Although both integrated strategies outperformed biological control alone in reducing seed production and the seed bank, with no statistical difference between them, we propose that short-rotation prescribed fire could prove to be a more effective strategy for long-term management of Scotch broom due to its potential for slightly greater depletion of the seed bank.
Its spread continued following widespread planting as a bank stabilizer during road development, and as discarded crate packing materials for gold camps along the west coast. However, combining management strategies (BC + M and BC + F) resulted in a significant reduction in healthy mature seeds per plant relative to biological control alone. Native to the Mediterranean areas of Europe, Scotch broom was introduced to BC’s Vancouver Island in the mid-19th century as an ornamental plant. We did not find differences among management strategies in number of weevils per pod or proportion of seeds predated by the weevil at either pod or whole-plant scale. However, combining management strategies (BC + M and BC + F) resulted in significant reductions in pods per plant, mature seeds per plant, and seed bank density relative to biological control alone. We found no difference in the number of seeds per pod among management strategies. We measured seed production and seed predation by the weevil at both pod and plant scale, and seed bank density over two field seasons. In this study, we compared three management strategies (biological control alone, BC with fire, and BC with mowing ) to determine if physical controls reduce seed production by Scotch broom and interfere with the action of the biological control agent-the Scotch broom seed weevil. Integrated weed management strategies (IWM) are being advocated and employed to control invasive plants species.
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