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Results for “Pests and Their Control”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1980

Sterility method of pest control and its potential role in an integrated sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) control program

The sterility method of pest control could be an effective tool in the sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) control program in the Great Lakes. Some of the requirements for its successful application have been met. A field study demonstrated that the release of male sea lampreys, sterilized by the injection of 100 mg/kg of P , P -bis(1-aziridinyl)- N -methylphosphinothioic amide (bisazir), will reduce the number of viable larvae produced. The actual reduction in reproductive success that occurred was directly related to the ratio of sterile to normal males in the population. The technique can be used in many ways in an integrated control program and has considerable potential for the more effective control of the sea lamprey. Eradication is a distinct possibility. Key words : sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus ; pest control, fish control, sterile-male technique, sterilization, chemosterilants, bisazir, Great Lakes

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗
USGS2016

Improving spatio-temporal benefit transfers for pest control by generalist predators in cotton in the southwestern U.S.

Given rapid changes in agricultural practice, it is critical to understand how alterations in ecological, technological, and economic conditions over time and space impact ecosystem services in agroecosystems. Here, we present a benefit transfer approach to quantify cotton pest-control services provided by a generalist predator, the Mexican free-tailed bat ( Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana ), in the southwestern United States. We show that pest-control estimates derived using (1) a compound spatial – temporal model – which incorporates spatial and temporal variability in crop pest-control service values – are likely to exhibit less error than those derived using (2) a simple-spatial model (i.e., a model that extrapolates values derived for one area directly, without adjustment, to other areas) or (3) a simple-temporal model (i.e., a model that extrapolates data from a few points in time over longer time periods). Using our compound spatial–temporal approach, the annualized pest-control value was \$12.2 million, in contrast to an estimate of \$70.1 million (5.7 times greater), obtained from the simple-spatial approach. Using estimates from one year (simple-temporal approach) revealed large value differences (0.4 times smaller to 2 times greater). Finally, we present a detailed protocol for valuing pest-control services, which can be used to develop robust pest-control transfer functions for generalist predators in agroecosystems.

Arizona, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma,↗
USGS2014

Market forces and technological substitutes cause fluctuations in the value of bat pest-control services for cotton

Critics of the market-based, ecosystem services approach to biodiversity conservation worry that volatile market conditions and technological substitutes will diminish the value of ecosystem services and obviate the “economic benefits” arguments for conservation. To explore the effects of market forces and substitutes on service values, we assessed how the value of the pest-control services provided by Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) to cotton production in the southwestern U.S. has changed over time. We calculated service values each year from 1990 through 2008 by estimating the value of avoided crop damage and the reduced social and private costs of insecticide use in the presence of bats. Over this period, the ecosystem service value declined by 79% ($19.09 million U.S. dollars) due to the introduction and widespread adoption of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton transgenically modified to express its own pesticide, falling global cotton prices and the reduction in the number of hectares in the U.S. planted with cotton. Our results demonstrate that fluctuations in market conditions can cause temporal variation in ecosystem service values even when ecosystem function – in this case bat population numbers – is held constant. Evidence is accumulating, however, of the evolution of pest resistance to Bt cotton, suggesting that the value of bat pest-control services may increase again. This gives rise to an economic option value argument for conserving Mexican free-tailed bat populations. We anticipate that these results will spur discussion about the role of ecosystem services in biodiversity conservation in general, and bat conservation in particular.

PLoS ONE↗
USGS1996

Biological control of marine pests

Biological control, as used in terrestrial systems, may hold promise for use against exotic marine species. We first review some marine pests, displaying their diversity, the damage they cause, and possible controls. We then contrast approaches for marine and terrestrial pest control, providing guidelines for adapting terrestrial controls to the marine environment. Although several of the same principles apply in terrestrial and marine environments, marine systems differ with respect to the types of control agents available, the degree of pest—population reduction needed for effective control, the spatial scale over which biological control must operate effectively, the practicality of implementation, and the nature and degree of concern over safety. As an example, we propose a strategy for developing a biological control program against the European green crab, Carcinus maenas, which has had substantial negative impacts where previously introduced (New England, Atlantic Canada, South Africa, south Australia) and which has recently been introduced to central California, and to Tasmania. We conclude that biological control may be possible for some marine pests, but that existing strategies and expectations will require modification.

Ecology↗
USGS1995

Organochlorine pesticides

the discovery of the insecticidal properties of DDT, which led to its subsequent use in pest control,w as hailed as a tremendous scientiffic achievement. Initial success with DDT in controlling human health pests during World War II, and subsequent success in agricultural pest control, stimulated the synthesis and development of related organochlorine pestidices; their use increased exponentially following the war. 1 At first, evidence slowly accumulated that nearly all of these compounds were having widespread adverse effects on nontarget organisms. Later, a veritable mountain of evidence was amassed relating to their toxicity, persistence, and lipophilic characteristics, which resulted in accumulation of residues, mortality, lowered reproductive success, and decline - even extirpation - of certain populations of wildlife. 2,3 Ecotoxicological data for organochlorine pesticides are limited in much of the world because most research has been conducted in relatively few countries. It is likely that no other group of contaminants of anthropogenic origin has exacted such a heavy toll on the environment as have the organochlorine pesticide.

Book chapter↗
USGS1960

Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Pesticide-Wildlife Review: 1959

Research findings of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, State agencies and independent research workers in Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Mass., Mich., Mont., N. Dak., Tex., and Wis. are summarized in this report together with recommendations for reducing damage from pest control operations. Major topics discussed are: Scope of Pesticide-Wildlife Problem; Effects on Wildlife-General; Laboratory Studies and Toxicology; Direct and Indirect Effects of Pesticides on Wildlife; Recent Pesticide Legislation; Value of Wildlife; and Recommendations for Safeguarding Wildlife Values during Pest Control. To avoid undue hazards to wildlife, applications must not exceed the toxicity equivalent of the following concentrations of DDT to the respective forms of wildlife: 0.1 pounds of DDT/acre for crustaceans; 0.2 for fish; 1.0 for amphibians; 2.0 for reptiles and birds; and 5.0 for most mammals. Other suggestions are: 1) Chemical treatment should be used only when entomological research has proved it to be necessary; 2) Before pesticides are used, the effects on different kinds of animals and on animals living in different habitats should be known and carefully considered; 3) Only minimum quantities of chemicals necessary to achieve adequate control of pests should be applied; 4) Pesticides should not be applied to areas that are any larger than is necessary and the chemicals that are used should be the ones whose effects are no more long-lasting than necessary; 5) Whenever possible, chemicals should be applied at the seasons of the year when wildlife damage will be least; 6) Conscientious effort should be made to be sure that pesticides are applied at no more than the intended rates and that no areas receive double doses. Alternates to chemical control are suggested. Among these are biological control, modified agricultural practices, destruction of insect wintering quarters, and the manipulation of water levels.

Circular↗
USGS2010

Approaches to highly parameterized inversion-A guide to using PEST for groundwater-model calibration

Highly parameterized groundwater models can create calibration difficulties. Regularized inversion-the combined use of large numbers of parameters with mathematical approaches for stable parameter estimation-is becoming a common approach to address these difficulties and enhance the transfer of information contained in field measurements to parameters used to model that system. Though commonly used in other industries, regularized inversion is somewhat imperfectly understood in the groundwater field. There is concern that this unfamiliarity can lead to underuse, and misuse, of the methodology. This document is constructed to facilitate the appropriate use of regularized inversion for calibrating highly parameterized groundwater models. The presentation is directed at an intermediate- to advanced-level modeler, and it focuses on the PEST software suite-a frequently used tool for highly parameterized model calibration and one that is widely supported by commercial graphical user interfaces. A brief overview of the regularized inversion approach is provided, and techniques for mathematical regularization offered by PEST are outlined, including Tikhonov, subspace, and hybrid schemes. Guidelines for applying regularized inversion techniques are presented after a logical progression of steps for building suitable PEST input. The discussion starts with use of pilot points as a parameterization device and processing/grouping observations to form multicomponent objective functions. A description of potential parameter solution methodologies and resources available through the PEST software and its supporting utility programs follows. Directing the parameter-estimation process through PEST control variables is then discussed, including guidance for monitoring and optimizing the performance of PEST. Comprehensive listings of PEST control variables, and of the roles performed by PEST utility support programs, are presented in the appendixes.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2016

Adaptive management for soil ecosystem services

Ecosystem services provided by soil include regulation of the atmosphere and climate, primary (including agricultural) production, waste processing, decomposition, nutrient conservation, water purification, erosion control, medical resources, pest control, and disease mitigation. The simultaneous production of these multiple services arises from complex interactions among diverse aboveground and belowground communities across multiple scales. When a system is mismanaged, non-linear and persistent losses in ecosystem services can arise. Adaptive management is an approach to management designed to reduce uncertainty as management proceeds. By developing alternative hypotheses, testing these hypotheses and adjusting management in response to outcomes, managers can probe dynamic mechanistic relationships among aboveground and belowground soil system components. In doing so, soil ecosystem services can be preserved and critical ecological thresholds avoided. Here, we present an adaptive management framework designed to reduce uncertainty surrounding the soil system, even when soil ecosystem services production is not the explicit management objective, so that managers can reach their management goals without undermining soil multifunctionality or contributing to an irreversible loss of soil ecosystem services.

Journal of Environmental Management↗
USGS2024

A decade-long study demonstrates that a population of invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) can be controlled by introducing sterilized males

The release of sterilized insects to control pest populations has been used successfully during the past 6 decades, but application of the method in vertebrates has largely been overlooked or met with failure. Here, we demonstrate for the first time in fish, that a small population of sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ; Class Agnatha), arguably one of the most impactful invasive fish in the world, can be controlled by the release of sterilized males. Specifically, the release of high numbers of sterile males (~ 1000's) into a geographically isolated population of adult sea lamprey resulted in the first multiyear delay in pesticide treatment since treatments began during 1966. Estimates of percent reduction in recruitment of age-1 sea lamprey due to sterile male release ranged from 7 to 99.9% with the precision of the estimate being low because of substantial year-to-year variability in larval density and distribution. Additional monitoring that accounts for recruitment variability in time and space would reduce uncertainty in the degree to which sterile male release reduces recruitment rates. The results are relevant to vertebrate pest control programs worldwide, especially as technical opportunities to sterilize vertebrates and manipulate sex ratios expand.

Michigan↗
USGS2020

Quantifying interregional flows of multiple ecosystem services – A case study for Germany

Despite a growing number of national-scale ecosystem service (ES) assessments, few studies consider the impacts of ES use and consumption beyond national or regional boundaries. Interregional ES flows – ecosystem services “imported” from and “exported” to other countries – are rarely analyzed and their importance for global sustainability is little known. Here, we provide a first multi-ES quantification of a nation's use of ES from abroad. We focus on ES flows that benefit the population in Germany but are supplied outside German territory. We employ a conceptual framework recently developed to systematically quantify interregional ES flows. We address four types of interregional ES flows with: (i) biophysical flows of traded goods: cocoa import for consumption; (ii) flows mediated by migratory species: migration of birds providing pest control; (iii) passive biophysical flows: flood control along transboundary watersheds; and (iv) information flows: China's giant panda loan to the Berlin Zoo. We determined that: (i) Ivory Coast and Ghana alone supply around 53% of Germany's cocoa while major negative consequences for biodiversity occurred in Cameroon and Ecuador; (ii) Africa´s humid and sub-humid climate zones are important habitats for the majority of migratory bird species that provide natural pest control services in agricultural areas in Germany; (iii) Upstream watersheds outside the country add an additional 64% flood regulation services nationally, while Germany exports 40% of flood regulation services in neighboring, downstream countries; (iv) Information flows transported by the pandas were mainly related to political aspects and - contrary to our expectations - considerably less on biological and natural aspects. We discuss the implications of these results for international resource management policy and governance.

Global Environmental Change↗
USGS1991

Control of pest species: Tree shelters help protect seedlings from nutria

Various methods of nutria preventative techniques were tested in attempts to curb the loss of seedlings due to nutria capturing. The results of testing possibly indicate that tree shelters have real potential for use in forest restoration projects on sites with moderate nutria populations. Tree shelters may even prove effective on sites with high nutria populations, as long as alternative food supplies are available.

Louisiana↗
USGS2021

Eradication of sea lampreys from the Laurentian Great Lakes is possible

Eradication has been achieved for many vertebrate pest control programs, primarily on small, isolated islands, but has never been considered a practical goal for invasive sea lampreys in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Our objective was to examine evidence relevant to the feasibility of setting eradication as a management goal for Great Lakes sea lampreys. Bomford and O'Brien (1995) listed six conditions for successful eradication of a vertebrate pest; here we examine evidence that these conditions are likely to be met for Great Lakes sea lampreys, with a focus on the first condition: that removal of the pest through control can exceed their rate of replenishment . We analyzed two data sets – one empirical and one synthetic – to estimate stock-recruitment relationships and calculate the exploitation rate necessary for extinction. The empirical data set included the effect of existing lampricide control and suggested an exploitation rate of 59%, in addition to lampricide control, would be sufficient for eventual eradication. The synthetic data set, derived from a simulation of stream-level recruitment dynamics in the absence of lampricide control, suggested that an overall exploitation rate of 90% would be sufficient. We suggest that both of these targets could be achieved. Meeting the other conditions will depend on the scale of the eradication effort, and on development of an exploitation strategy, such as genetic biocontrol, that can target sea lampreys in presently invulnerable habitats. Overall, we concluded that eradication of sea lampreys from the Great Lakes should not be dismissed as a prospective goal.

Laurentian Great Lakes↗