DOCSLIB.ORG

Arundo Donax)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Arundo Donax) Staff Assessment Report APP202887: An application to release the arundo wasp (Tetramesa romana) and the arundo scale insect (Rhizaspidiotus donacis), two biological control agents for the weed giant reed (Arundo donax). November 2016 Purpose To introduce a gall forming wasp (Tetramesa romana) and a scale insect (Rhizaspidiotus donacis) to control giant reed (Arundo donax) Application number APP202887 Application type Notified, Full Release Applicant Northland Regional Council Date formally received 12 September 2016 2 EPA advice for application APP202887 Executive Summary and Recommendation In September 2016, Northland Regional Council made an application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) seeking to introduce the arundo wasp (Tetramesa romana) and arundo scale insect (Rhizaspidiotus donacis) as biological control agents for the weed giant reed (Arundo donax) which is distantly related to native New Zealand grass species. We assessed the benefits (positive effects) and risks and costs (adverse effects) of introducing the two biocontrol agents to New Zealand and found that the benefits relating to environmental outcomes to be significant and the adverse effects negligible. We consider it likely that biological control of giant reed will improve biodiversity values and conservation of protected natural habitats. We also consider it likely that biocontrol of giant reed will reduce flooding events and limit extraction of water where native vegetation compete for resources in semi-dry to dry regions. We note that this proactive biocontrol programme could reduce the weed's future effects minimising its distribution into sensitive environments. We consider it very unlikely for arundo wasp and arundo scale insect to pose risks to native or valued plants in New Zealand. There are no native species in the Arundo genus, to which the two insects are host specific, shown in containment and field tests. There are also no other valued species within this genus in New Zealand. We also evaluated the possible indirect effects of the two agents, including apparent competition, and found it unlikely for arundo wasp and arundo scale insect to have adverse impacts on ecosystems. The EPA staff assessment report also discusses the effects of the two insects on the relationship of Māori to their environment, and measures the agents against the minimum standards in the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO Act). We conclude that the arundo wasp and arundo scale insect meet the minimum standards. Our assessment found the benefits of releasing the arundo wasp and arundo scale insect outweigh any identified risks and costs and recommend that the application be approved. November 2016 3 EPA advice for application APP202887 Table of Contents Executive Summary and Recommendation .......................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................. 3 1. Purpose of this document ............................................................................................................ 4 2. Application process ..................................................................................................................... 4 3. Submissions ................................................................................................................................ 4 4. Submissions from DOC and MPI ................................................................................................ 4 5. Giant reed as the target weed ..................................................................................................... 5 6. Organisms proposed for release ............................................................................................... 10 7. Risk assessment ....................................................................................................................... 13 8. Assessment of benefits (positive effects) .................................................................................. 13 9. Assessment of the risks and costs ............................................................................................ 17 10. Conclusion on benefits and risk assessment ............................................................................ 23 11. Relationship of Māori to the environment .................................................................................. 24 12. Minimum Standards................................................................................................................... 26 13. Can arundo wasp and arundo scale insect establish undesirable self-sustaining populations?28 14. Recommendation ...................................................................................................................... 29 Appendix 1: Summary of submissions ................................................................................................ 34 Appendix 2: Submission from Department of Conservation ................................................................ 36 Appendix 3: Māori Reference Group Report ....................................................................................... 47 November 2016 4 EPA advice for application APP202887 1. Purpose of this document On 12 September 2016, Northland Regional Council applied to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to introduce the arundo wasp (Tetramesa romana) and the arundo scale insect (Rhizaspidiotus donacis), to control the weed giant reed (Arundo donax) in New Zealand. This document has been prepared by EPA staff to advise the Decision-making Committee on our risk assessment for the release of the arundo wasp and arundo scale insect. The document discusses the information provided in the application, information readily available in scientific literature, and information submitted to the EPA during the public notification process. 2. Application process Northland Regional Council lodged an application with the EPA on 12 September 2016 seeking approval to release the arundo wasp and the arundo scale insect under section 34 of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act (the Act). The application was publicly notified, and open for submissions for 30 working days on 21 September 2016 as required by section 53(1)(b) of the Act. The submission period ended on 3 November 2016. 3. Submissions We received eight submissions on this application. The submissions are summarised in Appendix 1. Seven submitters supported the application and one submitter opposed the application. We received submissions from Cecelia Martin who opposes the application, Clinton Care, Dr John Liddle (New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated), Davor Bejakovich (Greater Wellington Regional Council), Holly Cox (Auckland Council), Gerry Te Kapa Coates (Ngāi Tahu HSNO Komiti), David Havell (Department of Conservation) and Philippa Rawlinson (Federated Farmers) who all support the application. None of the submitters explicitly requested to be heard at a public hearing. However, Gerry Coates notes that Ngāi Tahu HSNO Komiti may wish to appear to speak to their submission if a hearing is requested by other submitters. Similarly, David Havell from DOC does not request a hearing to be held, but will be present in support of the application if a hearing is convened. Since no submitter requested that a hearing be held to speak to their submission a hearing will not take place for this application. 4. Submissions from DOC and MPI As required by the Act and the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Methodology) Order 1998, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the Department of Conservation (DOC) were notified of the application and provided with the opportunity to comment. MPI did not make any comments on the application. November 2016 5 EPA advice for application APP202887 DOC supports the application. Their full submission is included in Appendix 2. 5. Giant reed as the target weed The biology and ecology of Arundo donax Giant reed is a tall (2 to 10 m) and robust bamboo or reed-like perennial grass. It is native to the Mediterranean and Caspian Basins, Arabian Peninsula and east to the Indian subcontinent (Goolsby, Moran et al. 2016). It is thought to have been introduced internationally during colonisation as an ornamental, for bank stabilisation and as a source of fibre. It can now be found growing throughout the Americas, Southern Africa, South-East Asia, and Oceania including the Pacific Islands. Giant reed has a strong root structure, which grows extensively via fleshy carbohydrate-rich rootstocks or rhizomes that penetrate deep into the soil and produce many stems that grow as hollow cane-like stems above ground. This generates large colonies of giant reed plants that directly impact the environment it invades. Giant reed’s stems are hard and brittle, with a smooth glossy surface that turns pale yellow (CABI 2015). Giant reed is now recognised by authoritative biological invasion resources internationally as a serious global threat to ecosystems. The Global Invasive Species Database, which is managed by the Invasive Species Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has identified giant reed to be amongst the 100 worst invasive species (GISD 2016). The Centre of Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) is an international not-for-profit organisation working to solve problems in agriculture and the
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Evaluation of the Combustion Characteristics of Four Perennial Energy Crops (Arundo Donax, Cynara Cardunculus, Miscanthus X Giganteus and Panicum Virgatum)
    2nd World Conference on Biomass for Energy, Industry and Climate Protection, 10-14 May 2004, Rome, Italy EVALUATION OF THE COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS OF FOUR PERENNIAL ENERGY CROPS (ARUNDO DONAX, CYNARA CARDUNCULUS, MISCANTHUS X GIGANTEUS AND PANICUM VIRGATUM) Jonas Dahl & Ingwald Obernberger Institute of Resource Efficient and Sustainable Systems, Graz University of Technology, Inffeldgasse 25, A - 8010 Graz, Austria, Tel.: +43 (0)316 481300, Fax: +43 (0)316 481300 4; E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT: The perennial crops giant reed, switchgrass, miscanthus and cardoon were investigated in laboratory- scale and pilot-scale combustion test runs. Laboratory-scale test runs were conducted in a fixed bed pot reactor monitoring the temperature in the fuel bed and the release of gaseous components while pilot-scale test runs where conducted in a 150 kWth rotating grate fired combustion plant measuring formed emissions of CO, NOX, SO2, HCl, and particulates as well as performing deposit probe measurements. The results revealed that the high concentration of ash and slag forming elements such as Si, K and Ca cause severe problems regarding slagging if not specially considered during combustion. Moreover, high concentrations of N are another challenge regarding measures in order to avoid high emissions of NOx. Moreover, also HCl and SO2 emissions are considerably higher compared to wood fuels due to the higher concentrations of Cl and S in these fuels. Keywords: biomass characteristics, biomass conversion, cynara cardonculus, giant reed, switchgrass, miscanthus 1 INTRODUCTION combustion unit (nominal boiler capacity 150 kWth) were carried out with larger amounts (2-4 tons) of Due to the limited availability of wood fuels, in pelletised switch grass and chopped giant reed and southern Europe, high yield energy crops could give an chopped miscanthus (MI).
    [Show full text]
  • Advanced Biofuel Policies in Select Eu Member States: 2018 Update
    © INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON CLEAN TRANSPORTATION POLICY UPDATE NOVEMBER 2018 ADVANCED BIOFUEL POLICIES IN SELECT EU MEMBER STATES: 2018 UPDATE This policy update provides details on the latest measures that select European ICCT POLICY UPDATES Union (EU) member states, namely Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, SUMMARIZE Sweden, and the United Kingdom, are taking to support advanced alternative fuels. REGULATORY AND OTHER EU POLICY BACKGROUND DEVELOPMENTS In 2018, the European Union (EU) set its climate and energy objectives for 2030. RELATED TO CLEAN They included a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of at least 40% and a minimum of a TRANSPORTATION 32% share of renewable energy consumption across all sectors.1 GHG emissions in the WORLDWIDE. European transportation sector have declined by only 3.8% since 2008, compared to an 18% decrease, or more, in all other sectors, indicating that the decarbonization of transportation should be a priority for the future.2 Biofuels are one of the options considered to increase renewable energy and decrease the carbon intensity of the transportation sector. Through the use of directives and national legislation, the EU has incentivized both the adoption of conventional food-based biofuels and advanced biofuels, which are made from non-food feedstocks. Such incentives date to 2009, when the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) mandated that by 2020, 10% of energy used in the transportation sector should come from renewable energy sources (RES).3 In 2015, the RED was 1 Jacopo Giuntoli, Final recast Renewable Energy Directive for 2021-2030 in the European Union, (ICCT: Washington, DC, 2018), https://www.theicct.org/publications/final-recast-renewable-energy-directive- 2021-2030-european-union 2 EUROSTAT (Greenhouse gas emissions by source sector (env_air_gge), accessed November 2018), https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecology and Management of Arundo Donax, and Approaches to Riparian Habitat Restoration in Southern California
    ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF ARUNDO DONAX, AND APPROACHES TO RIPARIAN HABITAT RESTORATION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Gary P. Bell The Nature Conservancy of New Mexico, 212 E. Marcy Street, Suite 200, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA Abstract By far the greatest threat to the dwindling riparian resources of coastal southern California is the alien grass species known as Arundo donax. Over the last 25 years the riparian forests of coastal southern California have become infested with A. donax which has spread by flood-fragmentation and dispersal of vegetative propagules. Arundo donax dramatically alters the ecological/successional processes in riparian systems and ultimately moves most riparian habitats towards pure stands of this alien grass. By current estimates there are tens of thousands of acres of A. donax along the major coastal drainage systems of southern California, including the Santa Ana, Santa Margarita, Ventura, Santa Clara, San Diego, and San Luis Rey rivers. The removal of A. donax from these systems provides numerous downstream benefits in terms of native species habitat, wildfire protection, water quantity and water quality. Introduction Arundo L. is a genus of tall perennial reed-like grasses (Poaceae) with six species native to warmer parts of the Old World. Arundo donax L. (giant reed, bamboo reed, giant reed grass, arundo grass, donax cane, giant cane, river cane, bamboo cane, canne de Provence), is the largest member of the genus and is among the largest of the grasses, growing to a height of 8 m (Fig. 1). This species is believed to be native to freshwaters of eastern Asia (Polunin and Huxley 1987), but has been cultivated throughout Asia, southern Europe, north Africa, and the Middle East for thousands of years and has been planted widely in North and South America and Australasia in the past century (Perdue 1958, Zohary 1962).
    [Show full text]
  • Ornamental Grasses for Kentucky Landscapes Lenore J
    HO-79 Ornamental Grasses for Kentucky Landscapes Lenore J. Nash, Mary L. Witt, Linda Tapp, and A. J. Powell Jr. any ornamental grasses are available for use in resi- Grasses can be purchased in containers or bare-root Mdential and commercial landscapes and gardens. This (without soil). If you purchase plants from a mail-order publication will help you select grasses that fit different nursery, they will be shipped bare-root. Some plants may landscape needs and grasses that are hardy in Kentucky not bloom until the second season, so buying a larger plant (USDA Zone 6). Grasses are selected for their attractive foli- with an established root system is a good idea if you want age, distinctive form, and/or showy flowers and seedheads. landscape value the first year. If you order from a mail- All but one of the grasses mentioned in this publication are order nursery, plants will be shipped in spring with limited perennial types (see Glossary). shipping in summer and fall. Grasses can be used as ground covers, specimen plants, in or near water, perennial borders, rock gardens, or natu- Planting ralized areas. Annual grasses and many perennial grasses When: The best time to plant grasses is spring, so they have attractive flowers and seedheads and are suitable for will be established by the time hot summer months arrive. fresh and dried arrangements. Container-grown grasses can be planted during the sum- mer as long as adequate moisture is supplied. Cool-season Selecting and Buying grasses can be planted in early fall, but plenty of mulch Select a grass that is right for your climate.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 5 Phylogeny of Poaceae Based on Matk Gene Sequences
    Chapter 5 Phylogeny of Poaceae Based on matK Gene Sequences 5.1 Introduction Phylogenetic reconstruction in the Poaceae began early in this century with proposed evolutionary hypotheses based on assessment of existing knowledge of grasses (e.g., Bew, 1929; Hubbard 1948; Prat, 1960; Stebbins, 1956, 1982; Clayton, 1981; Tsvelev, 1983). Imperical approaches to phylogenetic reconstruction of the Poaceae followed those initial hypotheses, starting with cladistic analyses of morphological and anatomical characters (Kellogg and Campbell, 1987; Baum, 1987; Kellogg and Watson, 1993). More recently, molecular information has provided the basis for phylogenetic hypotheses in grasses at the subfamily and tribe levels (Table 5.1). These molecular studies were based on information from chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) restriction sites and DNA sequencing of the rbcL, ndhF, rps4, 18S and 26S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), phytochrome genes, and the ITS region (Hamby and Zimmer, 1988; Doebley et al., 1990; Davis and Soreng, 1993; Cummings, King, and Kellogg, 1994; Hsiao et al., 1994; Nadot, Bajon, and Lejeune, 1994; Barker, Linder, and Harley, 1995; Clark, Zhang, and Wendel, 1995; Duvall and Morton, 1996; Liang and Hilu, 1996; Mathews and Sharrock, 1996). Although these studies have refined our concept of grass evolution at the subfamily level and, to a certain degree, at the tribal level, major disagreements and questions remain to be addressed. Outstanding discrepancies at the subfamily level include: 1) Are the pooids, bambusoids senso lato, or herbaceous bamboos the
    [Show full text]
  • Large Trees, Supertrees, and Diversification of the Grass Family Trevor R
    Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany Volume 23 | Issue 1 Article 19 2007 Large Trees, Supertrees, and Diversification of the Grass Family Trevor R. Hodkinson Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland Nicolas Salamin University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland Mark W. Chase Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK Yanis Bouchenak-Khelladi Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland Stephen A. Renvoize Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/aliso Part of the Botany Commons, and the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons Recommended Citation Hodkinson, Trevor R.; Salamin, Nicolas; Chase, Mark W.; Bouchenak-Khelladi, Yanis; Renvoize, Stephen A.; and Savolainen, Vincent (2007) "Large Trees, Supertrees, and Diversification of the Grass Family," Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany: Vol. 23: Iss. 1, Article 19. Available at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/aliso/vol23/iss1/19 Large Trees, Supertrees, and Diversification of the Grass Family Authors Trevor R. Hodkinson, Nicolas Salamin, Mark W. Chase, Yanis Bouchenak-Khelladi, Stephen A. Renvoize, and Vincent Savolainen This article is available in Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/aliso/vol23/iss1/ 19 Aliso 23, pp. 248–258 ᭧ 2007, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden LARGE TREES, SUPERTREES, AND DIVERSIFICATION OF THE GRASS FAMILY TREVOR R. HODKINSON,1,5 NICOLAS SALAMIN,2 MARK W. CHASE,3 YANIS BOUCHENAK-KHELLADI,1,3 STEPHEN A. RENVOIZE,4
    [Show full text]
  • Invasives and Biofuels
    Invasives and Biofuels Roger C. Anderson School of Biological Sciences Illinois State University Biofuel derived substitutes for petroleum • Two categories of liquid biofuels – First generation • Ethanol (from plant starch, sugar) • Biodiesel (from plant & animal oils) • Methanol (wood) – Second generation • Ceullosic ethanol production • Woody plants and grasses First Generation Biofuels • Examples: Corn, Soybeans, sunflower, sugar cane • Costly: Requires high input of resources – Fertilizer, pesticides, tillage – Utilization prime agricultural land • Degrades natural resources – Dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico • Human food chain • Generally, will not persist without human intervention – Rarely invasive Second Generation Biofuels • Uses grasses, herbs, and trees • Grown on marginal, lower productivity land • Neutral to negative carbon budget Miscanthus giganteus • Low resource demand (fertilizer, pesticides) • Not in human food chains • Perennial Crops – Once planted they will persist – Can be invasive Switchgrass Second Biomass Generation Biofuels Cellulose Enzymes Breakdown Cellulose CO2 Sugars CO2 Ethanol CO2 Fossil BTU 1.23 Fossil BTU 0.74 Fossil BTU @ 0.1 Gasoline Corn Ethanol Cellulosic Ethanol From Coal & Natural Gas From Petroleum Desirable Characteristics of Biofuel Plants • C 4 photosynthesis • Long canopy duration • Perennial • No known pests or diseases • Rapid growth in spring -(to outcompete weeds) • Sterility • High water-use efficiency • Partition nutrients belowground in the fall Two Potential Conflicts in the Nation’s
    [Show full text]
  • (Poaceae: Panicoideae) in Thailand
    Systematics of Arundinelleae and Andropogoneae, subtribes Chionachninae, Dimeriinae and Germainiinae (Poaceae: Panicoideae) in Thailand Thesis submitted to the University of Dublin, Trinity College for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) by Atchara Teerawatananon 2009 Research conducted under the supervision of Dr. Trevor R. Hodkinson School of Natural Sciences Department of Botany Trinity College University of Dublin, Ireland I Declaration I hereby declare that the contents of this thesis are entirely my own work (except where otherwise stated) and that it has not been previously submitted as an exercise for a degree to this or any other university. I agree that library of the University of Dublin, Trinity College may lend or copy this thesis subject to the source being acknowledged. _______________________ Atchara Teerawatananon II Abstract This thesis has provided a comprehensive taxonomic account of tribe Arundinelleae, and subtribes Chionachninae, Dimeriinae and Germainiinae of the tribe Andropogoneae in Thailand. Complete floristic treatments of these taxa have been completed for the Flora of Thailand project. Keys to genera and species, species descriptions, synonyms, typifications, illustrations, distribution maps and lists of specimens examined, are also presented. Fourteen species and three genera of tribe Arundinelleae, three species and two genera of subtribe Chionachninae, seven species of subtribe Dimeriinae, and twelve species and two genera of Germainiinae, were recorded in Thailand, of which Garnotia ciliata and Jansenella griffithiana were recorded for the first time for Thailand. Three endemic grasses, Arundinella kerrii, A. kokutensis and Dimeria kerrii were described as new species to science. Phylogenetic relationships among major subfamilies in Poaceae and among major tribes within Panicoideae were evaluated using parsimony analysis of plastid DNA regions, trnL-F and atpB- rbcL, and a nuclear ribosomal DNA region, ITS.
    [Show full text]
  • Simulating the Hydrologic Impact of Arundo Donax Invasion on the Headwaters of the Nueces River in Texas
    Hydrology 2015, 2, 134-147; doi:10.3390/hydrology2030134 OPEN ACCESS hydrology ISSN 2306-5338 www.mdpi.com/journal/hydrology Article Simulating the Hydrologic Impact of Arundo donax Invasion on the Headwaters of the Nueces River in Texas Shailee Jain 1, Srinivasulu Ale 2,*, Clyde L. Munster 1, R. James Ansley 2 and James R. Kiniry 3 1 Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; E-Mails: [email protected] (S.J.); [email protected] (C.L.M.) 2 Texas A&M AgriLife Research (Texas A&M University System), Vernon, TX 76384, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] 3 Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Temple, TX 76502, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-940-552-9941 (ext. 232); Fax: +1-940-552-2317. Academic Editor: Heejun Chang Received: 31 May 2015 / Accepted: 13 August 2015 / Published: 20 August 2015 Abstract: Arundo donax (hereafter referred to as Arundo), a robust herbaceous plant, has invaded the riparian zones of the Rio Grande River and the rivers of the Texas Hill Country over the last two decades. Arundo was first observed along the Nueces River in central Texas in 1995 by the Nueces River Authority (NRA). It then spread rapidly downstream due to its fast growth rate and availability of streamflow for its consumptive use, and it completely displaced the native vegetation, primarily Panicum virgatum (hereafter referred to as switchgrass) in the riparian zone.
    [Show full text]
  • Arundo Carbon Implications
    Using Closed-loop Biomass to Displace Coal at Portland General Electric’s Boardman Power Plant Carbon Implications June 7, 2012 Using Closed‐Loop Biomass to Displace Coal at Portland General Electric’s Boardman Power Plant: Carbon Implications Executive Summary Portland General Electric will cease burning coal at its Boardman, Oregon power plant at the end of 2020, at least twenty years earlier than previously expected under PGE’s projected resource plans. A variety of biomass options are being researched as possible replacement fuel sources, including the high‐yield biomass crop Arundo donax, which has the potential to serve as a significant source of locally‐ accessible, closed‐loop biomass to power the Boardman facility after 2020. Using torrefied biomass to generate electricity would qualify Boardman for consideration as a renewable energy source under Oregon’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. PGE would have the benefit of a qualified renewable energy source capable of supplying 2.6 million MWh of dispatchable baseload energy annually. In addition, repurposing the facility would allow the rural community where the Boardman facility is located to continue to receive the substantial employment and tax benefits associated with continued operation. This study focuses on the carbon implications that accompany this fuel transition, examining in detail the impact of using torrefied Arundo for this purpose. It is important to note that, because of concerns surrounding reliability of supply, PGE engineers do not expect to rely on a single source of biomass if a decision is made to proceed with the fuel conversion. Potential energy crops are attractive because they would be dedicated to producing the volume of material needed, but reliance on a single energy crop could actually put reliability at risk in the event that natural occurrences – such as unseasonable weather, storms, or pests – interfered with predictable production.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to a Study of Arundo Donax
    An Assessment and Management Protocol for Arundo donax in the Salinas Valley Watershed A Capstone Project Presented to the Faculty of Earth Systems Science and Policy in the Center for Science, Technology, and Information Resources at California State University Monterey Bay In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science by Alana J. Oakins May 2001 Preface This is an under-graduate student report. The opinions and conclusions presented do not necessarily reflect the final material to be presented as the outcome of the Salinas Sediment Study (2000-1 contract). Nor do they necessarily reflect the opinions or conclusions of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, who funded the work, or any of its staff. Having said that, I hope you enjoy the report. It is the product of an extra-ordinary level student dedication to the science of bettering the environment of the Central Coast while recognizing the social and economic importance of its agriculture and industry. Dr. Fred Watson Project leader. Student Capstone Advisor Table of Contents Abstract…p.4 Part I Background: Arundo donax Management and Eradication in Riparian Systems…p.5 1.1 Introduction…p.5 1.2 Arundo donax Historical Facts…p.5 1.3 Plant Biology of Arundo donax…p.6 1.4 Effects of Disturbance on the Viability of Arundo donax…p.7 Reproductive viability of Arundo donax…p.7 Flood as a disturbance…p.8 Fire as a disturbance…p.8 1.5 Problems Associated with Arundo donax…p.8 Effects on stream flow and stream morphology…p.8 Loss of native
    [Show full text]
  • Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Long-Term Plantations of Arundo Donax and Miscanthus X Giganteus Research Funded by MAGIC Project (GA 727698)
    Società Italiana di Agronomia XLVII Convegno Nazionale L'Agronomia nelle nuove Agriculturae Marsala (TP), 12-14 settembre 2018 Nitrogen Use Efficiency Of Long-Term Plantations Of Arundo donax and Miscanthus x giganteus Research funded by MAGIC project (GA 727698) Danilo Scordia1, Giorgio Testa1, Venera Copani1, Silvio Calcagno1, Andrea Corinzia1, Giovanni Scalici1, Giancarlo Patanè1, Sebastiano Scandurra1, Cristina Patanè2, Salvatore L. Cosentino1,2 1 Dip. di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A), Univ. Catania, IT, [email protected] 2 CNR-IVALSA, Catania, IT Introduction Perennial, no-food grasses have been proposed as the most efficient species for biomass production due to their natural resource use efficiency, agronomic, environmental and social benefits. Nitrogen requirement is a significant issue in intensive agriculture and greatly affects the energetic balance of crops. Hence, reduced nitrogen fertilizer by means of low input cropping systems could directly mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In the present study long-term plantations of two perennial grasses (Arundo donax and Miscanthus x giganteus) grown in rainfed conditions under two nitrogen regimes were compared in terms of biomass yield and nitrogen use efficiency. Materials and Methods Results Average yearly mean temperatures were similar among years (from 18.45°C Miscanthus x giganteus and Arundo donax were grown at the in 2015 to 18.71°C in 2016), as well as average yearly minimum and Experimental farm of the University of Catania. Miscanthus maximum temperatures (13.5 and 23.6°C across growing seasons, was transplanted in summer 1993, while Arundo in spring respectively). Precipitations were higher than the long term trend (~550 1997. During the first three growing seasons, both mm) in both 2016 (765 mm) and 2017 (717 mm) and lower in 2015 (491 plantations received nitrogen fertilization (three-levels) and mm).
    [Show full text]