Start Date
2-5-2022 11:10 AM
Description
There are many instances of biological control resulting in new, potentially worse invasive species when not thoroughly trialed or researched prior to the release of the controlling organism (Northfield, 2018). For example, research has been done on the biological control of S. tragus by Aceria salsolae, a mite native to Greece. This research has shown that, in isolated laboratory conditions and a series of 36 no-choice tests, A. salsolae does not cause damage to nontarget plants, including 25 California native plant species (Smith, 2006).
While A. salsolae does not damage nontarget plants in no-choice conditions, it remains unclear if A. salsolae may hybridize with California native mites and shift to consume nontarget plants, potentially including California native plant species that were originally intended to be protected by A. salsolae introduction. The focus of this research is to determine if A. salsolae would form a successful hybrid with the native mite Aceria brachytarsa, an endemic species which spans from California to Oregon in the US (Gallformers Contributors, 2021).
Reproductive Compatibility of Mite Species Aceria salsolae with Aceria brachytarsa
There are many instances of biological control resulting in new, potentially worse invasive species when not thoroughly trialed or researched prior to the release of the controlling organism (Northfield, 2018). For example, research has been done on the biological control of S. tragus by Aceria salsolae, a mite native to Greece. This research has shown that, in isolated laboratory conditions and a series of 36 no-choice tests, A. salsolae does not cause damage to nontarget plants, including 25 California native plant species (Smith, 2006).
While A. salsolae does not damage nontarget plants in no-choice conditions, it remains unclear if A. salsolae may hybridize with California native mites and shift to consume nontarget plants, potentially including California native plant species that were originally intended to be protected by A. salsolae introduction. The focus of this research is to determine if A. salsolae would form a successful hybrid with the native mite Aceria brachytarsa, an endemic species which spans from California to Oregon in the US (Gallformers Contributors, 2021).
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Mentor: Demian Willette