Biological Control

- Modelling Growth A beautiful flower Samples of the beautiful pond plant Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth) were given away to people attending the 1884 New Orleans Exposition. Inevitably some of the samples were discarded and the plants spread prolifically. Within four years fresh coastal waters were infested from Texas to Alabama. Large floating mats of Water Hyacinth polluted the water, disrupted the ecology, sheltered mosquitoes, obstructed navigation and clogged irrigation works. Because the plants removed oxygen from the water, many fish and other water creatures died. This generated further pollution. Water Hyacinth quickly spreads across fertile, shallow, tropical and equatorial lakes and waterways in many parts of the world today. Authorities attempted to control large infestations in Lake Victoria using poison, but all that did was to destroy their fishing industry. Biological Control When Water Hyacinth escaped from gardens in Thailand it was eventually controlled using pyralid moths (Sameodes albiguttalis). Water Hyacinth has also been successfully controlled in Florida by introducing two specific species of weevil (Neochetina bruchi and Neochetina eichhornia, natives of Argentina). While the adults attack the leaves, the larvae burrow into stems and roots. The growth rate of the weevils closely matches the growth rate of the hyacinth. Both rates increase with temperature and with levels of nutrients in the water. Modelling Biological Control You may wonder that the weevils ever make any progress if their rate of reproduction is similar to that of the weed they are supposed to control. The important difference is that the weevils eat the weeds but the weeds dont eat the weevils. In this investigation we are going to model the biological control of Water Hyacinth using a ClassPad spreadsheet. Eichhornia crassipes Water Hyacinth

Copyright 2007, Hartley Hyde

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Biological Control
ClassPad Time Switch on your ClassPad o and tap on the Spreadsheet icon If your spreadsheet has data from a previous investigation, check if you need to save this before you clear it from the screen. Here is a wide view of the spreadsheet representing several ClassPad screens. Start by pressing keyboard k and typing the headings into rows 1 and 2.

In the first column we are going to enter the numbers from 0 to 112. (No, you will not have to type them all.) This time line can be expanded, but we will be able to control the weeds in just 112 days if we act quickly. In cell A3 type the number 1 In cell A4 type the formula: =A3+1 Tap on cell A4 to highlight it. From the Edit Menu select Fill Range and in the dialogue box edit the Range to read A4:A112. Column A should fill with numbers. Go to Column F and type in all the labels from F2 to F6. In cell G1 type the label Growth. In cell G2 type the number 2. In cell G3 type the formula: =G2^0.5 From the Edit Menu select Fill Range and edit the Range to read G3:G6. This copies G3 down to G6. These are the multiplying factors we could use to achieve different growth rates. If we use the number in cell G5, we would double the amount of weed every eight days. If we use the number in cell G6 we would double the amount of weed every sixteen days. In this way we could model the effects of changing temperature.

Copyright 2007, Hartley Hyde

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Biological Control
Uncontrolled Growth In column B we are going to model what will happen if the weed is allowed to grow in a large, well nourished area of fresh water such as a lake or river.

We will assume that the first patch of weed noticed covers an area of 8 m2. In cell B3 type the number 8.

Let us assume that the temperature would give us a growth rate for both weed and weevils matching the rate we calculated in cell G5. In cell B4 type the formula: =B3*G$5 The $ tells the ClassPad that G5 is an absolute address. (see below)
Water Hyacinth forces slow progress in Louisiana
photo used with kind permission of Charles Fryling

Tap on cell B4 to highlight it. From the Edit Menu select Fill Range and in the dialogue box edit the Range to read B4:B80. Column B should fill with numbers. Notice that the amount of weed doubles every eight days. On day zero there was 8 m2 of weed, on day eight there was 16 m2 of weed and on day sixteen there was 32 m2 of weed. Skip down to row 80 and notice that there will be over six thousand square metre of weed if we dont do something soon! Absolute and Relative Cell Addresses Tap on cell B5 and look at the formula in the Formula Bar. Do the same with the formulae in the cells B6:B9. Notice that the first cell reference keeps changing as you go down the column. This is because the copy down process assumes that you wish to change the first address relative to the row number. Thus each address B4, B5, B6 etc. is a relative address. However, the second address always accesses the absolute address G$5. The $ sign latches the reference to the particular cell in row 5. If you had copied across, you would have had to latch the column label as $G5. If you wanted to latch in both directions you would need to use $G$5. B5: =B4*G$5 B6: =B5*G$5 B7: =B6*G$5 B8: =B7*G$5 B9: =B8*G$5

Copyright 2007, Hartley Hyde

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Biological Control
What to do It is now fairly common knowledge that poison does more harm than good. Authorities can soon discover that biological control is the best way to solve the problem. But, they must act quickly. We would be extremely optimistic if we assumed that this would take less than a month to organize. In most parts of the world, authorities would have to wait until the next council meeting. Therefore we will build a model where the weed grows unchecked for a month and then on day thirty, enough weevils are scattered to eat one square metre. Building the Model In column C we are going to model the Area Infested, in column D the Area Eaten and in column E the Area of Weed Remaining. On day zero we have eight square metre of weed and none eaten. Put 8 in cell C3 and 0 in cell D3. During the first month nothing is eaten and so column D will be filled with zeros. Copy cell D3 down to cell D29. All these cells should now contain zero. The Area Remaining at the end of each day will always be the Area Infested less the Area Eaten. At cell E3 type the formula: =C3-D3 Copy this formula down to cell E112. The Area Infested will be yesterdays Area Remaining multiplied by the growth factor from cell G5. Therefore at cell C4, type the formula: =E3*G$5 Copy this formula down to cell C112.

So far, with no weevils, the numbers in column C should be exactly the same as the numbers in column B. Then on day 30 we scatter enough weevils to destroy one square metre of weed. At cell D30, type the number 1. Since we have been told that the weevils grow at the same rate as the weed, at cell D31, type the formula: =D30*G$5 Copy this formula down to cell D112.

Copyright 2007, Hartley Hyde

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Biological Control
Tidy up the Spreadsheet Select all of the area data in columns B to E by dragging your stylus across the column headers. From the Edit Menu tap Number Format and then tap Fix2. Then adjust the column widths by dragging the white vertical lines between the column headers. Your spreadsheet should now look like this.

Interpreting the Model Experts have assured us that this model describes what happens very well. The following questions will guide your exploration of the spreadsheet. Look down column C for the greatest area of weed.

The greatest area of weed was _________ and this occurred on day _________. Compare the greatest area of weed with the area when the weevils were first introduced.

Describe how you would have felt if you had to paddle a boat through the weed on day 97.

Describe what you would have seen if you had paddled a boat through the weed on day 110.

Copyright 2007, Hartley Hyde

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Biological Control
Drawing a Graph Tap on the headers of column B and column C. From the Graph Menu select Line and tap on Clustered. Copy your graph onto these axes using a pencil.

Interpreting the Graph

The graph on the left is generated by the numbers in column _____.

The graph further to the right is generated by the numbers in column ______. Why are the graphs different?

Explain why you think we only copied column B down to row 80.

The weevils never finish eating all of the weed. Can you suggest why?

Checkpoint

Copyright 2007, Hartley Hyde

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Biological Control
Checkpoints
The greatest area of weed was 5562 m2 and this occurred on day 98. The Area Infested on day 27 was 83 m2, which is only one and a half percent of what it eventually reached. The answer may also be expressed as an increase of 66 times. At the day 97 stage, local authorities have a great deal of difficulty persuading residents not to use poison. There is no apparent lack of virulent growth and there are very few weevils to be seen. As far as residents can see the weevils are achieving nothing. At the 110 day stage some of the weed mats are breaking apart and there are more weevils to see but there is little evidence that biological control will actually work. And then within 2 days there is very little weed left! People are amazed.

The left graph is generated by column B representing Unchecked Growth. The other graph is generated by column C representing the Infested Area subject to biological control. The vertical distance between the graphs represents the amount of weed consumed by the weevils. If column B is allowed to continue down to line 112, the numbers are so large that the second graph is hard to see. However, residents watching the process are unaware of what would have happened had the weevils not been busy. Since the weevils cant swim, they never do round up the last of the weed. That is why it is a good idea to use some pyralid moths as well.

If you have time, different groups of students could alter the spreadsheet and introduce different growth rates or different days on which to release weevils.

Copyright 2007, Hartley Hyde

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