Golden Snail Into The Rice Ecosystems example essay topic

Abstract The golden snail (Pomacea canaliculata) was introduced intentionally in Asia in 1980 with the expectation that it could be cultivated as a high-protein food source for local consumption and as an export commodity for high-income countries. The taste was however not accepted by the masses and so the project was exterminated. Due to improper disposal, it invaded Philippine rice systems, where it dispersed through extensive irrigation networks. The golden snail feeds voraciously on young rice seedlings. This paper analyzes the molluscicidal effect of kamias leaf extract.

The main purpose of the production of such pesticide is to create low-costing and efficient pesticides especially because our country is agricultural based. For more than a decade now, these snails have affected the country's rice harvests by up to 60% loss. The project produces an efficient pesticide, efficient in terms of low-costing and effectively eliminates such pests. So, here comes our Kamias leaf extract, a very economical and cheap pesticide and very abundant in the Philippines, Natural and non-toxic to the environment. The kamias leaf extract pesticide could be the revolutionary product of the country in agricultural innovation. Table of Contents Introduction Background of the study 05 Statement of the problem 08 Hypothesis 09 Objectives 10 Significance 11 Scope and limitations of the Study 12 Inclusive Dates and Places 13 Definition of terms 14 Survey of related Literature and Studies 15 Methodology Materials 21 Procedure 21 Data and Results Tables 24 Analysis of Data 27 Conclusion 28 Recommendations 29 Bibliography 30 Acknowledgements 32 I. Introduction Background of the Study The golden snail is indigenous to South America and was first introduced into Asia in 1979-1980.

It was introduced intentionally to the region with the expectation that it could be cultivated as a high-protein food source for domestic consumption and as an export commodity for industrialized countries, where there has long been a cultivated taste for escargot. One of the most alluring features of the snail entrepreneurs - and one of the most dreaded features for ecologists - is that it has a voracious appetite and breeds extremely rapid. As a result, vast quantities of large snails (up to the size of an apple, and hence its American name, golden apple snail) can be produced for market within ir relatively short time period, with low investment costs in terms of initial snail inputs. Potential financial returns to production are therefore substantial in the short run, provided that a viable market exists for the golden snail and that other inputs, particularly an abundance of soft, leafy vegetation and a constant fresh water supply, are available at relatively low prices. Because of its easy maintenance and fast breeding, the snail was referred to as a "golden miracle snail" at the time of its introduction. The snail was identified first in Guadeloupe, Brazil, but is thought to have originated from the swampy regions in the catchments of the Parang a River in Paraguay.

Populations of the golden snail have also been abundant in coastal rise-growing areas of Surinam, where they became a major pest when large-scale irrigated rice production began in the 1950's. Given the history of the golden apple snail as a major pest in irrigated rice in Surinam, it is surprising that it was intentionally introduced-even under controlled conditions - into Asian countries. A combination of low market value and negligence-presumably correlated-soon resulted in the release and escape of the golden snail into irrigation ditches and public waterways throughout the regions in which they were introduced. It can only be surmised that entrepreneurs spreading the snail throughout Asia where myopic, deceptive or simply ignorant of the market. A number of studies report that the market value for the snail dropped precipitously soon after its introduction, because industrialized countries maintained stringent health regulations that largely precluded its importation, and because Asian consumers did not like its taste. Despite its high protein content, even many low-income farmers in Asia have refused to eat the snail.

Initially the golden apple snail was smuggled illegally into Taiwan. From Taiwan, it was brought into Japan by entrepreneurs in 1981 and was then introduced officially into the Philippines in 1982, where it was endorsed by the department of Agriculture as a rural "livelihood" project. Later in the 1980's, it was introduced into China, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Recent reports indicate that it was also introduced in Laos and Papua New Guinea in the early 1990's. hgrdghtdjhfjh dffghdg f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f Statement of the Problem Our country, the Philippines, is in grave danger of starvation and greater agricultural breakdown because of the invincible population of the pest.

Golden kuhol, The snail that eats rice seedlings and destroys the adult rice plant has been one of the major pests. The Filipino farmer thought before that it is the best way to have a better livelihood and the key to their success from making their life better is the golden snail due to its fast reproduction and high protein content. The Department of Agriculture introduced it for thinking that it would be a good source of agricultural economy and a controlled investment. Unfortunately, the plan to make the farmers rise from poverty only became a deeper problem. Now, the people are thinking of ways and alternatives on decreasing this disaster.

Organic, inorganic, expensive and cheap pesticides made their way to stop this but none of them were the best to fit the Filipino farmer's pockets and expectations, effectively. Made from what is the alternative pesticide that is cheap, economical, easy to use, very abundant, non-toxic to humans, and environment-friendly. Hjbgfjkgh, kz dfg fukhgsdklhjhxbkjhd Dfhsdhg Dzsfh F F f Hypothesis The Kamias leaf extract, as a molluscicidal will be effective although will not yield a 100% mortality rate due to the coarseness of the process. Because of its natural property, its shelf life will be short unless refrigerated. F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F Objectives. to produce an effective pesticide. to produce a natural pesticide. to produce a low-cost pesticide. to give a comparison between the pesticide made from nnkamias leaf extract and other methods of exterminating xx mollusks. to give a theory based on what chemical exhibit fgmollucscicidal effects f Significance of the Study The success of the study will open new doors to agricultural innovation. There will be a sudden change in the agricultural industry that may affect economic stability and economic growth.

The common Filipino farmer will have a low budgeted high outcome harvest. The result of this will solve the problem of malnutrition in the Philippines which will cause for the concentration on the education and so on and so forth. D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D Dd D Scope and Limitations The paper aims to produce a pesticide that can efficiently eliminate mollusks specifically the golden snail of species name Pomacea canaliculata. The pesticide should not manipulate the normal growth of plants.

The substances that will be used to create such pesticide should be abundant and of course, and cheap, so that it may be applicable to the typical Filipino farmers and agriculturists. The paper does not include of the utilization of chemicals that exhibit the molluscicidal effect of kamias leaf extract due to the lack of time and financial budget although a theory will be given based from other natural molluscicides. The project also displays the effectivity of the pesticide passing the boiling process and the blending process. Inclusive Dates and Places Dates Places Work Done December 7, 2001, Friday, 4: 00 p.m.

Teacher's Village, Diliman, Q.C. Collecting of Kamias leaves December 7, 2001, Friday, 9: 00 p.m. Teacher's Village, Diliman, Q.C. Production of Solutions then refrigeration December 8, 2001, Saturday, 8: 00 a.m. Nepa Q-mart EDSA Acquiring of golden snails December 8, 2001, Saturday, 8: 45 a.m. Teacher's Village, Diliman, Q.C. Cultivation period December 8, 2001, Saturday, 10: 00 a.m. Teacher's Village, Diliman, Q.C. Testing of Solutions December 8, 2001, Saturday, 10: 00 p.m. Teacher's Village, Diliman, Q.C. Collecting of results Definition of Terms Escargot - native vietnamese delicacy made from golden snails Hatchability - chances of hatching Molluscicidal - intentional killing of mollusks Monsoon - a wind that blows along the Asiatic coast of the pacific Mortality - the number of deaths in a population during a specified time Myopic - lack of insight or good judgement Paddy - a field in which rice is grown II.

Survey of Review of Related Literature and Studies In hindsight, it seems evident that if the potential risks of snail infestation in irrigated rice had been weighed against the expected economic returns of snail cultivation, the golden apple snail would not have been introduced into Asia. Accurate marketing information about the snail was clearly absent, and the introduction apparently were made without analysis of the ecological dynamics of the snail and it's potential to invade flooded rice system. A better understanding of the probability of invasion and possible extent of damage from the invasion surely would have signaled the need for strict quarantine restriction throughout the region. A successful invasion by any exotic species depends on both the vulnerability of the ecosystem to invasions and the characteristics of the invader as defined by its population dynamics and dispersal activity. Like most invasions of exotic species, the golden apple snail invasion occurred in a human altered and simplified ecosystem, with a lower number of species and predator-prey relationships than a natural, undisturbed ecosystem. Its main competitor, the native "kuhol" snail, is closely related, and therefore the natural biological control agents for snails in this system have been effective at controlling the exotic golden apple snail.

The native regions of the golden snail in South America, characterized by coastal swamp area, are remarkably similar to wet rice ecosystem in Asia. The latter have thus provided a suitable environment for the golden apple snail's establishment. Additional characteristics of successful invaders are that they often have high reproductive output, short juvenile periods, and high rates of dispersal. Sexual maturity is attained in 60-90 days after hatching, at which time the females begin laying eggs. Females lay about 320 eggs in a bright pink egg mass on rice plants, the walls of irrigation canals, and fences at any given time.

A female typically produces between 2400 and 8700 eggs per year, with hatchability of 7 to 90% depending on predator populations and human controls. Mating occurs at any time of the day among crowded plants and in all seasons of the year as long as there is a continuous supply of water. The golden snail reproduces about ten times faster than the native snail in Asian rice systems. Successful invaders are dispersed rapidly by water, wind, or human activity, and tend to be resilient to changing climatic conditions.

The golden snail is a fresh water snail, but it can also lead an amphibious life in the mud when the water recedes. The snail typically buries itself in moist mud and digs deeper into the ground as the dry season goes on. It can live dormant in the mud for 6-8 months, and then starts feeding again within minutes to hours once the soil is flooded. Given the monsoon patterns of Asia, the snail has a good chance of survival based on climatic conditions alone.

It is most abundant in flood-prone areas and regions with poor water control, but it persistently reappears in high - productivity irrigated areas where dispersal through canals is high. The high correlation between characteristics of a successful invader based on ecological principles and characteristics of the golden snail in Asian rice systems indicate that the invasion of the snail could and should have been predicted. Indeed, the probability of invasion might have been estimated at well over 50% prior to the introduction. In hindsight, the probability of invasion was more in the order of 90%, given that virtually all reported introduction's of the golden snail into the rice ecosystems have resulted in invasions. The successful establishment and invasion of the golden snail in irrigated rice systems in many parts of Asia have led to significant economic damage. Farmers in the infested areas are faced with the options of paying additional costs to control the spread of snails, replanting damaged areas of paddy, or ignoring the problem altogether at the risk of potentially large yield losses.

Yield lost is a function of the density and average size of snails in the paddy, as well as the age of the crop. Experimental studies showed that a density of 1 snail per meter squared of paddy can reducer the crop stand by roughly 20%, where as a density of 8 snails per meter squared can reduce the stand by over 90%. Experimental data also show that damage to rice in fields with large snails (over 5 cm.) Is about 3 times greater than damage in the fields with small snails (under 2 cm. ). Rice seedlings are most vulnerable to golden snails up to 2 weeks after they have been transplanted or up to 4 weeks after they have been direct seeded. Direct-seeded rice suffers significantly more damage than transplanted rice, because golden snails consume greater amounts of the younger, more succulent, plants.

Experimental data presented by Morallo-Rejesus et. al. Show that snail damage in uncontrolled fields can be as high as 100% for rice seedlings in the germinating stage, as opposed to 20% on average in the transplanting stage. Where snail infestations are severe, replanting can cost twice as much or more per hectare than the initial savings earned by direct seeding as opposed to transplanting. This point is of special significance because the newest rice varieties are being developed for Asia are much more likely to be direct seeded rather than transplanted.

Although molluscicides and insecticides are used widely in The Philippines, Japan, and Taiwan to control golden snail infestation, several other control measures are available to farmers. The most effective forms of population control for the snails are handpicking, pasturing ducks in the paddy, and careful water control that includes the occasional drainage of fields and maintenance of water levels below one centimeter. Irrigation control is difficult to quantify, but the success rate for drainage can be 80% or more in the dry season. In the monsoon season, farmers only have limited control over water levels paddy fields.

The extent to which each of these alternative control measure are used in the Philippines and other Asian rice growing countries depends on prices and institutions that govern labor costs, land holdings, duck markets, pesticide use and irrigation systems. Literature Cited 1. Elton, C. 1958. The Ecology of Invasions by Plants and Animals. Methuen and Co. Ltd., 2.

Pimentel, D. 1986. Biological invasions of plants and animals in agriculture amd forestry Ecol Stud. 58,149-162.3. Heywood, V. 1989. Patterns, extents, and modes of invasions by terrestrial plants In: Biological Invasions: A Global Perspective. Drake, J.A., Mooney, H.A., di Castro, E, Groves, R.H., Kruger, E J., Rejmamek, M., and Williamson, M. (eds).

John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, pp. 31-60.4. Howarth, F.G. ; 991. Environmental impacts of classical biological control. Ann. Rev Entomol 36,485-509.5. Madamba, C. and Camaya, E. 1987.

The golden snail: boon or bane. Proceedings of the 18th Anniversary and Annual Convention of the Pest Control Council of the Philippines 1. Davao City, Philippines, pp. 42-50.6. Acosta, B. and Pullin, R. (eds). 1989. Summary Report of a Workshop on the Environmental Impact of the Golden Snail (Pomacea sp.) on Rice Farming Systems in the Philippines.

International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, Manila, Philippines. 7. Morallo-Rejesus, B., Sayaboc A.C. and Joshi R.C. 1988. The Distribution and Control of the Introduced Golden Snail (Pomacea sp. j in the Philippines.

Paper presented at the Symposium on Introduction of Germplasm and Plant Quarantine Procedures. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (December 14-15).. Methodology Materials Materials Quantity Price Golden kuhol 1/2 kilo Php 20.00 Kamias leaves N / A N / A Blender 1 N / A Containers 3 N / A Cauldron 1 N / A Atomizer 1 N / A Procedures 1. The snails were given a day to adjust in their new environment by feeding them gabi leaves and water regularly. 2.

The first set of 50 kamias leaves were blended together with 100 ml of water and then sifted with filter paper for it to be appropriate for the atomizer. 3. The second set of 50 kamias leaves were boiled with 130 ml of water, water was added because of evaporation. 4. Then, the kuhol was transferred to the 3 containers, 5 kuhol per container. 5.

The blended kamias leaf extract was put in the atomizer and was used on 5 snails in the 1st container (set-up 1). 6. Then, the boiled kamias leaf extract was put in the atomizer and was sprayed to 5 specific snails into the 2nd container (set-up 2). 7.

Then, the 3rd container was filled with an ample amount of water, but with out any kamias extract. 8. The set-up was observed after 12 hours. 9. Observations were made.

10. Touching and smelling for decomposition determined mortalities. bhlfjh IV. Data & Results Set-up Description Observation 1 Blended Kamias leaf solution 80% mortality rate the other 20% were still active yet bubbles were seen on the set-up the solution turned dark amber in color 2 Boiled Kamias leaf solution 60% mortality rate with pinkish eggs the other 40% were still active yet bubbles were seen on the set-up the solution turned dark orange in color 3 Tap water 0 mortality rate All were still active The water was still colorless but with particles Control Technique Success Rate Hand Picking (most laborious) 98% Pasturing Ducks (most expensive) 89% Kamias Leaf Extract 80% The 3 set-ups, (from left): 1. container with with out kamias leaf extract 2. container with blended & sifted kamias leaf extract 3. container with boiled kamias leaf extract. The container with blended & sifted kamias leaf extract after 12 hours.

Thr container with boiled kamias leaf extract after 12 hours. The container with no kamias leaf extract after 12 hours V. Analysis and Discussion The results confirmed that there is lethal action of kamias leaf extract whose effect can be compared to that of a pesticide specifically with chemicals of saponin. However. We may infer that both the extract and pesticide are not fully capable of contributing to eradicate snails. Their defensive behavior such as the escape to the water container contribute to them to be unaffected by molluscicidal substances returning soon to the former infestation. Despite the fact that the blended Kamias leaf extract yields an 80% mortality rate, surveys have confirmed that the snails will invariably re-infest the plantation which will greatly contribute to the production of such pesticide created due to its cheapness and abundance.

Because of that the kamias leaf extract is fully natural, it is based on theory that it will not affect the external ecosystem of the plant and the plant's natural growth although shelf life will be a problem. VI. Conclusion After weeks of research, the following conclusions were reached: (1) the kamias leaves are extractable; (2) kamias leaf extract have molluscicidal properties; (3) the extracts have significantly weaker molluscicidal power than the commercial pesticide; and (4) the extracts obtained have short shelf life, unless refrigerated. VII.

Recommendation 1. This study may be replicated using other plants that could be tested for their molluscicidal activity. 2. An increase or decrease in the concentration and time used in this research may be done to further know their effect in snails. 3. In continuing the study for their molluscicidal potential using the same plants, the researcher recommends the extraction of pure saponin from the plants to know if it has the same effect as the crude extract used in this study.

4. In addition, screening for toxicity of the same plants for its effect on other organisms like fishes, is encouraged. I 7 oiuhyliuhyliuh V.

Bibliography

1. I. Elton, C. 1958.
Methuen and Co. Ltd., 2. Pimentel, D. 1986.
Biological invasions of plants and animals in agriculture amd forestry Ecol. Stud. 58,149-162.3. Heywood, V. 1989.
Howarth, F.G. ; 991. Ann. Harris, P. 1990 Environmental impact of introduced biological control agents.
In: Critical issues in Biological Control. Mack auer, M., E hler, L.E., and Roland, J. (eds). Intercept Publishers, Andover, England, pp. 289-300.6. Pomacea canaliculata is synonymous with Ampulla ria canaliculata and Ampullarius canaliculata, and is commonly referred to as Lamarck. 7. Davao City, Philippines, pp. 42-50.8 Acosta, B. and Pullin, R. (eds). 1989.
9.10. DOA Philippines / FAO (Department of Agriculture in the Philippines and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization). 1989.
Integrated Golden Kuhol Management. Handbook prepared for Filipino farmers and extension workers. Manila, Philippines. 11. Cruz, R. 1987.
Golden snail infest rice and corn fields in six towns. Manila J. 4, p. 4.12. Buen dia, L.M. 1988.
The golden apple snail: A rice menace. Monitor 16, 6.13. Santos, E.J. 1987.
Golden apple snail: Food and farm pest. Agribusiness Weekly 1. Manila, Philippines, pp. 14-15.14. Re villa, I.M., Estoy, G. E and Salazar, EV... 1991.