The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center Master's Projects and Capstones Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects Winter 12-14-2016 Salvinia molesta: An Assessment of the Effects and Methods of Eradication Arti Lal [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Biology Commons, Botany Commons, Horticulture Commons, Other Plant Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons, and the Weed Science Commons Recommended Citation Lal, Arti, "Salvinia molesta: An Assessment of the Effects and Methods of Eradication" (2016). Master's Projects and Capstones. 572. https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/572 This Project/Capstone is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects at USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. 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Salvinia molesta: An Assessment of the Effects and Methods of Eradication Arti Lal University of San Francisco 2 Table of Contents Salvinia molesta: ........................................................................................ 1 Figures ........................................................................................................ 4 Tables ......................................................................................................... 5 Abstract ...................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ............................................................................................... 8 Freshwater Aquatic Ecosystems: What are Aquatic Ecosystems and Why are They Important? ................................................................................................. 8 The Effects of Invasive Species ........................................................................... 8 Invasive Aquatic Plant Species: Salvinia molesta .............................................. 11 Thesis Statement ............................................................................................... 12 Section I: Plant Description and Distribution ............................................ 12 Discovery of S. molesta ..................................................................................... 12 Plant Structure .................................................................................................. 13 Salvinia molesta Reproduction ......................................................................... 14 Salvinia molesta Vegetative Growth and Growing Stages .................................. 15 Salvinia molesta Parameters for Growth .......................................................... 16 Temperature .......................................................................................................................... 16 Light ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Conductivity and Salinity ....................................................................................................... 17 pH .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Nutrients ................................................................................................................................ 18 Relationship Between pH and Nutrients ............................................................................... 19 Current Distribution and Spread ...................................................................... 20 Australia ................................................................................................................................. 21 United States ......................................................................................................................... 22 Other Countries .................................................................................................................... 23 Mechanism of Spread and Dispersal .................................................................. 27 Section II: Ecological, economic, and health ............................................. 28 Ecological Impacts of Salvinia molesta ............................................................ 28 Economic Impacts of Salvinia molesta ............................................................. 30 Impacts on Human Health by Salvinia molesta................................................. 32 Section III: Tungog Lake Case Study ......................................................... 32 Background ........................................................................................................................... 32 Objective: .............................................................................................................................. 35 Methods ................................................................................................................................ 35 Statistical Analysis ................................................................................................................ 37 Results ................................................................................................................................... 38 Discussion ......................................................................................................... 41 Section IV: Methods of Control ................................................................. 43 Prevention ........................................................................................................ 44 Habitat Alteration ............................................................................................ 44 Physical Control ................................................................................................ 45 Manual control ...................................................................................................................... 45 Mechanical Control ............................................................................................................... 46 Barriers ................................................................................................................................. 46 3 Chemical Control ............................................................................................... 47 Biological Control ............................................................................................. 50 Section V: Crytobagous Salviniae ............................................................. 51 Discovery of Crytobagous salviniae .................................................................. 51 Life Cycle and Habitat ........................................................................................ 52 Plant-weevil Interaction .................................................................................... 53 Temperature and Nutrient Constraints on Crytobagous salviniae.................... 54 Nutrient Constraints on Crytobagous salviniae .................................................................. 54 Temperature Constraints on Crytobagous salviniae ........................................................... 54 Low Reproduction of Crytobagous salviniae in Temperate Climate................................... 56 Climate Implications on Salvinia molesta and Crytobagous salviniae ............. 57 Description of Other Biological Control Agents for Salvinia molesta ................ 59 When to Use Biological Control ........................................................................ 60 Section VI: Successful Biological Control Program ................................... 61 Australia ........................................................................................................... 62 Sri Lanka .......................................................................................................... 63 Papua New Guinea............................................................................................ 63 Zimbabwe ......................................................................................................... 64 Senegal River ..................................................................................................... 65 Republic of Congo ............................................................................................. 66 South Africa ...................................................................................................... 67 United States ..................................................................................................... 67 Summary of Successful Countries—move to conclusion Error! Bookmark not defined. Will Biological Control be Successful in Tungog Lake, Sabah Malaysia? ........... 68 Section VII: Conclusion ............................................................................. 69 Section VII: Recommendations .................................................................. 71 Spread ............................................................................................................... 71 Methods of Control, Crytobagous salviniae,