Université de Fribourg

In-season leaf damage by a biocontrol agent explains reproductive output of an invasive plant species

Augustinus, Benno A. ; Lommen, Suzanne T.E. ; Fogliatto, Silvia ; Vidotto, Francesco ; Smith, Tessa ; Horvath, David ; Bonini, Maira ; Gentili, Rodolfo F. ; Citterio, Sandra ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Schaffner, Urs

In: NeoBiota, 2020, vol. 55, p. 117–146

One of the biggest challenges in classical biological control of invasive weeds is predicting the likelihood of success. Ambrosia artemisiifolia, a North American plant species that has become invasive in Europe, causes economic losses due to health problems resulting from its huge amount of highly allergenic pollen and as a weed to agricultural crops resulting from high seed densities. Here...

Université de Fribourg

Biological weed control to relieve millions from Ambrosia allergies in Europe

Schaffner, Urs ; Steinbach, Sandro ; Sun, Yan ; Skjøth, Carsten A. ; Weger, Letty A. de ; Lommen, Suzanne T. ; Augustinus, Benno A. ; Bonini, Maira ; Karrer, Gerhard ; Šikoparija, Branko ; Thibaudon, Michel ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 1745

Invasive alien species (IAS) can substantially affect ecosystem services and human well-being. However, quantitative assessments of their impact on human health are rare and the benefits of implementing IAS management likely to be underestimated. Here we report the effects of the allergenic plant Ambrosia artemisiifolia on public health in Europe and the potential impact of the accidentally...

Université de Fribourg

Estimating economic benefits of biological control of Ambrosia artemisiifolia by Ophraella communa in southeastern France

Mouttet, Raphaelle ; Augustinus, Benno ; Bonini, Maira ; Chauvel, Bruno ; Desneux, Nicolas ; Gachet, Emmanuel ; Le Bourgeois, Thomas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Thibaudon, Michel ; Schaffner, Urs

In: Basic and Applied Ecology, 2018, vol. 33, p. 14–24

The North American common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, which produces highly allergenic pollen, is invasive in different parts of the world, including Europe. In 2013, common ragweed in northern Italy was found attacked by another accidentally introduced species, the North American leaf beetle Ophraella communa, which is used for biological control of common ragweed in China. Since the...

Université de Fribourg

Is the recent decrease in airborne Ambrosia pollen in the Milan area due to the accidental introduction of the ragweed leaf beetle Ophraella communa?

Bonini, Maira ; Šikoparija, B. ; Prentović, M. ; Cislaghi, G. ; Colombo, P. ; Testoni, C. ; Grewling, L. ; Lommen, Suzanne T. E. ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Smith, M.

In: Aerobiologia, 2015, vol. 31, no. 4, p. 499–513

This study aims to determine whether a significant decrease in airborne concentrations of Ambrosia pollen witnessed in the north-west of the Province of Milan in Northern Italy could be explained by environmental factors such as meteorology, or whether there is evidence to support the hypothesis that the decrease was related to the presence of large numbers of the oligophagous Ophraella communa...