Refine my results

Document type

Institution

Specific Collection

Language

Université de Fribourg

Host Impact and Specificity of Tortoise Beetle (Cassida rubiginosa) on Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) in Iran

Asadi, Ghorbanali ; Ghorbani, Reza ; Karimi, Javad ; Bagheri, Alireza ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Weed Technology, 2013, vol. 27, no. 2, p. 405–411

This study determined the potential of the tortoise beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to control Canada thistle (Asteraceae) in Iran. Genetic analysis of the tortoise beetle, based on mitochondrial DNA, confirmed the presence of the species in Iran. A field experiment using five insect densities (0 to 20 larvae plant−1) showed a positive correlation between the number of larvae transferred and...

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

Assessing the risks of non-target feeding by the accidentally introduced ragweed leaf beetle, Ophraella communa, to native European plant species

Augustinus, Benno Andreas ; Gentili, Rodolfo ; Horvath, David ; Naderi, Ruhollah ; Sun, Yan ; Tournet, Anne-Marth Truce Eleonoor ; Schaffner, Urs ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Biological Control, 2020, vol. 150, p. 104356

In 2013, the North American oligophagous leaf beetle, Ophraella communa LeSage (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), was found in Europe for the first time. Recent studies in Northern Italy and Southern Switzerland record extensive defoliation by O. communa on its preferred host, common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae, Tribe Heliantheae), and reductions in its flowering and seeding. In...

Université de Fribourg

Seed provenance matters — Effects on germination of four plant species used for ecological restoration

Bischoff, Armin ; Vonlanthen, Beatrice ; Steinger, Thomas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Basic and Applied Ecology, 2006, vol. 7, no. 4, p. 347-359

The use of local seed provenances is often recommended in restoration and habitat creation because they are thought to be better adapted to local habitat conditions. However, spatial scales and the degree of population differentiation are not well known and germination is often not included in comparisons between provenances. We analysed germination as a key trait of plant development in five...

Université de Fribourg

Detecting local adaptation in widespread grassland species – the importance of scale and local plant community

Bischoff, Armin ; Crémieux, Lisèle ; Smilauerova, Marie ; Lawson, Clare S. ; Mortimer, Simon R. ; Dolezal, Jiri ; Lanta, Vojtech ; Edwards, Andrew R. ; Brook, Alex J. ; Macel, Mirka ; Leps, Jan ; Steinger, Thomas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Journal of Ecology, 2006, vol. 94, p. 1130-1142

1 Adaptation of plant populations to local environments has been shown in many species but local adaptation is not always apparent and spatial scales of differentiation are not well known. In a reciprocal transplant experiment we tested whether: (i) three widespread grassland species are locally adapted at a European scale; (ii) detection of local adaptation depends on competition with the...

Université de Fribourg

The importance of plant provenance and genotypic diversity of seed material used for ecological restoration

Bischoff, Armin ; Steinger, Thomas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Restoration Ecology, 2009///doi:10.1111/j.1526-100X.2008.00454.x

The increased translocation of plant species for biodiversity restoration and habitat creation has provoked a debate on provenance and genotypic diversity of the used plant material. Nonlocal provenances are often not adapted to the local environmental conditions, and low population genotypic diversity may result in genetic bottlenecks hampering successful establishment. We tested provenance...

Université de Fribourg

Testing population differentiation in plant species – how important are environmental maternal effects

Bischoff, Armin ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Oikos, 2010, vol. 119, no. 3, p. 445-454

The maternal environment may contribute to population differentiation in offspring traits if growing conditions of mother plants are different. However, the magnitude of such environmental maternal effects compared with genetic differentiation is often not clear. We tested the importance of environmental maternal effects by comparing population differentiation in parental seed directly collected...

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...

Université de Fribourg

Isolation of 12 polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite markers of the leaf beetle Ophraella communa, a promising Ambrosia biocontrol agent also in Europe

Bordeyne, François ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Bouchemousse, Sarah

In: Biocontrol Science and Technology, 2019, p. 1–8

Following its first record in Europe in 2013, the North American ragweed leaf beetle Ophraella communa, used already as a most successful biocontrol agent against common ragweed in China, is spreading rapidly, asking for a detailed analysis of the potential benefit and risk of this introduction for Europe. Here, we report twelve specific and polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite markers,...