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

Predicting abundances of invasive ragweed across Europe using a “top-down” approach

Skjøth, Carsten Ambelas ; Sun, Yan ; Karrer, Gerhard ; Sikoparija, Branko ; Smith, Matt ; Schaffner, Urs ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Science of The Total Environment, 2019, vol. 686, p. 212–222

Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is a widely distributed and harmful invasive plant that is an important source of highly allergenic pollen grains and a prominent crop weed. As a result, ragweed causes huge costs to both human health and agriculture in affected areas. Efficient mitigation requires accurate mapping of ragweed densities that, until now, has not been achieved...

Université de Fribourg

Cross-fertilizing weed science and plant invasion science to improve efficient management: A European challenge

Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Sun, Yan ; Chauvel, Bruno ; Karrer, Gerhard ; Kazinczi, Gabriella ; Kudsk, P. ; Lansink Oud, A. G. J. M. ; Schaffner, Urs ; Skjoth, C. A. ; Smith, M. ; Vurro, M. ; de Weger, L. A. ; Lommen, Suzanne T. E.

In: Basic and Applied Ecology, 2018, vol. 33, p. 1–13

Both weed science and plant invasion science deal with noxious plants. Yet, they have historically developed as two distinct research areas in Europe, with different target species, approaches and management aims, as well as with diverging institutions and researchers involved. We argue that the strengths of these two disciplines can be highly complementary in implementing management...

Université de Fribourg

Time to cut: population models reveal how to mow invasive common ragweed cost-effectively

Lommen, Suzanne T. E. ; Jongejans, Eelke ; Leitsch-Vitalos, Melinda ; Tokarska-Guzik, Barbara ; Zalai, Mihály ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Karrer, Gerhard

In: NeoBiota, 2018, vol. 39, p. 53–78

Roadsides are an important habitat for invasive common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., by facilitating seed dispersal. Reducing the size of roadside populations is therefore essential for confining this highly allergenic species. Here, we aim to determine the cost-effectiveness of mowing regimes varying in frequency and timing, by analysing population-level effects and underlying...

Université de Fribourg

Explaining variability in the production of seed and allergenic pollen by invasive Ambrosia artemisiifolia across Europe

Lommen, Suzanne T. E. ; Hallmann, Caspar A. ; Jongejans, Eelke ; Chauvel, Bruno ; Leitsch-Vitalos, Melinda ; Aleksanyan, Alla ; Tóth, Peter ; Preda, Cristina ; Šćepanović, Maja ; Onen, Huseyin ; Tokarska-Guzik, Barbara ; Anastasiu, Paulina ; Dorner, Zita ; Fenesi, Annamária ; Karrer, Gerhard ; Nagy, Katalin ; Pinke, Gyula ; Tiborcz, Viktor ; Zagyvai, Gergely ; Zalai, Mihály ; Kazinczi, Gabriella ; Leskovšek, Robert ; Stešević, Danijela ; Fried, Guillaume ; Kalatozishvili, Levani ; Lemke, Andreas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Biological Invasions, 2017, p. 1–17

To better manage invasive populations, it is vital to understand the environmental drivers underlying spatial variation in demographic performance of invasive individuals and populations. The invasive common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, has severe adverse effects on agriculture and human health, due to its vast production of seeds and allergenic pollen. Here, we identify the scale and...

Université de Fribourg

Restoration of semi-natural grasslands, a success for phytophagous beetles (Curculionidae)

Steiner, Magdalena ; Öckinger, Erik ; Karrer, Gerhard ; Winsa, Marie ; Jonsell, Mats

In: Biodiversity and Conservation, 2016, vol. 25, no. 14, p. 3005–3022

Semi-natural pastures have rich plant and animal communities of high conservation value which depend on extensive management. As the area of such land decreases, abandoned semi-natural grasslands have been restored to re-establish biodiversity. Restoration schemes, which include thinning of woody plants and reintroduction of grazing, are mainly designed according to the responses of...

Université de Fribourg

Biological Flora of the British Isles: Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Essl, Franz ; Biró, Krisztina ; Brandes, Dietmar ; Broennimann, Olivier ; Bullock, James M. ; Chapman, Daniel S. ; Chauvel, Bruno ; Dullinger, Stefan ; Fumanal, Boris ; Guisan, Antoine ; Karrer, Gerhard ; Kazinczi, Gabriella ; Kueffer, Christoph ; Laitung, Beryl ; Lavoie, Claude ; Leitner, Michael ; Mang, Thomas ; Moser, Dietmar ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Petitpierre, Blaise ; Richter, Robert ; Schaffner, Urs ; Smith, Matt ; Starfinger, Uwe ; Vautard, Robert ; Vogl, Gero ; Lippe, Moritz von der ; Follak, Swen

In: Journal of Ecology, 2015, vol. 103, no. 4, p. 1069–1098

This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Common ragweed) that are relevant to understanding its ecology. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to environment, structure and physiology, phenology, floral...