Research

Introduction

Invasion by exotic plant species poses one of the greatest threats to natural and agricultural areas today. Melaleuca quinquenervia is a tree that is invading virtually all types of habitats in and around the Florida Everglades including sawgrass marshes, pine flatwoods, and cypress swamps. Since its introduction in the early 1900's, melaleuca has invaded over 200,000 hectares (over 495,000 acres) of South Florida.

The purpose of the TAME Melaleuca project is to bring together all of our knowledge about controlling melaleuca, demonstrate the success of various control measures, and make this information available to the public.

Although research is not a primary objective of TAME Melaleuca, ongoing studies of melaleuca, its impacts on the environment, and the melaleuca biological control agents and their impacts continue to provide information critical to successful management of this noxious tree. Currently, several research projects are underway as part of the melaleuca management program.

Note: The projects documented or referenced here are not necessarily funded by TAME Melaleuca but are included because of their relevance to the program.

Projects

 

Respiratory allergens in melaleuca and non-melaleuca environments

Project 1

Establishment and spread of the melaleuca psyllid in water
conservation areas

Project 2

Impacts of melaleuca invasion on soil ecosystems

Project 3

The influence of resource availability on population dynamics
of the melaleuca weevil, Oxyops vitiosa

Project 4

Distribution and spread of the melaleuca weevil, Oxyops vitiosa

Project 5

Melaleuca population demographics and evolution of tolerance to
biological control agents

Project 6

Pheromone attractants of the biological control agent Oxyops vitiosa

Project 7

Validating the environmental safety of approved biological control
agents

Project 8

Population growth rates of the melaleuca weevil, Oxyops vitiosa

Project 9