parkinson, Matthew C , Winkler, Alexander C , Butler, Edward C , Mannheim, Samantha L , Potts, Warren M
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124439 , vital:35613 , https://doi.10.2989/1814232x.2018.1494041
- Description: Fisheries managers are increasingly promoting catch and release (C&R) as a means to manage recreational fish stocks. Several commonly used output regulations, including bag and size limits, require the mandatory release of captured fishes by anglers. In addition to mandatory C&R, conservation-conscious anglers have adopted voluntary C&R behaviour as a result of the noticeable declines in the populations of many fishery species and this behaviour is becoming increasingly popular among recreational anglers (Cooke et al. 2013a). The combination of mandatory and voluntary C&R behaviour is substantial, as Raby et al. (2014) estimated that 60% of fish captured in global recreational fisheries are released. In South Africa, Cowley et al. (2013) found that a large proportion (mean 74% [SD 7.3]) of the five most-dominant fishery species captured in the Sundays Estuary recreational fishery were released.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Arkert, N K , Childs, Amber-Robyn , Parkinson, Matthew C , Winkler, Alexander C , Butler, Edward C , Mannheim, Samantha L , Potts, Warren M
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124439 , vital:35613 , https://doi.10.2989/1814232x.2018.1494041
- Description: Fisheries managers are increasingly promoting catch and release (C&R) as a means to manage recreational fish stocks. Several commonly used output regulations, including bag and size limits, require the mandatory release of captured fishes by anglers. In addition to mandatory C&R, conservation-conscious anglers have adopted voluntary C&R behaviour as a result of the noticeable declines in the populations of many fishery species and this behaviour is becoming increasingly popular among recreational anglers (Cooke et al. 2013a). The combination of mandatory and voluntary C&R behaviour is substantial, as Raby et al. (2014) estimated that 60% of fish captured in global recreational fisheries are released. In South Africa, Cowley et al. (2013) found that a large proportion (mean 74% [SD 7.3]) of the five most-dominant fishery species captured in the Sundays Estuary recreational fishery were released.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Effect of turbidity on the foraging success of Glossogobius callidus (Teleostei: Gobiidae)
- Parkinson, Matthew C, Booth, Anthony J
- Authors: Parkinson, Matthew C , Booth, Anthony J
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124375 , vital:35600 , https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2011.589120
- Description: Particles suspended in water attenuate the light that passes through it via absorption or scattering (Utne-Palm 2002). For example, whereas algae absorb specific wavelengths of light necessary for photosynthesis, inorganic suspensoids tend to scatter light (Radke and Gaupisch 2005). This results in lowered ambient light levels and reduces the visual acuity of aquatic organisms. From a fish’s perspective, an increase in water turbidity has the potential to alter visually-mediated reproductive behaviours (Järvenpää and Lindström 2004), predator avoidance (Meager et al. 2006) and foraging success negatively (Utne-Palm 2002, Rowe et al. 2003, Sweka and Hartman 2003, Stuart-Smith et al. 2004). The foraging success of various fish species was affected by increased turbidity through decreasing predator–prey encounter rates (Sweka and Hartman 2003) and through decreasing visual acuity whereby the distance at which prey are visually detected is reduced (Utne-Palm 2002).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Parkinson, Matthew C , Booth, Anthony J
- Date: 2011
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/124375 , vital:35600 , https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2011.589120
- Description: Particles suspended in water attenuate the light that passes through it via absorption or scattering (Utne-Palm 2002). For example, whereas algae absorb specific wavelengths of light necessary for photosynthesis, inorganic suspensoids tend to scatter light (Radke and Gaupisch 2005). This results in lowered ambient light levels and reduces the visual acuity of aquatic organisms. From a fish’s perspective, an increase in water turbidity has the potential to alter visually-mediated reproductive behaviours (Järvenpää and Lindström 2004), predator avoidance (Meager et al. 2006) and foraging success negatively (Utne-Palm 2002, Rowe et al. 2003, Sweka and Hartman 2003, Stuart-Smith et al. 2004). The foraging success of various fish species was affected by increased turbidity through decreasing predator–prey encounter rates (Sweka and Hartman 2003) and through decreasing visual acuity whereby the distance at which prey are visually detected is reduced (Utne-Palm 2002).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
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