This resource has tremendous potential for biocontrol, as anyone is able to: The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) is a national on-line biodiversity database that contains tens of millions of user-submitted species occurrence records from field observations, collections and surveys. To support ongoing biocontrol efforts, Agriculture Victoria and the Atlas of Living Australia have developed an on-line resource and smartphone app the Australian Biocontrol Hub. Recent efforts involving scientists, farmers, public land managers and volunteers, has focused on collecting and releasing gorse soft shoot moths from Tasmania to supplement mainland releases. The fourth biocontrol agent to be introduced, gorse soft shoot moth, is now established and abundant at several sites in Tasmania. Gorse thrips has been widely released, but population growth and dispersal appears to be slow. The first two, gorse seed weevil and gorse spider mite are now widespread. In the long term, these four agents are expected to reduce gorse vigour and reproduction. Gorse soft shoot moth Agonopterix umbellana.Gorse spider mite Tetranychus lintearius.Four biological control agents have been released for gorse:
Farmers, natural resource managers, community volunteers and others contribute to biocontrol efforts by identifying infestations suitable for biocontrol, releasing biocontrol agents, monitoring biocontrol agent release sites, and recording field observations of agents as they spread across the landscape. Biocontrol is not a “silver bullet”, but it can play an important role in the integrated management of gorse. Biological control (or biocontrol) uses specialised natural enemies (biocontrol agents), to help control invasive species.
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