View Niagara’s Interactive Aquatic and Riparian Invasive Species Control map
Watch the video for getting started with the map
Read The Brock News story about the project
The Niagara Region’s Aquatic and Riparian Invasive Species Control Database (created by Lyn A. Brown as part of a Master of Sustainability thesis at Brock University) provides a baseline for the 2017/18 state of aquatic and riparian invasive management activities in the Niagara Region of Ontario. An interactive GIS map uses the database information to show where those control efforts are occurring, and users can filter points on the map by invasive species, control type, control effectiveness, or organization.
The Access and Excel versions of the database provide information on who is doing what, and where, to manage aquatic and riparian invasive species in Niagara. The database tells what detection and control techniques organizations are using to manage these invasive species and how effective those control efforts are. By including organizational contact information, the database permits organizations to contact one another to collaborate in terms of sharing resources; prioritizing sites/invasives to manage; and finding and addressing gaps in where invasives are not being managed.
Download the database
The above link will take you to the Dropbox containing all of the thesis files.
To view the Access database, click the file labelled: “Brock_Brown_Lyn_2019_Access_Database.accdb”
The next screen will say the .accdb file can’t be previewed. Click the download button and then open the file in your downloads folder. After opening the file, click enable content, so that you can view the contents of the file. Then, on the left side of the screen, under queries, double click “InvQuery” to view the database.
Watch the video for getting started with the Access Database
Contact Lyn Brown at lbrow43@uwo.ca for more information about this database.
Additional Helpful Resources
General Information on Invasive Species
http://www.invadingspecies.com/
Has information on Ontario’s invasive species, their pathways, and programs.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/ais-eae/index-eng.html
Provides information on aquatic invasive species in general, their impacts, pathways, how to reduce risks, strategies, action plans, and current research.
https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/
Provides educational material on invasive species.
https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/resources/best-management-practices/
Provides best management practice guides for controlling invasive plants of Ontario.
Priority list of invasive plants, and a worksheet to prioritize your own invasive species. Provides a chart of recommended control methods for invasive plants and summarizes tools for controlling them. Also contains resources and contact information for useful organizations.
Specific Invasive Species Information
PowerPoint by the OPG (Ontario Power Generation) on lessons learned from the Dreissena Mussel Treatment Program:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjvmpv-qKDfAhVr7YMKHV_GBkEQFjAAegQICRAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saskinvasives.ca%2Ffile%2FZebra%2520Mussels%2520Ontario%2520Power-Tony%2520Van%2520Oostrom.pdf&usg=AOvVaw
Invasive Species Control Methods
Note: Specific resources are included for biological and gastronomic control as these methods are not currently being used in the Niagara Region.
Invasive Species Control Effectiveness
Note: This site is not endorsing any specific products or control techniques. Resources are only provided for aquatic and riparian invasive species that were being controlled in the Niagara Region in 2017/2018.
Crowder, D. W., & Harwood, J. D. (2014). Promoting biological control in a rapidly changing world. Biological Control, 75, 1–7.
Simberloff, D. (2012). Risks of biological control for conservation purposes. BioControl, 57, 263-276.
Nunez, M. A., Kuebbing, S., Dimarco, R. D., & Simberloff, D. (2012). Invasive species: To eat or not to eat, that is the question. Conservation Letters, 0, 1-8.
M. N. Clout & P. A. Williams (Eds.). (2010). Invasive species management: A handbook of principles and techniques. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
- Overview of various invasive species control methods including: physical, chemical, and biological control.
OIPC (Ontario Invasive Plant Council) Best Management Practices
- https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/resources/best-management-practices/
- Presents many practical ways to control invasive plants including with chemicals, manually removing them, tarping and solarization, and biological control agents.
Whiting, P. (n.d.) Clean you Boat: Learn about Invasive Species.
- https://www.seattleyachts.com/clean-your-boat-learn-about-invasive-species
- This resource was shared by Ms. G and her elementary school class who told us, “It’s great for kids & students- we learned a lot from it” and so they wanted to share it with others.
Common Buckthorn, Garlic Mustard, Oriental Bittersweet, Purple Loosestrife, Tartarian Honeysuckle, and Tree of Heaven Control.
Invasive Plant Control Database
- https://mipncontroldatabase.wisc.edu/Default.aspx
- Information on control methods and their effectiveness for invasive plants of the Midwestern United States.
- Specifically, the following are included on this database: common buckthorn, garlic mustard, oriental bittersweet, purple loosestrife, Tartarian honeysuckle, and tree of heaven.
Phragmites Control
Hazelton, E. L. G., Mozdzer, T. J., Burdick, D. M., Kettenring, K. M., & Whigham, D. F. (2014). Phragmites australis management in the United States: 40 years of methods and outcomes. AoB Plants, 6, 1-19.
Retrieved from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4038441/pdf/plu001.pdf- Reviews control methods for phragmites and their effectiveness
- Concludes chemicals are the most common control type, but mowing can work if followed by tarping.
Derr, J. F. (2008). Common reed (Phragmites australis) response to mowing and herbicide Application. Invasive Plant Science and Management, 1, 12-16. Retrieved from: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1434/ML14345A537.pdf
- Compares multiple herbicides as well as mowing in combination with select herbicides and their efficacy at controlling phragmites.
- Concludes glyphosate is the best control.
Mozdzer, T. J., Hutto, C. J., Clarke, P. A., & Field, D. P. (2008). Efficacy of imazapyr and glyphosate in the control of non-native Phragmites australis. Restoration Ecology, 16, 221-224. Retrieved from:
http://faculty.virginia.edu/mcglathery/McG_Lab/Publications_files/Mozder_RestEcology2008.pdf- Compares two chemical controls for phragmites & found imazapyr is superior to glyphosate.
Thieme, J., May, C., & Baranowski, T. (2014). Evaluating efficacy of phragmites treatments on the Western Lake Erie Coastline [Blog post]. Retrieved from:
https://www.greatlakesphragmites.net/blog/evaluating-efficacy-of-phragmites-treatments-on-the-western-lake-erie-coastline/ - Concludes herbicide followed by fire is best.
Dog-strangling Vine Control
Lawlor, F. M., & Raynal, D. J. (2002). Response of swallow-wort to herbicides. Weed Science, 50, 179-185.
Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4046362?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents- Concludes glyphosate is effective.
Emerald Ash Borer Control
- Herms, D. A., & McCullough, D. G. (2014). Emerald ash borer invasion of North America: History, biology, ecology, impacts, and management. Annual Review of Entomology, 59, 13-30. Retrieved from https://www.iup.edu/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=249011
- Concludes ennamectin benzoate is the most effective chemical treatment.
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Control
Soehn, D., Taylor, G., Remaley, T., & Johnson, K. (2005). Environmental assessment of hemlock woolly adelgid control strategies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Great Smoky Mountains National Park: National Park Service.
Retrieved from:
https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/management/upload/Final_EA_HWA_Control_GRSM_2007.pdf
- Review control strategies for hemlock wooly adelgid at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Zebra and Quagga Mussel Control
Rajagopal, S., Van der Velde, G., Van der Gaag, M., & Jenner, H. A. (2003). How effective is intermittent chlorination to control adult mussel fouling in cooling water systems? Water Research, 37, 329-338. Retrieved from: http://www.tsusinvasives.org/dotAsset/3b1a00a4-b30c-4aeb-83c9-c8d87b31e989.pdf
- Compared intermittent versus continuous chlorination and found continuous chlorination was best.
Pucherelli, S. F., & Claudi, R. (2017). Evaluation of the effects of ultra-violet light treatment on quagga mussel settlement and veliger survival at Davis Dam. Management of Biological Invasions, 8, 301-310. Retrieved from:
http://www.reabic.net/%5C/journals/mbi/2017/3/MBI_2017_Pucherelli_Claudi.pdf
- Concludes UV light is effective at reducing Dreissenid mussel settlement.
Other Aquatic/Riparian Invasive Species Databases
EDDMapS – Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System
- https://www.eddmaps.org/Ontario/
- Site for reporting invasive species occurrences.
- Maps distribution of invasive species in the U.S. and Canada.
GLANSIS – Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System
- https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/glansis/index.html
- Maps distribution of aquatic invasives in the Great Lakes and provides general information on these invasives.
Invasive Species Compendium by CABI
- https://www.cabi.org/isc
- In-depth information on hundreds of invasive species including identification, ecology, distribution, impacts, references.
GISD – Global Invasive Species Database
- http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/
- Database made by the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group.
- Has profiles on almost 900 invasive species including their ecology, distribution, impact, references, and contact.
GRIIS – Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species
- http://www.griis.org/
- Provides lists of invasive and introduced species by country, taxa, or system (marine, terrestrial, freshwater, etc.).
NAS – Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
- https://nas.er.usgs.gov/default.aspx
- USGS database that maps distribution of aquatic invasives in the US and provides general information like origin, status, and impact.
NAISN – North American Invasive Species Network
- https://www.naisn.org/
- Has information on invasive species, policy, outreach, management.
Funding Information
https://freshwaterfuture.org/grants/freshwater-future-grants/
Provides funding to projects in the Great Lakes that promote aquatic habitat protection.
https://freshwaterfuture.org/grants/freshwater-future-grants/great-lakes-network/
Provides up to $1000 for unexpected work needed to achieve a Great Lakes policy goal.
Grants funds to projects aiming to restore water quality or ecosystem health in Canadian Areas of Concern.
