Affiliation:
1. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas FUEDEI Hurlingham Argentina
2. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires Argentina
3. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo Universidad Nacional de La Plata La Plata Argentina
4. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco‐Chongming, School of Life Sciences Fudan University Shanghai China
5. USDA‐ARS, WRRC Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Research Unit Albany CA USA
Abstract
AbstractEcological niche models of species occurrence have gained interest in biological control programs to improve efficiency, reduce risks, and to inform when and how control agents may be released and/or surveyed. Alligator weed, Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. (Amaranthaceae), is an amphibious aquatic plant native to southern South America that has invaded several countries around the world. In this study, our aim was to quantify the current and to model the future alligator weed geographical distributions in its native range in South America, and in its introduced range (USA, the country where biological control of the weed was first implemented). Additionally, we modelled the current and potential distribution of its biocontrol agent Agasicles hygrophila Selman & Vogt (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), released in the USA in 1964, and other potential biocontrol agents, including the flea beetles Disonycha argentinensis Jacoby and Systena sp. In total, 19438 occurrence records of alligator weed, 253 of A. hygrophila, 48 of D. argentinesis, and 19 of Systena sp. were compiled. Niche models predicted expanded distributions of alligator weed, particularly in northern regions of South America. However, the models of the flea beetles A. hygrophila, D. argentinensis, and Systena sp. did not predict geographic range expansion and the future scenarios are similar to current distributions. Our study predicts an increase in the suitable areas for alligator weed in South America in future scenarios of global warming, whereas these new areas would not be as favourable for the biocontrol agents historically used.
Funder
Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Subject
Insect Science,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
1 articles.
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