Hostname: page-component-f554764f5-68cz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-22T14:49:15.460Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Injection-based approaches for controlling Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) invasion in conservation efforts of the Patagonian forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 May 2024

M. Florencia Spalazzi Open the ORCID record for M. Florencia Spalazzi [Opens in a new window] ,
Tomás Milani Open the ORCID record for Tomás Milani [Opens in a new window] ,
Cecilia I. Nuñez Open the ORCID record for Cecilia I. Nuñez [Opens in a new window] ,
Martin A. Nuñez Open the ORCID record for Martin A. Nuñez [Opens in a new window]  and
François P. Teste Open the ORCID record for François P. Teste [Opens in a new window]
M. Florencia Spalazzi*
Affiliation:
Graduate Student, Grupo de Estudios Ambientales, Instituto de matemática Aplicada San Luis, Universidad Nacional de San Luis & Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Técnicas y Científicas (CONICET), San Luis, Argentina
Tomás Milani
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Student, Grupo de Estudios Ambientales, Instituto de matemática Aplicada San Luis, Universidad Nacional de San Luis & Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Técnicas y Científicas (CONICET), San Luis, Argentina
Cecilia I. Nuñez
Affiliation:
Técnico Profesional, Dirección Regional Patagonia Norte, Administración de Parques Nacionales, Bariloche, Argentina
Martin A. Nuñez
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA Investigador Principal, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue & Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Técnicas y Científicas (CONICET), Bariloche, Argentina
François P. Teste
Affiliation:
Research Scientist, Swift Current Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Government of Canada, Swift Current, SK, Canada Investigador Correspondiente, Grupo de Estudios Ambientales, Instituto de matemática Aplicada San Luis, Universidad Nacional de San Luis & Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Técnicas y Científicas (CONICET), San Luis, Argentina
*
Corresponding author: M. Florencia Spalazzi; Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Invasion by nonnative woody species poses a major threat to the environment, biodiversity, and economies worldwide. Nahuel Huapi National Park in Argentina is a protected area for habitat conservation that harbors several invasive Pinaceae species, where Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] is one of the most aggressive and abundant conifer tree invaders. Management of invasions in protected areas must include efficient, easy to deploy, and cost-effective techniques, while reducing the impact on native ecosystems. Because the region has no control measures applied other than conventional felling, we analyzed the effectiveness of two systemic herbicides (glyphosate and aminopyralid + triclopyr) at two different concentrations, applied with the drill and fill method. We then quantified defoliation of P. menziesii trees 6, 12, and 24 mo after application and performed an economic cost analysis to determine profitability. For the application, the trees were grouped into diameter at breast height classes and randomly assigned to one of the four treatments. Herbicide doses were adjusted according to tree size. We found that glyphosate at high concentrations completely defoliated 33% of the trees after 6 mo and 87% after 12 and 24 mo. Glyphosate at low concentrations defoliated almost 30% of the trees after 24 mo, most of which were smaller trees. The aminopyralid + triclopyr treatment did not produce significant defoliation at any of the tested concentrations. When compared with conventional felling, the drill and fill method was found to reduce removal costs by 98%. We observe that differences in costs are mainly due to dead trees that remain standing, decompose slowly, and do not generate costs associated with their removal and debris management. Drill and fill is a suitable method for treating scattered trees in a native forest community, with reduced environmental consequences compared with other removal techniques currently applied within conservation areas of the Patagonian forest.

Keywords

Drill and fillglyphosatehigh conservation value areasinvasive speciesmanagement of nonnative speciesPinaceae
Type
Research Article
Information
Invasive Plant Science and Management , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , June 2024 , pp. 104 - 113
Check for updates
Copyright
© Crown Copyright - His Majesty the King in Right of Canada - that is, by the Government of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Weed Science Society of America

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Footnotes

Associate Editor: Stephen F. Enloe, University of Florida

*

Crown Copyright applicable for FPT: His Majesty the King in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for the work of FPT 2024.

References

Akaike, H (1998) Information theory and an extension of the maximum likelihood principle. Pages 199–213 in Parzen, E, Tanabe, K, Kitagawa, G, eds. Selected Papers of Hirotugu Akaike. New York: Springer Google Scholar
Abreu, RCR de, Durigan, G (2011) Changes in the plant community of a Brazilian grassland savannah after 22 years of invasion by Pinus elliottii Engelm. Plant Ecol Divers 4:269–278 Google Scholar
Australian Weed Management (2003) Weed Management Guide—Willow (Salix spp.). Weeds of National Significance. https://www.sgln.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/salix.pdf Google Scholar
Baillie, BR (2016) Herbicide concentrations in waterways following aerial application in a steepland planted forest in New Zealand. NZ J For Sci 46:16 Google Scholar
Blake, R, Pallett, K (2018) The environmental fate and ecotoxicity of glyphosate. Outlooks Pest Manag 29:266–269 Google Scholar
Boast, K (2021) A Cost Comparison of Aerial and Ground-based Approaches for the Control of Alien Invasive Pines in the Western Cape. Ph.D dissertation. Stellenbosch, South Africa: Stellenbosch University. 110 pGoogle Scholar
Borggaard, OK, Gimsing, AL (2008) Fate of glyphosate in soil and the possibility of leaching to ground and surface waters: a review. Pest Manag Sci 64:441–456 Google Scholar
Briden, K, Raal, P, Gous, SF (2014) Improving methods for wilding conifer control in New Zealand. Pages 369–371 in Baker M, ed. Proceedings of the 19th Australasian Weeds Conference—Science, Community and Food Security: The Weed Challenge. Hobart, Tasmania: Tasmanian Weed SocietyGoogle Scholar
Brooks, ME, Kristensen, K, Van Benthem, KJ, Magnusson, A, Berg, CW (2017) glmmTMB balances speed and flexibility among packages for zero-inflated generalized linear mixed modeling. R J 9:378–400 Google Scholar
Brooks, ML, D’Antonio, CM, Richardson, DM, Grace, JB, Keeley, JE, DiTomaso, JM, Hobbs, RJ, Pellant, M, Pyke, D (2004) Effects of invasive alien plants on fire regimes. BioScience 54:677–688 Google Scholar
Burch, PL, Zedaker, SM (2003) Removing the invasive tree Ailanthus altissima and restoring natural cover. J Arboric 29:18–24 Google Scholar
Burnham, KP, Anderson, DR (2002) Model Selection and Multi-Model Inference: A Practical Information-Theoretic Approach. 2nd ed. New York: Springer. 485 pGoogle Scholar
Clifford, VR, Paul, T, Pearce, HG (2013) Quantifying the Change in High Country Fire Hazard from Wilding Trees. Wellington: New Zealand Fire Service Commission. 65 pGoogle Scholar
Collier, RL, Turnblom, EC (2001) Epicormic branching on pruned coastal Douglas-fir. West J Appl For 16:80–86 Google Scholar
Cornish, PS, Burgin, S (2005) Residual effects of glyphosate herbicide in ecological restoration. Restor Ecol 13:695–702 Google Scholar
Culliney, TW (2005) Benefits of classical biological control for managing invasive plants. Crit Rev Plant Sci 24:131–150 Google Scholar
Dampier, JE, Bell, FW, St-Amour, M, Pitt, DG, Luckai, NJ (2006) Cutting versus herbicides: tenth-year volume and release cost-effectiveness of sub-boreal conifer plantations. For Chron 82:521–528 Google Scholar
Diagne, C, Leroy, B, Vaissière, AC, Gozlan, RE, Roiz, D, Járic, I, Salles, JM, Bradshaw, CJA, Courchamp, F (2021) High and rising economic costs of biological invasions worldwide. Nature 592:571–576 Google Scholar
Dickie, IA, Sprague, R, Green, J, Peltzer, DA, Orwin, K, Sapsford, S (2022) Applying ecological research to improve long-term outcomes of wilding conifer management. NZ J Ecol 46:1–16 Google Scholar
DiTomaso, JM, Kyser, GB (2007) Control of Ailanthus altissima using stem herbicide application techniques. Arboric Urban For 33:55 Google Scholar
Duboscq-Carra, VG, Fernandez, RD, Haubrock, PJ, Dimarco, RD, Angulo, E, Ballesteros-Mejia, L, Diagne, C, Courchamp, F, Nuñez, MA (2021) Economic impact of invasive alien species in Argentina: a first national synthesis. NeoBiota 67:329–348 Google Scholar
Duke, SO (2020) Glyphosate: environmental fate and impact. Weed Sci 68:201–207 Google Scholar
Fernandez, RD, Haubrock, PJ, Cuthbert, RN, Heringer, G, Kourantidou, M, Hudgins, EJ, Angulo, E, Diagne, CA, Courchamp, F, Nuñez, MA (2023) Underexplored and growing economic costs of invasive alien trees. Sci. Rep 13:8945 Google Scholar
Fox, J, Weisberg, S (2019) An R Companion to Applied Regression. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 517 pGoogle Scholar
Gioria, M, Hulme, PE, Richardson, DM, Pyšek, P (2023) Why are invasive plants successful? Annu Rev Plant Biol 74:635–670 Google Scholar
Gous, SF, Raal, P, Kimberley, MO, Watt, MS (2015a) Chemical control of isolated invasive conifers using a novel aerial spot application method. Weed Res 55:380–386 Google Scholar
Gous, SF, Raal, P, Watt, MS (2014) Dense wilding conifer control with aerially applied herbicides in New Zealand. NZ J For Sci 44:1–5 Google Scholar
Gous, SF, Raal, P, Watt, MS (2015b) The evaluation of aerially applied triclopyr mixtures for the control of dense infestations of wilding Pinus contorta in New Zealand. NZ J For Sci 45:1–4 Google Scholar
Gous, SF, Richardson, B (2008) Stem injection of insecticides to control herbivorous insects on Eucalyptus nitens . NZ Plant Prot 61:174–178 Google Scholar
Graziano, G, Tomco, P, Seefeldt, S, Mulder, CPH, Redman, Z (2022) Herbicides in unexpected places: non-target impacts from tree root exudation of aminopyralid and triclopyr following basal bark treatments of invasive chokecherry (Prunus padus) in Alaska. Weed Sci 70:706–714 Google Scholar
Hagner, M, Mikola, J, Saloniemi, I, Saikkonen, K, Helander, M (2019) Effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide on soil animal trophic groups and associated ecosystem functioning in a northern agricultural field. Sci Rep 9:8540 Google Scholar
Herrera, JM, García, D (2009) The role of remnant trees in seed dispersal through the matrix: being alone is not always so sad. Biol Conserv 142:149–158 Google Scholar
Hierro, JL, Villarreal, D, Eren, Ö, Graham, JM, Callaway, RM (2006) Disturbance facilitates invasion: the effects are stronger abroad than at home. Am Nat 168:144–156 Google Scholar
Holmes, PM, Richardson, DM, Van Wilgen, BW, Gelderblom, C (2000) Recovery of South African fynbos vegetation following alien woody plant clearing and fire: implications for restoration. Austral Ecol 25:631–639 Google Scholar
Itou, T, Hayama, K, Sakai, A, Tanouchi, H, Okuda, S, Kushima, H, Kajimoto, T (2015) Developing an effective glyphosate application technique to control Bischofia javanica Blume, an invasive alien tree species in the Ogasawara Islands. J For Res 20:248–253 Google Scholar
Jobbágy, EG, Acosta, AM, Nosetto, MD (2013) Rendimiento hídrico en cuencas primarias bajo pastizales y plantaciones de pino de las sierras de Córdoba (Argentina). Ecol Austral 23:87–96 Google Scholar
Kashuba, R, Kiernan, BD, Costello, K (2005) Environmental Fate and Ecological Risk Assessment for the Registration of Aminopyralid. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Registry Number 150114-71-9. 151 pGoogle Scholar
Kettenring, KM, Adams, CR (2011) Lessons learned from invasive plant control experiments: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Appl Ecol 48:970–979 Google Scholar
Kochenderfer, JD, Kochenderfer, JN, Miller, GW (2012) Manual herbicide application methods for managing vegetation in Appalachian hardwood forests. Delaware, OH: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forest Service Rep NRS-96. 67 pGoogle Scholar
Koutché, V (1942) Boletín Forestal Correspondiente Al Año 1941, Estación Forestal de Puerto Anchorena, Isla Victoria: Su Organización Y Trabajos. Ministerio de Agricultura. 57 pGoogle Scholar
Lange, WJ de, Boast, K, Kleynhans, TE (2022) Modelling cost-effective clearing solutions for invasive alien trees: a case study on wilding conifers. J Environ Manag 316:114985 Google Scholar
Ledgard, NJ (2009) Wilding control guidelines for farmers and land managers. NZ Plant Prot 62:380–386 Google Scholar
Le Maitre, DC, Versfeld, DB, Chapman, RA (2000) Impact of invading alien plants on surface water resources in South Africa: a preliminary assessment. Water SA 26:397–408 Google Scholar
Lenth, RV (2023) Estimated Marginal Means, aka Least-Squares Means. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=emmeans. Accessed: April, 2024Google Scholar
Macalister, A (2010) Management Strategy: The Control of Wilding Conifers in Kenepuru Sound. Kenepuru and Central Sounds Residents Association, New ZealandGoogle Scholar
Menvielle, MF, Arata, G, Nuñez, CI, Buono, G, Eglis, I (2020) November 4. Manual de uso de herbicidas en áreas protegidas de la Administración de Parques Nacionales. Administración de Parques Nacionales, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. 65 pGoogle Scholar
Moyano, J, Simberloff, D, Relva, MA, Nuñez, MA (2023) Increasing tree invasion on Isla Victoria: 10 years after the original “gringos en el bosque” study. Biol Invasions 25:3025–3031 Google Scholar
Nuñez, MA, Chiuffo, MC, Torres, A, Paul, T, Dimarco, RD, Raal, P, Pollicelli, N, Moyano, J, García, RA, Van Wilgen, BW, Pauchard, A, Richardson, DM (2017) Ecology and management of invasive Pinaceae around the world: progress and challenges. Biol Invasions 19:3099–3120 Google Scholar
Nuñez, MA, Paritsis, J (2018) How are monospecific stands of invasive trees formed? Spatio-temporal evidence from Douglas-fir invasions. AoB Plants 10:ply041 Google Scholar
Paul, TSH, Ledgard, NJ (2009) Vegetation succession associated with wilding conifer removal. NZ Plant Prot 62:374–379 Google Scholar
Pergl, J, Härtel, H, Pyšek, P, Stejskal, R (2020) Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater—ban of glyphosate use depends on context. NeoBiota 56:27–29 Google Scholar
Raal, PA (2005) Review of Chemical Control Methods Used to Control Wilding Conifers. Internal report. Dunedin, NZ: Department of Conservation, Otago ConservancyGoogle Scholar
R Core Team (2023) R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.R-project.org Google Scholar
Richardson, B, Rolando, C, Hewitt, A, Kimberley, M (2020) Meeting droplet size specifications for aerial herbicide application to control wilding conifers. NZ Plant Prot 73:13–23 Google Scholar
Richardson, DM (1998) Forestry trees as invasive aliens. Conserv Biol 12:18–26 Google Scholar
Richardson, DM, Hui, C, Nuñez, MA, Pauchard, A (2014) Tree invasions: patterns, processes, challenges and opportunities. Biol Invasions 16:473–481 Google Scholar
Richardson, DM, Rejmánek, M (2004) Conifers as invasive aliens: a global survey and predictive framework. Divers Distrib 10:321–331 Google Scholar
Rolando, CA, Gaskin, RE, Horgan, DB, Richardson, B (2020) Effect of dose and adjuvant on uptake of triclopyr and dicamba into Pinus contorta needles. Plant-Environ Interact 1:57–66 Google Scholar
Rolando, CA, Richardson, B, Paul, TSH, Somchit, C (2021) Refining tree size and dose–response functions for control of invasive Pinus contorta . Invasive Plant Sci Manag 14:115–125 Google Scholar
Rolando, CA, Scott, MB, Baillie, BR, Dean, F, Todoroki, CL, Paul, TSH (2023) Persistence of triclopyr, dicamba, and picloram in the environment following aerial spraying for control of dense pine invasion. Invasive Plant Sci Manag 16:177–190 Google Scholar
Saunders, LE, Pezeshki, R (2015) Glyphosate in runoff waters and in the root-zone: a review. Toxics 3:462–480 Google Scholar
[SENASA] Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (2024) Registro nacional de terapéutica vegetal. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/senasa/programas-sanitarios/productosveterinarios-fitosanitarios-y-fertilizantes/registro-nacional-de-terapeutica-vegetal. Accessed: April, 2024Google Scholar
Simberloff, D, Nuñez, MA, Ledgard, NJ, Pauchard, A, Richardson, DM, Sarasola, M, Van Wilgen, BW, Zalba, SM, Zenni, RD, Bustamante, R, Peña, E, Ziller, S (2010) Spread and impact of introduced conifers in South America: lessons from other Southern Hemisphere regions. Austral Ecol 35:489–504 Google Scholar
Simberloff, D, Relva, MA, Nuñez, MA (2002) Gringos en el bosque: introduced tree invasion in a native Nothofagus/Austrocedrus forest. Biol Invasions 4:35–53 Google Scholar
Smithson, M, Verkuilen, J (2006) A better lemon squeezer? Maximum-likelihood regression with beta-distributed dependent variables. Psychol Methods 11:54 Google Scholar
Taylor, KT, Maxwell, BD, McWethy, DB, Pauchard, A, Nuñez, MA, Whitlock, C (2017) Pinus contorta invasions increase wildfire fuel loads and may create positive feedback with fire. Ecology 98:678–687 Google Scholar
Thompson, DG, Pitt, DG, Buscarini, TM, Staznik, B, Thomas, DR (2000) Comparative fate of glyphosate and triclopyr herbicides in the forest floor and mineral soil of an Acadian forest regeneration site. Can J For Res 30:1808–1816 Google Scholar
Tomco, PL, Duddleston, KN, Schultz, EJ, Hagedorn, B, Stevenson, TJ, Seefeldt, SS (2016) Field degradation of aminopyralid and clopyralid and microbial community response to application in Alaskan soils. Environ Toxicol Chem 35:485–493 Google Scholar
Tu, M, Hurd, C, Randall, JM (2001) Weed Control Methods Handbook: Tools and Techniques for Use in Natural Areas. Davis: Nature Conservancy/University of California, Davis. 219 pGoogle Scholar
[USDOI] U.S. Department of Interior (2015) Aminopyralid Ecological Risk Assessment: Final Report. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of Land Management. 144 pGoogle Scholar
Velarde, SJ, Paul, TSH, Monge, J, Yao, RT (2017) Cost Benefit Analysis of Wilding Conifer Management in New Zealand. Part I—Important Impacts Under Current Management. Rotorua, New Zealand: SCION New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited. Rep S0013. 41 pGoogle Scholar
Wagner, V, Antunes, PM, Irvine, M, Nelson, CR (2017) Herbicide usage for invasive non-native plant management in wildland areas of North America. J Appl Ecol 54:198–204 Google Scholar
Weidlich, EW, Flórido, FG, Sorrini, TB, Brancalion, PHS (2020) Controlling invasive plant species in ecological restoration: a global review. J Appl Ecol 57:1806–1817 Google Scholar
Wickham, H (2016) ggplot2: Elegant Graphics for Data Analysis. 2nd ed. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. 260 pGoogle Scholar
Zuur, AF, Hilbe, JM, Ieno, EN (2013) A Beginner’s Guide to GLM and GLMM with R: A Frequentist and Bayesian Perspective for Ecologists. Newburgh, UK: Highland Statistics. 270 pGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Spalazzi et al. supplementary material 1

Spalazzi et al. supplementary material
Download Spalazzi et al. supplementary material 1(File)
File 38.6 KB
Supplementary material: File

Spalazzi et al. supplementary material 2

Spalazzi et al. supplementary material
Download Spalazzi et al. supplementary material 2(File)
File 42.3 KB