Plant-mediated interactions: Considerations for agent selection in weed biological control programs

• Published in: Biological control Vol. 72; pp. 80 - 90
• Main Authors: Milbrath, Lindsey R., Nechols, James R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.05.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agent selection; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Arthropoda; arthropods; Biological and medical sciences; biological control; biological control agents; decision making; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; herbivores; Indirect interactions; invasive species; Parasitic plants. Weeds; pathogens; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Pre-release evaluation; Weed biological control; weed control; Weeds; Agent selection; Indirect interactions; Pre-release evaluation; Weed biological control; Weed control; Biological control
• ISSN: 1049-9644; 1090-2112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2014.02.011

[Display omitted] •Indirect interactions among herbivores can be mediated by host plants.•Plant-mediated interactions are poorly documented in weed biological control.•Weed agents separated in space or time may enhance or interfere with each other.•Protocols for evaluating plant-mediated effects are offered.•Recommendations for making decisions about agent selection and release are provided. Plant-mediated indirect interactions among herbivores (arthropods and pathogens) are common and extensively reported in the ecological literature. However, they are not well-documented with respect to weed biological control. Such interactions between biological control agents can have net positive or negative impacts on total weed suppression depending on the strength of the interaction(s), the relative importance of the agent indirectly impacted, and the combined weed suppression that results. A better understanding of plant-mediated interactions may improve decision-making about which agents to introduce in classical biological control programs for greatest impact on invasive weeds. This paper reviews the subject, including examples from the biological control literature; outlines the need for research on indirect effects of herbivores on other herbivores; discusses how such knowledge may strengthen classical biological control programs for invasive weeds; and provides recommendations for the kind of studies that should be done and how information about plant-mediated interactions could be integrated into agent evaluation protocols, to assist in decision-making about agents for importation and release.