Abstract
The flea beetle, Aphthona nigriscutis Foudras, is a potentially useful agent for biological control of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.) in grasslands devoted to wildlife conservation. However, effects of other grassland management practices on the persistence and dynamics of flea beetle populations are not well understood. We conducted small plot tests to evaluate 1) the effect of prerelease burning on establishment of A. nigriscutis colonies, and 2) the ability of established A. nigriscutis colonies to survive prescribed fire. More colonies established on plots that were burned prior to beetle release (83% establishment) than on unburned plots (37% establishment), possibly due to litter reduction and baring of the soil surface. However, most colonies established with the aid of fire did not survive past the first generation unless the habitat was otherwise suitable for the species, and we conclude that the primary benefit of prerelease burning is increased recruitment of A. nigriscutis during the first few generations. Established colonies were not harmed by burns in October and May. Both spring and fall burns resulted in an increase in leafy spurge stem density during the first growing season, but stem density declined to the preburn level by the second growing season.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Prerelease burning raised flea beetle colony establishment from 37% to 83%.
- Taxon
- leafy spurge
Euphorbia esulat0 - Treatment
- burned prior to beetle releasee0
- Interactor
- beetlee0biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- colonies establishede0
- Direction
- Moree0
- Value
- 83% establishmente0
- Qualifier
- 37% establishmente0
- Comparator
- unburned plotse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“More colonies established on plots that were burned prior to beetle release (83% establishment) than on unburned plots (37% establishment)”
t0“Leafy Spurge”
Claim · model-written summary
Most fire aided beetle colonies did not persist beyond the first generation unless habitat was suitable.
- Taxon
- leafy spurgeEuphorbia esulat0
- Outcome
- colonies established with the aid of fire did not survive past the first generatione0
- Qualifier
- unless the habitat was otherwise suitable for the speciese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“most colonies established with the aid of fire did not survive past the first generation unless the habitat was otherwise suitable for the species”
t0“Leafy Spurge”
Claim · model-written summary
Established beetle colonies were unharmed by October and May burns.
- Taxon
- leafy spurgeEuphorbia esulat0
- Treatment
- burns in October and Maye0
- Outcome
- Established coloniese0
- Direction
- not harmede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Established colonies were not harmed by burns in October and May”
t0“Leafy Spurge”
Claim · model-written summary
Spring and fall burns increased leafy spurge stem density during the first growing season.
- Taxon
- leafy spurgeEuphorbia esulae0
- Treatment
- spring and fall burnse0
- Outcome
- leafy spurge stem densitye0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Qualifier
- during the first growing seasone0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Both spring and fall burns resulted in an increase in leafy spurge stem density during the first growing season”
Claim · model-written summary
Stem density returned to its preburn level by the second growing season.
- Taxon
- leafy spurgeEuphorbia esulat0
- Outcome
- stem densitye0
- Direction
- declinede0
- Qualifier
- by the second growing seasone0
- Comparator
- preburn levele0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“stem density declined to the preburn level by the second growing season”
t0“Leafy Spurge”
The same questions in other papers
fire · organism · Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- negative
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.