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<p>Waterhyacinth (<i>Pontederia crassipes</i>) is a prolific invader globally, incurring millions of dollars in control and removal costs. Current management tactics utilize chemical, physical, and biological control methods depending on the region. Growing concern over the impacts of synthetic herbicides on native freshwater vertebrate communities has prompted a reexamination of their use in the U.S. and elsewhere. We examined the impacts of biological control, chemical control, and integrated biological–chemical control management approaches on native fish survival. We constructed large, outdoor, mesocosms stocked with waterhyacinth, native aquatic plants associated with the limnetic and littoral communities, and small, native fish (Eastern mosquitofish, <i>Gambusia holbrooki</i>). We sampled the mesocosms quarterly for 3&#xa0;years and detected significant differences among management approaches. Mosquitofish populations grew the most in our control mesocosm with no waterhyacinth. Integrated management treatments (chemical and biological combined) and chemical management each had slightly fewer fish, followed by biological control. All three of the management treatments showed significantly greater fish populations than unmanaged waterhyacinth, whereas populations in treated mesocosms (although different from each other) all approached population levels similar to waterhyacinth-free mesocosms. As a practical conclusion, we suggest active, integrated management for waterhyacinth and targeted application of herbicides as needed to reduce non-target impacts while effectively protecting the animal community from the negative effects of waterhyacinth invasion.</p>

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Effects of chemical, biological, and integrated management of waterhyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) on small fish

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月23日

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  • Sara Schutt,
  • Ashley B. C. Goode,
  • Melissa C. Smith,
  • Lyn A. Gettys,
  • J. Matthew Hoch

摘要

Waterhyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) is a prolific invader globally, incurring millions of dollars in control and removal costs. Current management tactics utilize chemical, physical, and biological control methods depending on the region. Growing concern over the impacts of synthetic herbicides on native freshwater vertebrate communities has prompted a reexamination of their use in the U.S. and elsewhere. We examined the impacts of biological control, chemical control, and integrated biological–chemical control management approaches on native fish survival. We constructed large, outdoor, mesocosms stocked with waterhyacinth, native aquatic plants associated with the limnetic and littoral communities, and small, native fish (Eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki). We sampled the mesocosms quarterly for 3 years and detected significant differences among management approaches. Mosquitofish populations grew the most in our control mesocosm with no waterhyacinth. Integrated management treatments (chemical and biological combined) and chemical management each had slightly fewer fish, followed by biological control. All three of the management treatments showed significantly greater fish populations than unmanaged waterhyacinth, whereas populations in treated mesocosms (although different from each other) all approached population levels similar to waterhyacinth-free mesocosms. As a practical conclusion, we suggest active, integrated management for waterhyacinth and targeted application of herbicides as needed to reduce non-target impacts while effectively protecting the animal community from the negative effects of waterhyacinth invasion.