Invasive plants degrade and diminish Florida's conservation lands and waterways. Some invasive aquatic plants pose a significant threat to human welfare by impeding flood control, navigation, and irrigation of agricultural lands. They also can hinder recreational uses of waterways.

Scientific research for invasive plant management is critical for finding more cost-effective and long-lasting control methods. Present research targets biological control methods using insects, fish, and plant pathogens in the hope of finding and releasing host-specific biocontrol agents that can provide good, self-sustaining control results. Because plants can develop resistance or tolerance to existing herbicides, FWC research also focuses on developing and testing new, safer, and selective herbicides, herbicide combinations, and management strategies to avoid or prolong the development of resistance in treated plant populations.

One of the major lessons learned over the years is that aquatic plant management is a complex endeavor. To control invasive aquatic plants and conserve Florida’s public waters, managers must frequently assess and adapt to ever-changing weather conditions, new plant introductions, and new control methods, along with herbicide resistance issues, federal and state legislative policies, budget shortfalls, stakeholder expectations, and many other factors. Good scientific research is one of the key factors for successful aquatic plant management in Florida. And there must be a strong commitment to providing new scientific research information to the appropriate stakeholders.

Research Program

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Invasive Plant Management Section (IPMS) has funded research to support management programs for invasive plants for several decades. Because of ever-changing environmental and economic conditions, Florida’s management strategies must be continuously adapted and improved. Since 1970, the IPMS has spent more than $22 million on approximately 200 research projects. Emphasis has been on exploring and improving biological control methods and searching for new herbicides and improved strategies for chemical control methods. Figures 1 and 2 show the amount spent on different invasive plant species and research categories. Research is contracted primarily with Florida universities and the United States Department of Agriculture, but also with out-of-state institutions when time or expertise is not available within Florida.

Visit the IPMS website to learn more about this research funding.

To learn more about current research efforts related to invasive plants, view the FWC Invasive Plant Management Section Research & Outreach Program Newsletter.

Information and Technology Transfer

The FWC/IPMS has long been committed to providing technical information to aquatic plant managers to increase their effectiveness and professionalism. The IPMS also provides outreach information to non-managers to improve their understanding of invasive plants, management methods, and the need for management.

Since its inception, the IPMS has been a financial supporter of the University of Florida (UF-IFAS) Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (CAIP). The Center is a multidisciplinary research, teaching and extension unit directed to develop environmentally sound techniques for managing aquatic and natural area weed species and to coordinate aquatic plant research activities within the State of Florida. The Florida legislature established the Center in 1978. CAIP utilizes expertise from many departments within UF/IFAS and its Agricultural Research and Education Centers throughout the state.

Sponsorship from the IPMS has partially supported the CAIP’s assembly of one of the largest and most comprehensive bibliographic databases dedicated to the subject of aquatic and invasive plants. The Aquatic Plant Information Retrieval System (APIRS) holds more than 75,000 articles and reports on aquatic and invasive plants, their management, and related research. Available online, APIRS continues to be a free service to researchers and the general public.

An Information Office also was established at the Center to inform and educate all stakeholders about the impacts and management of invasive plants. The Information Office uses the collective research and knowledge developed over the past 30 years as the core for numerous extension and information tools produced by the UF-IFAS CAIP and the FWC IPMS:

• Weed alerts
• Brochures
• Plant identification and management CDs and DVDs
• Websites
• Posters
• Books and articles
• Reports
• Operation manuals
• Classroom activities and curricula

To view any of these materials or information, visit the Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants website publications section.