Oviposition specificity and behavior of the watermilfoil specialist Euhrychiopsis lecontei

Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) is a nuisance aquatic weed, exotic to North America. The freshwater weevil Euhrychiopsis lecontei (Dietz) is a potential control agent of Eurasian watermilfoil and is a fully submersed aquatic specialist herbivore. Its presumed original host is the native northern watermilfoil (Myriophyllum sibiricum Komarov). We conducted a set of oviposition experiments to reveal first and second oviposition preference of Euhrychiopsis lecontei when presented with seven macrophytes. We tested differences between source (lake) populations of weevils, differences in behavior between weevils reared on the exotic Eurasian watermilfoil and the native northern watermilfoil and between weevils in the presence and absence of their preferred hostplant. Oviposition assays confirmed that E. lecontei is a watermilfoil specialist. Out of the 207 females that laid eggs, only three oviposited on a non-watermilfoil plant, Megalodonta beckii. The weevils' degree of specificity was influenced by the watermilfoil species on which they were reared. Weevils reared on Eurasian watermilfoil tended to oviposit on Eurasian watermilfoil, spent more time on Eurasian watermilfoil than on other plants, and spent more time off plants and took longer to oviposit when Eurasian watermilfoil was removed. Weevils reared on northern watermilfoil did not exhibit a preference for either watermilfoil species in oviposition or in time allocation, although they oviposited on and spent significantly more time on watermilfoils than on other species. Rearing of the two populations on their complementary watermilfoil hostplant resulted in responses typical of the rearing plant, not the original host. These results show that although both weevil populations are watermilfoil specialists, Eurasian-reared weevils prefer Eurasian watermilfoil in general host attraction and oviposition, whereas northern-reared weevils do not. The results support the contention that E. lecontei may be a good biocontrol agent for Eurasian watermilfoil because of its high specificity. The results also suggest that the current host range expansion of the weevil to Eurasian watermilfoil has the potential to become a host shift due to the increased specificity. Herbivory in freshwater systems is not well studied, and the E. lecontei-M. spicatum relationship is a rare example of submersed freshwater specialist herbivore-host-plant interactions.     

Effects of eutrophication and snails on Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) invasion

Exotic species can invade and establish new habitats both as a result of their own traits, and as a result of the characteristics of the environment they invade. Here, we show that the abundance of the invasive submerged aquatic plant, Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian watermilfoil) is highly dependent on the conditions of the environment in a mesocosm experiment. M. spicatum is allelopathic towards epiphytic algae, and in the absence of algivorous snails, we found that the abundance of both algae and M. spicatum significantly increased with experimentally increased nutrient loading, while the abundance of native submerged macrophytes declined. However, when snails were present, snail biomass increased with increasing nutrient loading, and M. spicatum biomass was consistently low while native submerged macrophyte biomass was consistently high. Our results stress the importance of the interaction between species traits and environmental conditions when considering the invasiveness of certain exotic species and the invasibility of certain environments.     

Variation in hostplant preference and performance by the milfoil weevil, Euhrychiopsis lecontei Dietz, exposed to native and exotic watermilfoils

Exotic plants often displace native plants and thus alter the availability of native hostplants for specialist herbivorous insects. The submersed aquatic weevil Euhrychiopsis lecontei Dietz is endemic to North America, but there are now source populations on the exotic Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) as well as on the weevil's ancestral host, northern watermilfoil (Myriophyllum sibiricum Komarov). This provides an opportunity to examine a host range expansion in progress. To further define the host range of the weevil and to determine how population source and rearing plant influence host plant preference and performance, we conducted a series of preference and rearing experiments with weevils from two source populations reared on northern milfoil, on Eurasian milfoil, switched late in larval development from northern to Eurasian milfoil, and vice versa. We also included two rearing treatments with milfoils on which the weevil has not been documented: the native M. verticillatum L. and the exotic M. aquaticum Verd. Preference by weevils in the switched rearing treatments was similar to preferences exhibited by weevils reared solely on the second (later) milfoil species and an increase in preference for Eurasian milfoil was induced by adult exposure to Eurasian milfoil for 2 weeks. In contrast, sizes and development times of weevils in the switched rearing treatments were similar to sizes and development times exhibited by weevils reared solely on the first (early) milfoil species. These results indicate that preference by the milfoil weevil is determined late in larval development or later and Hopkins' host selection principle is not supported. However, size and development time were most affected by hostplant quality during larval development when larvae must acquire the resources needed for pupation. Oviposition preference in the milfoil weevil was a population attribute, not a fixed individual attribute and there was no significant variation in preference among individuals reared on northern milfoil, but significant variation in preference was detected among weevils reared on Eurasian milfoil. Weevils oviposited on all four milfoil species and completed development on three of them, but did not develop beyond the larval stage on M. aquaticum. Weevils reared on Eurasian milfoil developed faster and reached larger adult sizes than weevils in any other rearing treatment. The smallest sizes and longest development times were for weevils reared on the natives, northern milfoil and M. verticillatum. The milfoil weevil oviposits on an array of milfoil species and is unable to distinguish an unsuitable host (M. aquaticum) within this genus. The influence of rearing plant and adult exposure to Eurasian milfoil on hostplant preference suggests that host range expansion to novel congeners may occur more rapidly than predicted by models which assume that genetic variation is required. Significant variation among individuals in hostplant preference suggests the potential for a host shift to a plant for which E. lecontei appears pre-adapted.     

Colonization of a Submersed Aquatic Plant, Eurasian Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), by Fungi under Controlled Conditions

A laboratory assay to assess colonization of a submersed aquatic plant, Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), by fungi was developed and used to evaluate the colonization potential of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Acremonium curvulum, Cladosporium herbarum, Aureobasidium pullulans, a Paecilomyces sp., and an unidentified sterile, septate fungus. Stem segments of plants were first immersed in suspensions of fungal propagules for 24 h and then washed to remove all but the tightly attached component of the population. Inoculation was followed by two growth cycles of 3 days each. At the start of each cycle, washed plants were transferred to a mineral salts medium to provide an opportunity for the attached fungal populations to grow. After each growth period, plants were again washed, and fungal populations in the medium (nonattached), loosely attached and tightly attached to the plant, and within the plant (endophytic) were assayed by dilution plating. The fungi differed in the extent to which they attached to water milfoil and in their ability to grow in association with it. There were relatively few significant differences among the tightly attached fungal populations after 24 h, but growth of the better colonizers led to a greater number of significant differences after 4 and 7 days. In addition, the better colonizers showed sustained regrowth of loosely and nonattached fungal propagules in the face of intermittent removal by washing. A milfoil pathogen, C. gloeosporioides, was the only endophytic colonizer; it was also among the best epiphytic colonizers but was not demonstrably better than A. curvulum, a fungus commonly found as an epiphyte on watermilfoil. The yeastlike hyphomycete Aureobasidium pullulans was the only fungus that consistently failed to establish an increasing population on the plant.     

Visual Active Space of the Milfoil Weevil, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euhrychiopsis lecontei</Emphasis> Dietz (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Euhrychiopsis lecontei Dietz (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a native weevil, is used as a biological control agent for the invasive aquatic macrophyte, Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.). Because E. lecontei overwinters on land in the adult stage and must find plants in lakes each spring, plant finding behaviors are essential to eventually understanding and predicting long term biological control. Our research showed that E. lecontei is visually attracted to M. spicatum at up to 17.5 cm, and is more attracted to plants than other visual stimuli within 15 cm. We also showed that turbidity may affect visual plant finding at 15 cm. Using available data from this and other previous studies involving chemical cues and other life history traits, we propose a testable conceptual model for how E. lecontei finds plants each year, especially while underwater. This model may also be used to explain plant finding by aquatic phytophagous insects in general.     

Interactions between invasive Eurasian watermilfoil and native water stargrass in Cayuga Lake,NY, USA

Aims Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) is a common invasive plant in American lakes and has many negative impacts on invaded ecosystems. Drastic decline of this plant at the northern end of Cayuga Lake in the New York State has occurred since the 1980s, with a much smaller magnitude of decline of Eurasian watermilfoil at the southern end (Johnson et al. 2000) During the same period, increases in the abundance of native plants, particularly water stargrass (Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) MacMill.), have been observed (Johnson et al. (1998)) We aimed to investigate the mechanisms responsible for the decline of Eurasian watermilfoil and evaluate the responses of co-occurring plants at the two ends of Cayuga Lake over time. We hypothesized that plant interactions might have contributed to the drastic decline of Eurasian watermilfoil, particularly allelopathy by native water stargrass.Methods A lake survey was conducted to assess distribution and abundance of plant communities at the northern end and the southern end of Cayuga Lake. Additionally, two sets of greenhouse experiments were conducted to investigate the interactions between invasive Eurasian watermilfoil and native water stargrass. A competition experiment evaluated intra- versus inter-specific competition among plants grown together; an allelopathy experiment examined the responses of plants to each other's extracts.Important findings The lake survey showed that water stargrass was extremely abundant at the northern end, whereas Eurasian watermilfoil was sparse at the northern end but one of the most common species at the southern end. The survey also revealed that water stargrass was more abundant than Eurasian watermilfoil at sites where the two species coexisted in the lake. Results from greenhouse experiments revealed no effects of Eurasian watermilfoil on water stargrass growth. However, Eurasian watermilfoil biomass was reduced by 46% when treated with high concentration of water stargrass extracts. This is likely due to osmotic effects rather than allelopathic effects of water stargrass. We proposed several possible reasons for the drastic decline of Eurasian watermilfoil and the increase in water stargrass abundance at the northern end of Cayuga Lake, including space competition, nutrients, substrates, wind exposure and water clarity in addition to insect herbivory and mechanic harvesting.     

Hybrid watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum × Myriophyllum sibiricum) exhibits traits associated with greater invasiveness than its introduced and native parental taxa

Hybridization has been associated with increased invasiveness in plants. In North America, the hybrid aquatic plant Myriophyllum spicatum?×?Myriophyllum sibiricum (hybrid watermilfoil, hereafter HWM) is a cross between non-native invasive Eurasian watermilfoil (M. spicatum, EWM) and native northern watermilfoil (M. sibiricum, NWM). Lab-based trials have demonstrated higher growth rates in HWM compared to EWM and NWM, but these patterns have not been systematically examined in the field. In this study, we compared the invasiveness of HWM to its parental taxa, EWM and NWM, by examining the amount and timing of: (1) flowering, (2) surface cover, and (3) biomass (using stem counts as a proxy). We conducted repeat surveys of Myriophyllum beds at eight lakes (2–3 lakes/taxon) in the Minneapolis–St. Paul Metropolitan area (Minnesota, USA) between June 2017 and November 2018. HWM produced more flower spikes earlier and overall, and maintained consistently more flower spikes throughout the growing season than EWM and NWM. In addition, surface cover reached greater annual peaks and was higher for longer throughout the growing season for HWM than for both parental taxa. We did not observe a significant difference in stem counts among the three taxa, but HWM did reach a higher maximum number of stems than either parental taxon. This study provides field-based evidence of increased invasiveness associated with hybridization between EWM and NWM; specifically, greater reproductive potential via flowering and greater surface cover may increase HWM spread, have greater impacts on native species, and pose more of a nuisance to lake users.

     

Gas chromatographic determination of flurprimidol in a submersed aquatic plant (Myriophyllum spicatum), soil, and water

Methods for the extraction and quantification of flurprimidol residues in Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), soil, and water are described. The compound was detected and quantified by gas chromatography (GC) with a thermionic specific detector. Its identity was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) with detection at m/e 40–320. Recoveries from samples spiked with flurprimidol at 10–10,000 ng ml^–1 or g^–1 averaged 86.8% for Eurasian watermilfoil shoots, 85.2% for roots, 79.3% for loam soil, and 93.3% for water. In a small-scale experiment under field conditions, approximately 88% of the applied flurprimidol dissipated in 4 weeks. The majority of recovered flurprimidol was found in the water and upper 5 cm soil layer. The half-life of the compound in water was 6.8–8 days during June/July 1989.     

Vision is Important for Plant Location by the Phytophagous Aquatic Specialist Euhrychiopsis lecontei Dietz (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The aquatic milfoil weevil Euhrychiopsis lecontei Dietz (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a specialist on Myriophyllum spp. and is used as a biological control agent for Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.), an invasive aquatic macrophyte. We show evidence that visual cues are important for plant detection by these weevils. Weevils had difficulty locating plants in dark conditions and were highly attracted to plant stems in the light, even when the plant sample was sealed in a vial. However, weevils were equally attracted to both M. spicatum and another aquatic macrophyte, coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum L.) in vials. Turbidity (0–100 NTU) did not significantly influence visual plant detection by the weevils. This work fills a void in the literature regarding visual plant location by aquatic specialists and may help lead to a better understanding of when and where these weevils will find, accept, and damage their target host-plants.     

Glycolate Metabolism in Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)

The metabolism of glycolate by Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.), a submersed angiosperm, was studied by feeding radioactive glycolate and glyoxylate and by analysis of glycolate and glycolic acid oxidase. Evidence for operation of the glycolate pathway is given. Glycolic acid oxidase occurs at levels comparable to amounts in species showing photorespiration. This species has a high affinity for CO₂ and a possible mechanism for it is described.     

Effects of milfoil weevils and weather on the control of Eurasian watermilfoil

We examined the response of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) coverage on Manistee Lake, Michigan (U.S.A.) in the presence of milfoil weevils (Euhrychiopsis lecontei). Among 150 sites, milfoil presence declined from 2008 levels of 34 (23%) sites to 2 (1%) sites by 2015 coincident with cumulative stocking of 259,500 weevils from 2007 to 2014. Severe winter temperatures also were associated with milfoil declines. Each 1°C decline in average low temperature during the preceding winter was associated with 3.4 (95% CI 0.8–6.1) fewer sites with milfoil. Impacts of weevil herbivory on watermilfoil may be accentuated by severe winter temperatures. Lake managers should, when possible, integrate weather conditions with weevil stocking regimes to control Eurasian watermilfoil.     

Responses of morphological and physiological traits to herbivory by snails of three invasive and native submerged plants

3种入侵和本地沉水植物形态和生理性状对螺类牧食的响应 沉水植物水盾草(Cabomba caroliniana)已成为中国太湖流域的优势入侵水生植物。与外来物种的原产地环境相比,引入地新环境中存在的专食性天敌较少。外来物种可能会逃避其原产地环境中的天敌牧食,又因为它们的适口性相对较差,从而导致在引入地外来物种通常比本地物种遭受的牧食者影响更低(天敌逃逸假说)。本研究的目的是比较水盾草与共生的本地沉水植物对本地牧食者的响应。我们进行了一个中宇宙尺度实验,研究了水盾草和两种共生的本地沉水植物黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)和穗花狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)对两种本地广食性腹足纲螺类萝卜螺(Radix swinhoei)和环棱螺(Sinotaia quadrata)的牧食响应。记录了它们的形态性状指标(总生物量、冠根比和相对生长率)和生理性状指标(叶片总非结构性碳、木质素和纤维素)。研究结果表明,环棱螺对3种沉水植物性状指标的影响较少。随着本地广食性螺类萝卜螺数量的增加,黑藻和穗花狐尾藻大部分植物性状发生了改变,而水盾草的植物性状表现出相对稳定的趋势。水盾草对萝卜螺的牧食更具抵抗力,这与天敌逃逸假说的假设一致。这一发现说明牧食性螺类促进了水盾草的入侵,这可能会改变沉水植物群落中的物种组成。     

Enumeration and Characterization of Bacterial Colonists of a Submersed Aquatic Plant, Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.)

A simple procedure for enumerating and grouping the bacterial colonists of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) is described. Colony characteristics of bacteria associated with M. spicatum were better defined and more stable on nutrient-poor, diluted nutrient broth agar than on high-nutrient media. Acinetobacter, Cytophaga, Flavobacterium, Moraxella, Pseudomonas and/or Alcaligenes, and Vibrio/Aeromonas spp., as well as two highly fastidious unidentified bacterial groups (gram-negative rods and gram-negative cocci), were associated with cultured watermilfoil during January, February, May, June, July, and August 1988. In Lake Wingra (Madison, Wis.), Micrococcus spp. and enterobacters were also associated with Eurasian watermilfoil during July, August, and October 1987.     

凤眼莲入侵程度对金鱼藻和黑藻生长及种间关系的影响

湿地生态系统中凤眼莲（Eichhornia crassipes）入侵造成湿地植物群落结构退化及功能崩溃,直接影响沉水植物的生长繁殖及初级生产力。目前关于凤眼莲的入侵机制有一定的研究,而关于凤眼莲入侵程度对沉水植物金鱼藻（Ceratophyllum demersum）和黑藻（Hydrilla verticillate）生长及种间关系的影响相对缺乏。以外来入侵植物凤眼莲,沉水植物金鱼藻和黑藻为研究对象,设计凤眼莲入侵程度（无入侵,轻度入侵对应盖度25%,重度入侵对应盖度75%）交叉定植方式（黑藻单种模式、金鱼藻单种模式,金鱼藻和黑藻混种模式）的控制实验,探究凤眼莲入侵强度对沉水植物金鱼藻和黑藻生长及种间关系的影响。结果表明,凤眼莲入侵程度显著降低了金鱼藻的生物量、分枝数;黑藻的株高、分枝数和分节数。无凤眼莲入侵时,两种沉水植物生物量均最大,两者种间竞争关系较强;随凤眼莲入侵盖度增加,两种沉水植物的生物量先急剧降低后略微增加,种间关系经过微弱促进后又变为竞争作用,其中黑藻表现出明显的竞争优势。此外,凤眼莲入侵略微降低了水体中的总氮、总磷含量。结构方程模型分析结果表明凤眼莲入侵以及水体总氮、总磷等水体理化性质对沉水植物生长均有显著负向影响（P<0.05）,且水体理化性质对沉水植物生长的影响强于凤眼莲入侵。总之,凤眼莲入侵显著降低了金鱼藻和黑藻生长繁殖,随着凤眼莲入侵程度增加,两种沉水植物种间关系由竞争转变为促进再转变为竞争。研究结果为凤眼莲入侵有效控制及湿地沉水植被的恢复与重建提供了一定的理论依据和技术支撑。     

Concentrations of Trace Metals in Dominant Aquatic Plants of the Lake Provala (Vojvodina, Yugoslavia)

The trace metal (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Sr, and Cr) contents in the most common submerged and floating aquatic plants Ceratophyllum demersum L., Myriophyllum spicatum L., and Nymphoides flava Hill. of Provala Lake were evaluated. Considerable higher contents of iron, manganese, zinc, nickel, lead and strontium were found in submerged species than in the floating ones. The presence of cadmium and lead in plant tissues points to a certain degree of lake water pollution.     

Underwater light attenuation inhibits native submerged plants and facilitates the invasive co-occurring plant Cabomba caroliniana

Aim

Decreasing in the diversity and distribution of native submerged plants have been widely observed in recent decades. Global underwater darkening, which is mainly caused by radiation dimming and a decrease in transparency due to, e.g. eutrophication, has emerged as a general trend that strongly hampers the growth of submerged plants in lakes by decreasing the light available for photosynthesis. However, few studies have attempted to compare the responses of native and invasive submerged plants to underwater darkening. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of light attenuation on the growth and photosynthesis traits of native and invasive submerged plants.

Location

East China.

Method

Through field investigations and a mesocosm experiment, the responses of functional traits of two representative native [water thyme (Hydrilla verticillata), Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)] and one invasive [Carolina fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana)] plant species to various environmental factors, notably to underwater light attenuation, were studied.

Results

Underwater photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) exerted a substantial effect on the relative coverage and abundance of the three studied submerged plants in their natural freshwater habitats. Invasive C. caroliniana showed relatively superior growth (total biomass and relative growth rate) and photosynthesis traits (maximum quantum yield of photosystem II F_v/F_m, chlorophyll a content, chlorophyll b content and the ratio of Chl a and b contents) compared to the two native plants under low underwater PAR conditions. In contrast, under high underwater PAR conditions, C. caroliniana showed the opposite response.

Main Conclusions

Light attenuation inhibits the growth of native submerged plants but facilitates the growth of invasive plant species. Restoration of freshwater lakes by reducing deterioration from underwater darkening (for instance, by reducing of external nutrients loading) may therefore constrain the growth and spread of the invasive C. caroliniana.     

Reproduction and Development of the Biocontrol AgentHydrellia pakistanae(Diptera: Ephydridae) on Monoecious Hydrilla

Previous investigations of the laboratory biology and host range ofHydrellia pakistanae,a biological control ofHydrilla verticillata(hydrilla), used the dioecious hydrilla biotype common to Florida, Texas, and California. A monoecious biotype that is now spreading throughout the mid-Atlantic states, California, and Washington was not investigated during these original studies. We therefore compared the dioecious and monoecious hydrilla biotypes as hosts forH. pakistanae.FemaleH. pakistanaeaccepted the two biotypes equally as ovipositional substrates. Overall developmental success differed little: 42% of eggs oviposited on monoecious hydrilla produced adults compared to 39% of eggs oviposited on dioecious hydrilla. Fly development required about 33 days on both biotypes (at 22 ± 2°C), but larvae that completed development mined 1.6 times as many leaves on monoecious hydrilla as on dioecious plants. These data suggest thatH. pakistanaewould be a useful biocontrol agent of monoecious hydrilla, should this plant invade areas where it can grow as a perennial.     

Variation in True Metabolizable Energy Among Aquatic Vegetation and Ducks

Avian diet quality is typically measured using true metabolizable energy (TME_N), which is a measure of assimilable energy of food items accounting for innate endogenous losses. Originally developed for use in the poultry industry, TME_N methods have been adapted to determine the value of natural foods consumed by waterfowl to parameterize bioenergetics models for conservation planning. Because there is little knowledge of the variation in TME_N estimates among food items and waterfowl species, we investigated TME_N of 6 common species of submersed aquatic vegetation for mallards (Anas platyrhynchos; i.e., a diet generalist) and gadwall (Mareca strepera; i.e., a diet specialist) in the midwestern United States during autumn 2015–2017. We precision fed and collected excreta from ducks using standard bioassays to estimate TME_N. Mallards had slightly greater TME_N than gadwall, but there was considerable variation in TME_N among vegetation species, duck species, and individuals within each species. True metabolizable energy (±SE; kcal/g[dry]) for mallards was greatest for Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis; 1.66 ± 0.26), followed by coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum; 1.51 ± 0.28), southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis; 1.37 ± 0.39), sago pondweed (Stuckenia pectinata; 0.50 ± 0.22), wild celery (Vallisneria americana; 0.05 ± 0.42), and Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum; –0.13 ± 0.42). Mean TME_N for gadwall was greatest for Eurasian watermilfoil (0.77 ± 0.32), followed by Canadian waterweed (0.70 ± 0.31), coontail (0.55 ± 0.28), southern naiad (–0.61 ± 0.34), wild celery (–0.98 ± 0.39), and sago pondweed (–1.07 ± 0.33). Generally, TME_N for most vegetation species was less than agricultural grains, but it was similar to ranges reported for seeds of naturally occurring hydrophytic vegetation and aquatic macroinvertebrates. We recommend that conservation planners incorporate species-specific TME_N estimates in bioenergetics models and that future researchers improve TME_N assays for wild waterfowl following our recommendations. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.     

Comparative phylogenies and host specialization in the alder ectomycorrhizal fungi Alnicola, Alpova and Lactarius (Basidiomycota) in Europe

Background  

Mycorrhizal fungi form intimate associations with their host plants that constitute their carbon resource and habitat. Alnus spp. (Betulaceae) are known to host an exceptional species-poor and specialized ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal community compared to other tree species, but the host-specificity pattern and its significance in terms of fungal diversification and speciation remain poorly documented. The degree of parallel speciation, host switching, and patterns of biogeography were explored in the historical associations between alders and three ECM taxa of Basidiomycetes: Alnicola (Agaricales), Alpova (Boletales), and Lactarius (Russulales). The aim was to develop an evolutionary framework on host specificity and diversification of Basidiomycetes in this highly specialized plant-fungus symbiosis.     

Field assessment of host plant specificity and potential effectiveness of a prospective biological control agent, Aceria salsolae, of Russian thistle, Salsola tragus

The eriophyid mite, Aceria salsolae de Lillo and Sobhian, is being evaluated as a prospective classical biological control agent of invasive alien tumbleweeds, including Salsola tragus, S. collina, S. paulsenii and S. australis, in North America. Previous laboratory experiments to determine the host specificity of the mite indicated that it could sometimes persist and multiply on some nontarget plants, including Bassia hyssopifolia and B. scoparia. These are both European plants whose geographic range overlaps that of the mite, but the mite has never been observed on them in the field. A field experiment was conducted in Italy to determine if the mite would infest and damage these plants under natural outdoor conditions. The results indicate that this mite does not attain significant populations on these nontarget plants nor does it significantly damage them. Salsola tragus was heavily infested by A. salsolae, and plant size was negatively correlated to the level of infestation. Although S. kali plants were also infested, their size did not appear to be affected by the mites. The other nontarget plants were not as suitable for the mite in the field as in previous laboratory experiments. We conclude that there would be no significant risk to nontarget plants as a result of using A. salsolae as a biological agent to control Salsola species in North America.