Location: Invasive Species and Pollinator Health
Project Number: 2030-22000-033-044-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: May 1, 2026
End Date: Sep 30, 2026
Objective:
To better understand agent impacts on weed infestations, increase the probability of agent establishment, and develop protocols for field assessments to quantify biological control success, Cooperator will provide collections and monitoring of target populations of plant species that are invasive in the United States and their associated enemies, including arthropods and fungi.
Approach:
We will use sequencing, quarantine work, and field collections to examine how population genetic diversity and environmental conditions affect the multitrophic interactions, including interactions between 1) Rush Skeletonweed and rust pathogens, and 2) cheatgrass and soil microbial communities. Measuring these interactions in the native versus introduced ranges is critical to increasing biocontrol efficacy and bioherbicidal properties of biological control agents.