Integrating mechanical treatment and biological control to improve field treatment efficiency on invasions

Projecting invasion treatment outcomes and determining controlling efficiency under various management strategies have important implications in field management. Different from herbicide usage that may cause environmental pollution nontarget effects on native plants, nonchemical (i.e., mechanical) methods, such as mowing hand weeding, shown great targeted effectiveness invasion. However, an interesting question remains unclear is how to reduce the need for repeated applications of mechanical treatments. One possible approach integrate treatments with biological control agents, which can attack limit spread after being established field. We hypothesize applying methods remove invasive plants while establishing then using agents future regrowth will decrease use To include vegetation dispersal, we developed a spatial modeling framework, paired logistic equation models both resident plant plant, agent, capture dynamics different scenarios. Specifically, examined four factors, initial application location their efficiency, frequency (how often be applied), areal extent treatment. found explicitly showed significantly stronger impacts than did nontargeted whereas higher could compensate drawback untargeted Our results also suggested adding further cooperation lower frequency, but treating larger areas per time, more efficient vice versa. emphasize high continuously requirement maintain population at low level. The model here potentially extended used by managers prioritizing efforts achieve efficiency.