Major
Biology
Anticipated Graduation Year
2023
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
The herbicide fluridone has been used to treat Elodea canadensis, an invasive aquatic
macrophyte on the Copper River Delta of southcentral Alaska. It is not known, however, whether the herbicide directly or indirectly impacts aquatic insects, a major food resource for young salmon. Two ponds, herbicide-treated and an untreated control, were sampled monthly during the summer of 2021 to assess the effects of the fluridone treatment on native and invasive vegetation and aquatic insect communities. More than 15,000 insects were collected representing 8 orders and 18 families.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Dr. Martin B. Berg, Professor, Department of Biology
Supported By
U.S. Forest Service; Chugach National Forest, Cordova Ranger District, AK; Alaska Sea Grant
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Herbicide treatment of invasive Elodea canadensis in Alaska: impacts on macrophyte-associated aquatic insects
The herbicide fluridone has been used to treat Elodea canadensis, an invasive aquatic
macrophyte on the Copper River Delta of southcentral Alaska. It is not known, however, whether the herbicide directly or indirectly impacts aquatic insects, a major food resource for young salmon. Two ponds, herbicide-treated and an untreated control, were sampled monthly during the summer of 2021 to assess the effects of the fluridone treatment on native and invasive vegetation and aquatic insect communities. More than 15,000 insects were collected representing 8 orders and 18 families.