CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- THEME 1: ECOLOGY AND MODELLING IN BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF WEEDS -- Papers -- Is modelling population dynamics useful for anything other than keeping a researcher busy? [Keynote paper] -- Biomass reduction of Euphorbia esula/virgata by insect/bacterial combinations -- Rhizosphere bacterial communities associated with insect root herbivory of an invasive plant, Euphorbia esula/virgata -- The endophyte-enemy release hypothesis: implications for classical biological control and plant invasions -- Multiple-species introductions of biological control agents against weeds: look before you leap -- Clipping the butterfly bush's wings: defoliation studies to assess the likely impact of a folivorous weevil -- Can a pathogen provide insurance against host shifts by a biological control organism? -- Which haystack? Climate matching to narrow the search for weed biological control agents -- Nutritional characteristics of Hydrilla verticillata and its effect on two biological control agents -- How sensitive is weed invasion to seed predation? -- Abstracts -- Altered nutrient cycling as a novel non-target effect of weed biocontrol -- Interactions of plant quality and predation affect the success of purple loosestrife biocontrol programme -- An arthropod and a pathogen in combination as biocontrol agents: how do they shape up? -- Impact of invasive exotic knotweeds (Fallopia spp.) on invertebrate communities -- An experimental test of the importance of climate matching for biological control introductions -- Effect of climate on biological control: a case study with diffuse knapweed in British Columbia, Canada -- The IRA and getting the result you want -- Microclimate effects on biological control: water hyacinth in South Africa -- Habitat analysis of the rush skeleton weed root moth, Bradyrrhoa gilveolella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Evaluating the performance of Episimus utilis (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) on the invasive Brazilian peppertree in Florida -- Successful biological control of diffuse knapweed in British Columbia, Canada -- An integrated approach to invasive plant management: biocontrol and native plant interactions -- Impact of host-plant water stress on the interaction between Mecinus janthinus and Linaria dalmatica -- Impact of insect herbivory on dispersal in Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle -- Dynamics of invasive plant monocultures after the establishment of natural enemies: an example from the Melaleuca quinquenervia system in Florida -- Modelling of Diorhabda elongata dispersal during the initial stages of establishment for the control of Tamarix spp. -- Seed feeders: why do so few work and can we improve our selection decisions? -- THEME 2: BENEFIT/RISK-COST ANALYSES -- Papers -- Return on investment: determining the economic impact of biological control programmes [Keynote paper] -- Post-release non-target monitoring of Mogulones cruciger, a biological control agent released to control Cynoglossum officinale in Canada -- Assessing indirect impacts of biological control agents on native biodiversity: a community-level approach -- Factors affecting oviposition rate in the weevil Rhinocyllus conicus on non-target Carduus spp. in New Zealand -- Fortieth anniversary review of the CSIRO European Laboratory: does native range research provide good return on investment? -- Abstracts -- F1 sterility: a novel approach for risk assessment of biocontrol agents in open-field trials -- Impact of biocontrol agents on native biodiversity: the case of Mesoclanis polana -- A look at host range, host specificity and non-target safety from the perspective of a plant virus as a weed-biocontrol agent.

Novel approaches for risk assessment: feasibility studies on temporary reversible releases of biocontrol agents -- A wolf in sheep's clothing: potential dangers of using indigenous herbivores as biocontrol agents -- Impact of biological control of Salvinia molesta in temperate climates on biodiversity conservation -- Opening Pandora's box? Surveys for attack on non-target plants in New Zealand -- New biological control agents for Cytisus scoparius (Scotch broom) in New Zealand: dealing with the birds and the bees and predicted non-target attack to a fodder crop -- Predicting risk and benefit a priori in weed biological control: a systems modelling approach -- Comparative risk assessment of Linaria dalmatica and L. vulgaris biological control -- THEME 3: TARGET AND AGENT SELECTION -- Papers -- Latin American weed biological control science at the crossroads [Keynote paper] -- Galling guilds associated with Acacia dealbata and factors guiding selection of potential biological control agents -- Biological control of Miconia calvescens with a suite of insect herbivores from Costa Rica and Brazil -- Giving dyer's woad the blues: encouraging first results for biological control -- Herbivores associated with Arundo donax in California -- Which species of the thistle biocontrol agent Trichosirocalus are present in New Zealand? -- Bionomics and seasonal occurrence of Larinus filiformis Petri, 1907 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in eastern Turkey, a potential biological control agent for Centaurea solstitialis L. -- All against one: first results of a newly formed foreign exploration consortium for the biological control of perennial pepperweed -- Potential biological control agents for fumitory (Fumaria spp.) in Australia -- Expanding classical biological control of weeds with pathogens in India: the way forward.

Explorations in Central Asia and Mediterranean basin to select biological control agents for Salsola tragus -- Eriophyoid mites on Centaurea solstitialis in the Mediterranean area -- Diclidophlebia smithi (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) a potential biological agent for Miconia calvescens -- A lace bug as biological control agent of yellow starthistle, Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae): an unusual choice -- Pathogens from Brazil for classical biocontrol of Tradescantia fluminensis -- Field and laboratory observations of the life history of the Swiss biotype of Longitarsus jacobaeae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) -- Fungal survey for biocontrol agents of Ipomoea carnea from Brazil -- Biological control of lippia (Phyla canescens): surveys for the plant and its natural enemies in Argentina -- Potential biological control agents of field bindweed, common teasel and field dodder from Slovakia -- Lewia chlamidosporiformans, a mycoherbicide for control of Euphorbia heterophylla: isolate selection and mass production -- Sphenoptera foveola (Buprestidae) as a potential agent for biological control of skeletonweed, Chondrilla juncea -- Common buckthorn, Rhamnus cathartica L.: available feeding niches and the importance of controlling this invasive woody perennial in North America -- Evaluation of Fusarium as potential biological control against Orobanche on Faba bean in Tunisia -- Abstracts -- Prospective biological control agents for Nassella neesiana in Australia and New Zealand -- Biological control of Cirsium arvense by using native insects -- The degree of polymorphism in Puccinia punctiformis virulence and Cirsium arvense resistance: implications for biological control -- Field exploration for saltcedar natural enemies in Egypt -- The phytophagous insects associated with spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa Lam.) in northeast Romania.

Parkinsonia dieback: a new association with potential for biological control -- Ecology, impact and biological control of the weed Tradescantia fluminensis in New Zealand -- Potential for biological control of Rhamnus cathartica and Frangula alnus in North America -- Arundo donax (giant reed): an invasive weed of the Rio Grande Basin -- Potential agents from Kazakhstan for Russian Olive biocontrol in USA -- Biology of the Rumex leaf defoliator sawfly Kokujewia ectrapela Konow (Hymenoptera: Argidae) in Urmia region -- What defines a host? Growth rate-the paradox revisited -- Selection of fungal strains for biological control of important weeds in the Krasnodar region of Russia -- Vegetative expansion and seed output of swallow-worts (Vincetoxicum spp.) -- A new biological control program for common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) in Canada and the USA -- Surveys in Argentina for the biological control of Brazilian peppertree in the USA -- Natural enemies of balloon vine and pompom weed in Argentina: prospects for biological control in South Africa -- Tamarix biocontrol in US: new biocontrol agents from Kazakhstan -- Biological control of aquatic weeds by Plectosporium alismatis, a potential mycoherbicide in Australian rice crops: comparison of liquid culture media for their ability to produce high yields of desiccation-tolerant propagules -- Herbivorous insects from Brazil for classical biocontrol of Tradescantia fluminensis -- Nigrospora oryzae, a potential bio-control agent for Giant Parramatta Grass (Sporobolus fertilis) in Australia -- Biological control and ecology of the submerged aquatic weed Cabomba caroliniana -- Hindsight is 20/20: improved biological control of Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) for seasonally dry regions -- Surveys for herbivores of Casuarina spp. in Australia for development as biological control agents in Florida, USA.

Differential host preferences of Diorhabda elongata: implications for biological control of Tamarix.