[APWG] North America exports pests, too!

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

At a recent meeting on invasives, several people were discussing whether or
not North American species have invaded elsewhere.  I'm sure many of you
are aware of other instances, but I wanted to forward two nuggets of
information about this situation:

I.  I believe that Dr. Richard Mack, at Washington State University, was
planning to write a book looking specifically at species imported from
North America to China.  I'm not sure where this book stands right now, but
I found the following excerpt from a listserve that discusses the situation
a bit...

INVASIVE SPECIES: Expanding Trade With China Creates Ecological Backlash
http://www.undp.org.vn/mlist/envirovlc/112004/post7.htm
The article is so long, I'm just providing the link!


II.  Here is a recent article that just came to my Inbox on a bug that's
going wild in Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2005/s1437814.htm

Australia:
Scientists identify pine forest pest
Monday, 15/08/2005
Scientists have finally identified a small insect that has been sucking the
life out of the nation's pine forests.
The sap sucking Essigella californica aphid has been defoliating up to 30
per cent of the forest canopy, costing the industry about $20 million a
year in lost production.
Barrie May, a scientist from CSIRO joint venture company ENSIS, says a lot
of time was spent in cherry pickers at the tops of trees to pinpoint the
cause.
"Based on these results we're pretty confident in saying that aphids are
responsible for most of the defoliation of radiata pine that we've seen
over the last five years," he said.


-Patricia

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>