Introduced species Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

How have humans colonised the entire planet and reshaped its ecosystems in the process? This unique and groundbreaking collection of essays explores human movement through time, the impacts of these movements on landscapes and other... more

How have humans colonised the entire planet and reshaped its ecosystems in the process? This unique and groundbreaking collection of essays explores human movement through time, the impacts of these movements on landscapes and other species, and the ways in which species have co-evolved and transformed each other as a result. Exploring the spread of people, plants, animals, and diseases through processes of migration, colonisation, trade, and travel, it assembles a broad array of case studies from the Pliocene to the present. The contributors from disciplines across the humanities and natural sciences are senior or established scholars in the fields of human evolution, archaeology, history, and geography.

Risk assessment is a tool that has many applications in marine biosecurity. Its application to aquaculture has only recently moved from the protective standpoint of animal health (i.e. the World Organisation for Animal Health, OIE) to... more

Risk assessment is a tool that has many applications in marine biosecurity. Its application to aquaculture has only recently moved from the protective standpoint of animal health (i.e. the World Organisation for Animal Health, OIE) to examining introduced species risks. Risks from aquaculture include use of non-native species as target stocks in aquaculture; the potential for introductions of hitchhiker (associate) species when importing new stocks; the use of non-native live, fresh or frozen feed stocks and the movement of aquaculture equipment. In contrast, the risks to aquaculture from marine bioinvasions from other sources (including other aquaculture operators) include pathogens, parasites, biofouling and harmful algal blooms. Herein, we present two types of risk assessment (non-probabilistic decision-trees and a qualitative/semi-quantitative
organism impact assessment) that are currently used in the marine biosecurity system in New Zealand and Chile, but are readily applicable to other introduced species risk scenarios. These methods do not rely on quantitative risk assessment methods because sufficient quantitative data are often lacking for introduced marine species work. However, quantitative data can be used within the assessments to identify likelihoods or consequence.

Herbivory is a fundamental process that controls primary producer abundance and regulates energy and nutrient flows to higher trophic levels. Despite the recent proliferation of small-scale studies on herbivore effects on aquatic plants,... more

Herbivory is a fundamental process that controls primary producer abundance and regulates energy and nutrient flows to higher trophic levels. Despite the recent proliferation of small-scale studies on herbivore effects on aquatic plants, there remains limited understanding of the factors that control consumer regulation of vascular plants in aquatic ecosystems. Our current knowledge of the regulation of primary producers has hindered efforts to understand the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems, and to manage such ecosystems effectively. We conducted a global meta-analysis of the outcomes of plant–herbivore interactions using a data set comprised of 326 values from 163 studies, in order to test two mechanistic hypotheses: first, that greater negative changes in plant abundance would be associated with higher herbivore biomass densities; second, that the magnitude of changes in plant abundance would vary with herbivore taxonomic identity. We found evidence that plant abundance declined with increased herbivore density, with plants eliminated at high densities. Significant between-taxa differences in impact were detected, with insects associated with smaller reductions in plant abundance than all other taxa. Similarly, birds caused smaller reductions in plant abundance than echinoderms, fish, or molluscs. Furthermore, larger reductions in plant abundance were detected for fish relative to crustaceans. We found a positive relationship between herbivore species richness and change in plant abundance, with the strongest reductions in plant abundance reported for low herbivore species richness, suggesting that greater herbivore diversity may protect against large reductions in plant abundance. Finally, we found that herbivore–plant nativeness was a key factor affecting the magnitude of herbivore impacts on plant abundance across a wide range of species assemblages. Assemblages comprised of invasive herbivores and native plant assemblages were associated with greater reductions in plant abundance compared with invasive herbivores and invasive plants, native herbivores and invasive plants, native herbivores and mixed-nativeness plants, and native herbivores and native plants. By contrast, assemblages comprised of native herbivores and invasive plants were associated with lower reductions in plant abundance compared with both mixed-nativeness herbivores and native plants, and native herbivores and native plants. However, the effects of herbivore–plant nativeness on changes in plant abundance were reduced at high herbivore densities. Our mean reductions in aquatic plant abundance are greater than those reported in the literature for terrestrial plants, but lower than aquatic algae. Our findings highlight the need for a substantial shift in how biologists incorporate plant–herbivore interactions into theories of aquatic ecosystem structure and functioning. Currently, the failure to incorporate top-down effects continues to hinder our capacity to understand and manage the ecological dynamics of habitats that contain aquatic plants.

We analyzed 69 publications on the impacts of introduced seaweeds. The predominant impacts were changed competitive relationships in the recipient habitat, indicated by high abundances of invaders, resultant space monopolization, and... more

We analyzed 69 publications on the impacts of introduced seaweeds. The predominant impacts were changed competitive relationships in the recipient habitat, indicated by high abundances of invaders, resultant space monopolization, and reduced abundances/biomass of native macrophytes. Changes in biodiversity, effects on fish and invertebrate fauna, toxic effects on other biota, and habitat change were also identified. The mechanisms underlying the manifestation of impacts are uncertain and inferences about common patterns were hampered because impact studies were available for only a few introduced seaweeds, covered only a fraction of their introduced distribution and generally were conducted over short time scales. There was no information about evolutionary effects or changes of ecosystem processes. Knowledge of socio-economic impacts of invasive seaweeds is poor. We collated costs associated with control/eradication activities and for national spending on marine biosecurity in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Prevention of impacts is the driving force for costly surveillance, eradication and control programs. Until we are able to understand, predict and measure impacts of introduced seaweeds, the management of species incursions needs to remain focused on early detection, rapid response and control to reduce the likelihood of negative impact effects.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations body which administers the international regulatory regime for shipping, noted the negative impact of non-indigenous organisms transported in the ballast water of ships... more

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations body which administers the international regulatory regime for shipping, noted the negative impact of non-indigenous organisms transported in the ballast water of ships already in the early 1970s. Consequently, measures were taken with the aim to minimize ballast water mediated species invasions through IMO Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) Resolutions. As a result of long-term IMO efforts, it was determined that an international convention would best meet the needs of the global community, hence the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments was adopted in a Diplomatic Conference in 2004 and is now open for signature by IMO Member States. This very complex (and by no means ‘‘simple’’) Convention aims to reduce the transfer and subsequent impact of aquatic organisms in the ballast water and sediment of ships by acting to reduce the load of these organisms in discharged ballast water. A set of 15 guidelines provides technical guidance for the implementation of the Convention principles. This review considers critical aspects of this Convention and selected guidelines seen from perspectives of biological, shipping and
regulatory concerns.

The botanical and zoological literature of the Hellenistic and Roman worlds displayed a triumphalist attitude about the possibilities of introducing animals and plants to new lands. Animals and plants could be reshaped to suit human... more

The botanical and zoological literature of the Hellenistic and Roman worlds displayed a triumphalist attitude about the possibilities of introducing animals and plants to new lands. Animals and plants could be reshaped to suit human desires by training and cultivation, and by experiments in interbreeding and grafting. Entire lands could even be transformed to make them more hospitable. Little concern was displayed about maintaining a land in its original state, or about preserving the purity and autochthony of its indigenous creatures. The celebration in botanical and zoological literature of the world’s plasticity calls into question the seeming rigidity and pessimism of environmentally deterministic theories in the ancient world.

The remains of non-native deer (Cervidae) have been sparsely recorded in Amerindian archaeological sites of the West Indies, but evidence indicates the presence of at least two genera, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus) and brocket deer... more

The remains of non-native deer (Cervidae) have been sparsely recorded in Amerindian archaeological sites of the West Indies, but evidence indicates the presence of at least two genera, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus) and brocket deer (Mazama), during the precolumbian era known as the Ceramic Age (ca. 500 BC–AD 1500). Due to underreporting of finds and lack of regional integration of existing records, however, the West Indian distribution of cervid remains and their cultural importance are not well understood. Here, I synthesize records for unmodified and modified deer bone from 29 archaeological sites on seven islands in the precolumbian island Caribbean with descriptions for four new records of deer bone artifacts from Carriacou and Grenada. I discuss taxonomic attribution issues, evidence for manufacturing techniques, and the utilitarian and symbolic significance of deer bone artifacts. Particular attention is given to proportions of worked and unworked bone, element diversity, and skeletal part representation as a means to distinguish the introduction of living deer from the introduction of carcass products. The evidence presented here is consistent with island Amerindians importing cervid bone as finished artifacts or raw material for tool and ornament manufacture rather than live animals. This study enhances our understanding of the ways in which Amerindians were engaged in exchange networks based on the movement of exotic goods between the West Indies and continent. More broadly, it contributes to conceptual methods for distinguishing the transfer of body parts from the translocation of live animals in studies of exotic animal dispersal by humans. Si bien se han registrado escasos restos de venados (Cervidae) alóctonos en los sitios amerindios de las Indias Occidentales, la evidencia indica la presencia de al menos dos géneros, el venado de cola blanca (Odocoileus) y el venado Mazama, durante el periodo precolombino conocido como la etapa Cerámica (alrededor de 500 aC–1500 dC). Sin embargo, la distribución e importancia cultural de los restos de cérvidos en las Antillas aún no han sido comprendidas en su totalidad debido a la ausencia de información sobre los hallazgos y la falta de integración regional de los registros existentes. En este trabajo se presenta una síntesis de los registros de huesos de venado sin y con modificación provenientes de 29 sitios arqueológicos localizados en siete islas del Caribe, junto con descripciones de cuatro nuevos registros de artefactos óseos de venado provenientes de Carriacou y Granada. Asimismo, se discute la atribución taxonómica, la evidencia de técnicas de fabricación y el significado utilitario y simbólico de los artefactos óseos de los cérvidos. Se presta especial atención a las proporciones de hueso trabajado y no trabajado, la diversidad de elementos y la representación de las partes esqueléticas como evidencia para diferenciar entre la introducción de cérvidos vivos y el ingreso de productos derivados de la carcasa de estos animales. La evidencia presentada aquí indica que la actividad de los amerindios en las Antillas estaría vinculada con la importación de huesos de cérvido como artefactos terminados o como materia prima para la fabricación de herramientas y ornamentos, más que de animales vivos. Este estudio contribuye a nuestro entendimiento de las formas en que los amerindios participaron en las redes de intercambio basadas en el movimiento de bienes exóticos entre las Antillas y el continente. En términos más generales, el estudio contribuye a los métodos conceptuales para diferenciar entre el traslado de partes de carcasas y la translocación de animales vivos en estudios de dispersión de animales exóticos por los seres humanos.

Marine biological invasions have increased throughout the world’s oceans to the extent that no region is considered ‘pristine’. At least 1781 species have been identified as introduced in marine or estuarine systems somewhere in the... more

Marine biological invasions have increased throughout the world’s oceans to the extent that no region is considered ‘pristine’. At least 1781 species have been identified as introduced in marine or estuarine systems somewhere in the world. Many of these species have been introduced to several regions, inferring an ease of transport by human-mediated mechanisms. A substantial number of these species have either demonstrable or inferred impacts.
Marine species have been transported around the world in many ways, both intentionally and accidentally. Concern has typically focused on vessel traffic, specifically the transport of species in ballast water, which is used for trim and stability of commercial vessels. This led to the development of the International Maritime Organization’s International convention for the control and management of ship's ballast water and sediments that was adopted in 2004.
More recently, attention has shifted to species that attach to the external surfaces of vessels, including commercial, fishing, and non-trading vessels such as barges, dredges, tugs and recreational yachts. Such species are collectively known as biofouling.
Science-based risk assessment is a key element of Australia’s biosecurity system and underpins the nation’s biosecurity policies. However, there are currently no Australian regulatory measures for preventing the introduction of invasive marine species through biofouling.
The objective of this project was to conduct a risk assessment to identify and assess the biosecurity risk to Australia associated with the entry, establishment and spread of marine pest species as biofouling. This risk assessment is therefore intended to inform Australian Government policy development for continued management of marine pest risks as biofouling.
The risk assessment followed a five-step process:
• identifying endpoints
• identifying hazards
• determining consequences
• determining likelihood
• calculating risk.
Risk was evaluated across three identified endpoints: inoculation, establishment and spread. International voyages to Australia were assessed for the risk they pose in relation to inoculation and establishment. Likelihood of domestic spread was assessed through analysis of domestic movement of international shipping, other domestic vessel movements/traffic and through natural means.
Key hazards for Australia were deemed to be those species with a recognised invasion history, but not currently known to be present in Australian waters. More than 1781 species that have been identified as being introduced to some region of the world were evaluated for their association with biofouling and transport pressure. Species association with biofouling was assessed on the basis of life history characteristics. Transport pressure was calculated as a function of the intersection between a species’
global distribution and the opportunities for transport calculated as a combination of the number of vessels arriving in Australia from regions where a species is present.
The consequence (or impact) was assessed for each species on four core values of environment, economic, social/cultural and human health, based on information derived from the literature. The vast majority of species had neither demonstrable nor inferred impacts stated in the published literature, significantly decreasing the ability to assess risk. For those species with available information about their consequence, risk was calculated as the product of likelihood and consequence. The result of this analysis was a restricted suite of 56 species that have a high probability of arrival into Australian waters and the potential to cause moderate to extreme impacts across one or more of the four core values if successfully introduced.

Page 1. 115 Introduction Forest adaptation to climate and site conditions is a basic prerequisite for the mainte-nance of structure, vitality, and ecosystem functioning of European woodlands; this includes their harvesting and carbon... more

Page 1. 115 Introduction Forest adaptation to climate and site conditions is a basic prerequisite for the mainte-nance of structure, vitality, and ecosystem functioning of European woodlands; this includes their harvesting and carbon sequestration potential (Nabuurs et al. 2007). ...

This study performs a meta-analysis of existing studies of European riparian forests to investigate which exotic species have successfully established in intact riparian forests and which characteristics of these forests correspond with... more

This study performs a meta-analysis of existing studies of European riparian forests to investigate which exotic species have successfully established in intact riparian forests and which characteristics of these forests correspond with successful establishment. We used analysis of covariance models to investigate the relationship between community species richness, percent exotic species, and several environmental variables. We found a total richness of 1380 species, of which 45 (3.3%) were exotic. Species-rich communities generally had the higher percentage of exotics, but were not significantly related to latitude or environmental variables. Exotics, in contrast, were at generally higher levels at lower latitudes and were more abundant in large river plains and communities with intermediate levels of disturbance. These results suggest that future climate change and human actions that mimic intermediate levels of disturbance may further enhance the spread of exotic species.