Contingency Planning and Prioritising Pest Plants

2007·1.1 MB·English

by  John Weiss

Biodiversitysymposium
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(2005)Morphologicalandmolecularcharacterisation ofsevere disease in certain native communities in
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Simpson JA, Thomas K and Grgurinovic CA (2006)
Contingency planning and prioritising pest plants
John Weiss
DepartmentofPrimaryIndustries
POBox48,Frankston,Victoria3199.Email:[email protected]
Weed control is an emotive issue and all land managers have to deal with it, often with limited
funds. Landmanagers,however,areusuallymotivatedtoprioritisecontrolofweedshavinganobvi-
ousimpactontheiruseofthe land,forexamplethosethatarealreadywellestablishedandabundant.
Recently, an increasing focus has been given to preventing weed spread early in the invasion
process, that is, by attempting to eradicate particular species long before they expand and become
widespread. Land managers need to identifythe presentand future priorityweeds so that resources
can be focused on them. This paper describes a generic process or contingency plan to assist in
developing either local, regional or state plans to identify and act upon new and emerging pest
plants.(TheVictorianNaturalist,124(2),2007,83-86)
Introduction
Preventing the naturalisation ofpotentially
invasive species is accepted as the first and Recent(1970- 1995) plantintroductions
most cost-effective option for dealing with intoVictoria
biological invasions (Wittenberg and Cock A total of 135 new vascular plant species
2001). Moreover, economic modelling sug- were recorded as introduced into Victoria
gests that preventing the spread of new between 1970 and 1995. The number natu-
pests can generate a benefit-costratio ofup ralising per year is shown in Fig. 1 and a
to 38:1, far exceeding most other forms of regression indicates that the rate ofnew
governmentinvestment(AECgroup2002). introductions is increasing, with the pre-
Currently, it is estimated that at least sentaverage of7.3 new plants establishing
27009 non-native plant species have been per year with an annual increase of 0.25
imported into Australia (Virtue et al. plants each year. Predominantly these new
2004). While it is difficult to predict how plants have originated from South Africa
many ofthese will become invasive, near- and Europe, and have been introduced
ly 8000havedocumentedhistoriesasinva- deliberately as ornamental plants. The
sive species somewhere in the world and most common new invaders into Victoria
over 3000 of these already have natu- are from the families Iridaceae and
ralised somewhere in Australia (Randall Poaceae in the Monocots; Salicaceae,
2006). It is possible that tomorrow’s Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Malaceae in the
weeds, potentially over 4900 species, are Dicots; and Pinaceae in the Conifer group
beingsoldasgarden plantsrightnow. (GrovesandHosking 1997).
Vol. 124 (2) 2007 83
Biodiversitysymposium
Year Naturalised
Fig. 1.NumberofnewplantspeciesnaturalisedinVictoria, 1970-1995,andlinearregression(dotted
line)indicatingtherateofnaturalisations.
The procedures presently being imple- • a systemto identify;
mented by AQ1S hopefully will prevent • asystemtoassessrisk;
the introduction and release ofmany new • anotificationsystem;
weeds in Australia and Victoria. However, • aprocesstoensureaplanofaction is
new weed problems would still arise in the developed;
futurefrom several sources, including; • aprocessto implementandreviewthe
• invasive plants that continue to penetrate plan.
current or improved protocols for the Waterhouse and Corlett (1996) indicated a
introduction and release of potential similar procedure. Whenever a new
weeds (e.g. plants may be considered (escaping or naturalised) alien species is
benignbutbecomeweedynevertheless); recordedbyanyoftheStateherbaria:
• invasive plants that are introduced acci- 1. Convey the details promptly to the
dentally (e.g. as contaminants ofimport- appropriate ‘designated authority’ (e.g.
edseed); Department of Natural Resources or
• invasive plants already in Australia that DepartmentofAgriculture).
assume major significance as weeds due 2. Conduct a literature review to determine
to changes in environmental conditions whether the species has been document-
(e.g. flood or fire) or other factors (e.g. edasaweedelsewhere.
climatechange); and 3. Investigate the known native and exotic
• translocatednativespecies. distributions and predict the potential
Australian distribution.
Contingency plan
An early warning and contingency plan 4. Perform a weed risk analysis to deter-
needs to have many separate systems with mine whether it is likely to be a weed of
anysignificance.
well defined protocols and procedures as 5. Recommend and implement actions as
well as defined rolesand responsibilitiesof necessary. This may range from main-
the key players. The strategy should
taining a ‘watching brief on the weed’s
include:
distribution and invasiveness through
• asystemtohighlightneworpotential
localised control efforts to a full-scale
weeds,which mayneedaction;
eradication program.
84 The Victorian Naturalist
Biodiversitysymposium
6. Notify interstate ‘designated authorities’ developedwiththe followingpurposes:
ofallnewweeds,andkeeptheminformed 1. All interested individuals will know
throughouttheassessmentprocess. whereplants newtoaparticularareacan
The process should not be halted at Step 2 besentforidentification.
ifthe literaturereview failsto reveal previ- 2. Potential weeds submitted by individu-
ous documentation as a weed, otherwise alswill be determinedtobeeither:
invasive species such as Praxelis • plantspreviouslyrecordedintheparticu-
clematideawill continuetobe overlooked. larstateorTerritoryorregion/catchment
The Victorian Departments of Sustain- fromwheretheyweresubmitted,or
ability and Environment (DSE) and • plants not previously recorded in the
Primary Industries(DPI) instigateda Weed particular State or Territory or
Alert and Rapid Response Plan in 2005 region/catchment but recorded else-
that implements a surveillance and whereinAustralia, or
responseplanforpotential newandemerg- • plants not previously recorded in
ingweeds inVictoria(DPI 2005). Australia.
3. Agencies to which such plants are sent
EarlyDetection
(National and State herbaria and govern-
apPonrsoyscinbeldeeuw.reEwsaerealrydesdenaterececetsdisoeantrerycetqteuodireaensssuecraoremlymthuaa-st vwmiaelnnlttrweaepgeoerdntccipolenastnrtwoslitnaheutwbhootrtoaitnaiiencsa.alreeaxpteortrieslee-)
nityawareness coupledwith strategicmon- 4. Weed control authorities can rapidly
itoring; collections are encouraged as assess the weed potential and signifi-
relativelyfewpeople collectweedy species cance of the new plant and make an
andsubmitthem.
An effective awareness program would appropriateresponse.
Plant identification and reporting mecha-
nhleeoawwd plilamanpndotrsmtaaannptapgeiaetrriissntgaonidcnalutlhseeairtrsteltnootciaroleintcyot.ognTaihnseye Ainuimssptmrlsaelmisaeh.notAuledcdobmiepnawtVeiilbcllteocrpoiroaor,tdoihcnooalwteesdhvoeuarlcrdtobhsees
nnieseeddfionr tahneaAwuasrternaelsisanprNoagtrioanmalisWreeceodgs- National Herbarium ofVictoria is not cur-
rently funded specifically to collect or
StArsatedgiyst(i1n9g99u)i.shing between indigenous describe introducedspecies.
and introduced flora is difficult, monitor- Assessment
ing is required in native vegetation. Such The national post-border weed risk man-
surveysshoulddetermine hazardsite selec- agement protocol (Anon 2006) has been
tion or target areas that are prone to inva- published recently to foster the use, stan-
sion (e.g. disturbed sites, roadsides and dardisation and further development of
waterways), and possibly remote reserves decision support systems for prioritising
where weed invasions could otherwise go weed species for management at different
undetectedforalongtime. scales (VirtueandPanetta2006)
As predicting problematic plants is diffi- With the limited amount offunding avail-
cult, all introducedplants in native vegeta- able to pest plant management, an assess-
tion shouldbe subjectto fieldsurveys, par- ment procedure has to be able to compare
ticularly with the anticipated change in the relative importance ofexisting and of
weed distribution and impact associated newandemergingweedproblems. Toaccu-
with global warming forecasts. DSE and ratelyassessanyplantrequiresusingacom-
DPI arenotsufficientlyfundedtoroutinely binationofscientificdataandexpertknowl-
survey introduced species, although the edge. The problem is how to integrate
needisrecognised. humanjudgementswith quantitative assess-
Identification and Reporting ment techniques. The Analytical Hierarchy
Detection ofpotential problems must be Process (AHP) is a Multiple Criteria
csuaptpioornteadndbyreaproeratdiinlygamcececshsainbliesmid.entTihfie- pArnoalbylseims. tCeocmhpnilqeuxeiwshsiuceshcaadndrbeessbersotkheins
Australian National Weeds Strategy pro- down into a set ofrelated criteria. This sys-
poses that formal procedures should be tematic process is a ‘divide and conquer’
approach to problem solving. It is used
Vol. 124 (2) 2007 85
Biodiversitysymposium
acrossmanyproblem domains. Bymapping distribution and its Victorian social, eco-
out issues as a set ofnested criteria, a deci- nomic andenvironmental impacts.
sion hierarchy can be developed. The
References
process also allows for relative importance AECgroup(2002)EconomicimpactofStateandlocal
orweighttobeappliedtoeachcriterion and government expenditure on weed and pest animal
group. The DSS is a multi-layered system mLoacnaalgeGmoevnetrninmeQnuteenAsslsaoncdi.atiRoenpoortfQsuuebmeintstleadndt,o
that rests on a database layer containing pest.pdf.Accessed28June2004.
spatial data and tabular data from the Anon (1999) National Weeds Strategy, a strategic
departmentalcorporatedatabase. approach toweedproblemsofnational significance.
(Agriculture and Resource Management Council of
Victoria’s Pest Plant Assessment project Australia and New Zealand, Australian and New
at DPI -Frankston has establishedaproce- ZealandEnvironmentandConservationCouncil)
dure to assess and prioritise any plant on Anroisnk(m2a0n06a)geMmBen2t94p:r2ot0o0c6olN.at(iConRaCl pAoussttrbaolridaenrWweeeedd
its intrinsic abilities to invade suitable Management, Adelaide, StandardsAustralia, Sydney
ecosystems and its present and potential andStandardsNewZealand,Wellington)
impacts on social, environmental or agri- DeRpaapritdmeRnetspofonPsreimPalraynIVnidcutsotrriiae,sA(20s0u5r)veiWleleandceAlaenrdt
cultural land use. This procedure utilises responseplan forpotential,newandemergingweeds
theAHP ofa Decision SupportSystem. inVictoria.DPI,Frankston,Victoria.
The assessment procedure is split into GroWveeesdsRtaondAuHsotsrkailnigaJ1R9(71J9-917)99R5e.ceCntRCIncfuorrsiWoneseodf
three main parts: a scoring system which ManagementSystems.TechnicalSeriesNo.3.
achnaarlaycsteersisaticpsl,anatn'sd ipnrtordiuncsticioinnvoafstihveenperses- Rajbneadcsate.l,l1a5RtCPhRA(uC2s0t0fr6oar)liATauhnsetWreAauelsidtasrnaClWoienafneederxeMontcaienc,asgppepemc7ei1en5st-7dpa1rt8oa.--
sent distribution and potential distribution Virtue JG and Panetta FD (2006) A national protocol
(utilising climate modelling programs). for post-border weed risk management. 15th
AustralianWeedsConference,pp57.
Thisdistribution isthen linkedtoageospa- Virtue JG, Bennett SJ and Randall RP (2004) Plant
tial information database enabling impacts introductions in Australia: how can we resolve
taogrbiecuelsttuirmaalterdeosnousrocceialb,aseensv.iroAnmseenptaarlatoer WaC‘towenerfehedoryue’snecceoB,nfMlpipcat4ns2do-Cfo4ri8ln.etetrtesRt.T1(51t9h96A)usOtvrearllioanokWeedebdust
economic model is incorporated into the stillinvading:Praxelisclematideatheunknown
system which estimates the potential bene- Wiwteteedn.be1r1gthRAuasntdralCioacnkWeMeJdsWc(on2f0e0r1e)ncIen.vasivealien
fit in controlling these weeds on public or species:atoolkitofbestpreventionandmanagement
private land. practices.(CABIPublishing:Wallingford,UK)
Thusanyplant canbeassessedforitsrel-
ative importance compared to other weeds
based on its intrinsic ability to invade (or Received16November2006;accepted5January>2007
rate of spread), its present and potential
One Hundred and One Years Ago
NOTES ONTHE RUSTS OFAUSTRALIA
By D. M‘Alpine, GovernmentVegetable Pathologist
(Excerptfromapaperreadbeforethe FieldNaturalistsClubofVictoria,9"'April 1906.)
Miscellaneous- There are some interesting points in connection with certain species
ofrusts which are worthy ofspecial mention. There is a rust found on the Marigold,
which is a well-known imported plant, and it is only known at present in Australia, so
that the question is raised whether the Marigold, since its introduction, has become
subject to a native rust, or has the rust found upon it been overlooked in the Old
World?
From The Victorian Naturalist 23, p 51, June 1906
,
86 The Victorian Naturalist