Fri Oct 28 2005 - 17:00:56 PDT

Contents
1. Broadleaf signalgrass (Kentucky, USA)
2. Four states sue the US for better invasives prevention (Nationwide, USA)
3. Updating our ESAs (Global, Planet Earth)
4. Weed poster (Nationwide, USA)
5. Info needed on OH, IN, AL, MS weeds (Eastern states, Planet Earth)
6. Literature reviews (Planet Earth)

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1. Broadleaf signalgrass (Kentucky, USA)
From: Mario Giazzon (mgiazzon(at)tnc.org)

I'm seeking information on how to control the native broadleaf signalgrass
(Urochloa platyphylla, aka Brachiaria platyphylla) preferably with
prescribed fire. I have a few landowners with native warm season grass
plantings here in far western Kentucky that are being completely overrun,
primarily by this grass. I was hoping that simply running fire through the
struggling stand would release some competition and allow the desired
natives to establish. However, I don't know if fire will encourage the
signalgrass like it does Sericea lespedeza. Also, when would be the best
time to burn (fall, spring, summer), if at all? If you have any suggestions
or recommendations, please let me know.

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2. Four states sue the US for better invasives prevention (Nationwide, USA)
From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu)

This is rather old news, but in case you want to learn more about this
lawsuit filed by NY, CA, CT, and IL, you can read about it here:
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2005/sep/sep15b_05.html
The bottom line is that these states are claiming the USDA is not studying
suitable alternatives to prevent forest pests from being transported in
wooden packing materials.

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3. Weed spread on Long Island, NY (New York, USA)
From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu)

Marilyn Jordan sent us a report of weeds observed spreading in New York and
New England, so this is really her posting. She noted the following weeds
that should be on your radar screen if they aren't already:

Trapa natans (water chestnut): first siting on Long Island.
Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian watermilfoil): spreading to new counties.
Salix cinerea (European gray willow): widespread and increasing.
Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam; Ornamental jewelweed): spreading.
Phellodendron amurense (Amur cork-tree: spreading in Massachusetts.
Aralia elata (Japanese angelica): spreading in New York.

For more information on this weeds, contact Marilyn at mjordan(at)tnc.org

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4. Weed poster (Nationwide, USA)
From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu)

A publishing company recently contacted me with news of a weedy poster they
made. Ten dollars gets you a poster 18"x24", and you get to look for the 14
weeds portrayed in the little woodland clearing. Buy more, and you get big
discounts. Here at the GISI, we get no kickbacks from the company, but we
just thought you might want to know about this poster:
http://goodnaturepublishing.blogspot.com/2005/10/new-southeast-invasive-spec
ies-poster.html

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5. Info needed on OH, IN, AL, MS weeds (Eastern states, Planet Earth)
From: Sarah Reichard (reichard(at)u.washington.edu)

I need distribution information (state, county) for Hedera helix, H.
hibernica, Geranium robertianum, and Ilex aquifolium in Ohio, Indiana,
Alabama and Mississippi outside of cultivation. If you think G. robertianum
is native in their area, I would like to hear that too. We have good
distribution data for most other states, but those four have been difficult.

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6. Literature reviews (Planet Earth)
From: Tunyalee Martin (tamorisawa(at)ucdavis.edu)

Ernst, C.M. and N. Cappuccino. 2005. The effect of an invasive alien vine,
Vincetoxicum rossicum (Asclepiadaceae), on arthropod populations in Ontario
old fields. Biological Invasions 7(4): 417-425.

Few studies have documented the impact of invasive plants on arthropods. If
arthropod numbers decline due to an invasive plant, those organisms that
rely on them, namely predaceous arthropods, parasitoids, and insectivorous
birds and mammals, could also be negatively affected. This study used stem
sampling and pitfall traps to determine arthropod numbers in invasive
Vincetoxicum rossicum stands and compared numbers in these stands to those
of native Asclepias syriaca and Solidago altissima stands in eastern
Ontario. The authors's hypothesis was that fewer arthropods would be found
in V. rossicum stands.

Of those arthropods collected on the plants, the trend was fewer arthropods
on Vincetoxicum than either Asclepias or Solidago plants (arthropod numbers
were significantly less on Vincetoxicum than on Solidago). Significant
differences among the feeding guilds were also noted. For example, fewer
pollen and nectar feeders per stem were observed in Vincetoxicum compared to
Asclepias stands. Pitfall trap trends also showed fewer arthropods in
Vincetoxicum stands. Additionally, almost no herbivore damage was observed
on V. rossicum plants and although flower nectar was visible, no pollinators
or arthropods visiting the flowers were observed during the study. To
conclude, the authors believe that further spread of the invasive vine, V.
rossicum, could result in a decline of arthropod numbers, potentially
impacting animals that utilize arthropods as a food source.

Eritja, R., R. Escosa, J. Lucientes, E. Marques, R. Molina, D. Roiz, and S.
Ruiz. Worldwide invasion of vector mosquitoes: present European
distribution and challenges for Spain. Biological Invasions 7: 87-97.

The authors review the distribution and history of invasion by Aedes
albopictus in Europe. In Spain, diseases vectored by Aedes aegypti are
discussed and the possible health risks and spread within Spain of Ae.
albopictus are presented.

Work, T.T., D.G. McCullough, J.F. Cavey and R. Komsa. Arrival rate of
nonindigenous insect species into the United States through foreign trade.
Biological Invasions 7: 323-332.

Estimating arrival rates of nonindigenous species can determine pathways or
commodities where the risk of introduction is high, and if action is taken,
could prevent establishment. The United States Department of Agriculture
Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) inspects up to 2% of
arriving cargo. Although this data is recorded, it is not statistically
valid for estimating arrival rates. Between 1997 and 2001, a sampling
strategy called Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Monitoring (AQIM), which
is statistically valid (95% confidence), was used to estimate the number of
arriving nonindigenous insects on cargo with a greater than 10% infestation.
Twenty to twenty-five percent of cargo was inspected.

A total of 29,139 shipments were sampled from air, land and sea vessels.
Insects were reported 189 times. The greatest number of nonindigenous
insects arrived by refrigerated maritime containers, with a new species
detected in one out of every 50.5 inspections. Nonrefrigerated maritime
containers, air cargo, and land cargo crossing the US-Mexico border reported
a new species in one out of every 129.9, 204.1 and 370.4 examinations
respectively. In refrigerated maritime containers, shipments of peas were
responsible for 21% of the recorded insect interceptions. Half of the
recorded interceptions for nonrefrigerated maritime cargo were from marble
and ceramic tile shipments. Cut flowers accounted for 68.9% of air cargo
insect interceptions. Seventy five percent of US-Mexico border
interceptions were insects detected on ornamental palms (Chameadorea spp.).


Analysis of the arrival data suggests that many nonindigenous insects remain
undetected. The authors hypothesized that pathways with greater commodity
types and countries of origin would have greater arrival rates. However,
the data were not consistent with this hypothesis. Understanding arrival
data enables agencies to concentrate on the commodity type that is most
risky within each pathway to prevent introductions. Establishment rates
have been estimated at 2 to 65%. If the 2% establishment rate is used, 34,
4, 3 and <1 species have become established in the US between 1997 and 2001
via refrigerated maritime cargo, air cargo, nonrefrigerated maritime cargo,
and cargo over the US-Mexico border respectively.