USDA. FS. Northern Research Station.

The Northern Research Station delivers science solutions for a sustainable future, pursues collaborative research-based solutions for complex challenges, and informs land management decisions. These research highlights are just a small part of the excellent work done by the Station's researchers this year.

DOI. Fish and Wildlife Service.

On August 9, 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hosted a virtual forum on invasive carp harvest and product use. This virtual event was convened in response to direction provided by Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022. Bighead, silver, black and grass carp – collectively referred to as ‘invasive carp’ – have been spreading in waterways across the United States and causing environmental damage since their introduction in the 1970s for use in aquaculture facilities and retention ponds. Provides access to the full recording of the forum, as well as the presentation slides.

ZooKeeper.

The 2024 Winter Lionfish Throw Down (October 14 - December 31, 2024) is a Lionfish hunting tournament held throughout the State of Florida waters. Our goal is to encourage the culling of Lionfish through the winter months to mitigate the damage done by Lionfish all year long. After the FWC’s Summer Challenge the focus on culling Lionfish declines and our goal is to keep up the hunting momentum throughout the whole year.  The Throw Down will mirror many of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Lionfish Challenge rules and is being done with their full support. 

USDA. FS. Northern Research Station.

Recreational boats are important vectors of spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) among waterbodies of the United States. To limit AIS spread, state and county agencies fund watercraft inspection and decontamination stations at lake access points. Researchers present a model for determining how a state planner can efficiently allocate inspection resources to county managers, who independently decide where to locate inspection stations.

DOI. FWS. Pacific Region; Zenodo.

The purpose of this nonregulatory decision support framework for conservation introductions is to foster transparent, inclusive, and defensible decision-making by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) when considering conservation introduction as a strategy. This framework was developed by and for the USFWS in the Pacific Region based on input from a wide range of federal, state, territorial, Tribal, Indigenous, and non-governmental representatives in the Pacific Islands and Pacific Northwest. Risk assessment is a central component of the framework, where uncertainty in predicted outcomes of the proposed management strategies is explicitly considered.

USDA. FS. Northern Research Station. Rooted in Research.

A New Tool for Helping Managers Make Decisions about Inspections -- to help inform decision making, researchers developed AIS Explorer: Prioritization for Watercraft Inspections, a web-based decision-making support tool for optimizing watercraft inspection efficiency. The online dashboard incorporates data about which lakes are infested and how boats move among lakes in Minnesota (gathered from surveys at watercraft inspection stations), and it updates automatically as new entries are added to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Infested Water List.

This decision support tool can help counties position their limited inspection resources strategically to protect the greatest number of waterbodies and safeguard the state’s ecological and economic assets.

UN. Food and Agriculture Organization.

In the Mexican state of Colima, a recent outbreak of the Mediterranean fruit fly, also known as medfly, was very bad news. This voracious pest was eradicated in Mexico in the 1980s with the help of FAO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), but insects know no borders. And unfortunately, with climate change, increase of trade and global travel favouring the spread of pests, they have once more found their way into this horticulturally important state, threatening to wreak havoc on the industry and on the livelihoods of farmers. Thankfully, Mexico, FAO and the IAEA had prepared for just a scenario.

DOI. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Financial resources available for quick containment or eradication of newly detected species. Recognizing the importance of timely action, the Department of the Interior is working with partners to identify, enhance, and collaborate on Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) activities, including the establishment of a Rapid Response Fund for aquatic invasive species.

USDA. ARS. Tellus.

Lady beetles are one of the most effective, natural ways to control crop-damaging pests such as aphids. A single lady beetle can devour hundreds of aphids in its lifetime, thereby curbing the need for pesticides. Unfortunately, some lady beetles native to the U.S. and Canada are dwindling in numbers. ARS scientists are studying their declining populations.

USDA. ARS. Tellus.

ARS scientists at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in Orient Point, NY, have made two important advancements against African swine fever virus, which causes a lethal disease in pigs.

United States Department of the Interior.

After being disbanded in 2019, newly appointed members of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) gathered this week to discuss strategies to prevent, eradicate and control invasive species, which impose substantial costs on society and cause damages that impact the global economy, including an estimated $120 billion in environmental damages and losses annually in the United States.

USDA. ARS. Tellus.

Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) announced that a vaccine candidate for African Swine Fever (ASF) passed an important safety test required for regulatory approval, moving the vaccine one step closer to commercial availability.

USDA. Blog.

Humans adores trees. But humans also migrate and trade, habits that led to the accidental introduction of insects and diseases that harm trees and alter the landscape. Examples are easy to find and may be outside your front door: American elms that once dotted streets across America succumbed to Dutch elm disease. Now all colors of ash species – black, green, white, pumpkin, and blue – are threatened by emerald ash borer. The already uncommon butternut tree, also known as white walnut, faces the possibility of extinction from a mysterious attacker. Many invasive insects and fungi come from regions where native trees have evolved to resist their attacks. When these species enter the United States, they find trees that lack this resistance. There's no immediate end to this dismal pipeline, but there is hope on the horizon.

USDA. Agricultural Research Service.

USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is rolling out Tellus, its new online communications platform, replacing its legacy AgResearch online magazine. ARS is committed to sharing the stories of its scientists and their successes and looks forward to informing and entertaining viewers about the many ways ARS’ revolutionary research impacts the growing world.

USDA. Agricultural Research Service.

Along the Rio Grande in Texas, tiny insects are taking a big bite out of an invasive weed that competes for limited water resources vital to agriculture and native vegetation. Several years ago, ARS scientists released two insect species as part of a biocontrol program to kill giant reed (Arundo donax).

United States Department of Agriculture.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today applauded research and protection efforts underway at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever virus, which has been causing devastating losses to the swine industry across the globe. "USDA agencies are working together to protect U.S. livestock from foreign and emerging animal diseases that could harm our economy and public health," said Secretary Vilsack. "I am proud of the extraordinary research underway at the Agricultural Research Service to develop vaccine candidates to prevent African Swine Fever virus. In addition, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has done tremendous work to establish protection zones to safeguard the entire U.S. swine industry."

African Swine Fever (ASF) was originally detected in 2007 in the Republic of Georgia and is known to cause virulent, deadly disease outbreaks in wild and domesticated swine. Since the original outbreak, ASF has had a widespread and lethal impact on swine herds in various countries in Eastern and Central Europe and throughout Asia. Although the virus is causing profound economic losses to the swine industry, there have not been any U.S. outbreaks.

University of Minnesota. Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center.

It has been a wild year with lots of challenges, but MAISRC is still here and working as hard as ever to develop research-based solutions to reduce the impacts of aquatic invasive species in Minnesota. MAISRC hopes the research highlights included in the report will surprise, inspire, and give you hope.

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Recent approval of the Alabama Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan opens avenues of federal funding for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division and Marine Resources Division to deal with aquatic invasive species in Alabama’s abundant waterways. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey submitted the aquatic invasive species plan to the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force, an entity of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the recent approval means Alabama will be eligible for up to $100,000 annually to combat aquatic invasive species. Visit www.outdooralabama.com/research/aquatic-nuisance-species-management-plan for more information on the Alabama Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan.

University of Alaska - Anchorage. Alaska Center for Conservation Science.

The Alaska Aquatic Invasive Species Clearinghouse (AK Aqua) is a database and mapping application that provides temporal and geospatial information for invasive aquatic species in Alaska. Taxa profiles and associated planning documents are provided for many of the species listed in AK Aqua. These data are primarily intended to support the identification of problem species, thus promoting early detection and rapid response across Alaska. Data are also used in a variety of research and modeling activities.

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Division of Environmental Health. State Veterinarian.

In 2019, the Alaska Office of the State Veterinarian, in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the University of Alaska, began the Alaska Submit-A-Tick Program. Through this program, individuals who find ticks on themselves, their family members, pets, or wildlife (e.g. hunted or trapped animals) can submit ticks for species identification and pathogen testing. Researchers are asking Alaskans to submit ticks to help determine which tick species are currently in the state. Tick submissions will also help us learn more about how ticks are being imported into Alaska so that we can create effective strategies to limit their introduction. Ticks can transmit bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can cause diseases in humans and wildlife. Pathogen testing allows us to assess tickborne disease risk in the state.