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A beetle introduced to the US to control saltcedar has dispersed

By Fort Collins Science Center
A beetle introduced to the US to control saltcedar has dispersed to the Middle Rio Grande.
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Detailed Description

A beetle introduced to the US to control saltcedar has dispersed to the Middle Rio Grande. This natural-color image by DigitalGlobe, Inc. on July 18, 2016 shows saltcedar defoliated by the beetle (purple) at the confluence of the Rio Puerco and the Rio Grande. If the beetle kills large areas of saltcedar, subsequent floods could accelerate erosion in tributaries, leading to siltation along the Rio Grande and in Elephant Butte Reservoir. 

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