Integrating Invasive Weed Biological Control in Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Projects

Abstract

A primary goal of many aquatic ecosystem restoration (AER) projects is to alter and improve plant communities by increasing relative abundance of native species while reducing invasive species abundance, establishment, and spread. Biological control or the use of host-specific pathogens, predators, or herbivores from the native range of a target invader, has been used for invasive plant control, but underutilized as part of integrated pest management (IPM) in government-sponsored AER programs. Weed biological control should be vetted and integrated where possible in all project phases—planning, design, implementation, and maintenance. Using a publicly-funded AER framework—U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or USACE—we define and describe biological control, how it can be seamlessly incorporated at various project stages, a list of common invasive plants that have approved biological controls, and regulatory issues surrounding implementation. Our aim is to illustrate to project managers, planners, environmental personnel, and economists how regulatory agency-approved biological control agents can be a valuable component of AER projects to assist in meeting vegetation community restoration trajectory goals.