Tag: invasive species
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The robots are coming for invasive species
Researchers from NYU Tandon School of Engineering and University of Western Australia report robotic fish predators can quickly stress invasive fish species to curb reproduction. Invasive species control is notoriously challenging, especially in lakes and rivers where native fish and other wildlife have limited options for escape. In his laboratory’s latest foray into using biomimetic…
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Biological control can limit deforestation and biodiversity loss in the tropics
Effective on-farm biological control can slow the pace of deforestation and avert biodiversity loss. This is what an international team involving entomologists, conservation biologists, agro-ecologists and geographers* has just revealed. The results of this study have been published in Communications Biology – Nature. Biological control of invasive species is often perceived as an environmentally risky practice.…
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Environmental DNA tool can detect invasive species at an early stage
When seeking a cure for a disease, early detection is often the key. The same is true for eliminating invasive species. Identifying their presence in a lake before they are abundant is vital. A recent University of Illinois study successfully used environmental DNA to detect invasive clams in California and Nevada lakes. Researchers believe this…
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Gene drive reversibility introduces new layer of biosafety
Ability to introduce or reverse the spread of genetic traits through populations could one day improve pest management and disease control In parallel with their development of the first synthetic gene drives – which greatly increase the chance a specific gene will be passed on to all offspring – George Church, Ph.D., and Kevin Esvelt,…
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Two most destructive termite species forming superswarms in South Florida, UF/IFAS study finds
Two of the most destructive termite species in the world — responsible for much of the $40 billion in economic loss caused by termites annually — are now swarming simultaneously in South Florida, creating hybrid colonies that grow quickly and have the potential to migrate to other states. In an article published today in the…
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War on lionfish shows first promise of success
It may take a legion of scuba divers armed with nets and spears, but a new study confirms for the first time that controlling lionfish populations in the western Atlantic Ocean can pave the way for a recovery of native fish. Even if it’s one speared fish at a time, it finally appears that there’s a…
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Let’s just harvest invasive species. Problem solved?
Although invasive Asian carp have been successfully harvested and served on a dinner plate, harvesting invasive plants to convert into ethanol isn’t as easy. According to a recent study at the University of Illinois, harvesting invasive plants for use as biofuels may sound like a great idea, but the reality poses numerous obstacles and is…
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URI researchers release new biological agent to fight invasive weed
University of Rhode Island entomologists reached a milestone in their efforts to control the invasive weed swallow-wort this month with the first release of a biological agent to fight the pest. Last week, the URI scientists, led by Professor Richard Casagrande and Research Associate Lisa Tewksbury, sent 500 larvae of the moth Hypena opulenta to…
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Caribbean’s native predators unable to stop aggressive lionfish population growth
“Lionfish are here to stay, and it appears that the only way to control them is by fishing them,” “Ocean predator” conjures up images of sharks and barracudas, but the voracious red lionfish is out-eating them all in the Caribbean – and Mother Nature appears unable to control its impact on local reef fish. That…
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Notre Dame researchers using new technologies to combat invasive species
“Aquatic invasive species cause ecological and economic damage worldwide, including the loss of native biodiversity and damage to the world’s great fisheries” A new research paper by a team of researchers from the University of Notre Dame’s Environmental Change Initiative(ND-ECI) demonstrates how two cutting-edge technologies can provide a sensitive and real-time solution to screening real-world water…