The efficacy of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella （Cyprinidae） and weevils Neochetina spp. （Curculionidae） to control the aquatic weed, water hyacinth, is investigated in a square net cage （happas） setting at a...The efficacy of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella （Cyprinidae） and weevils Neochetina spp. （Curculionidae） to control the aquatic weed, water hyacinth, is investigated in a square net cage （happas） setting at a farm in Cuddalore District, South India. This novel combination of insects and fish is found to be superior to individual treatments for controlling the weed growth within ll0 d. The biomass of the weed, number of plants, percentage of flowered plants and chlorophyll contents were studied. The weed biomass is reduced from 5 kg （day 1） to 0.33 kg （day 110） when exposed to grass carp and weevils. The number of plants is reduced to 0.75 in grass carp and weevil exposed happas, while it is 741.5 in the control. The mean number of leaves per plant is also reduced. In addition, the chlorophyll a and b are significantly reduced in happas exposed to the combination of fish and insects when compared to the other treatments. Based on the results of this study, we consider the combined use of grass carp and weevils to be more efficient and sustainable for managing water hyacinths than the use of these organisms individually.展开更多
The paper presents data collected in an assessment of the effects of water hyacinth （Eichhornia crassipes） infestation on phytoplankton productivity in Lake Naivasha. A summary of the status of control and strategie...The paper presents data collected in an assessment of the effects of water hyacinth （Eichhornia crassipes） infestation on phytoplankton productivity in Lake Naivasha. A summary of the status of control and strategies used is given. The ecological effects of water hyacinth on the lake have received little attention compared to the large body of work available on the weed＇s socioeconomic impact. This study was conducted to determine the effect of hyacinth infestation on the phytoplankton productivity. Several sampling stations were set up in the lake at sites containing floating mats of the weed and at sites where the weed was absent. Phytoplankton chlorophyll-a concentration and dissolved oxygen were measured at each station and used as proxies for phytoplankton productivity. The findings show that phytoplankton productivity in weed covered areas is reduced with significant change in species composition and biodiversity suggesting that water hyacinth can alter the ecology of the lake. Although water hyacinth has continued posing serious ecological consequences, the control strategies already adopted will continue to reduce deleterious impacts and allow sustained development in the Lake Naivasha Basin. There is need however to undertake research to quantify the level of ecological damage and the costs of control. There are other effects such as livelihood loss, diseases, and disruption of normal operations that also need to be quantified.展开更多
基金Supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Research Fellowship for International Young Researchers to M.Rajkumar hosted by J.SUNthe Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nos.KZCX2-YW-QN-205,KZCX2-YW-213-2) to J.SUN
文摘The efficacy of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella （Cyprinidae） and weevils Neochetina spp. （Curculionidae） to control the aquatic weed, water hyacinth, is investigated in a square net cage （happas） setting at a farm in Cuddalore District, South India. This novel combination of insects and fish is found to be superior to individual treatments for controlling the weed growth within ll0 d. The biomass of the weed, number of plants, percentage of flowered plants and chlorophyll contents were studied. The weed biomass is reduced from 5 kg （day 1） to 0.33 kg （day 110） when exposed to grass carp and weevils. The number of plants is reduced to 0.75 in grass carp and weevil exposed happas, while it is 741.5 in the control. The mean number of leaves per plant is also reduced. In addition, the chlorophyll a and b are significantly reduced in happas exposed to the combination of fish and insects when compared to the other treatments. Based on the results of this study, we consider the combined use of grass carp and weevils to be more efficient and sustainable for managing water hyacinths than the use of these organisms individually.
文摘The paper presents data collected in an assessment of the effects of water hyacinth （Eichhornia crassipes） infestation on phytoplankton productivity in Lake Naivasha. A summary of the status of control and strategies used is given. The ecological effects of water hyacinth on the lake have received little attention compared to the large body of work available on the weed＇s socioeconomic impact. This study was conducted to determine the effect of hyacinth infestation on the phytoplankton productivity. Several sampling stations were set up in the lake at sites containing floating mats of the weed and at sites where the weed was absent. Phytoplankton chlorophyll-a concentration and dissolved oxygen were measured at each station and used as proxies for phytoplankton productivity. The findings show that phytoplankton productivity in weed covered areas is reduced with significant change in species composition and biodiversity suggesting that water hyacinth can alter the ecology of the lake. Although water hyacinth has continued posing serious ecological consequences, the control strategies already adopted will continue to reduce deleterious impacts and allow sustained development in the Lake Naivasha Basin. There is need however to undertake research to quantify the level of ecological damage and the costs of control. There are other effects such as livelihood loss, diseases, and disruption of normal operations that also need to be quantified.
