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Growth of Alligator Weed (Alternanthera Philoxeroides Several Years After Its Release (Mart.) Griseb

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Growth of Alligator Weed (Alternanthera Philoxeroides Several Years After Its Release (Mart.) Griseb Plant Protection Quarterly Vo\.15(3) 2000 95 information on its biology and effective­ ness as a biological control agent. Growth of alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides Several years after its release (Mart.) Griseb. (Amaranthaceae» and population A. hygrophila had failed to effectively con­ trol alligator weed in some areas (Roberts development of Agasicles hygrophila Selman & Vogt el al. 1984). Comparisons of climate data (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in northern New and temperature requirements of A. hygro­ phila (Stewart el al. 1995, 1996) suggested Zealand that temperatures in New Zealand were less than optimal for development, par­ AC A ticularly in areas south of the Northland Carol A. Stewart , R. Bruce Chapman and Chris M.A. Frampton' region. Port Waikato (Lat. 37' 24·5 Long. A Ecology and Entomology Group, PO Box 84, Lincoln University, Canterbury, 174'43·E) is the southern-most limit of New Zealand. A. hygrophila distribution in this country ·Centre for Computing and Biometrics, PO Box 84, Lincoln University, (c. Stewart unpublished survey). The Canterbury, New Zealand. only site in New Zealand where A. hygro­ c Current address: 25 Goring Road, Balmoral, Auckland 1003, New Zealand. phila was known to be present each sum­ mer and autumn in sufficient numbers to cause visible damage and defoliation of alligator weed is at Whatatiri, Northland Summary (Lat. 35' 47"5 Long. 174' 04·E) . Alligator weed (Alternanthera phil­ 1906). It is currently distributed from This study investigated the changes in oxeroides) is a problem aquatic weed in North Cape to the Waikato Ri ver in the temperature, the growth of alligator weed New Zealand. Little is known about the North Island and appears to be spreading and the distribution and development of population ecology of its introduced bio­ southwards, albeit at a slow rate (Stewart A. hygrophi/a populations in New Zealand. logical control agents, Agasicles hygro­ el al. 1995). Alligator weed grows in a A further aim was to estimate the quantity phila and Arcola malloi. A study of alli­ range of ecosystems from almost arid con­ of heat units available for A. hygrophila de­ gator weed and A. hygropllila popula­ ditions to swampy areas but it grows pri­ velopment in one season at Whatatiri. tions conducted at a Northland site in marily as an emergent aquatic plant New Zealand found that alligator weed rooted in the substrate below shallow wa­ Methods dry weights peaked in late January 1994 ter Oulien 1995). In aquatic habitats, alli· Site descriplion and late December 1994 and declined as gator weed forms large floating mats of The study was conducted on one of a a result of feeding by increasing popula­ interwoven hollow stems which ex tend number of man-made ponds at Whatatiri tions of A. hygrophila. Aquatic alligator over the surface of the water. Terrestrial in the Whangarei District. The study site weed was present throughout the 1994 plants can establish on very thick weed (approximately 1800 m') was loca ted at winter. Internal stem diameters probably mats and this may accelerate succession the western end of the southern-most did not limit A. hygropllila pupation, as and turn enclosed water bodies into pond which had the greatest area of the majority of stem diameters measured swamps. Alligator weed is categorized as aquatic alligator weed floating on its sur­ were above 1.21 mnl, the width required a 'National Surveillance Plant Pest' which face. for female pupation within the stem. means it is unlawful to knowingly propa­ Alligator weed extended from the Peak A. hygrophila populations occurred gate, distribute, spread or sell this plant in edges of the pond in large mats and the during February but the density of A. New Zealand (Vervoort and Hennessy density and spatial distribution of the Itygrophila was too low or the damage 1996). mats varied between the seasons and too late in the growing season to provide From 1960 to 1974 biological control years. During winter months, flood wa­ control, despite considerable defoliation. agents for alligator weed control were se­ ters from the Wairua River washed alliga­ It was concluded that A. hygrophila is lected from searches made in South tor weed and debris into the ponds. The unlikely to cause a reduction in alligator America by the United States Department pond was surrounded by stop banks weed in New Zealand even in conjunc­ of Agriculture (Coulson 1977). Two of which were covered in pasture and scrub tion with Arcola malloi. A. Izygrophila these, Agasicles hygrophila Selman and species, including Ulex europaeus L., Lepto­ was estimated to have a requirement of Vogt (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and sperntllnt scopariunt J.R. & G.Forst. and Ru­ 277 degree days above the I3.3°e lower Arcola malloi (Pastrana) (Lepidoptera: bus fru ticOSIlS L. There were other species temperature development threshold to Pyralidae), were imported into Australia of plants growing amongst the weed mat develop from egg to an ovipositional from the USA in 1976 Oulien 1981). An (Table 1), however, alligator weed was the adult. Three generations of A. hygrophila additional species, Disonycha argentinensis dominant species present. were predicted to occur at Whatatiri in Jacoby (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), was the 1994-95 season. imported into Australia from Brazil in Air lemperature and rainfall 1979 Oulien and Chan 1992). Between 1981 Air temperatures were recorded using Introduction and 1988 A. hygrophi/a, A. malloi and D. thermistor sensors and data loggers. The Alligator weed, Alternanlhera phi/oxeroides argentinensis were introduced into New loggers were placed in small airtight plas­ (Mart.) Griseb. (Amaranthaceae), a plant Zealand from Australia (Roberts and tic containers and each sensor (one sensor of So uth American origin, has become a Sutherland 1989), but D. argenlinensis did per data logger) was attached to an an­ problem in waterways and pastures in not establish. A. hygropllila was intro­ chored polystyrene float, covered with a many parts of the world, including the duced into Northland and Auckland in ventilated screen and placed 1-2 m from southern USA, Puerto Rico, Burma, Thai­ 1982 by the Entomology Division, Depart­ the pond edge, approximately 4 cm above land, Indonesia, India, China, Australia ment of Scientific and Industrial Re­ the water surface in the alligator weed and New Zealand Oulien 1981, Julienelal. search (Roberts and Sutherland 1989). The canopy. Air temperatures were recorded 1992). Alligator weed was first recorded beetle established and spread rapidly every 24 minutes for the period IS in New Zealand in 1906 at Aratapu by the throughout Northland (Philip el al. 1988), November 1993 to 25 April 1995. From Northern Wairoa River (Cheeseman however, there is limited quantitative 15 November 1993 to 6 December 1994 96 Plant Protection Quarterly Vo1.15(3) 2000 readings were collected from one logger each season depending on insect activity internodes where internal diameters were and from 7 December 1994 to 25 April and the season. During the first growing measured was recorded. 1995 readings were collected from two season (1993-94), samples were taken fort­ loggers. Due to seasonal flooding, data nightly. During the 1994 winter (May to Analysis of results stored in logger one were destroyed on 13 October) samples were taken monthly. In Data that were collected on a per shoot to 27 December 1993, 27 May, 25 )uly to 6 the second growing season samples were basis were converted to m' by combining August 1994 and 6 March to 4 April 1995. taken fortnightly in spring and autumn data from individual shoot samples and Readings were destroyed on logger two and weekly during summer (January to the quadrats (number of shoots per from 21 March to 4 April 1995. Rainfall March 1995). The number of insects per quadrat). These provided overall esti­ measurements were obtained from the unit of shoot tissue and the standing crop mates of the means for A. hygrophila den­ Wairua Falls (Station AS4701) 3.25 km or shoots of alligator weed perO.l m'were sities, alligator weed dry weight, number from the site. Daily rainfall readings were measured. The number of insects per m2 of shoots and shoot length m'. The summed to produce weekly totals. were estimated from these data. variances were also pooled from the data A shoot sample consisted of a ran­ for number of insects per shoot and stand­ Alligator weed shoot and quadrat domly selected stem and its leaf tissue cut ing crop and further pooled over time to samples at water level. When each shoot sa mple give common variances for each param­ Sampling was carried out by boat without was taken, the numbers of A. hygrophila eter in each season. The standard errors disturbing the weed and at least 3 m from adults, each larval instar and egg batches, were then calculated for each parameter the bank to ensure only floating weed was were counted. In the laboratory, shoot and time using these pooled variances and assessed. Samples were taken over two length was measured and the numbers of the appropriate sample size using the years from November 1993 to April 1995. eggs per batch were counted. Stems were SYSTAT statistical package (Wilkinson The sampling frequency varied during cut open and the pre-pupae, pupae and 1990). teneral adults were counted. Leaves were then removed Degree day (DO) calculations Table 1, Plants found growing in the weed mat from the stems and leaf and Degree days were calculated from re­ at Whatatiri, stem tissue samples were indi­ corded temperatures, using a modified -F-alJU--·I-y---P-I-an-t-n-a-m-e----------- vidually dried to constant Simpson's Rule (Broughton and Ramsay __~ _________________ weight in a drying oven at 1979). Simpson's Rule is an integration Agavaceae Plwrmium tenax ).R.
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