Hi, We (Dr. David Houle and I, at Florida State University in Tallahassee) have obtained a REU grant for this summer for an undergraduate student who want to work on monotoring a new invasive species (Zaprionus indianus) that we found in the USA last year. Previous experiences in Brazil and Uraquay show that this species expands rapidly, has a large effect on the existing drosophilid community. Furthermore, it is a documented pest species on figs and damaged fruits still on the tree and a pest allert has been issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture (http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp/ento/zaprionusindianus.html). We expect that this species will expand its range in the coming years to all suitable habitat (Open forest, savannah like, urban areas) in the southern USA.
This invasion, how bad as it is in itself, offers a unique opportunity to study the rapid expansion of an invasive species caught in the act. If you are interested in this project, please contact either me or Dr. David Houle ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) for a full project description. Regards, Kim van der Linde -- http://www.kimvdlinde.com
