PLANT PROTECTION 1 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds

PLANT PROTECTION 1 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds
BIOLOGY
Phylum Chordata
NO. SPECIES
IN AUSTRALIA
Feral animals together
with environmental weeds
and salinity, are
considered to , be one of
s
environmental threats.
DAMAGE
Cockatoo damage to
soft rose canes in spring
The loss of flying
foxes in some Pacific
islands could lead to
widespread extinctions
of mammals that
depend on the
fruit of trees that the
flying foxes pollinate.
Many vertebrate pests are native to Australia, eg kangaroos, cockatoos, and find
introduced crops, forest trees and ornamental and fruiting plants, a welcome addition to
their diet especially when the bush dries off. There are more than 1000 native
species, but none (?) are as important pests as the introduced rodents and
rabbits. Some vertebrate pests have a dedicated website, eg cane toads.
Invasive Animals CRC www.invasiveanimals.com/
Feral animals www.daff.gov.au/brs/land/feral-animals
Animal welfare www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/
DIRECT DAMAGE.
FLOWERS Eaten/ripped off, eg cockatoos
FRUIT, NUTS Eaten, eg birds, fruit bats, possums, rats
STEMS, Tip prune new shoots, eg cockatoos, rosellas
TRUNKS Tear open stems, eg cockatoos
Eat bark, eg horses
SEEDLINGS Eaten, eg birds
SEEDS Eaten, eg cockatoos, rosella, emus, geese, rats, mice
ROOTS Eaten, eg feral pigs
GRASS Eaten, eg rabbits, kangaroos, wallabies
CROPS Eaten, eg birds, mice
STORED GRAIN Eaten and contaminated, eg mice, rats
INDIRECT DAMAGE.
Rabbits, pigs and goats compete with stock for scarce pasture and water. Trees may be
ring-barked. Donkeys, horses, camels and deer damage trees because of their reach.
Flatten crops, eg duck, emus, geese, in their quest for food.
Birds damage the playing surface of turf seeking scarab grubs.
Habitat degradation, eg water buffalo in northern Australia, feral pigs. Loosen roots by
scratching, eg birds, dogs; feral pigs in crops, pasture and the bush.
Feral pigs feed on plant roots, spread weeds, contaminate water, and ruin pasture.
Roosting by some may damage trees, eg Indian Mynahs, fruit bats.
Spread weeds, eg birds, feral pigs.
Affect biodiversity, eg cats and foxes feed on native animals. Predators of native animals,
eg cane toads eat native frogs; pigs eat snake eggs, bandicoots.
Some are toxic, eg cane toads.
Cattle manure smothers pasture; pigeons soil buildings; people slip on bird poo.
Parts of Victoria and Kangaroo Island have too many koalas.
Rats and mice eat vast quantities of food in field and in store throughout the world, and
contaminate the remainder with faeces causing food poisoning (Salmonella bacteria).
Cost of lost production, repairing damage, eg electric cables damaged by rats,
fences damaged by kangaroos and wombats, cleaning buildings to remove bird faeces.
Harbour diseases already in Australia and exotic diseases should they enter, eg
– Dogs, cats, bats or foxes may spread rabies virus via a bite of an infected animal to
other warm blooded animals including humans, with fatal consequences.
– Rats transmit the Black Death (bubonic plague) to humans via in the Oriental rat flea.
– Feral pigs are wild hosts for foot and mouth virus disease, if it should enter Australia.
– Bats and flying foxes may be affected by viruses which can be transmitted to humans,
other bats and possibly other mammals. Bacteria may contaminate their droppings.
– Bird lice is spread by starlings.
– Psittacosis is a contagious disease of birds, especially parrots which when communicated
to humans causing bronchial pneumonia.
– Birds may spread avian influenza which mostly affects birds, but can also affect humans
and animals such as cats and pigs. Swine flu can also spread to humans.
BENEFICIAL ASPECTS.
Birds and some species of fruit bats feed on insects and pollinate plants.
Some are used for food and commodities, eg rabbits, camels, crocodiles,
kangaroos, goats, buffalo. Rats are eaten in some countries.
Dogs and cats as pets.
Some have been trialed for weed control, eg goats, camels.
Cattle and sheep are used to graze weeds, etc.
240 Vertebrate pests