Expertise and a renewed commitment to sustainable invasive pest and weed management has been shared at ‘Biodiversity Days’ hosted by Dr Marcos Alvarez, Executive Director of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Pest Management Centre, and in his function of Canada’s Liaison Officer to CABI.
The event was held in part to celebrate 75 years of scientific partnership between CABI and Canada for classical biological control.
Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann, CABI’s Executive Director, Global Operations, attended the event organised by AAFC where he spoke about combined efforts using biodiversity to preserve Canada’s rich biodiversity.
The two-day Biodiversity Days event in Ottawa covered an ambitious agenda that included a wide spectrum of topics – from policy to fundamental and applied research and different perspectives on preserving and preventing biodiversity loss.
Joint research into biological control solutions
Dr Kuhlmann spoke about the partnership between CABI and the AAFC – which has included joint research into biological control solutions to fight a range of invasive pests and weeds in Canada, a Member Country of CABI, such as phragmites and the Lily Leaf Beetle.
He also took part in a collaborative session on Invasive and Alien Species and Insect Systematics with Dr Peter Mason who once served as the Departmental Expert Scientist and provided support to Canada’s Liaison Officer for CABI for over a decade. Dr Tara Gariepy, the current Scientific Support Officer to Canada’s Liaison Officer to CABI also participated.
Andrew Goldstein, Associate Deputy Minister at AAFC, said, “By embracing sustainable agricultural practices, we can not only help slow the decline of biodiversity but also actively create synergies to address climate change mitigation and adaptation, restore land, and improve food security and nutrition.
“Many invasive species from Europe and Asia have found their way to Canada, often causing significant harm because their natural predators are absent in their new environment.
“To combat these pests, we have turned to biological control research, a field in which CABI excels. Through our partnership, we have explored innovative solutions that involve introducing natural enemies of these non-native pests, carefully ensuring that these actions do not create adverse ecological effects.”
Canadian students who have gained unique experiences
Dr Benoit Girard, Director General, Coastal Region at AAFC, added to Mr Goldstein’s remarks by stating that at the heart of the partnership with CABI are the talented undergraduate and graduate students who have gained unique experiences through placements at CABI’s Centre in Switzerland.
“Since 1995, over 124 Canadian students have worked on impactful projects alongside top scientists, which has also strengthened the ties to 25 of Canada’s top universities. Several students have gone on to become research scientists with AAFC, demonstrating the lasting impact of this collaboration,” he said.
Dr Girard further added that AAFC plays a critical role in advancing Canada’s objectives in other global biodiversity fora and platforms such as the Convention on Biological Diversity; the FAO Commission on Genetic Resource for Food and Agriculture; the FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture; and the international network Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Unlock innovative solutions to feed a growing global population
Dr Girard said, “Access to international agricultural research and databases expands our scientific capabilities, enabling us to tap into knowledge and resources that can drive further advancements in our sector. A key example is CABI’s BioProtection Portal as an online open access tool to find biocontrol and biopesticides solutions.”
He said that agricultural research and biodiversity are the twin pillars that can secure our future for generations to come. “By studying and preserving the rich variety of life that sustains our ecosystems, we unlock innovative solutions to feed a growing global population, while safeguarding the delicate balance of nature,” he added.
Dr Kuhlmann said, “Many invasive species in Canada originate in Europe. Therefore, it is necessary that research activities in support of the control of these species are conducted in the countries of origin where potential natural enemies for their control exist.
“Given the relatively high cost of attempting to conduct this work ‘in house’ through research missions or establishment of a research facility presence in Europe, Canada and CABI started their scientific partnership to build capacity for sustainable biological control solutions.
“This involves introducing a host-specific natural enemy of the non-native pest or weed to invaded areas in Canada without causing any other adverse effects to the ecosystem.”
Successful biological control of invasive pests and weeds in Canada
An example of successful biological control in Canada is the release of the parasitic wasp Tetrastichus setifer which provided excellent control of the Lily Leaf Beetle, imposing parasitism rates of up to 87.5 percent.
One recent success story for weed biological control is the release of two moth species against common reed, Phragmites. The collaboration of AAFC, University of Toronto and CABI has seen over 30,000 individual biocontrol agents released in Ontario alone. Results are very promising with survival of populations and damage at the release points observed at over 90% of the sites.
In October, CABI attended the Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada and the Entomological Society of Quebec where Dr Tim Haye, CABI’s Head of Arthropod Biological Control, further highlighted CABI’s work with Canada.
Dr Haye gave the plenary talk of the symposium ‘Biological Control Programmes in Canada’, organized by Meghan Vankosky and Véronique Martel. He then, as a co-author, took part in the official launch of CABI’s new book ‘Biological Control Programmes in Canada, 2013 -2023’, edited by the symposium’s organizers.
Additional information
Main image: from left to right: Associate Assistant Deputy Minister Andrew Goldstein, Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann, Marco Alvarez, Executive Director, Pest Management Centre and the CABI Liaison Officer, and Dr Peter Mason.
Relevant stories
‘CABI’s work on weed biological control is highlighted in the annual progress report.’
‘First mite to lead biological fight against Russian olive approved for use in Canada.’
Project pages
Learn more about CABI’s work in partnership to release the first biological control agent Aceria angustifoliae against Russian olive from the project page ‘Stemming the spread of Russian olive.’
Meanwhile, CABI is exploring the possibility of using specially selected and tested insects from the native range to safely control garlic mustard. See the project page ‘Biological control of garlic mustard.’
See also CABI’s work to find a biological control for the brown marmorated stink bug pest which has become a harmful invasive pest of many fruit and vegetable crops in North America and Europe. See the project page here.
Relevant book
See also the CABI-published book ‘Biological Control Programmes in Canada, 2013-2023,’ edited by Meghan A. Vankosky, and Veronique Martel available from the CABI Digital Library here.
Related News & Blogs
Pakistan’s new biopesticide regulation highlighted at Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting
29 October 2024
