Reading Assignments for 11/30 - 12/2

Tuesday, Nov. 30 - BioControl II

A reading and a homework assignment for today's class:

• Read: "Developing the options for managing marine pests: specificity trials on the parasitic castrator, Sacculina carcini, against the European crab, Carcinus maenas, and related
  species." by R.E. Thresher, M. Werner, J.T. Høeg, I. Svane, H. Glenner, N.E. Murphy, and C. Wittwer. 2000. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. v. 254 pp. 37-51. [on Prometheus]
  
  
• Homework: Come to class prepared to discuss:
  
  1. What biological controls have been used -or- could be used for your study species?
     
  2. Do you think "parasitic castration" can be an effective biocontrol in a marine environment? In any environment?

Thursday, Dec. 2 - Fire Ecology

Guest speaker: Julie Richburg, University of Massachusetts Amherst

• "Effects of Alien Plants on Fire Regimes" by Brooks, M. L., C. M. D’Antonio, D. M. Richardson, J. B. Grace, J. E. Keeley, J. M. DiTomaso, R. J. Hobbs, M. Pellant, and D. Pyke. 2004. Bioscience 54(7) pp. 677-688. [.pdf]

We will also use Thursday's class to finish up our discussion of invasive species controls.

Reading Assignments for 11/23

We begin our discussion of biological controls this week with a guest lecture from Fred SaintOurs. Fred will be speaking on Tuesday about the use of biocontrols to manage purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). To prepare yourself for Fred's talk, please read the articles below, and be sure to think of some good questions to ask him!

• Purple Loosestrife, Ch. 11 in Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States, Van Driesche, R., et al., 2002, USDA Forest Service Publication FHTET-2002-04, 413 p. (If you prefer, you can download this document as a .pdf from this link.)
  
• "Indirect effects of host-specific biological control agents." by D. Pearson and R. Callaway. 2003. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 18(9), pp. 456-461. [via Prometheus]
  
• Short response to Pearson and Callaway article by Thomas et al. (TREE 19(2)) [via Prometheus]

There is no class Thursday due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

"No-Risk" Assessment

Some of you have noticed that the list of mimimum requirements for your species reports includes "Risk Assessment." Originally I was going to have you do a risk assessment for your species in class, but because we ended up working on the pathways risk assessment instead, we will no longer be doing that. If someone's already done one for your species, do report the results, but you are not required to complete your own. Don't forget, though, that you should conclude your report with a discussion of whether your species is a threat to Massachusetts or the water off our coast.

Field Trip still on

Field trip is still on as of 1am 7am Saturday morning...bring your snow shoes (kidding). If anything changes I will post here, or email me.

Reading Assignments for 11/16 - 11/18

This week you have a smorgasboard of reading choices. Make your choices and email them to me before class on Tuesday.

Tuesday, Nov. 16 - Physical Controls

Choose two of the following:

• TNC's Weed Control Methods Handbook: Tools and Techniques for Use in Natural Areas
  
  • Chapter 1 (Manual and Mechanical Techniques) (.pdf)
  
  
• Plant Management in Florida Waters (Choose either Physical or Mechanical - If you are choosing after 6pm on Monday night, Physical is no longer available! Email me if you have a conflict.)
• Physical Control
• Mechanical Control

• NIMPIS: Control options - Rapid Response Toolbox
  
• Physical Control (read whole page, click "More Information" for at least three techniques)


• CONTROL OF ZEBRA MUSSELS IN RESIDENTIAL WATER SYSTEMS

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Thursday, Nov. 18 - Chemical Controls

Pick one from Group A and one from Group B:

Group A

• TNC's Weed Control Methods Handbook: Tools and Techniques for Use in Natural Areas
  
  • Chapter 6 (Herbicide Properties) (.pdf) + One section from Chapter 7 (The Herbicides)
  
  
• NIMPIS: Control options - Rapid Response Toolbox
• Chemical Control (read whole page, click "More Information" for at least three techniques)

Group B

• Zebra Mussel Chemical Control Guide (.pdf, read Section 1, then pick 1 chemical each from Sections 2, 3, and 4 [3 chemicals total])

• Asian Longhorned Beetle Insecticides + one of the following:
• Insect Control: Horticultural Oils (.pdf)
  
• an article from your research project approved in advance by me (article must be specifically about chemical control or have a "meaty" section)
  

Field Trip!

Our field trip to check out invasive plants is scheduled for this Saturday, Nov. 13 in Natick, starting at 10:30am. If you need directions, please email me or contact Dr. John Ebersole.

Update 11/11: John says to bring along a lunch. I am not sure how long the trip will last, but we are going to be in a suburban habitat so it will not be difficult for you to find your way back to your car if you need to take off early :-).

Reading Assignments for 11/9

Tuesday, Nov. 9 is Devil's Advocate Day!

What's so bad about invasive species? Are there benefits to their introductions that we have overlooked? Are we wasting money trying to destroy them?

Come to class prepared to discuss the positive impacts of invasive species (bring your talking points!) and also having read this article:

Williams, C. E. (1997). Potential Valuable Ecological Functions of Nonindigenous Plants. in Assessment and Management of Plant Invasions. J. O. Luken, and Thieret, John W., editors. New York, Springer-Verlag: 26-34. [handed out in class]

(No class on 11/11 because it is Veteran's Day)