Tamarix biological control in North America [Chapter 28]
Plant Community Response to Control of a Dominant Invader at Multiple Scales
New locality for the tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) biological agent Diorhabda spp. in southeastern Arizona
Biocontrol & Threatened and Endangered Species Amanda Stahlke1*
Applying Satellite-based Habitat Models to Inform Riparian Habitat Restoration and Management Actions for Two Listed Riparian Species, the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and the Yellow-billed Cuckoo
James Hatten1, Jennifer Holmes2, and Matthew Johnson3*
An Integrated Pest Management Plan for the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. This plan outlines the biological degradation of native riparian forest habitat along the Lower Colorado River and the invasive species management actions needed to protect and restore riparian forests and marshlands of the Bill Williams River.
DeRango, B., 2023. Integrated Pest Management Plan Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge.
A look into the use of invasive Tamarix (saltcedar, tamarisk) as habitat for birds in the southwestern United States and its implications for Tamarix control. While Tamarix habitat supports fewer birds than native habitat, data from Arizona Breeding Bird Atlas and Birds of North America demonstrate that 49 bird species use Tamarix as breeding habitat. The use and quality of Tamarix as bird habitat varies depending on geographic location and species and few studies have quantified the effects of Tamarix habitat on bird survivorship and productivity.
From the abstract:
An understanding of trait-environment relationships is particularly important in the case of invasive species which may alter abiotic conditions and available resources. This study is the first to measure the functional response of riparian plant communities to biocontrol of an invasive species.
Each year, with the help of numerous partners across thirteen states and Mexico, RiversEdge West produces an annual distribution map that notes the presence and absence of Diorhabda spp. from sampling sites across the west. The links below contain all archived tamarisk beetle maps spanning over a decade.
This study employs functional diversity metrics and guilds—suites of species with similar traits—to assess the influence of an invasive tree (Tamarix spp.) on riparian plant communities in the southwestern United States. Nine distinct guilds were identified with a gradient of functional diversity related to both tamarisk cover and environmental conditions. The identified guilds can be correlated to specific site conditions and can be used to anticipate plant community response to restoration efforts and in selecting appropriate species for revegetation.