Article
Entomology
Blair W. Cowie, Fritz Heystek, Iain D. Paterson
Summary: The invasive Neltuma species in South Africa have severe negative impacts on socio-economic and ecological aspects. In order to control these invasions, South Africa has released the leaf-tying moth as a biological control agent. The study finds that the establishment and efficacy of the control agent may be constrained by climate in certain regions of South Africa.
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. A. Mukarugwiro, S. W. Newete, F. Nsanganwimana, M. J. Byrne
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effect of water turbidity on the establishment and performance of Neochetina eichhorniae in Rwanda. Results showed that the weevils may not establish or perform well in water bodies with high levels of turbidity, which in turn enhances the growth of water hyacinth, providing more food for the weevils.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Obianuju Patience Ilo, Mulala Danny Simatele, S'phumelele Lucky Nkomo, Ntandoyenkosi Malusi Mkhize, Nagendra Gopinath Prabhu
Summary: Anaerobic digestion is a feasible fragment of a bioeconomy in South Africa, but hindered by various factors. Besides energy recovery, nonmarket advantages support the technology, providing added value for investments. To commercialize the biogas industry, optimizing operational parameters, understanding microbial interactions, and modelling anaerobic processes are crucial.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Trevor M. Simbayi, Charles Rashama, Ayo A. Awosusi, Rosina Nkuna, Riann Christian, Tonderayi S. Matambo
Summary: The biodegradability of water hyacinth was studied for biogas and biofertilizer production under mesophilic conditions. It was found that water hyacinth has a low biodegradability of 27% when monodigested, while in a 3:1 ratio with cow manure, the biodegradability increases to 46%. The Gompertz kinetic model had superior parameters for the water hyacinth-cow manure combined substrate digestion.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Aquib Jawed, Prasenjit Kar, Rahul Verma, Komal Shukla, P. Hemanth, Vijay Kumar Thakur, Lalit M. Pandey, Raju Kumar Gupta
Summary: Water hyacinth is a noxious weed causing challenges in navigation, irrigation, and aquatic life due to its rapid spread and congested development. Various control methods are being utilized, with integrated controls considered the most cost-effective option. Photocatalysts can efficiently generate reactive oxygen species under visible light, offering a potential alternative to herbicides. The use of floating photocatalysts for controlling aquatic weeds and the proposal of integrated photocatalytic and biological controls for sustainable management of water hyacinth have been highlighted in current research activities.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
F. I. Mathivha, M. Nkosi, M. I. Mutoti
Summary: The study in northeastern South Africa found that both floods and droughts of varying magnitudes have occurred, with decreasing trends in groundwater levels, streamflow, and rainfall. Extreme events were shown to influence groundwater resources in the catchment area based on trend analysis findings.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Scott Hardwick, Craig B. Phillips
Summary: The study introduced a monitoring device with sentinel hosts to track the dispersal and establishment of a biocontrol agent in a new environment. Field tests showed the device was successful in tracking the agent's spread, reducing costs and time-consuming practices associated with traditional biological control programs.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
V. Cliff Moran, Costas Zachariades, John H. Hoffmann
Summary: Biological control of weeds relies on the release of specific plant-damaging agents to control the invasive plant species. A conceptual model has been proposed to categorize the impacts of agents at a plant population level, leading to more rigorous and effective weed control strategies through consultations and verifications with local experts.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2021)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Brian W. van Wilgen, Tsungai A. Zengeya, David M. Richardson
Summary: This study reviews the evidence of invasion impacts in South Africa, including impacts of different species on ecology and society, research methods, and findings. While there has been progress, our understanding of invasion impacts remains fragmentary.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mary Maluleke, Gavin C. G. Fraser, Martin P. Hill
Summary: In South Africa, utilizing biological control instead of chemical control for aquatic weeds has resulted in significant cost savings and shown to be the most cost-effective management option.
BIOCONTROL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tor E. Eriksen, John E. Brittain, Geir Soli, Dean Jacobsen, Peter Goethals, Nikolai Friberg
Summary: This study provides a first global overview of methods used to assess the environmental quality of rivers and streams using macroinvertebrates. By reviewing literature from developing economies, the study found that macroinvertebrates were successful in detecting degradation of environmental quality in rivers. A global common metric is proposed for river assessment, comprising three common river assessment metrics from literature review, emphasizing the urgent need for attention to riverine environmental quality.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Rosali Smith, Julie Angela Coetzee, Martin Patrick Hill
Summary: The submerged aquatic weed Egeria densa is a secondary invader in South Africa, and a leaf and stem-mining fly (Hydrellia egeriae) was released as a biological control agent against it. The thermal physiology of the agent was investigated to optimize its establishment strategies. The agent's thermal physiological limits were within the optimal temperature range of its host plant, and it was capable of establishing in all E. densa sites in South Africa.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kim Canavan, Nwabisa L. Magengelele, Iain D. Paterson, Dean A. Williams, Grant D. Martin
Summary: Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolia) is a problematic invasive plant in South Africa and the USA, and this study found that the South African populations only have one haplotype (haplotype A), likely introduced from western Florida through horticultural trade. This information can guide the selection of biological control agents that perform well on this haplotype in the USA.
Article
Ecology
Yuta Owashi, Toma Minami, Taisei Kikuchi, Akemi Yoshida, Ryohei Nakano, Daisuke Kageyama, Tetsuya Adachi-Hagimori
Summary: This study assessed the microbiome variation in Nesidiocoris tenuis individuals from 14 locations in Japan using amplicon sequencing. Nine major bacteria were identified, with Rickettsia being the most prevalent symbiont. The infection frequency of Rickettsia was correlated with latitude and temperature, while that of Wolbachia and Spiroplasma was correlated with host plants. The study suggests that N. tenuis microbiome is typical for predatory arthropods and vertical transmission is observed for Rickettsia and Wolbachia.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Heather Richardson
Summary: Detecting coronavirus in samples from treatment plants can provide early warning of outbreaks and new variants.