Melissa Smith

Biological control researchers from three continents gathering to celebrate #waterhyacinth and the perennial efforts to control it. #biologicalcontrol #biocontrol #aquaticweeds

24.04.2025 18:28 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

13.04.2025 00:50 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Biocontrol insects have stronger effects than non-biocontrol insects on plants - BioControl We used meta-analyses to compare the effects of 44 single insect species used as biocontrol agents against invasive weeds with the effects of 51 species of non-biocontrol insects on native plants. The...

Excellent meta analysis by Stiling and LaJeunesse detailing how #biologicalcontrol insects have a relatively larger impact on their targets than comparable native insect/plant pairs. Beetles and plant hoppers are particularly impactful. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

19.03.2025 20:28 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

The abject cruelty!

19.03.2025 00:23 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Preemptive and proactive application of biological control for weeds: An argument for swifter action to aid conservation efforts Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are a frequent consequence of global connectivity and present significant threats to biodiversity, amplifying impacts fro…

In honor of #nationalinvasivespeciesawarenessweek #nisaw, I'm excited to present our latest article outlining arguments for deploying and studying #biocontrol options earlier in, or even before, a plant invades. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

26.02.2025 02:59 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

The DOGE Brain Drain Has Begun It’s not just jobs cut and agencies gutted. It’s the talent that will be lost for generations to come.

"Among accomplished researchers, the fear is that this coming generation of scientists will look overseas or leave their fields entirely, endangering America’s multigenerational standard as the leader in scientific research." ICYMI @samsteindc.bsky.social: www.thebulwark.com/p/the-doge-b...

22.02.2025 19:00 — 👍 577    🔁 140    💬 52    📌 18

Fla's Everglades comprise the entire southern part of the state. Everglades National Park, established in 1947, is heralded as a biodiversity marvel. During the 1990's much of it was covered in invasive melaleuca. Now, melaleuca is reduced by 95% due in large part to biological control. #biocontrol

21.02.2025 00:40 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

17.02.2025 12:57 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Seeing water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) in its natural habitat was a lightbulb moment for me. So grateful to FuEDEI for thier help. #invasiveplants #biologicalcontrol #classicalbiologicalcontrol #biocontrolofweeds

13.02.2025 18:05 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0