Invasive Species In Australia Invasive Species Diseases Fungi

Invasive diseases, fungi and parasites in Australia affect many native plants and animals and agricultural crops.

1.2 Feral animals

Australia is host to 56 invasive vertebrate animal species. Feral animals in Australia are mainly domestic animals that have gone wild or were brought in for recreational use or in the case of the cane toad, were introduced as biological control of another pest. Feral animals causing most public concern and economic and ecological damage include the Cane toad (Bufo marinus), rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), feral camels ( Camelus dromedarius), feral cats ( Felis catus), feral goats (Capra hircus), feral horseThis article discusses ungulate mammals. For other meanings of horse see Horse (disambiguation). The Horse Equus caballus is a large ungulate mammal, one of the seven modern species of the genus Equus''. It has long played an important role in transportats (Equus caballus) and feral donkeyThe donkey ass or African ass Equus asinus is a domesticated animal of the horse family, Equidae. The wild ancestors of the donkey are African. Appearance Donkeys are typical equids, generally smaller than the domestic horse, though mammoth jacks can be as (Equus asinus), feral pigThe domestic pig is usually given the scientific name Sus scrofa though some authors call it S. domesticus reserving S. scrofa for the wild boar. It has been a domesticated animal for approximately 5,000 to 7,000 years. The animal is found across Europe,s (Sus scrofa)and feral water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Feral animals have very few predators in Australia.

See also: Rabbits in AustraliaIn their natural environment and in captivity, rabbits are a benign, even useful species. When introduced by humans into other environments that have not evolved natural defences against them, however, rabbits can cause enormous damage. The best known exa.

1.3 Insects and other invertebrates

Problem insectSubclass Apterygota Symphypleona globular springtails Subclass Archaeognatha (jumping bristletails) Subclass Dicondylia Monura extinct Thysanura (common bristletails) Subclass Pterygota Palaeodictyoptera extinct Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata ( dragonfls include, Red Fire AntThe Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta , or simply fire ant is one of the 266 species of ant in the widespread genus Solenopsis''. Although the Red Imported Fire Ant is native to South America, it is best known in the United States and Australia. (Solenopsis invicta), Yellow Crazy AntThe Yellow Crazy Ant Anoplolepis gracilipes is a species of ant which has been introduced accidentally to northern Australia and Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, becoming a pest in both locations. The native range is not known explicitly, although au (Anoplolepis gracilipes), honeybees (Apis mellifera) and European wasps ( Vespula germanica)

1.4 Introduced marine pests

A number of marine pests have arrived in Australia in the ballast water of cargo ships. Marine pests include the Black-striped mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), the Asian Green mussel and the Northern Pacific seastar .

1.5 Weeds

Weeds invade natural ladscapes, waterways and agricultural land. A list of weeds of National significance was created in 1999, it includes the species in the following table.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Extent in Australia
Alligator Weed	Alternanthera philoxeroides	WA, NT, QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS
Athel Pine	Tamarix aphylla	WA, NT, QLD, NSW, VIC, SA
Bitou bush / Boneseed	Chrysanthemoides monilifera	WA, QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS
Blackberry	Rubus fruticosus agg.	WA, QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT
Bridal Creeper	Asparagus asparagoides	WA, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS
Cabomba	Cabomba caroliniana	NT, QLD, NSW, VIC
Chilean Needle Grass	Nassella neesiana	NSW, VIC, SA, ACT
Gorse	Ulex europaeus	WA, QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT
Hymenachne	Hymenachne amplexicaulis	NT, QLD, SA
Lantana	Lantana camara	WA, NT, QLD, NSW
Mesquite	Prosopis spp.	WA, NT, QLD, NSW, VIC, SA
Mimosa	Mimosa pigra	NT
Parkinsonia	Parkinsonia aculeate	WA, NT, QLD
Parthenium weed	Parthenium hysterophorus	QLD, NSW, VIC
Pond Apple	Annona glabra	NT, QLD, NSW
Prickly Acacia	Acacia nilotica ssp. indica	QLD, NSW
Rubber Vine	Cryptostegia grandiflora	WA, QLD
Salvinia/ Giant salvinia	Salvinia molesta	WA, NT, QLD, NSW, SA
Serrated Tussock	Nassella trichotoma	NSW, VIC, TAS, ACT
Willows	Salix spp. except S. babylonica, S. X calodendron and S. X reichardtiji	NSW, VIC, ACT

Weed management costs the Australian economy AUD$3.5 billion yearly, weeds are also an environmental problem, they are the second greatest threat to biodiversity after land clearing. Almost half of Australia's 220 declared noxious weeds (under legislation) were introduced deliberately, one third of these as garden ornamentals.

2 Management of invasive species

The management of invasive species is carried out by individuals, conservation groups and government agencies.

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service is responsible for ensuring that no new species with the potential to beceome invasive species enter Australia.

There a number of scientific bodies that are involved in research for the control invasive species. The CSIRO has been involved in the release of several successful biological control agents and the development of chemical agents for pest and weed control. For example the CSIRO released myxoma virus and rabbit calicivirus disease for the control of rabbits, the moth Cactoblastis cactorum for the control of prickly pear, and the salvina weevil Cyrtobagous salviniae for the control of aquatic weed Salvinia.

Cooperative Research Centres for weed management and pest animal control, have been established by the federal government. They coordinate research and funding between a number of university and government labs for research into control of invasive species.

3 References

The Cooperative Research Centre for Australian Weed Management [1]
CSIRO maine pest fact sheets [2]
The Department of Environment and Heritage, Invasive Species [3]
Weeds of National Significance [4]
The Cooperative Research Centre for Pest Animal Control [5]
feral.org.au [6]

Australian economy Ecology Conservation in Australia Australian animals Australian plants

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1 Invasive species

1.1 Diseases, fungi and parasites