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Re: Biological Control Agent for Canada Thistle



At 08:23 AM 9/3/97 -0600, you wrote:
>There is an interesting article on this topic in the issue of Science which
>came yesterday.  If I recall, there have been some unintended negative
>consequences of the release of an insect meant to control thistle.
>Ed Sparling
>Professor
>Dept of Ag and Resource Econ
>B-311 Clark Blg
>Colorado State University
>Ft Collins, CO   80523
>
>Phone 970-491-6946
>Fax   970-491-2067
>
You're right, Ed. It's in the 22 August 1997 issue of Science (p.
1088-1090). The lead scientist is Dr. Svata (pronounced svatcha) Louda
(lode-a) here at the UNL School of Biological Sciences and an Associate of
our Center for Grassland Studies. Our UNL newspaper says she has become a
media "darling" because she has been interviewed by science reporters from
the BBC World Service, the Washington Post, the Dallas Morning News, the
Milwaukee Sentinel and the AP, in addition to Nebraska news organizations. 

A biological control agent (a Eurasian weevil) was introduced in Nebraska in
1972 (just before the Endangered Species Act) to control
rangeland-threatening exotic musk thistles. However, the study by Louda and
colleagues showed it has spread to two native thistles. Louda is calling for
a better national policy for using biological controls, condoning a more
cautious, conservative approach.
***********************
Pam Murray, Coordinator
Center for Grassland Studies and
Center for Sustainable Agricultural Systems
PO Box 830949
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68583-0949
phone: 402-472-9383
fax:   402-472-4104
e-mail: csas001@unlvm.unl.edu