Abstract
The recent decline of Phragmites australis stands in the Mississippi River Delta is due, in part, to damage from herbivory by the non-native roseau cane scale, Nipponaclerda biwakoensis. In Louisiana, P. australis communities, known locally as roseau cane, protect the marsh ecosystem from erosion and storm-related impacts, stabilize shipping channels, and shield oil and inland infrastructure. Intense infestations by N. biwakoensis have contributed to widespread dieback of reeds in this region since 2016. Identifying suitable biological control agents from the source population is key to managing the invasive population of N. biwakoensis and protecting the delicate marsh ecosystem. Therefore, we used mitochondrial COI sequence data, drawn from collections of N. biwakoensis spanning the native and invasive range, to identify the origin of the established population in Louisiana and Texas. Network analysis using TCS 1.21 revealed a rich diversity of 57 unique COI haplotypes distributed across the native range in East Asia. Relationships among the sampled haplotypes indicate that N. biwakoensis was likely introduced to the United States from northeastern China. Specimens from the USA are nested among a group of haplotypes all originating from China, and the samples belong to a haplotype that was otherwise only collected in Beijing and Hebei. In contrast, modeling of habitat suitability based on host plant records from across East Asia, using MaxEnt 3.4.4, identified southeastern China as the best location to search for potential natural enemies to match the climatic conditions in the Mississippi River Delta. These two pieces of evidence provide critical guidance to focus future biological control efforts, and we discuss the importance of examining both genetic and environmental data when searching for potential biological control agents. Additionally, we identified two cryptic species of Nipponaclerda on Phragmites, one in Japan and another in Viet Nam. This research offers new depths of perspective on population structure for a rarely studied group of scale insects, the flat grass scales (Aclerdidae). Together the evaluation of scale insect genetics and ecological niche modeling will optimize foreign exploration efforts for biological control agents.
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Acknowledgements
We wish to thank our international team of collectors: Ana Clariza Samayoa, Bradley Brown, Chen Fushou, Cheng-Lung Chu, Hirotaka Tanaka, Ian Knight, Keyla Pruett, Izumi Matsumoto, Jheng-Long Jhu, Junjian Xiao, Li Jin, Matt Purcell, MS Jang, Ren Xiaoming, SH Hong, Shan-Guan Syu, Wang Yan, Wang Zhen, Yi Guo, Yin Yanfang, and Zhu Yanjuan. Thanks to Zachary Johnson and Andrew Ulsamer for preparing specimens for study. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for suggestions that improved upon this manuscript. These studies were made possible with the support of funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection Act (PPA) Section 7721 (Project title “Determining the distribution and natural enemy complex of the roseau cane scale in Asia”) from FY19 to FY21. It may not necessarily express APHIS’ views. Further support came from the USDA, Agricultural Research Service. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture; USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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This study was funded by the Farm Bill, USDA, APHIS, PPA 7721, AP21PPQS&T00C113.
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Conceptualization: SAS, HJB, JCA, JSE, KAH, JRG; Formal analysis: SAS, JCA; Field surveys: HJB, SYH, CL, SN, JSP, HTD, RD; Methodology: SAS, JCA, HTD, MLL; Funding: SAS, HJB, JSE, JRG, KAH, RD; Writing original draft: SAS, HJB, JCA; Review/editing: SAS, HJB, JCA, JSE, SYH, CL, SN, JSP, HTD, MLL, JRG, KAH, RD.
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Schneider, S.A., Broadley, H.J., Andersen, J.C. et al. An invasive population of Roseau Cane Scale in the Mississippi River Delta, USA originated from northeastern China. Biol Invasions 24, 2735–2755 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-022-02809-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-022-02809-3