Invasive alien plants have serious economic and ecological impacts, for example, by displacing native plants and invertebrates, and their management is often costly and ineffective in the long term. Classical biological control (biocontrol) is advocated as an alternative to conventional invasive species management that has the potential for long term, self-perpetuating and effective control, especially in more sensitive environments such as protected areas or riparian habitats.
The North American waterweeds Elodea canadensis (Canadian pondweed) and Elodea nuttallii (Nuttall’s waterweed) are both problematic invasive non-native species in the UK. A Natural England stakeholder workshop in 2022, which aimed to prioritise species for biological control, identified E. canadensis and E. nuttallii as potential candidates.
This report provides information for these two species in the context of:
- Prepare feasibility study into the potential for biological control of Elodea canadensis and Elodea nuttallii;
- Undertake initial natural enemy surveys in the UK and identify collected specimens; and
- Assess suitability of MALDI-TOF technique for rapid identification of/distinction between both Elodea species and other selected aquatic plant species.