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Evaluating Alternative Weed Management Strategies for Three Montana Landscapes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Leonardo Frid ,
David Hanna ,
Nathan Korb ,
Brad Bauer ,
Katherine Bryan ,
Brian Martin  and
Brett Holzer
Leonardo Frid*
Affiliation:
Apex Resource Management Solutions Ltd., Bowen Island, BC, Canada V0N 1G1
David Hanna
Affiliation:
The Nature Conservancy of Montana, Helena, MT 59601
Nathan Korb
Affiliation:
The Nature Conservancy of Montana, Helena, MT 59601
Brad Bauer
Affiliation:
The Nature Conservancy of Montana, Helena, MT 59601
Katherine Bryan
Affiliation:
ESSA Technologies, Vancouver, BC Canada V6H 2H4
Brian Martin
Affiliation:
The Nature Conservancy of Montana, Helena, MT 59601
Brett Holzer
Affiliation:
Bozeman, MT 59718
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: leonardo.frid@apexrms.com
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Abstract

Determining the best strategy for allocating weed management resources across and between landscapes is challenging because of the uncertainties and large temporal and spatial scales involved. Ecological models of invasive plant spread and control provide a practical tool with which to evaluate alternative management strategies at landscape scales. We developed a spatially explicit model for the spread and control of spotted knapweed and leafy spurge across three Montana landscapes. The objective of the model was to determine the ecological and economic costs and benefits of alternative strategies across landscapes of varying size and stages of infestation. Our results indicate that (1) in the absence of management the area infested will continue to increase exponentially leading to a substantial cost in foregone grazing revenues; (2) even though the costs of management actions are substantial, there is a net economic benefit associated with a broad range of management strategies; (3) strategies a that prioritize targeting small new infestations consistently outperform strategies that target large established patches; and (4) inconsistent treatment and short-term delays can greatly reduce the economic and ecological benefits of management.

Keywords

Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula L. EPHESspotted knapweed, Centaurea stoebe L. CENMASpatially explicit simulation modellandscape scalemanagement strategyMontanacost benefit analysisearly detection and rapid response
Type
Research
Information
Invasive Plant Science and Management , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , March 2013 , pp. 48 - 59
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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References

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