A group of Hawaii researchers examining control strategies for the invasive plant miconia (Miconia calvescens) have won an Outstanding Paper Award from the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA). Dr. James Leary, Assistant Specialist for Invasive Plant Management Science at the University of Hawaii’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM), co-authored the paper with additional partners from the University’s NREM program, the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU), Texas A&M University, and the National Park Service. The team’s work examines the efficacy of using an accelerated intervention schedule with herbicide ballistic technology for controlling patches of miconia. Their award-winning paper, featured in the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management, demonstrates that an accelerated intervention schedule for miconia patches can outpace the species’ recruitment ability, effectively controlling a given patch.
From the Weed Science Society of America:
This week the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) presented awards to more than two dozen individuals for their outstanding contributions to the field of weed science. The awards were presented during the organization’s annual meeting, held this year in Lexington, Kentucky.
“We were delighted to honor scientists who are spearheading innovations and advancing the weed science profession through their research, teaching, publishing and outreach,” said Joe DiTomaso, Ph.D., president of WSSA.
The team’s research on miconia control strategies was funded in part by the Hawaii Invasive Species Council.
The full text of the group’s article is available from BioOne: