CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF WEED BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IN SOUTH AFRICA – THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

ROYAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA - Lecture Series 2013 Dr Terry Olckers will present a lecture entitled: CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF WEED BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IN SOUTH AFRICA – THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF WEED BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IN SOUTH AFRICA – THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

ROYAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA - Lecture Series 2013 Dr Terry Olckers will present a lecture entitled: CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF WEED BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IN SOUTH AFRICA – THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

Invasive alien plants pose considerable threats to the integrity and functioning of a wide variety of ecosystems worldwide. Biological control using host-specific natural enemies, mostly insects but also pathogens, offers a safe and sustainable remedy that has been implemented in South Africa since 1913. While several successes have been achieved on a number of priority species, the rate of invasions by ‘new’ species provides a continual challenge. South Africa is one of the World’s most active countries in this field and has undertaken several novel approaches in recent years to combat the escalating problem of alien plant invasions. These include significant State intervention, notably substantial funding for research and the building of human capacity in biological control. While biological control is a long-term strategy, it provides research opportunities for young scientists and students at a number of levels. Dr Olckers will provide a brief overview of weed biological control activities in South Africa over the past 100 years, highlighting novel aspects of the South African approach and considering the way forward.

Dr Terry Olckers is an applied entomologist with a particular interest in the biological control of invasive alien plants. Following the completion of his PhD at Rhodes University in 1989, he joined the Weeds Research Division of the ARC- Plant Protection Research Institute (ARC-PPRI). During his 16 years with this institute, he worked on several projects that included studies in South America. In 2004, he was appointed as a Senior Lecturer at UKZN, where, together with his team of postgraduate students, he has continued his work on invasive plants. Dr Olckers continues to collaborate with the ARC-PPRI and the Working for Water Programme as well as international organizations like Landcare Research (New Zealand) and the CSIRO (Australia). He has published over 50 scientific papers and scholarly publications in weed biocontrol.

 

Wednesday, 21 August 2013

Time: 5.45 pm

Venue: John Bews Lecture Theatre,

Life Sciences Campus, Carbis Road, Pietermaritzburg.

 

All welcome, please support!  Light refreshments will be supplied.

 Enquiries: Prof. Mike Perrin, Tel. 033 – 260 5118 / 5435.

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