Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Lake user groups, local herbicide applicators, non-scientific public, various state agency biologists, aquatic plant managers, federal state and local government partners, Central Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA), and Central Florida Lake Management Society. Collaborated with the UF/IFAS Lakewatch, FAMU, the US Army Corps of Engineers, Florida's Water Management Districts, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision's Invasive Plant Managment Section and other agencies involved in aquatic plant management. Coordinated with UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants in the development of educational materials. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Specific Aim (a). Establish the biotic and abiotic limits for optimal survival and reproduction of the hydrilla midge Cricotopus lebetis Subproject a.1. Define the host range of the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. Laboratory host range testing of the stem miner Cricotopus lebetis (Diptera: Chironomidae) showed this insect is not a hydrilla specialist (Stratman et al. 2013). Other preferred hosts included the native Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis), the exotic Brazilian elodea (Egeria densa) and the native southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis). This finding suggests that C. lebetis may have developed a "new association" with dioecious hydrilla after this plant became the dominant submersed weed or perhaps was introduced with monoecious hydrilla, another preferred host of the insect. To determine the field host specificity or ecological host range of C. lebetis, a survey was conducted from February to December 2014 at Lake Rowell, Bradford Co. FL. Samples of hydrilla and three other dominant aquatic plant species (coontail, Ceratophyllum demersum water pennywort, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, and water primrose, Ludwigia sp. were collected and returned to a IFAS/UF greenhouse in Gainesville for further processing. Of the four dominant aquatic plant species sampled, C. lebetis was recovered only from hydrilla and coontail during February and March . Because of its broad host range, the use of the midge C. lebetis as an augmentative biological control agent of hydrilla will be restricted to Florida and Louisiana where populations of the insect already are established. Subproject a.2. Establish the thermal limits for establishment of C. lebetis The impact of egg refrigeration on larval hatch and subsequent development was examined because eggs often are refrigerated to delay development for experiments or for transportation to field release sites. Egg masses that were stored in a refrigerator at 5 oC for 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 21 days were tested for larval hatch rate, development to pupation and adult eclosion. Hatch rate and adult eclosion decreased significantly after 7 and 2 days at 5 oC, respectively. Pupal mortality increased significantly after eggs were exposed for 2 days at 5 oC. Therefore, cold storage of eggs destined for field release should be avoided. If eggs do require storage, then the number released should be increased to compensate for cold-induced mortality. A manuscript of these findings was prepared and submitted for publication in the peer-reviewed Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. Subproject a.3. Assessment of maximum water depth Cricotopus lebetis larvae can locate Hydrilla verticillata. Because hydrilla can grow to a depth of 15 m in clear oligotrophic waterbodies (Langeland 1996), An experiment was designed to test how deep C. lebetis can locate Hydrilla verticillata. Between January and April 2014, methods and materials were developed and tested at an IFAS/UF greenhouse facility located in Gainesville, Florida. METHODS: The ability of C. lebetis neonates to attack H. verticillata stems shoots placed at five predetermined depths (0 cm, 90 cm, 180 cm, and 270 cm) was evaluated. Each treatment experimental unit consisted of an extruded acrylic tube (15.24 cm diameter) filled with well water. Each tube had approximately 5 cm of air space at the top of the tubes. A bouquet containing 100 excised apical stems of H. verticillata, each approximately 10 cm in height, were tied to a The Hillman Group ®, 19-gauge, galvanized steel wire and lowered to the bottom of each of the 16 extruded acrylic tubes (treatment units). The wire used was long and strong enough to hook the top of the tubes and at the same time secure the bouquets of hydrilla at the bottom of the tubes. In total, 100 C. lebetis larvae were introduced into the treatment units. The tubes were monitored daily for adult emergence from the 12th to 25th day after the start of the experiment. Emerged adults were collected daily using a mouth aspirator, sexed, and counted. After 25 days following the introduction of the neonates, the bouquets of hydrilla were recovered from the each tube and the stems showing signs of C. lebetis feeding were counted and recorded. RESULTS: Adults emerged from the 0-cm (2.25 ± 0.75 C. lebetis adults) and 90-cm treatments (0.25 ± 0.25 C. lebetis adults). No adults emerged from the 180-cm and 270-cm treatments. Stem tip evaluation revealed 85% stem damage (42.5 ± 2.3 stem tip damage per 50 stems) for 0-cm treatment, 78% stem damage in 90-cm treatment (39 ± 2.04 stem tip damage per 50 stems), 10 % damage for 180-cm treatment (5 ± 1.73 stem tip damage per 50 stems), and 16% damage for 270-cm treatment (8 ± 2.3 stem tip damage per 50 stems). These preliminary results suggest the C. lebetis is able to access plants within the 0 to 270 cm depth range but complete development occurred only at the 0 and 90 cm depth . However, temperature in our green house facility was generally high duruingsummer and occasionally exceeded the optimum range for C. lebetis. This likely reduced by the overall survival of the midge. Therefore, this experiment will be repeated twice during the fall season, when the temperatures are cooler. Specific Aim (b). Evaluate the compatibility of C. lebetis with new hydrilla control technologies. In 2013, laboratory experiments were conducted to test a reduced-risk approach for hydrilla control by integrating selective herbivory by the insect C. lebetis with the fungal pathogen Mycoleptodiscus terrestris or the ALS inhibiting herbicide imazamox. Incorporating proven biological controls like the fungal pathogen Mt and the hydrilla stem miner C. lebetis into an integrated weed management strategy could reduce overreliance on herbicides and provide a more sustainable solution to the hydrilla problem. A manuscript was prepared / submitted to the peer-reviewed Journal of Aquatic Plant Management during this reporting period. Specific Aim (c). Demonstration of a novel integrated strategy of controlling hydrilla. Nothing to report.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Lake user groups, localherbicide applicators, non-scientific public, various state agency biologists and aquatic plant managers, and federal, state and local governmentpartners, Central Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA), Central Florida Lake Management Society.Collaborated with UF/IFAS Lakewatch, FAMU, the US Army Corps of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Invasive Plant Management Section and other agencies involved in aquatic plant management. Coordinated with UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants in the development of educational materials. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The UF/IFAS Hydrilla Integrated Pest Management Risk Avoidance and Mitigation Project team (Hydrilla IPM RAMP) partnered with Florida LAKEWATCH to provide information about the management of the aquatic weed hydrilla. Florida LAKEWATCH is a citizen volunteer lake monitoring program that facilitates "hands-on" citizen participation in the management of Florida lakes, rivers and coastal sites through monthly monitoring activities. Coordinated through the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/SFRC Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, the program has been in existence since 1986. In 1991, the Florida Legislature recognized the importance of the program and established Florida LAKEWATCH in the state statutes (Florida Statute 1004.49.). LAKEWATCH is now one of the largest lake monitoring programs in the nation with over 1800 trained citizens monitoring 600+ lakes, rivers and coastal sites in more than 40 counties. Volunteers take samples to collection sites located in 38 counties. As part of Specific Aim (c), Demonstration of a novel integrated strategy for controlling hydrilla, LAKEWATCH volunteers were informed that hydrilla is an invasive freshwater plant that can displace native plants and impede waterway navigation and recreational use. Hydrilla impacts many interest groups and stakeholders from water body managers to businesses that support ecotourism to homeowners. Florida LAKEWATCH volunteers represent many of these groups including lakefront property owners and recreational users. During 2014, Hydrilla IPM RAMP team members provided training presentations to 117 Florida LAKEWATCH volunteers at 15 regional meetings covering 37 counties. Volunteers completed a pre- and post-assessment before and after the training. This enabled the Hydrilla IPM RAMP team to determine what people know about hydrilla and how successful the training was at increasing their knowledge. The test results showed that participants of the training sessions gained knowledge about hydrilla management tactics previously unknown to them. After the training sessions, more participants than before the training could identify each of the management tactics available for hydrilla integrated pest management (IPM). More importantly, 93% of the attendees indicated that they will share the new information with other people. In addition, several educational materials were produced including brochures, booklets, books and promotional items such as bookmarks, boat rulers and web cards. The most recent educational tool is the Hydrilla Integrated Management book (144 pages), which delivers up-to- date information on hydrilla management tactics. The book is available online at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1044. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The partnership with Florida LAKEWATCH helpedthe Hydrilla IPM RAMP teamreach citizens who are directly involved in lake health monitoring. The results of the assessment completed by LAKEWATCH volunteers during the training events in 2014, and a summary of the current project and discussion of the future project were covered in an article published in the 2014 LAKEWATCH Newsletter, Volume 67. http://lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/PDFFolder2014/VOL67December2014.pdf What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
ProjectImpact We developed and demonstrated a reduced risk solution for hydrilla control by integrating selective insect herbivory and a disease with low concentrations of a new herbicide recently registered for aquatic use. This novel IPM research and demonstration project showed that these different low risk control tactics are compatible with each other, and that by integrating them, we can achieve safe and cost-effective control of the aquatic weed hydrilla. Combinations of a diversity of tactics like the IPM approach that we are advocating here will lengthen the useful life of our valuable herbicide tools. Because of its broad laboratory host range, the use of the midge Cricotpus lebetis as an augmentative biological control agent of hydrilla should be restricted to Florida and Louisiana where populations of the insect already are established. Cold storage of eggs destined for field release should be avoided. If eggs do require storage, then the number released should be increased to compensate for cold-induced mortality.Incorporating proven biological controls like the fungal pathogen Mt and the hydrilla stem miner C. lebetis into an integrated weed management strategy could reduce overreliance on herbicides and provide a more sustainable solution to the hydrilla problem. Specific Aim (a). Establish the biotic and abiotic limits for optimal survival and reproduction of the hydrilla midge Cricotopus lebetis. Subproject a.1. Define the host range of the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. Hydrilla is one of the most destructive aquatic weed species in the United States. To date, released insect biological control agents have failed to achieve sufficient control of hydrilla. In 1991, a stem mining midge Cricotopus lebetis Sublette (Diptera: Chironomidae), was discovered attacking the apical meristem of hydrilla in Kings Bay, Crystral River, Florida. Subsequent laboratory studies confirmed C. lebetis was able to suppress hydrilla growth (Cuda et al. 2011), but also revealed C. lebetis can complete development on some native plants. For instance, the laboratory fundamental (or physiological) host range of C. lebetis was investigated and a peer-reviewed journal article was published describing the results obtained (Stratman et al. 2013). Laboratory host range testing showed thatC. lebetis is not a hydrilla specialist. Other preferred hosts included the native Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis), the exotic Brazilian elodea (Egeria densa) and native southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis). However, many studies of biocontrol agent host specificity have revealedthat laboratorytests often overestimate theinsect's field host range.To determine the field host specificity of C. lebetis,four commonly found submersed aquatic plants were sampled from Lake Istokpoga, Highlands Co., FLin spring and summer 2015: hydrilla, American eelgrass (Vallisneria americana), southern naiad , and coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum). The plant samples were transported to a UF/IFAS greenhouse facility, Gainesville, and were placed in a separate plastic trays containing water collected from the corresponding sample site. Trays were confined in separate emergence cages and aerated with aquarium pumps and monitored for 14 days for C. lebetis adult emergence. Adult C. lebetis emerged from all the sampled plants: V. americana (13 ± 3.6 males, 15 ± 4 females), C. demersum (7.67 ± 0.33 males, 15 ± 0.5 females), hydrilla (6 ± 2 males, 5 ± 1.1 females), andN. guadalupensis (6 ± 4 males, 4.7 ± 1.2 females). Fecundity or egg productionwas 188.33 ± 23 for females that emerged from C. demersum, 188 ± 46.7 for females that emerged from V. americana and 146 ± 12 for females that emerged from hydrilla. However, dissections of stem samples revealed the presence of C. lebetis larvae ONLY within hydrilla stems; 1.66 ± 0.66 and 1.33 ± 0.88 C. lebetis larvaeper 50 stems of hydrilla in Apriland June, respectively. No larvae were found attacking the stems of the aforementioned non-target species. Our results support the hypothesis that hydrilla is the ONLY known field host of C. lebetis. It is unlikely that the absence of the C. lebetis larvaein the non-target plantscould have resulted fromlarvae exiting the stem tissue into the surrounding water during the disturbance caused by samplingbecause somelarvae remained in the sampled hydrilla. The emergence of midgeadults from trays containing non-target plants probably was due to pupae emerging from hydrillathat contaminated the non-target plant samples. Subproject a.2. Establish the thermal limits for establishment of C. lebetis. Our findings, which were reported in Stratman et al. (2014), showed optimal temperatures for larval development were between 20 and 30 degrees C. These laboratory growth chamber data were used to construct a map of the potential number of generations per year of C. lebetis in Florida. Data from the cold tolerance study, in conjunction with historical weather data, were used to generate a predicted distribution of C. lebetis in the United States. A distribution also was predicted using an ecological niche modeling approach by characterizing the climate at locations where C. lebetis is known to occur and then finding other locations with similar climate. The distributions predicted using the two modeling approaches were not statistically different and suggested that much of the southeastern United States was climatically suitable for C. lebetis populations. Specific Aim b. Evaluate the compatibility of C. lebetis with new hydrilla control technologies. We tested a reduced-risk method for dioecious hydrilla control by integrating selective insect herbivory with a disease organism or low concentrations of a new herbicide recently registered for aquatic use. Two rates of the fungal pathogen Mycoleptodiscus terrestris (Mt) and the acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicide imazamox, and two densities of the hydrilla midge C. lebetis alone and in combination were randomly applied to aquaria containing established hydrilla plants and replicated three times. Hydrilla shoots in each tank were harvested ~30 d after the treatments were applied. Hydrilla biomass produced in each treatment was compared. Results showed that combining the hydrilla midge C. lebetis with either the Mt fungus or herbicide imazamox significantly reduced hydrilla growth and the effects in some treatments were synergistic. Furthermore, C. lebetis was compatible with the herbicide imazamox; adult emergence of C. lebetis was similar in aquaria treated with imazamox compared with untreated controls. Incorporating biological control agents like Mt and the tip-mining midge C. lebetis into an integrated weed-management strategy could reduce overreliance on herbicides and provide a more sustainable solution to Florida's dioecious hydrilla problem.Amanuscriptdescribing the results of the aforementioned research was submitted to the Journal of Aquatic PlantManagement and was accepted for publication in July 2015. Specific Aim c. Demonstration of a novel integrated strategy for controlling hydrilla. (See training and professional development below).
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., E.N.I. Weeks, and J.P. Cuda. 2015. Impact of refrigeration on eggs of the hydrilla tip miner Cricotopus lebetis: larval hatch rate and subsequent development. J. Aquatic Plant Management 53: 209-215.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Cuda, J.P., J. F. Shearer, E.N.I. Weeks, E. Kariuki, J. Baniszewski and M. Giurcanu. 2015. Compatibility of an insect, a fungus and a herbicide for IPM of dioecious hydrilla. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. (accepted).
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., J.P. Cuda, S.A. Gezan, S. Sharma, and E.N.I. Weeks. 2015. Stem fragment regrowth of Hydrilla verticillata following desiccation. J. Aquatic Plant Manage.(submitted).
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Weeks ENI, Gillett-Kaufman,J.L. Florida LAKEWATCH will continue to partner with the UF/IFAS Hydrilla IPM RAMP team. Florida LAKEWATCH newsletter volume 67
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Cuda, J.P., J.L. Gillett-Kaufman, R. Hix, V.-U Lietze and E.N.I. Weeks. Integrated management of the invasive aquatic weed hydrilla webinar sponsored by the Southern IPM Center as part of the National Invasive Species Awareness Week, 25 February.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Cuda, J.P., E.N.I Weeks, and J. Baniszewski. Testing a New IPM Approach for Hydrilla Management: An Update. Joint 26th Annual Meeting of the Florida Lake Management Society and the 24th Annual Conference of the North American Lake Management Society held in Naples, FL, 8-11 June.
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Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Thetarget audience is the broader research community, lake managers, state fair attendees, Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) members, aquatic plant managers and agency biologisitsassociated with USFS, NRCS, NPS, Exotic/ Invasive Pest Plant Councils, FDACS, FWC, and DEP as well as extension specialists and county agents, industry scientists, and city, county, and state personnel. Changes/Problems: The midge colony collapsed in April but was re-established in Dec 2014.Additional experiments originally planned for 2014 will be conducted in 2015. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Hydrilla biocontrol agent, the hydrilla midge tip miner. Poster Presentation. 18thAnnual Southwest Florida CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) Invasive Species Workshop. Fort Myers, FL. Jan 23, 2014. Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Gioeli, K., Lietze, V.-U., and E.N.I. Weeks. Hydrilla IPM RAMP: Staring a statewide extension project. Poster Presentation. Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals. Sacramento, CA, May 18th 2014. Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Gioeli, K., Hix, R.L., Lietze, V.-U., Overholt, W., Shearer, J., Stratman, K., and E.N.I. Weeks. Integrating biocontrol agents into hydrilla management plans in Florida. Oral Presentation. 18thAnnual Southwest Florida CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) Invasive Species Workshop. Fort Myers, FL. Jan 23, 2014. Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Cold tolerance: improving mass rearing ofCricotopus lebetis, the hydrilla tip miner. Poster Presentation. Florida Undergraduate Research Conference. FIU, Miami, FL. Feb 21-22, 2014. Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Designing a more effective hydrilla biocontrol agent,Cricotopus lebetis. Oral Presentation.2014 Southeastern Branch Entomological Society of America. Greenville, SC. Mar 2-5, 2014. Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Cold tolerance: improving mass rearing ofCricotopus lebetis, the hydrilla tip miner. Abstract and Poster Presentation. 15th annual University of Florida Undergraduate Research Symposium. UF, Gainesville, FL. Mar 27, 2014. Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Hydrilla biological control: Optimizing the hydrilla tip mining midge. Oral Presentation. Aquatic Plant Societies Annual Meeting. Savannah, Georgia, July 13th. Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman,J.L., Hix, R.L, Lietze, V.-U.and Weeks, E.N.I.Integrated Management of Hydrilla in Florida.Oral Webinar. Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAS), 22 October. Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Improving hydrilla biological control via the hydrilla midge tip miner. Oral Presentation. Entomology 2014. Portland, Oregon. November 19th. Baniszewski, J., Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Gioeli, K., Hix, R.L., Kariuki, E., Lietze, V.-U., Shearer, J., and E.N.I. Weeks. 2014. Hydrilla integrated pest management: Research is improving extension efforts. Invited presentation. Entomology 2014. Portland, Oregon. November 16th. Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Lietze, V.-U., Weeks, E.N.I. and J.P. Cuda. 2014. University of Florida On-site training on hydrilla IPM: How to reach new audiences. Poster. Entomology 2014. Portland, Oregon. November 19th. Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Lietze, V.-U., Weeks, E.N.I., Gioeli, K., Cuda, J.P., Hix, R.L., and J. Shearer. 2014. On-site training on hydrilla IPM: How to reach diverse audiences. Presentation at the Extension Professionals Associations of Florida annual meeting. Panama City, Florida. August 27th. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Florida LAKEWATCH is a citizen science volunteer lake monitoring program that has been sampling water bodies in Florida since 1986. Team members, Jim Cuda, Raymond Hix (FAMU), Verena Lietze and Emma Weeks, have provided training presentations to 363 Florida LAKEWATCH volunteers at 15 regional meetings covering 40 counties. Hydrilla IPM materials were distributed to each participant, including booklets, books, brochures, bookmarks, web cards and boat rulers. The team performed a pre- and post- test on the volunteers before and after the training. Of 117 people that were tested, 94 completed the tests (82.75%). This testing enabled us to determine what people know about hydrilla and how successful we were at increasing their knowledge. The test results demonstrated that participants of the training sessions gained knowledge about hydrilla management tactics previously unknown to them. After training, more participants could identify each of the management tactics available for hydrilla integrated pest management than before training. Just as importantly, 93% of the attendees indicated that they will share the new information with other people. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? To support the study of the midge C. lebetis as a potential biological control agent of hydrilla, we maintained a colony of C. lebetis at IFAS/UF laboratory facilities in Gainesville. However, C. lebetis adult emergenceceased in April 2014 due to unknown reasons, and we temporarily lost the colony. The colony collapse coincided with a rare decline ofhydrilla populations in most lakes in Florida. This made the recapture of wild C. lebetis relatively difficult. However, after intensive monthly surveys for the insect at Lakes Rowell (Bradford County), Tohopekaliga (Osceola County), Istokpoga (Highlands County), and the Wacissa River (Jefferson County), the insectwas eventually recovered from Lake Tohopekaliga in December 2014. The C. lebetis colony is now active andproducing large numbers offertile adults and eggs. Because of the midge colony collapse, the following experimentshave beenrescheduled for 2015: Competitive interactions between Hydrilla verticillata and the native Vallisneria americana as influenced by Cricotopus lebetis. This study willdetermine if the feeding activity of C. lebetis on hydrilla can reduce the competitiveness of hydrillain favor of the native eelgrass, Vallisneria americana. The study has four treatments 1. Control (hydrlla present in a tank, but C. lebetis and eelgrass absent); 2. Plant competition only (hydrilla and eelgrasspresent in a tank, but C. lebetis absent); 3. Herbivory (hydrilla and C. lebetis present in a tank, but eelgrass absent); 4. Plant competition-herbivory (hydrilla,eelgrass and C. lebetis, all present in a tank). Each treatment will be replicated five times, and the final biomassoftheplants will be measured and compared between treatements.Plants required for the above four treatments were planted in twenty 900-liter outdoor concrete tanks during the summer of 2014. This study is in progress and it will be completed in 2015. Assessment of maximum water depth Cricotopus lebetis larvae can locate Hydrilla verticillata. This experiment will be designed to determinethe maximum depthC. lebetiscanmigrate in the water columnto locate hydrilla. Between January and April 2014, methods and materials were developed and tested at an IFAS/UF greenhouse facility located in Gainesville, Florida. Materialsrequired for this study included extruded acrylic tubes (15.2 cm diameter) that were ordered and delivered to our laboratory facilities in Gainesville, FL. The ability of C. lebetis to reach hydrilla shoots placed at five predetermined depths of 0 cm, 90 cm, 180 cm, and 270 cm fro the water surface will be evaluated. Each treatment experimental unit will consist of an extruded acrylic tube filled with well water, with about 5 cm of air remaining at the top of the tubes. A bouquet containing 100 excised apical stems of hydrilla, each 10 cm in height will be placed at the predetermined depth level within the tube filled with well water. The bouquets will be suspended in place using two pieces of Hillman Group®, 19-gauge, galvanized steel wire. The wires will be hooked into opposite sides of the bouquet and tied to a pair of holes drilled on opposite sides within the upper 1 cm of the tube. The depths willbe determined by measuring the distance between the terminal shoot and the water surface using a measuring tape. The tubes also will be aerated by an Aqua Culture® aquarium air pump. Each treatment will be replicated four times. The study is ongoing at an IFAS/ UF greenhouse facility located in Gainesville. Integrating insect herbivory with mechanical harvesting for hydrilla suppression. The project will be conducted in Martin Co. in collaboration with Aquatic Vegetation Control, Inc. (Elroy Timmer, Todd Olson) and Texas Aquatic Harvesting, Inc. (Mike Hulon). Two treatments (clip only and clip + midge) will be established in a series of 8 concrete vaults (~21" depth × 30" in width × 86" length) with a well water circulation system that exchanges every 24 hours. Each of the tanks will receive 16 one gal. shorts (nursery pots). Each short will be filled with sand, Osmocote® slow release fertilizer and then gently immersed in the tanks that are half filled with water. Five hydrilla sprigs (8-10" length) will be planted in each short (80 sprigs per tank, 640 total), and the tanks will be completely filled with water (21" depth). The hydrilla sprigs will be collected from the Winter Park Chain of Lakes where both fluridone and endothall resistance has been documented. The hydrilla will be allowed to grow to the surface in all the tanks (i.e., top-out). At this point, the hydrilla in all of the tanks will be clipped back to a depth of ~10", and the surface biomass removed. One of the 4 tanks in each pair will be randomly selected to receive midge larvae (100 neonates per tank, 400 total). Midges will be allowed to develop and reproduce on the hydrilla. The remaining 4 tanks will be treated with the systemic insecticide dinotefuran (Safari® 20 SG) to prevent midges from attacking the hydrilla in the clip only treatment.Hydrilla in all tanks will be monitored regularly to confirm midge establishment/development in the clip + midge treatments and no midge activity in the clip only treatments. After a sufficient amount of time (weeks, months) the height (cm) of the hydrilla will be measured from the water surface. In total, 5-10 measurements will be randomly taken from each tank in following manner. A grid (3 cells × 8 cells) will be constructed of PVC with the inside dimensions for each cell ~ 10" width × 10" length; the grid cells will be numbered from 1 to 24. For taking the measurements, the grid will be placed on the water surface and the sampling points will be selected by rolling a 30 sided die. The sampling points will correspond to the number shown on the die.The data will be analyzed with t-test to determine if the measurements in the two treatments are statistically different (p < 0.5). We expect to show that biological control (midge C. lebetis) is compatible with mechanical control (harvesting). Once the hydrilla is harvested, midge feeding damage should prevent the hydrilla from growing back to the surface (clip + midge treatment) in contrast to the control tanks where the midge was chemically excluded (clip only treatment). Collectively, these findings are expected to demonstrate the potential for integrating these reduced risk hydrilla control tactics. Demonstrating A Sustainable Ipm Strategy For The Invasive Aquatic Weed Hydrilla. As part of e new federal grant, we will initiate a fieldressarch and demonstration project in collaboration with LAKEWATCH and the USDA to expand onour laboratoryresearch. This mesocosom study willasssess the efficacy of combining C. lebetis with the fungus Mt and the herbicide imazamox.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We developed and demonstrated a reduced risk solution for hydrilla control by integrating selective insect herbivory and a disease with low concentrations of a new herbicide recently registered for aquatic use.This novel IPM research and demonstration project showed that these different low risk control tactics are compatible with each other, and that by integrating them, we can achieve safe and cost-effective control of the aquatic weed hydrilla. Combinations of a diversity of tactics like the IPM approach that we are advocating here will lengthen the useful life of our valuable herbicide tools. Specific Aim #1. Establish the biotic and abiotic limits for optimal survival and reproduction of the hydrilla midge Cricotopus lebetis. Subproject #1.1. Define the host range of the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. The laboratoryfundamental (or physiological) host range of C. lebetis was completed in 2012 and a peer-reviewed journal article was published describing the results obtained (Stratman et al. 2013).Laboratory host range testing showed that C. lebetis is not a hydrilla specialist. Otherpreferred hosts included the native Canadian waterweed, the exotic Brazilian elodea andnativesouthern naiad. This finding suggests that C.lebetis may have developed a"new association" with dioecioushydrilla after this plantbecame the dominant submsersed weedor perhaps was introduced with monoecious hydrilla, another preferred hostof the insects. To determine the field hostspecificity or ecologicalhost rangeof C. lebetis, a survey was conducted from February to December 2014 at Lake Rowell, Bradford Co. FL. Samples ofhydrilla and four other dominant aquatic plant species at the lake were collected and returned toa IFAS/UF greenhouse in Gainesville for further processing. In the greenhouse, the plant samples were placed in separate 11.4-liter Sterilite® plastic trays containing water collected from the corresponding sample site. The trays were moved into separate emergence cages (Bugdorm- 2120® ,Megaview Science Co., Ltd.) and aerated with an aquarium bubbler. The emergence cages were monitored for 14 days for C. lebetis adult emergence. Emerged adults were collected daily by a mouth aspirator and preserved in 95% alcohol. Of the four dominant aquatic plant species sampled from Lake Rowell, C. lebetis was recovered only fromhydrilla and coontail, Ceratophyllum demersum. There was no C. lebetis emergence from water pennywort and a Ludwigia species. The insect was recovered only during February and March. In contrast to previous years, there was a rarely observed decline ofhydrilla at Lake Rowell during the summer months of 2014. This partly explains why the insect was not recovered during the summer. In fact, the laboratorymidge colony collapsedin April and was not restablisheduntil December 2014. The following results are expressed as C. lebetis adult emergence (mean ± SE) per 100gm plant dry weight. The mean male emergence was 4.9 ± 1.7 from hydrilla and 24.1 ± 17.9 from coontail whereas female emergence was 5.3 ± 1.4 from hydrilla and 23.2 ± 17.1 from coontail. These results provide the first record of C. lebetis using another plant species as a field host. Coontail also was adevelopmental host in the laboratory tests. The study is still in progress, and will be completed in 2015. Because of its broad host range,the use of the midge C. lebetis as an augmentative biological control agent of hydrilla will be restricted to Florida and Louisiana where populations of the insect already are established. Subproject #1.2. Establish the thermal limits for establishment of C. lebetis. Two aspects of this subproject have been completed. The thermal limits for larval development were investigated in 2012 and a paper was published in a peer reviewed journal during this reporting period (see Products, Stratman et al. 2014). The results of the temperature-dependent development study showed that optimal temperatures for larval development were between 20 and 30 degrees C, and these data were used to construct a map of the potential number of generations (~ 7-10)per year of C. lebetis in Florida. Data from the cold tolerance study, in conjunction with historical weather data, were used to generate a predicted distribution of C. lebetis in the United States. A distribution also was predicted using an ecological niche modeling approach by characterizing the climate at locations where C. lebetis is known to occur and thenfinding other locations with similar climate. The distributions predicted using the two modeling approaches were not statistically different and suggested that much of the southeastern United States was climatically suitable for establishment of C. lebetis. In 2014, the impact of egg refrigeration on larval hatch and subsequent development was examined becauseeggs often are refrigerated to delay development forexperiments or for transportation to field release sites. Egg masses that were stored in a refrigerator at 5oC for 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 21 days were tested for larval hatch rate, development to pupation and adult eclosion. Hatch rate and adult eclosion decreased significantly after 7 and 2 days at 5oC, respectively. Pupal mortality increased significantly after 2 days. Results of this study showed that cold storage of eggs destined for field release should be avoided. If eggs do require storage, then the number released should be increased to compensate for cold-induced mortality. A manuscript was prepared and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal (seeProducts). Specific Aim #2. Evaluate the compatibility of tip mining mdige C. lebetis with new hydrilla control technologies. Laboratory experiments were completed in FY 2013, and a manuscript was prepared / submitted to a peer-reviewed journalduring this reporting period(see Products). We tested a reduced-risk approach for hydrilla control by integrating selective insect herbivory with a disease organism or low concentrations of a new herbicide recently registered for aquatic use. Two rates of the fungal pathogen Mycoleptodiscus terrestris (Mt) and the acetolactate synthase inhibiting herbicide imazamox, and two densities of the hydrilla tip mining midge Cricotopus lebetis alone and in combination were randomly applied to aquaria containing established hydrilla plants and replicated three times. Hydrilla shoots in each tank were harvested ~30 days after the treatments were applied. The number of shoot tips and biomass (grams dry weight) produced were compared. Results showed that combining the hydrilla tip mining midge C. lebetis with either the Mt fungus or the herbicide imazamox significantly reduced hydrilla growth and the effects were greater than either treatment alone. Furthermore, C. lebetis was compatible with the herbicide imazamox; adult emergence of C. lebetis was higher in some of the aquaria treated with imazamox compared with the controls not treated with imazamox. Incorporating proven biological controls like Mt and the hydrilla tip mining midge into an integrated weed management strategy could reduce overreliance on herbicides and provide a more sustainable solution to the hydrilla problem. Subproject #2.1. Assess the efficacy of combining C. lebetis with the fungal pathogen Mt. Nothing new to report. Subproject #2.2. Assess the efficacy of combining C. lebetis with the herbicide imazamox. Notheing new to report. Specific Aim #3. Demonstration of a novel integrated strategy for controlling hydrilla. See below, "Opportunities for training and professional development" and "Dissemination of results to communities of interest".
Publications
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cuda, JP. 2014. Chapter 5: Aquatic plants, mosquitoes and public health, pp. 31-36. In, Gettys LA, Haller WT Petty DG (eds.), Biology and Control of Aquatic Plants: A Best Management Practices Handbook, 3rd edition. Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation, Marietta, GA.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cuda, JP. 2014. Chapter 8: Introduction to biological control of aquatic weeds, pp. 51-58. In Gettys LA, Haller WT, Petty DG (eds.), Biology and Control of Aquatic Plants: A Best Management Practices Handbook, 3rd edition. Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation, Marietta, GA.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cuda, JP. 2014. Chapter 9: Insects for biocontrol of aquatic weeds, pp. 59-66. In Gettys LA, Haller WT, Petty DG. (eds.), Biology and Control of Aquatic Plants: A Best Management Practices Handbook, 3rd edition. Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation, Marietta, GA.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Stratman, K.N., W.A. Overholt, J.P. Cuda, A. Mukherjee, R. Diaz, M.D. Netherland, and P.C. Wilson. 2014. Temperature-dependent development, cold tolerance, and potential distribution of Cricotopus lebetis, a tip miner of Hydrilla verticillata. Journal of Insect Science 14(153): DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieu015.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., B.R. Coon, J.P. Cuda, N.E. Harms, M.J. Grodowitz, D.H. Habeck, J.E. Hill, J. Russell, E.N.I. Weeks, 2014. Insects and fish associated with hydrilla, pp. 77-124. In J.L. Gillett-Kaufman, V. Ulrike- Lietze, E.N.I Weeks, Hydrilla Integrated Management. UF|FAS. Gainesville, FL.
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Gillett-Kaufman, J.L. V. Ulrike- Lietze, E.N.I Weeks, Hydrilla Integrated Management. UF|FAS. Gainesville, FL. 136pp.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., E.N.I. Weeks, and J.P. Cuda. 2014. Impact of refrigeration on eggs of the hydrilla tip miner Cricotopus lebetis: larval hatch rate and subsequent development. J. Aquatic Plant Management.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cuda, J.P., J. Shearer, E. Weeks, E. Kariuki, and J. Baniszewski. Compatibility of an insect, a fungus and an herbicide for integrated management of hydrilla. J. Aquatic Plant Management.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Weeks E.N.I. 2014. Hydrilla tuber weevil, Bagous affinis. UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Featured Creatures. Available at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/BENEFICIAL/Bagous_affinis.htm
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Hydrilla biocontrol agent, the hydrilla midge tip miner. Poster Presentation. 18th Annual Southwest Florida CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) Invasive Species Workshop. Fort Myers, FL. Jan 23, 2014.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J. 2014. Improvements for mass rearing CRICOTOPUS LEBETIS (DIPTERA: CHIRONOMIDAE) for biocontrol of Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae. Undergraduate Honors Thesis, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, University of Florida. 65 pp.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Gioeli, K., Lietze, V.-U., and E.N.I. Weeks. Hydrilla IPM RAMP: Staring a statewide extension project. Poster Presentation. Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals. Sacramento, CA, May 18th 2014.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Gioeli, K., Hix, R.L., Lietze, V.-U., Overholt, W., Shearer, J., Stratman, K., and E.N.I. Weeks. Integrating biocontrol agents into hydrilla management plans in Florida. Oral Presentation. 18th Annual Southwest Florida CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) Invasive Species Workshop. Fort Myers, FL. Jan 23, 2014.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Cold tolerance: improving mass rearing of Cricotopus lebetis, the hydrilla tip miner. Poster Presentation. Florida Undergraduate Research Conference. FIU, Miami, FL. Feb 21-22, 2014.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Designing a more effective hydrilla biocontrol agent, Cricotopus lebetis. Oral Presentation. 2014 Southeastern Branch Entomological Society of America. Greenville, SC. Mar 2-5, 2014.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Cold tolerance: improving mass rearing of Cricotopus lebetis, the hydrilla tip miner. Abstract and Poster Presentation. 15th annual University of Florida Undergraduate Research Symposium. UF, Gainesville, FL. Mar 27, 2014.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Hydrilla biological control: Optimizing the hydrilla tip mining midge. Oral Presentation. Aquatic Plant Societies Annual Meeting. Savannah, Georgia, July 13th.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., Weeks, E.N.I., and J.P. Cuda. Improving hydrilla biological control via the hydrilla midge tip miner. Oral Presentation. ESA Entomology 2014. Portland, Oregon. November 19th.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski, J., Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Gioeli, K., Hix, R.L., Kariuki, E., Lietze, V.-U., Shearer, J., and E.N.I. Weeks. 2014. Hydrilla integrated pest management: Research is improving extension efforts. Invited presentation. ESA Entomology 2014. Portland, Oregon. November 16th.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Lietze, V.-U., Weeks, E.N.I. and J.P. Cuda. 2014. University of Florida On-site training on hydrilla IPM: How to reach new audiences. Poster. ESA Entomology 2014. Portland, Oregon. November 19th
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Lietze, V.-U., Weeks, E.N.I., Gioeli, K., Cuda, J.P., Hix, R.L., and J. Shearer. 2014. On-site training on hydrilla IPM: How to reach diverse audiences. Oral presentation. Extension Professionals Associations of Florida annual meeting. Panama City, Florida. August 27th.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Lietze V-U., Gillett-Kaufman J.L., and E.N.I. Weeks. 2014. Rewarding collaboration between UF/IFAS Hydrilla IPM RAMP and Florida LAKEWATCH. UF/IFAS Extension Comings and Goings Newsletter June/July 2014.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman, J.L., Gioeli, K., Lietze, V.-U., and E.N.I. Weeks. 2014. UF/IFAS hydrilla integrated pest management. Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area Newsletter 2014.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Weeks E.N.I., Cuda J.P., Grodowitz M.J. 2014. Hydrilla stem weevil, Bagous hydrillae. UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Featured Creatures. Available at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/BENEFICIAL/Bagous_hydrillae.htm.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Weeks E.N.I., Hill J.E. 2014. Grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella. UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Featured Creatures. Available at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/BENEFICIAL/MISC/Ctenopharyngodon_idella.htm.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Weeks E.N.I., Cuda J.P., Russell J. 2014. Hydrilla leaf mining flies, Hydrellia spp. UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Featured Creatures. Available at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/BENEFICIAL/hydrilla_leafmining_flies.html.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Baniszewski J., Weeks E.N.I., Cuda J.P. 2014. Hydrilla leaf cutter moth, Parapoynx diminutalis. UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Featured Creatures. Available at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/BENEFICIAL/Parapoynx_diminutalis.htm.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Coon B.R., Harns N.E., Grodowitz, M.J., Weeks, E.N.I., Cuda J.P. 2014. Hydrellia fly parasitic wasp, Trichopria columbiana. UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Featured Creatures. Available at http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/MISC/WASPS/Trichopria_columbiana.htm
|
Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Target Audiences and Efforts: Central Florida Lake Management Society meeting presentation(41 attendees), Florida State Fair poster (200 viewers), Land grant UniversitiesSymposiumat UF poster(150 viewers), Central Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)Aquatcis Workshop (138 attendees), UF Communications network poster (150 viewers), American Society of Horticulural Science meeting poster (300 viewers), Extension Professionals Association of Florida poster and booth display (620 viewers), Florida Aquatic Plant Managmenet Training Conference presentation and booth display(315 attendees), UF-IFAS/Florida Turf Growers Association Great CEU Roudndup (20 counties via polycom) Also, various state agency biologists and aquatic plant managers. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The research phase of the project provided training and professionaldevelopmentfor two students currently enrolled at UF.One PhD student from FAMUand one is an undergraduate student in the UF's Undergraduate Scholars program. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? February 2013: Central FLMS (Florida Lakes Management Society) Winter Workshop, Kissimmee, FL. Seminar title “Testing a new hydrilla IPM approach for hydrilla management in Florida,” authors Joan P. Bradshaw, James P. Cuda, Jennifer L. Gillett-Kaufman, Ken Gioeli, Raymond L. Hix, Verena-Ulrike Lietze, William A. Overholt, and Judy F. Shearer. Presented by Verena-Ulrike Lietze (41 attendees). February 2013: Florida State Fair, Tampa, FL. Booth display “Hydrilla IPM RAMP” with banners, brochures, various promotional items, live specimens of hydrilla and the hydrilla tip miner. Hosted by Verena-Ulrike Lietze (200 viewers, mostly children). March 2013: Wekiwa Springs State Park, Wekiwa Springs, FL. Seminar title “Invasive species: a Florida perspective- Management and biological control,” author James P. Cuda (25 attendees). April 2013: Florida Park Service, District 2 Office, Gainesville, FL. “Invasive species: a Florida perspective- Management and biological control,” author James P. Cuda (25 attendees). April 2013: Florida Park Service, District 1 Office, Panama City, FL. “Invasive species: a Florida perspective- Management and biological control,” author James P. Cuda (12 attendees). April 2013: Sustaining Economies and Natural Resources in a Changing World: Key Role of Land Grant Universities Symposium, Gainesville, FL. Poster title “Hydrilla integrated pest management risk avoidance and mitigation project,” authors Joan P. Bradshaw, James P. Cuda, Jennifer L. Gillett-Kaufman, Ken Gioeli, Raymond L. Hix, Verena-Ulrike Lietze, William A. Overholt, and Judy F. Shearer. Presented by Verena-Ulrike Lietze (150 viewers). May 2013: Central Florida CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) Aquatics Workshop, Orlando, FL. Seminar title “Testing a new approach to hydrilla IPM,” authors Joan P. Bradshaw, James P. Cuda, Jennifer L. Gillett-Kaufman, Ken Gioeli, Raymond L. Hix, Verena-Ulrike Lietze, William A. Overholt, and Judy F. Shearer. Presented by Verena-Ulrike Lietze (138 attendees). May 2013: Cogongrass Workshop, UF/IFAS Indian River REC, Ft. Pierce Florida: “Biocontrol of Cogongrass,” authors William A. Overholt and James P. Cuda (116 attendees). July 2013: UFCN (UF Communicators Network) Breakfast Buzz. Booth display “Hydrilla IPM RAMP” with banners, brochures, various promotional items. Hosted by Jennifer Gillett-Kaufman (150 viewers). July 2013: American Society for Horticultural Science. Palm Desert, CA. Poster title “Hydrilla IPM RAMP—starting a statewide extension project,” authors Ken Gioeli, James P. Cuda, Stacia Hetrick, Joan P. Bradshaw, Jennifer L. Gillett-Kaufman, Raymond L. Hix, Verena-Ulrike Lietze, William A. Overholt, and Judy F. Shearer. Presented by Ken Gioeli (300 viewers). August 2013: EPAF (Extension Professionals Association of Florida) Annual Conference, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Poster title “Spreading the word: New strategies for hydrilla IPM are investigated,” authors Joan P. Bradshaw, James P. Cuda, Jennifer L. Gillett-Kaufman, Ken Gioeli, Raymond L. Hix, Verena-Ulrike Lietze, William A. Overholt, and Judy F. Shearer. Presented by Verena-Ulrike Lietze (approx. 20 viewers during poster session). August 2013: EPAF (Extension Professionals Association of Florida) Annual Conference, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Booth display “Hydrilla IPM RAMP” with banners, brochures, IPM Guide, various promotional items. Hosted by Jennifer Gillett-Kaufman and Verena-Ulrike Lietze (600 viewers). October 2013: FAPMS (Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society) Annual Training Conference, St. Augustine, FL. Presentation title “Combining control tactics to reduce hydrilla biomass” authors Joan P. Bradshaw, James P. Cuda, Jennifer L. Gillett-Kaufman, Ken Gioeli, Raymond L. Hix, Verena-Ulrike Lietze, William A. Overholt, and Judy F. Shearer. Presented by James P. Cuda (315 attendees). October 2013: FAPMS (Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society) Annual Training Conference, St. Augustine, FL. Booth display “Hydrilla IPM RAMP” with banners, brochures, various promotional items. Hosted by Verena-Ulrike Lietze (315 viewers). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Our objective is to conduct a mesocosm study in collaboration with Aquatic Vegetation Control, Martin Co., FL, in which harvesting of topped-out hydrilla is combined with follow-up herbivory bythe naturalized meristem mining midge Cricotopus lebetis. Clipping reduces the surface biomass and stimulates the growth of new shoot tips that are susceptible to attack by the midge larvae.We expect this novel IPM approach to show that reducing the top growth of hydrilla via mechanical control (clipping)will create optimal conditions for midge reproduction, which has been shown to kill the apical meristems and prevent hydrilla from topping out. We expect these different low risk control tactics to be compatible with each other, and by integrating them, we can achieve effective suppression of both susceptible and resistant hydrilla populations by changing its architecture.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Hydrilla tip miner, Cricotopus lebetis, rearing program: Fertile eggs were produced in high numbers following a recent introduction of new field material from Lake Rowell, Starke, Bradfored Co.,Florida. Samples of hydrilla were collected at the site, returned to the laboratory, and were observed daily for one month to check for emergence of C. lebetis midges. Midges identified as the correct species were put into an oviposition chamber and resulting eggs were added to the colony. The colonyproduced approximately 2000 eggs per day and 14,000 per week.Because UF/IFASmidge colony hasbeen self-sustainingand provided ample eggs for experiments, a decision was made to have two sub-colonies at the UF Gainesville location as a precaution if one were to fail. Once field release sites are identified, colony production will be increased accordingly. Predation and Competition in a Model Ecosystem: An experiment was set up to evaluate a representative ecosystem and assess predator/competitor interactions related to the hydrilla biological control agent C. lebetis. This study was designed to establish field release protocols, and to determine a minimum number of insects required for establishment while compensating for natural loss due to competition/predation from other species. Preparation for the experiment required obtaining IACUC approval (IACUC Protocol #: 201307914 ) and a suitable laboratory located in the UF Biology Dept., Bartram Hall. The experiment required catching mosquito fish (Gambusia sp.) and monitoring water quality (including NH4, N03 and pH levels). In total, 6 aquarium tanks were then set-up to accommodate an “ecosystem” to compare interactions of C. lebetis (hydrilla biocontrol agent) and a potential competitor (hydrilla moth, Parapoynx diminutalis) and a predator (mosquito fish). There are five treatments: 1) hydrilla only, 2) hydrilla and midge, 3) hydrilla, midge and moth. 4) hydrilla, midge and fish, 5) hydrilla, midge, moth and fish. Preliminary findings indicate that Gambusia fish may negatively impact emergence of the biocontrol agent C. lebetis and its competitor P. diminutalis However, it appears that in the absence of Gambusia fish, the midge C. lebetis and the adventive moth P. diminutalis are compatible with each other, causing greater damage to hydrilla (reduced biomass) than either herbivore alone. Larval Intraspecific Competition Study: This experiment was designed to assess Cricotopus lebetis larval competition for the host plant, hydrilla. This is information is essential for establishment of mass rearing protocols and to determine appropriate conditions to maximize production. One large egg mass (>150 fertile eggs) was randomly selected and placed in well water to hatch. Following hatching the larvae were transferred to test tubes. Each test tube contained a single hydrilla tip (approximately 10cm in length) and 30 mL well water. Each test tube received 1, 2, 3 or 4 larvae transferred with a glass pipette. There were 10 replicates of each (40 test tubes total). Each tube was checked at day 15 for pupae and day 21 for adult emergence. The experiment was completed 3 times. Analysis of results showed that the averages of adult emergence were highest when only a single larva (1) was placed with one tip. These finding suggests that larvae do compete for the tip resource and have greater developmental success with limited competition for a host plant tip. Cold Tolerance of Midge Eggs: This experiment was designed to define the cold tolerance in Cricotopus lebetis eggs in terms of duration rather than temperature. This is information will be important for establishing of release protocols, in particular storage time (shelf life). Eggs were collected from the oviposition chamber and placed individually into Petri-dishes with well water. Fecundity and fertility were measured and only eggs with >100 fertile eggs and >90% fertility were used. Egg masses were placed in the refrigerator at 4°C for 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 14 and 21 days. Egg masses were then removed from the cold and allowed to hatch at room temperature. Hatch rate was recorded by counting empty egg cases. Larvae (40) were then transferred individually to test tubes. Each test tube contained a single hydrilla tip (approximately 10cm in length) and 30 mL well water. Each tube was checked at day 15 for pupae and day 21 for adult emergence. The experiment was replicated at least seven times for each temperature. Results showered here was a significant effect of cold storage on egg hatch (after 7 days) and adult emergence (after 1 day). Compatiblity of the hydrilla tip miner C. lebetis with the hydrilla fungus Mycoleptodiscus terrestris (Mt): Experiments were conducted in 55-L aquariums located in a controlled-environment growth chamber at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). Conditions in the growth chamber were maintained for optimal hydrilla growth: 25 ± 1° C and a 14:10-hr light-dark photoperiod. The aquariums (0.9 m tall x 0.09 m2) were filled with a water-based culture solution (Smart and Barko 1985). Osmocote Classic (14-14-14) (Scotts-Sierra Horticultural Products Company, Marysville, OH) was placed in the bottom of 964-ml plastic cups (2.9 g per cup). Top soil (Earthgro, Hyponex Corporation, Marysville, OH) was added over the Osmocote to a depth of ca 21 cm and overlain with silica sand to prevent sediment and nutrient dispersion into the water. The cups were drenched with reverse osmosis water to wet the top soil. Four 15-cm apical cuttings from dioecious hydrilla were planted in each cup and placed in the aquariums (four cups per aquarium). Air was gently bubbled in to provide circulation. The plants were allowed to grow in the aquariums for approximately 28 days, by which time they had formed a canopy. Dry inoculum of the fungus Mt was applied on 25 January 2013 by scattering it evenly onto the water surface and allowing them to naturally dissipate over the hydrilla. As the rehydrated granules fell through the water column they became lodged on leaves and in leaf axils. Neonates of C. lebetis were applied the same day. Treatments included effective rates of 0.02, and 0.06, g/L of Mt alone, 40 and 80 neonates of C. lebetis alone, all combinations of Mt and C. lebetis, and untreated controls. Each treatment was replicated three times. At 28 days after treatment (22 February 2013), hydrilla shoot biomass was harvested, dried for 4 days at 60° C to a constant weight, and dry weight was recorded.Results showed that the tip miner C. lebetis is compatible with the Mt fungus. Moreover, within only 28 days, a synergistic effect was seen. The combined treatment with a high dose of Mt and a low density of tip miner larvae significantly reduced hydrilla biomass by almost 80% when compared with the untreated control. Compatiblity of the hydrilla tip miner C. lebetis with the ALS inhibiting herbicide imazamox:Using the same experimental set up, a second experiment was conducted to determine if the hydrilla miner C. lebetis was compatible with the herbicide imazamox that causes hydrilla to branch at low concentrations. Treatments included low and high rates of imazamox (10 and 50 mg L-1), 40 and 80 neonates of C. lebetis alone, all combinations of imazamox and C. lebetis, and untreated controls. The imazamox was added to the tanks on 9 April 2013 and the midge neonates on 25 April 2013. Each treatment was replicated three times. At about 28 days after treatment (6 June 2013), hydrilla shoot biomass was harvested, dried for 4 days at 60° C to a constant weight, and dry weight was recorded.Results showed that the tip miner C. lebetis is compatible with the herbicide imazamox. In fact,adult emergence of C. lebetis was higher in some of the tanks treated with imazamox compared to the controls without imazamox.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Stratman, K.N., W.A. Overholt, J.P. Cuda, M.D. Netherland, and P.C. Wilson. 2013. Host range and searching behaviour of Cricotopus lebetis (Diptera: Chironomidae), a tip miner of Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae). Biocontrol Science & Technology 23: 317-334.
Stratman, K.N., W.A. Overholt, J.P. Cuda, M.D. Netherland, and P.C. Wilson. 2013. Toxicity of fipronil to the midge, Cricotopus lebetis Sublette. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 76: 716-722.
Stratman, K.N., W.A. Overholt, J.P. Cuda, M.D. Netherland, and P.C. Wilson. 2013. Diversity of Chironomidae (Diptera) associated with hydrilla in Florida. Florida Entomologist 96: 654- 657.
Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S. Hydrilla IPM - Starting a Statewide Project. Program Abstracts, Galaxy IV Conference. Pittsburgh, PA. 2013.
Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S, Bradshaw, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., and Cuda, J. 2013. Hydrilla Integrated Pest Management Risk Avoidance and Mitigation Project (Hydrilla IPM RAMP), p. 282. In Y. Wu, T. Johnson, S. Sing, S. Raghu, G. Wheeler, P. Pratt, K. Warner, T. Center, J. Goolsby, and R. Reardon (eds.). Proceedings XIII International Symposium Biological Control of Weeds, Waikoloa, HI, 11-16 September 2011. FHTET-2012-07 January 2013.
Bradshaw, J.,Cuda, J.P., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hix,
R., Lietze, V., Overholt, W., Shearer, J. 2013. Combining control tactics to reduce hydrilla biomass, pp. 12-13. Book of Abstracts, 37th Annual FAPMS Training Conference, St. Augustine, FL, 14-17 October.
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities- Develop and demonstrate an integrated reduced risk solution for hydrilla control. To define the fundamental host range of C. lebetis (Subproject #1.1), a series of no-choice and paired-choice tests were conducted with hydrilla (monecious and dioecious) and 10 native aquatic plants. Plant tips were placed individually in 35 ml test tubes filled with well water. Each tip was exposed to two newly hatched C. lebetis larvae and held at 25 C and a 14:10 (L: D) photoperiod. Larval survival and development to the adult stage was then monitored on each test plant. To establish the thermal limits and cold tolerance for establishment of C. lebetis (Subproject #1.2), individual neonate larvae were placed in test tubes with hydrilla tips (40 replications). Each rack was maintained at a different constant temperature ranging from 10-35 C at 2.5 C intervals, with a 14:10 (L: D) photoperiod. For the cold tolerance experiment, a hydrilla plant tip with four larvae was slowly cooled to the desired temperatures of 5 and 10 C for 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 days. After larvae were exposed for the prescribed length of time, they were brought to room temperature and checked for survival. Efficacy of combining C. lebetis with the fungal pathogen Mt (Subproject #2.1) was assessed in 55 liter tank tests using nine treatment combinations: hydrilla (control), Mt (Low and High), C. lebetis (Low and High), and Mt + C. lebetis (Low and High). For demonstrating a novel integrated strategy for controlling hydrilla (Specific Aim #3), a breeding colony of C. lebetis was transferred from the Ft. Pierce REC to UF where it is currently being maintained for research and demonstration projects. Products & Disseminaton- Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project Banner, Extension Professionals Association of Florida Annual Meeting, Lake Buena Vista. Sept 2012 (Display, 150 Viewers); Implementing an Educational Campaign: New IPM Strategies for Hydrilla Management (1 PowerPoint, 41 slides); Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project, Association of Natural Resources Extension Professionals Conference, Hendersonville, NC (National Invited Presentation); Educational campaign implementation: IPM strategies for hydrilla management, Central District Extension Faculty Symposium, UF/IFAS Sumter County Extension Office, April 2012 (Regional Invited Presentation); Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project, UF Water Institute Symposium. Gainesville, FL. 2012 (State Invited Presentation); New IPM Approach for Managing Hydrilla in Florida, Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society, St Augustine, FL, Oct 2012 (State Invited Presentation); Hydrilla IPM RAMP- Starting a Statewide Project, Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals Conference, Hendersonville, NC (Poster); Hydrilla IPM RAMP- Starting a Statewide Project, UF Water Institute Conference held in Gainesville, FL. (Poster); Educational Campaign Implementation: IPM Strategies for Hydrilla Management, 2012 Central District Extension Faculty Symposium, Bushnell, FL (Poster). PARTICIPANTS: Cuda, J.P. - PD/PI, research project administrator/coordinator; report writing and provides project oversite. Gillett-Kaufman, J.L.- CoPD/PI, extension project administrator/coordinator; report writing and provides project oversite. Bradshaw, J.P.- CoPD/PI, extension project leader; develops extension programs and training materials for project. Gioeli, K.T.- CoPD/PI, extension project leader; develops extension programs and trainng materials for project. Overholt, W.A.- CoPD/PI, research project leader; coordinates research on the hydrilla midge C. lebetis and mentors graduate student. Stratman, K.N.- Graduate student (MS), conducts research on the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. Shearer, J.F.- CoPD/PI, research project leader; coordinates research on the hydrilla fungus Mt. Hix, R.L.-CoPD/PI, research project leader; coordinates research on the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. Kariuki, E.- Graduate student (PhD), conducts research on the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. Hetrick, S.A.- County Extension Agent, develops extension programs and trainng materials for project. TARGET AUDIENCES: lake user groups, local applicators, non-scientific public, and federal, state and local government partners. Coordinate with UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants in the development of educational materials, displays and field days. Work closely with FAMU, the US Army Corpse of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Invasive Plant Management Section and other agencies involved in aquatic plant management. Work closely with Advisory Committee of stakeholders for program determination, implementation, and assessment. Presentations will be made at local, regional and international meetings. Create articles to be published in newspapers, recreational magazines, etc. Create press releases that newspapers can publish. Create publications to distribute to local Extension offices. Present information at statewide Extension meetings in the SE and at appropriate international meetings. Create or update existing extension publications. Create novel items such as floating key chains or ruler stickers for anglers to measure fish with the project's message, websites, etc. These would be available as print on demand items. Actual give-away items would be purchased by groups looking to distribute the material in their area. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
(Subproject #1.1) No-choice developmental tests with neonate larvae revealed that the fundamental host range of C. lebetis included not only on hydrilla, but also several other aquatic plants in various families, suggesting that this insect is not a hydrilla specialist. In paired-choice bioassays, larval colonization of Elodea canadensis Michx. (Hydrocharitaceae) and Najas guadalupensis (Spreng.) Magnus (Najadaceae) was greater than colonization of hydrilla. Behavioural bioassays in a Y-tube olfactometer and in Petri dishes suggested that neonates were not able to locate host plant material whereas older larvae were successful in finding hosts. In paired-choice oviposition tests, adult females discriminated between potential oviposition sites, with greater numbers of eggs laid on E. canadensis and N. guadalupensis than on hydrilla. To establish the thermal limits and cold tolerance for establishment of C. lebetis (Subproject #1.2), temperature-dependent development, cold tolerance and the potential distribution of the midge were investigated. Results showed that optimal temperatures for larval development were between 20 and 30 C, no larvae developed at 10 C, and only one larva completed development at 35 C. At 5 C, 100% mortality was reached after approximately 14 days. At 10 C, some larvae were still alive after 16 days. The estimated lower and upper developmental thresholds were 10.53 and 36 C, respectively. These data were used to construct a map of the potential number of generations/year of C. lebetis in Florida. Data from the cold tolerance study, in conjunction with historical weather data, were used to generate a predicted distribution of C. lebetis in the USA. A distribution also was predicted using an ecological niche modeling approach by characterizing the climate at locations where C. lebetis is known to occur, and then finding other locations with similar climate. The distributions predicted using both modeling approaches indicated that much of the southeastern USA was climatically suitable for C. lebetis. Efficacy of combining C. lebetis with the fungal pathogen Mt (Subproject #2.1) was assessed. Initial tests showed that the insect and fungus were compatible with each other, and that combining them reduced hydrilla biomass by ~50%. For demonstrating a novel integrated strategy for controlling hydrilla (Specific Aim #3), a breeding colony of C. lebetis was established and is currently producing a surplus of around 15,000 eggs every 3 weeks since September. Approximately 10,000 eggs were supplied to FAMU collaborators for their research and demonstration experiments. Natural Resources for Educational Campaign Implementation: IPM Strategies for Hydrilla Management, 2012 Central District Extension Faculty Symposium, 1st Place Poster Award
Publications
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., J., 2012. Educational Campaign Implementation: IPM Strategies for Hydrilla Management. 2012 Central District Extension Faculty Symposium, Bushnell, FL.
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K.,., Hix, R., Lietze, V., Overholt, W., Shearer, J. 2012. New IPM approach for managing hydrilla in Florida. 2012 Book of Abstracts, 36th Annual Training Conference, Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society, St. Augustine, FL, 9-11 October, p. 16.
- Managing Hydrilla with IPM Factsheet. 2012. UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 2 pp.
- Stratman, K.N., Overholt, W.A., Cuda, J.P., Netherland, M.D. and Wilson, P.C. 2013. Host range and searching behaviour of Cricotopus lebetis (Diptera: Chironomidae), a tip miner of Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae). Biocontrol Sci. & Tech. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2012.757297 (in press).
- Stratman, K.N, Overholt, W.A., Cuda, J.P., Netherland, M.D., Wilson, C. 2012. Cricotopus lebetis (Diptera: Chironomidae), a fortuitous biological control agent of hydrilla, p. 45. In: Program Abstracts, Invasion of the Habitat Snatchers: Wildlife Invades!, Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Joint 2012 Spring Conference, Ocala, Florida, 16-19 April.
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S. 2012. Hydrilla IPM RAMP- Starting a Statewide Project .Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals Conference held in Hendersonville, NC.
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., Shearer, J. 2012.Hydrilla IPM RAMP- Starting a Statewide Project. UF Water Institute Conference, Gainesville, FL.
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities- Develop and demonstrate an integrated reduced risk solution for hydrilla control.To define the host range of C. lebetis (Subproject #1.1), plant tips were placed individually in 35 ml test tubes filled with well water. Each tip was exposed to two newly hatched C. lebetis larvae and held at 25 C and a 14:10 (L:D) photoperiod. Initial results showed that in addition to hydrilla, C. lebetis completed development on Egeria densa, Elodea canadensis, Najas guadalupensis, Vallisneria americana, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Potamogeton illinoensis. Development time on E. canadensis was significantly lower than on other plants, and there was no difference in developmental time on hydrilla, N. guadalupensis, and V. americana. Development was slowest on C. demersum, and P. illinoensis. Survival was highest on E. canadensis, followed by hydrilla, N. guadalupensis, and E. densa, and was lowest on V. americana, P. illinoensis and C. demersum. To establish the thermal limits and cold tolerance for establishment of C. lebetis (Subproject #1.2), individual neonate larvae were placed in test tubes with hydrilla tips (40 replications). Each rack was maintained at a different constant temperature ranging from 10-35 C @ 2.5C intervals, with a 14:10 (L: D) photoperiod. Survival to adulthood was highest at temperatures between 20 and 30 C. No larvae developed at 10 C, and only one larva completed development at 35 C. The estimated lower and upper developmental thresholds were 10.53 and 36 C, respectively. For the cold tolerance experiment, a hydrilla plant tip with four larvae was slowly cooled to the desired temperatures of 5 and 10 C for 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 days. After larvae were exposed for the prescribed length of time, they were brought to room temperature and checked for survival. At 5 C, 100% mortality was reached after approximately 14 days. At 10 C, some larvae were still alive after 16 days. Events- (Information booth and display) Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project, Extension Professionals Association of Florida, Kissimmee, Florida (300 contacts). (Information booth and display) Implementing an Educational Campaign: New IPM Strategies for Hydrilla Management, Extension Professionals Association of Florida, Kissimmee, Florida (300 contacts). (Lecture) Balancing stakeholder interests in hydrilla infested lakes: could an insect be the answer? Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society Spring Conference held in Safety Harbor, FL. (45 contacts). (Lecture) Implementing an educational campaign: new IPM strategies for hydrilla management. South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society Meeting, Delray Beach, FL. (256 Contacts). (Poster) Preparing an Information Platform to Include an Evolving Knowledge Base for Hydrilla Management, Central District Extension Symposium, Kissimmee, FL. (94 contacts). (Poster) Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project, XIII International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds in Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii (2220 Contacts). (Lecture) Implementing an Educational Campaign: New IPM Strategies for Hydrilla Management, Extension Professional Associations of Florida Annual Meeting, Lake Buena Vista, FL. (26 contacts). PARTICIPANTS: Cuda, J.P. - PD/PI, research project administrator/coordinator; report writing and provides project oversite. Gillett-Kaufman, J.L.- CoPD/PI, extension project administrator/coordinator; report writing and provides project oversite. Bradshaw, J.P.- CoPD/PI, extension project leader; develops extension programs and training materials for project. Gioeli, K.T.- CoPD/PI, extension project leader; develops extension programs and trainng materials for project. Overholt, W.A.- CoPD/PI, research project leader; coordinates research on the hydrilla midge C. lebetis and mentors graduate student. Stratman, K.N.- Graduate student (MS), conducts research on the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. Shearer, J.F.- CoPD/PI, research project leader; coordinates research on the hydrilla fungus Mt. Hix, R.L.-CoPD/PI, research project leader; coordinates research on the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. Kariuki, E.- Graduate student (PhD), conducts research on the hydrilla midge C. lebetis. Hetrick, S.A.- County Extension Agent, develops extension programs and trainng materials for project. TARGET AUDIENCES: lake user groups, local applicators, non-scientific public, and federal, state and local government partners. Coordinate with UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants in the development of educational materials, displays and field days. Work closely with FAMU, the US Army Corpse of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Invasive Plant Management Section and other agencies involved in aquatic plant management. Work closely with Advisory Committee of stakeholders for program determination, implementation, and assessment. Presentations will be made at local, regional and international meetings. Create articles to be published in newspapers, recreational magazines, etc. Create press releases that newspapers can publish. Create publications to distribute to local Extension offices. Present information at statewide Extension meetings in the SE and at appropriate international meetings. Create or update existing extension publications. Create novel items such as floating key chains or ruler stickers for anglers to measure fish with the project's message, websites, etc. These would be available as print on demand items. Actual give-away items would be purchased by groups looking to distribute the material in their area. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
New knowledge generated on the host range of C. lebetis showed that under laboratory conditions, the midge is not a specialist on hydrilla. Because the insect performed better on Elodea canadensis than hydrilla, this finding suggests that the native E. canadensis may be the natural host plant for C. lebetis. The impact of this finding suggests that further host range testing under field conditions is warranted. If the field hosts range tests confirm the laboratory findings, then the incorporation of C. lebetis into the IPM program will be restricted to Florida and Louisiana, where the insect is naturalized. Survival of C. lebetis was highest at temperatures between 20 and 30 C. This finding coupled with the fact that larvae cannot survive prolonged exposure to water temperatures of ≤5 C, and that the estimated lower and upper temperature developmental thresholds were 10.53 and 36 C suggest that establishment of the insect will be restricted to water bodies infested with hydrilla that do not experience daily extremes in temperature. For example, spring-fed watersheds such as Crystal River, Citrus Co., FL, where C. lebetis was initially discovered, maintain water temperatures of 22.2 C year-round. In order to raise awareness about the project (Specific Aim #3), and our project website, we created several promotional items including webcards, ruler bookmarks and fish ruler stickers. Each of these items includes the project website address and a QR (quick response) code that can be scanned with a smart phone. We distributed packets of the promotional items to Extension faculty from each county at the annual statewide Extension Professional Associations of Florida conference. They will be able to use these tools to influence more diverse audiences focusing on new hydrilla IPM strategies. We have also created a pull-up banner and poster display to use at various meetings, conferences and events to advertise our project. We displayed these at a table-top display at the annual statewide Extension Professional Associations of Florida conference. A website has been created for the project at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/hydrilla. We included pages on: Extension, Research, Resources, FAQ, Team Members, Events, Links, etc. We will continue to update and add to the website as the project progresses. Since its inception, 1,026 individual user page views were recorded on this site. An Advisory Committee was established which consists of representative members of stakeholder groups from around the region. There are five members on the committee from various agencies, private industry, and lake user groups. A mission statement has been developed to guide the actions of the committee, and the committee meets ~ every 4 months. A needs assessment survey was conducted with input from the Advisory Committee to determine end users' perception of hydrilla and how they would like to receive information. The survey was created using Survey Monkey and was advertised in various newsletters, newspapers, websites, and email distribution lists. We received responses from 541 participants.
Publications
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). Gainesville: Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project Funded. Florida Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals Newsletter. (1 page).
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project Funded. Aquatic Plant Management Society website. Posted February 2011. (1 page).
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project Funded. Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Foundation website. Posted March 2011. (1 page).
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project Funded. University of Florida Press Release. (2 pages)
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2010) Hydrilla project funded." Osceola News-Gazette. October 9, 2010. Circulation 39,000. (1 page)
- Bolivar, Lisa. (2011).Grant will help scientists develop ways to control aquatic plant. TCPalm Newspaper. October 4, 2011. (2 pages)
- Hetrick, S.A., Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gioeli, K., Hix, R., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Overholt, W., Shearer, J. (2011). Implementing an Educational Campaign: New IPM Strategies for Hydrilla Management. Extension Professional Associations of Florida Annual Meeting held in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Peer-reviewed. Abstract available at http://epaf.ifas.ufl.edu/SSI/documents/Landscape_Abstract_schedule_20 11_000.pdf. (1 page).
- Hetrick, S.A., Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gioeli, K., Hix, R., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Overholt, W., Shearer, J. (2011). Balancing stakeholder interests in hydrilla infested lakes: could an insect be the answer?" Program Abstracts, The Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society Spring Conference held in Safety Harbor, FL. Peer-reviewed. Abstract available at: http://fltws.org/documents/2011SpringConferenceProgram.pdf. (1 page)
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). IPM-RAMP Project Funded to Battle Hydrilla." Center for Biological Control Newsletter. December 2010. (1 page).
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project Funded. Aquatic Plant Management Society Newsletter. June 2011. (1 page).
- Hetrick, S.A., Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gioeli, K., Hix, R., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Overholt, W., Shearer, J. (2011). Preparing an Information Platform to Include an Evolving Knowledge Base for Hydrilla Management. Program Abstracts, Central District Extension Symposium held in Kissimmee, FL. Peer-reviewed. Abstract to be posted at: http://district3.extension.ifas.ufl.edu. (1 page)
- Cuda, J.P., Coon,B. R.,Dao, Y. M. and Center, T. D. (2011). Effect of an herbivorous stem Mining midge on the growth of hydrilla. J. Aquatic Plant Manage. (in press).
- Montgomery, R. (2011). In the News: Too much of a good thing: Lake managers struggle to control new plant pests with harming fishing or angering fishermen. B.A.S.S Times, September, p. 30. (1 page).
- Cuda, J. and Gillett-Kaufman, J. (2011). New Hydrilla Project: RAMP Up!" Aquatics magazine. Summer 2011 (1 page).
- Hetrick, S.A. (2011). Hydrilla: New Control Methods on the Way? Marsh Rider airboating magazine. (1 page).
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J.,Gillett-Kaufman, J.,Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S. Hix, R.,Overholt, W., and Shearer,J. (2011). Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project in Florida. Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals Newsletter. (1 page).
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project Funded. Florida Lakes Management Society Newsletter. April 2011. (1 page).
- Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Gioeli, K., Hetrick, S., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project Funded. Southern Exposure Integrated Pest Management Newsletter. (1 page).
- Gioeli, K., Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gillett-Kaufman, J.,Hetrick, S., Hix,R., Overholt, W.,and Shearer, J. (2011). Implementing an educational campaign: new IPM strategies for hydrilla management.South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society Meeting held in Delray Beach, FL.
- Gioeli, K., J. Bradshaw, J. Cuda, J. Gillett-Kaufman, S. Hetrick, R. Hix, W. Overholt, and J. Shearer. 2011. Hydrilla IPM RAMP Project. XIII International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds in Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii.
- Hetrick, S.A., Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gioeli, K., Hix, R., Gillett-Kaufman, J., Overholt, W., Shearer, J. (2011). Balancing stakeholder interests in hydrilla infested lakes: could an insect be the answer? (PowerPoint 19 slides).
- Gillett-Kaufman, Bradshaw, J., Cuda, J., Gioeli, K., Hix, R., Overholt, W., and Shearer, J. (2011). Implementing an Educational Campaign: New IPM Strategies for Hydrilla Management. (PowerPoint 40 slides).
- Hetrick, S.A. (2011). Biological solutions for managing aquatic weeds. A 5-minute segment on the Kissimmee FYI show on the Access Osceola, Channel 199, Brighthouse Networks. Viewership 40,000. The show airs four times per day for 2 weeks. It also airs online on the City of Kissimmee's web page.
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