News and highlights

Read more about the article Introduced rats and their co-introduced parasites
Anterior end of the rodent pinworm, Syphacia muris recovered from the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi) in Gauteng Province. This pinworm showed genetic similarity to a pinworm from the same host species in the native range. (Photo credit: Rolanda Julius)
2018 / News

Introduced rats and their co-introduced parasites

The helminth parasites harboured by invasive rodents in South Africa are closely related to geographically distant counterparts. This was revealed by research conducted on parasitic worms of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), the black rat (Rattus rattus) and the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi) in urban areas of Gauteng Province by C·I·B doctoral student, Rolanda Julius at the University of Pretoria.

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16 May 2018
Read more about the article Port Jackson impacts the restoration of <em>Protea repens</em> long after its removal
Mlungele Nsikani in the greenhouse where the Sugarbush growth trials took place. (Photo credit: Zama Mahlobo-Nsikani)
2018 / Highlighted papers

Port Jackson impacts the restoration of Protea repens long after its removal

The growth of our native Sugarbush (Protea repens) is not negatively affected by the legacy of altered soil chemistry after the clearing of invasive Port Jackson (Acacia saligna).

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14 May 2018
Read more about the article C·I·B workshop on the status of river red gum in South Africa
Participants at the workshop on the river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) which was held at Stellenbosch University’s Botanical Garden on 16 March 2018. Back row, right to left: Sheunesu Ruwanza (Dep. of Ecology & Resource Management, University of Venda), Michael Cheek (SANBI), Jaco Le Roux (C·I·B), Graham Harding (Invader Plant Specialist (Pty) Ltd), Mark Gush (CSIR), Hildegard Klein (ARC), Heidi Hirsch (C·I·B), Pieter Winter (SANBI), Coert Geldenhuys (Forestwood cc), Sebinasi Dzikiti (CSIR), Dave Richardson (C·I·B), Andrew Morris (ICFR), Brett Hurley (FABI, University of Pretoria), Francois Roets (Dep. of Conservation Ecology & Entomology, Stellenbosch University). Front row, right to left: Christy Momberg (C·I·B; scribe), Wayne Jones (Sappi Forests), Farai Tererai (Working for Wetlands, Dep. of Environmental Affairs), David Le Maitre (CSIR). (Photo: Suzaan Kritzinger-Klopper)
2018 / News

C·I·B workshop on the status of river red gum in South Africa

The Centre for Invasion Biology (C·I·B) hosted a workshop titled “Eucalyptus camaldulensis in South Africa: assessing its past, present and future” on 16 March 2018 at the Stellenbosch University’s Botanical Garden.

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23 March 2018
Read more about the article Can prickly pear invasions be controlled by cochineal scale insects?
The cochineal scale insect, Dactylopius opuntiae, growing on potted creeping prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa) during an experiment. (Photo credit Nicola Rule)
2018 / News

Can prickly pear invasions be controlled by cochineal scale insects?

Host plant compatibility and underground storage capacity do not explain the resistance of creeping prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa) to damage caused by the biocontrol cochineal scale insect Dactylopius opuntiae.

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12 March 2018