The staff and board of the North American Invasive Species Management Association review invasive species headlines each month. This helps us stay on top of trends and further our mission to support, promote, and empower invasive species prevention and management in North America. We then share invasive species news most relevant for people who manage terrestrial and aquatic invasive species across the the United States, Canada, Mexico and the world.
Prevention, Outreach and Education
The Washington State Department of Agriculture created an Asian Giant Hornet Public Dashboard to share detection and trapping data.
Buffelgrass is overwhelming U.S. deserts—providing fuel for wildfires
Arizona — Read on National Geographic
There are two major lines of defense against this grass: chemical sprays and manual removal. Herbicides are only effective when the plant is green during the summer, which coincides with the hottest days in the desert, so year-round manual buffelgrass pulls have become critical in keeping it out of parks.
New Research
Hawaii — Read on Phys.org
The future of Philodoria depends on the conservation of its host plants, Kawahara said. Like other native Hawaiian species, such as land snails, preserving habitat and protecting against invasive species are crucial to ensuring their survival.
Frequent fire too hot to handle for invasive plants
North America — Read on Phys.org
Nitrogen limitation may be responsible for reducing invasive species in a landscape that is burned frequently over time. The article, “Frequent fire reduces the magnitude of positive interactions between an invasive grass and soil microbes in temperate forests,” is published in Ecosystems.
Invasive weed Andropogon virginicus may help treat some human diseases, researchers find
Global — Read on Phys.org
“Although A. virginicus has been considered a harmful invasive species without economic value, its extracts are promising sources of antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-tyrosinase, and antitumor agents,” paper author Tran Dang Xuan said.
Detection, Management and Control
Scientists Find New Invasive Mosquito Species In Florida
Florida – Read/Listen on NPR
In Brazil, Reeves says, they have been found to be infected with a range of diseases, “things like Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, yellow fever virus and a handful of others.”
Wyoming convenes emergency panel after zebra mussels found
Wyoming/North America — Read on KULR 8
Zebra mussels recently turned up in globs of algae called moss balls sold in pet stores in over two dozen states including Wyoming, which has banned further imports of the products. Read the ongoing NAISMA information on invasive zebra mussels in Marimo moss balls.
Policy and Advocacy
Delaware Governor Signs Invasive Plant Bill with Unanimous Support
Delaware — Read on Audubon
Legislation sets eyes on more bird-friendly, sustainable natural ecosystems across the state. Previously covered in the NAISMA blog.
Conversations
Bald Eagle Killer Identified
Southeast — Read on The Scientist
Researchers linked the deaths of waterbirds with a newly discovered cyanobacterial species that grows on an invasive plant (Hydrilla verticillata) in humanmade reservoirs near where the birds have died. In a study published today in Science, the authors show that this cyanobacterium generates a neurotoxin that is the causative agent of the disease.
Conservation Hiring Down Sharply in 2020
United States — Read on CJB Network
New hiring in the field of conservation fell sharply in the spring of 2020 as Covid-19 surged across the country. New job postings dropped over 60% in April and May of 2020 compared to 2019.
