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Tags / Keywords biocontrol
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Use natural enemies to manage widespread weeds in the Pacific

SPREP Publications, Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

We are a diverse bunch of people in the Pacific region, which spans about one third of the earth's surface and encompasses about half of the global sea surface. Natural enemies can be used to restore natural balance between weeds and the environment by introducing the enemies where they are needed.

A socio-economic assessment of the Huon coast leatherback turtle nesting beach project.

Island and Ocean Ecosystems

Available Online

Kinch, J

he Western Pacific Regional Fisheries management council 1 (WPRFmc) currently funds several leatherback turtle recovery projects in the Western Pacific, whereby participating communities are paid to monitor beaches as opposed to harvesting eggs or turtles.

Island invasives : scaling up to meet the challenge.

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Clout, M.N.

Martin, A.R.

Russell, J.C.

Veitch, C.R.

West, C.J.

The papers in this volume were, with a few exceptions, presented at the third Island Invasives conference, held in Dundee, Scotland in July 2017. The papers demonstrate up-scaling in several aspects of eradication operations not least in ambition, land area, operational size, global reach and of course financial cost. In the space of a few decades, the size of islands treated for invasive species has increased by five orders of magnitude from a few hectares to over 100,000 ha or 1,000 km2. Meanwhile, the diversity of species being tackled has increased, as has the range of countries now actively carrying out island restoration work. Inspired by pioneers from New Zealand and Australia, principally, today the movement has spread to islands in all oceans and off all continents. This expansion has been informed by, and has in turn produced, growing experience in all aspects of this field, from non-target impacts to ecological responses to factors affecting eradication success. A major aim of publishing these Proceedings is to inform people who are, or will in the future be, planning new projects to free islands of invasive species. Regardless of its location or the target species involved, each successive operation builds on the experience of those who have gone before, and the papers in this volume represent an invaluable wealth of such experience.

Biological control of weeds in the Pacific Island countries and territories: current status and future prospects

Available Online

Day, Michael D.

Winston, Rachel L.

Biological control of introduced weeds in the 22 Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs) began in 1911, with the lantana seed-feeding fly introduced into Fiji and New Caledonia from Hawaii. To date, a total of 62 agents have been deliberately introduced into the PICTs to control 21 weed species in 17 countries. A further two agents have spread naturally into the region. The general impact of the 36 biocontrol agents now established in the PICTs ranges from none to complete control of their target weed(s). Fiji has been most active in weed biocontrol, releasing 30 agents against 11 weed species. Papua New Guinea, Guam, and the Federated States of Micronesia have also been very active in weed biocontrol. For some weeds such as Lantana camara, agents have been released widely, and can now be found in 15 of the 21 PICTs in which the weed occurs. However, agents for other commonly found weeds, such as Sida acuta, have been released in only a few countries in which the weed is present. There are many safe and effective biocontrol agents already in the Pacific that could be utilised more widely, and highly effective agents that have been released elsewhere in the world that could be introduced following some additional host specificity testing. This paper discusses the current status of biological control efforts against introduced weeds in the 22 PICTs and reviews options that could be considered by countries wishing to initiate weed biological control programmes.

Prioritisation of targets for biological control of weeds on Pacific Islands

Available Online

Quentin Paynter

Invasive weeds are one of the most serious threats to biodiversity and sustainable development in the Pacific region. Biocontrol is likely to be the only feasible way of managing many widespread weeds, but is not always appropriate or successful. With so many weed species to tackle and inevitably limited resources, prioritising where to direct control efforts most effectively is of key importance. Landcare Research recently developed a framework for the Australian government that allows the best and worst weed targets for biocontrol to be identified. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund and USDA Forest Service International Programs funding enabled this framework to be applied to weeds of the Pacific region.

The status of weed biological control in Vanuatu

Available Online

Bule, Sylverio

Day, Michael D.

Biological control of weeds in Vanuatu began in 1935, with the introduction of the tinged Teleonemia scrupulosa to control Lantana camara. To date, nine biological control agents have been intentionally introduced to control eight weed species. Seven of these agents have established on their respective hosts while an eighth, Zygogramma bicolorata, an agent for Parthenium hysterophorus has only recently been released and establishment is unlikely.

Biological control of Chromolaena odorata in Papua New Guinea (CP/1996/091)

Available Online

Day, Michael

The main outcome of the project was the control or significant reduction of chromolaena in most provinces of PNG. Areas that were once monostands of chromolaena have been converted back into subsistence farms, and plantations in which chromolaena was the main understorey species are now clear of the weed. This outcome was the result of the primary outputs of the project: (a) knowledge of the extent of the chromolaena problem and its impact of the livelihoods of smallholders, (b) an understanding of effective biocontrol agents and (c) significant capacity built in biocontrol of weeds.

Comprehensive Desk-top Review of Biodiversity, Conservation and Invasive Species Information for the Kingdom of Tonga

Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

Pagad. Shyama

Situated between Fiji to the west and Samoa to the northeast, the Kingdom of Tonga (referred to as Tonga) is comprised of 171 scattered islands of which less than 50 are inhabited. The islands are mainly composed of limestone formed from uplifted coral. Current critical environmental concerns have arisen due to deforestation; damage to coral reefs and the introduction and spread of invasive alien species. Anthropogenic pressure has resulted in extensive modification of all ecosystems on the limestone islands of this group. Only uninhabited and steep volcanic islands still support large tracts of forest.

Status and Genetic Structure of Nesting Populations of Leatherback Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the Western Pacific

Available Online

Ambio, Levi

Bakaressy, Jacob

Benson, Scott R.

Dutton, Peter H.

Hitipeuw, Creusa

Petro, George

Pita, John

Rei, Vagi

Zein, Mohammad

A group of researchers, managers and tribal leaders with extensive local knowledge from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua, Indonesia, provided new information on the status of leatherback nesting populations in the western Pacific Ocean. Twenty-eight nesting sites were identified, of which 21 were previously unknown or poorly described. Although data are still incomplete, we estimate a total of ca. 5000-9200 nests currently laid at 4 sites along the northwest coast (Bird's Head Peninsula) of Papua, Indonesia. Genetic analysis by using mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid sequences identified a total of 6 haplotypes among the 106 samples analysed for Solomon Islands, Papua and Papua New Guinea, including a unique common haplotype that is only found in these western Pacific populations. There was no significant difference in haplotype that is only found in these western Pacific populations. There was no significant difference in haplotype frequencies among these rookeries, which suggests that they represent a metapopulation composed of a single genetic rock. Further work is needed to define the demographic structure within this metapopulation.

Environmental Impact Assessment Application to introduce Puccinia xanthii for biological control of Xanthium pungens (cockleburr)

Available Online

Paynter. Q.

The Cook Islands Ministry of Agriculture seeks approval for the release of the plan pathogen Puccinia xanthii Schw. (Pucciniales: Pucciniaceae) into Rarotonga for biological control (biocontrol) of the introduced plant cockleburr Xanthium pungens Wallr. (syn. Xanthium strumarium; Xanthium occidentale Bertol.) (Asterales: Asteraceae).

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