Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-c9gpj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-10T21:17:44.786Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Species Selectivity of Granular 2,4-D Herbicide When Used to Control Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) in Wisconsin Lakes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Chad Cason*
Affiliation:
Cason & Associates, LLC, P.O. Box 230 Berlin, WI 54923
Brad A. Roost
Affiliation:
Cason & Associates, LLC, P.O. Box 230 Berlin, WI 54923
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: chad@casonassociates.com

Abstract

A total of 24 pre-and posttreatment plant frequency data sets were analyzed from 15 Wisconsin lakes treated with granular 2,4-D BEE herbicide for the control of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). Six data sets from four untreated control lakes were analyzed for comparison. The data sets included the results of line-transect aquatic plant surveys and point-intercept aquatic plant surveys. The results from these two survey methods were analyzed separately. Analysis of pre-and posttreatment changes in frequency of occurence for 46 species of aquatic plants indicated Eurasian watermilfoil was the only species to show significant declines in all the surveys. At application rates of 112 kg ha−1, Eurasian watermilfoil declined an average 65.9% among the line-transect surveys; and 58.0% among the point-intercept surveys. At application rates of 168 kg ha−1, Eurasian watermilfoil declined by 94.4% and 76.5% among line-transect and point-intercept surveys, respectively. Among the control lakes, Eurasian watermilfoil increased an average of 77% in year 1 and 24% in year 2. Northern watermilfoil (Myriophyllum sibiricum), a closely related native plant, underwent declines in frequency at the higher 2,4-D application rate (20.0%) but showed an increase (88.9%) at the lower rate among the line-transect surveys. Northern watermilfoil exhibited declines at both rates among the point-intercept surveys (48 and 50%, respectively); however, the plant also exhibited declines in the control lakes in year 2. Most other native aquatic plant species were unaffected or showed increases following treatment with 2,4-D BEE. The high degree of selectivity to Eurasian watermilfoil found in this survey of operational treatments with 2,4-D BEE suggests that this herbicide is an important tool for restoring plant communities that have been degraded by Eurasian watermilfoil.

Type
Case Study
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Borman, S., Korth, R., and Temte, J. 1997. Through the Looking Glass – A Field Guide to Aquatic Plants. Stevens Point, WI Wisconsin Lakes Partnership. 248 p.Google Scholar
Eiswerth, M. E., Donaldson, S. G., and Johnson, W. S. 2003. Potential environmental impacts and economic damages of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) in western Nevada and northeastern California. Weed Technology 14:511518.Google Scholar
Engel, S. 1985. Aquatic community interactions of submerged macrophytes. Madison, WI Department of Natural Resources Technical Bulletin 156. 79 p.Google Scholar
Helsel, D. R., Gerber, D. T., and Engel, S. 1996. Comparing spring treatments of 2,4-D with bottom fabrics to control a new infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil. J. Aquat. Plant Manag 34:6871.Google Scholar
Horsch, E. J. and Lewis, D. J. 2009. The effects of aquatic invasive species on property values: evidence from a quasi-experiment. Land Econ 85:391409.Google Scholar
Madsen, J. D., Getsinger, K. D., Stewart, R. M., and Owens, C. S. 2002. Whole lake sonar treatments for selective control of Eurasian watermilfoil: ii. Impacts on submersed plant communities. Lake Reserv. Manag 18:191200.Google Scholar
Mikulyuk, A., Hauxwell, J., Rassmussen, P., Knight, S., Wagner, K. I., Nault, M. E., and Ridgely, D. 2010. Testing a methodology for assessing plant communities in temperate inland lakes. Lake and Reserv. Manag 26:5462.Google Scholar
Newman, R. M., Ragsdale, D. W., Miles, A., and Oien, C. 2001. Overwinter habitat and the relationship of overwinter habitat to in-lake densities of the milfoil weevil, Euhrychiopsis lecontei, a Eurasian watermilfoil biological control agent. J. Aquat. Plant Manag 39:6367.Google Scholar
Newroth, P. R. 1985. A review of Eurasian watermilfoil impacts and management in British Columbia. Pages. 139153. in. Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and Related Haloragaceae sp Aquatic Plant Management Society, Inc.Google Scholar
Vicksburg, M. S., Parsons, J. K., Hammel, K. S., Madsen, J. D., and Getsinger, K. D. 2001. The use of 2,4-D for selective control of an early infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil in Loon Lake, Washington. J. Aquat. Plant Manag 39:117125.Google Scholar
Smith, C. S. and Adams, M. S. 1986. Phosphorus transfer from sediments by Myriophyllum spicatum . Limnol. Oceanogr 31:13121321.Google Scholar
Smith, G. E. 1971. Resume of studies and control of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) in the Tennessee Valley from 1960 through 1969. Hyacinth Control J 9:2325.Google Scholar
Sprecher, S. L., Getsinger, K. D., and Stewart, A. B. 1998. Selective effects of aquatic herbicides on sago pondweed. J. Aquat. Plant Manag 36:6468.Google Scholar
Unmuth, J. M. L., Lillie, R. A., Dreikosen, D. S., and Marshall, D. W. 2000. Influence of dense growths of Eurasian watermilfoil on lake water temperature and dissolved oxygen. J. Freshw. Ecol 15:497503.Google Scholar
Wagner, K., Hauxwell, I. J., Rasmussen, P. W., et al. 2007. Whole-lake herbicide treatments for Eurasian watermilfoil in four Wisconsin lakes: effects of vegetation and water clarity. Lake Reserv. Manag 23:8394.Google Scholar
Wersal, R. M., Madsen, J. D., Woolf, T. E., and Eckberg, N. 2010. Assessment of herbicide efficacy on Eurasian watermilfoil and impacts to the native submersed plant community in Hayden Lake, Idaho, USA. J. Aquat. Plant Manag 48:511.Google Scholar
Zhang, C. and Boyle, K. J. 2010. The effect of an aquatic invasive species (Eurasian watermilfoil) on lakefront property values. J. Ecol. Econ. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2010.09.011.Google Scholar