Invasive Species Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The growing pace of international commerce has created an increased risk of invasion by alien species, which often take root and thrive in their new environment, often at great costs for the local biota and economy. The risk of... more

The growing pace of international commerce has created an increased risk of invasion by alien species, which often take root and thrive in their new environment, often at great costs for the local biota and economy. The risk of introduction of harmful organisms into the United States is increasing exponentially, with costs to the American economy measured in hundreds of billions of dollars. This report offers recommendations to improve biosecurity measures at US ports, as well as a possible funding mechanism based upon the polluter-pays principle.

One of the primary tools for raising awareness on biological invasions has been the publication of species accounts of the most prominent alien invaders. Until now such compilations have been available only for particular taxa, biomes... more

One of the primary tools for raising awareness on biological invasions has been the publication of species accounts of the most prominent alien invaders. Until now such compilations have been available only for particular taxa, biomes and/or regions (Cronk and Fuller 2001; Weber 2003; Weidema 2000). In Europe, species accounts for selected invasive species have been published for a few countries or

We report a sizeable population of Carolina fanwort Cabomba caroliniana from Belgium. The new population was discovered in June 2013 and represents the only occurrence in the Atlantic region of this country. A previous record dates back... more

We report a sizeable population of Carolina fanwort Cabomba caroliniana from Belgium. The new population was discovered in June 2013 and represents the only occurrence in the Atlantic region of this country. A previous record dates back to 1998 but by 2006 this population was eliminated unintentionally by dredging works. Cabomba caroliniana is expected to become a regulated invasive alien species of EU concern, in which case it will need to be eradicated. We briefly describe the site conditions, discuss possible measures for eradication and present a decision support scheme.

Different international plant protection organisations advocate different schemes for conducting pest risk assessments. Most of these schemes use structured questionnaire in which experts are asked to score several items using an ordinal... more

Different international plant protection organisations advocate different schemes for conducting pest risk assessments. Most of these schemes use structured questionnaire in which experts are asked to score several items using an ordinal scale. The scores are then combined using a range of procedures, such as simple arithmetic mean, weighted averages, multiplication of scores, and cumulative sums. The most useful schemes will correctly identify harmful pests and identify ones that are not. As the quality of a pest risk assessment can depend on the characteristics of the scoring system used by the risk assessors (i.e., on the number of points of the scale and on the method used for combining the component scores), it is important to assess and compare the performance of different scoring systems. In this article, we proposed a new method for assessing scoring systems. Its principle is to simulate virtual data using a stochastic model and, then, to estimate sensitivity and specificity values from these data for different scoring systems. The interest of our approach was illustrated in a case study where several scoring systems were compared. Data for this analysis were generated using a probabilistic model describing the pest introduction process. The generated data were then used to simulate the outcome of scoring systems and to assess the accuracy of the decisions about positive and negative introduction. The results showed that ordinal scales with at most 5 or 6 points were sufficient and that the multiplication-based scoring systems performed better than their sum-based counterparts. The proposed method could be used in the future to assess a great diversity of scoring systems.

Here in Hawaii, the only ones in the rat race are mongooses, along with Federal and State officials wanting to kill both rats and mongooses. However, there is a big flaw in the recent Federal and State proposal for statewide eradication... more

Here in Hawaii, the only ones in the rat race are mongooses, along with Federal and State officials wanting to kill both rats and mongooses. However, there is a big flaw in the recent Federal and State proposal for statewide eradication of Hawaii's rodents and mongooses, currently under review. Here is the argument against eradication.

PL: Wieloletnia presja antropogeniczna wywarła głębokie zmiany w krajobrazie doliny Kłodnicy w Gliwicach. W artykule przedstawiono różne warianty rewitalizacji doliny rzeki Kłodnicy, możliwe do realizacji w ramach funduszy unijnych,... more

PL: Wieloletnia presja antropogeniczna wywarła głębokie zmiany w krajobrazie doliny Kłodnicy w Gliwicach. W artykule przedstawiono różne warianty rewitalizacji doliny rzeki Kłodnicy, możliwe do realizacji w ramach funduszy unijnych, krajowych, partnerstwa publiczno-prywatnego i budżetu obywatelskiego. Zdecydowana większość mieszkańców (81%) źle ocenia stan badanego odcinka doliny, wskazując na potrzebę jej rewitalizacji (76%). Zaproponowane w pracy rozwiązania, zgodne z koncepcją zielonej architektury, pozwoliłyby na odtworzenie potencjału ekohydrologicznego doliny Kłodnicy i stworzenie przyjaznej dla mieszkańców przestrzeni publicznej. Przywrócenie właściwego stanu ekosystemów rzeki umożliwiłoby uzyskanie wielu usług ekosystemowych (poprawa bezpieczeństwa powodziowego, poprawa warunków aerosanitarnych, estetyzacja krajobrazu), podnoszących jakość i standard życia mieszkańców. Przewidziane w projekcie obiekty i infrastruktura stanowiłyby interesującą ofertę spędzania czasu wolnego oraz służyłyby podniesieniu świadomości ekologicznej mieszkańców. EN: Long-term anthropopressure caused negative changes in the landscape of the Kłodnica valley in Gliwice. The article presents various variants of revitalization of the Kłodnica valley. They are possible to realize within European funds, national funds, public-private partnership and the civil budget. Most inhabitants (81%) poorly assessed the state of the studied section of the Kłodnica valley. The inhabitants pointed also at the need to the revitalization of the valley (76%). Solutions proposed in the article, according to green architecture concept, would allow the reconstruction of the ecohydrological potential of the Kłodnica valley and creating friendly public space. The restoration of the proper state of river ecosystems would allow many valuable ecosystem services (improving flood safety, micro-climate regulation, aesthetization of landscape), which increases the standard and quality of life of inhabitants. Objects and infrastructure proposed in the project would be an interesting offer for spending leisure time and would increase the ecological awareness of inhabitants.

Climate change and invasive plant species pose extraordinary ecological challenges to the world today. In addition, global warming enables invasive plants to spread more widely. Biological invasions are seen as a major threat to... more

Climate change and invasive plant species pose extraordinary ecological challenges to the world today. In addition, global warming enables invasive plants to spread more widely. Biological invasions are seen as a major threat to biodiversity on a global level, while the number of new invasions is increasing at an alarming rate. Raising the awareness of the public, the academic world and policy makers about the dangers caused by invasive species is essential for the creation of the support needed to implement and coordinate the policies necessary to address this problem. The aim of this study is to determine the level of local public awareness of the existence of these plant species, examine their attitudes towards alien invasive plant species and their willingness to get involved in the prevention of their spread. The survey was conducted in three nurseries and one garden centre in the territory of the city of Belgrade. The population that visits the nurseries and garden centre in order to buy plants were subjected to the survey method. The results show that the local public is uninformed on the issue of invasive plant species. It is necessary to constantly and intensively raise their awareness of this issue, as well as the awareness of the harmful consequences that may occur due to the uncontrolled spread of alien invasive species.

The hypersaline environments and salterns present in the western Mediterranean region (including Italy, southern France, the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco) contain autochthonous forms of the brine shrimp Artemia, with parthenogenetic... more

The hypersaline environments and salterns present in the western Mediterranean region (including Italy, southern France, the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco) contain autochthonous forms of the brine shrimp Artemia, with parthenogenetic diploid and tetraploid strains coexisting with the bisexual species A. salina. Introduced populations of the American brine shrimp A. franciscana have also been recorded in these Mediterranean environments since the 1980s. Based on brine shrimp cyst samples collected in these countries from 1980 until 2002, we were able to establish the present distribution of autochthonous brine shrimps and of A. franciscana, which is shown to be an expanding invasive species. The results obtained show that A. franciscana is now the dominant Artemia species in Portuguese salterns, along the French Mediterranean coast and in Cadiz bay (Spain). Co-occurrence of autochthonous (parthenogenetic) and American brine shrimp populations was observed in Morocco (Mar Chica) and France (Aigues Mortes), whereas A. franciscana was not found in Italian cyst samples. The results suggest these exotic A. franciscana populations originate as intentional or non-intentional inoculations through aquacultural (hatchery effluents) or pet market activities, and suggest that the native species can be rapidly replaced by the exotic species.

There is an increasing need and interest in including indicators of landscape fragmentation in monitoring systems of sustainable landscape management. Landscape fragmentation due to transportation infrastructure and urban development... more

There is an increasing need and interest in including indicators of landscape fragmentation in monitoring systems of sustainable landscape management. Landscape fragmentation due to transportation infrastructure and urban development threatens human and environmental well-being by noise and pollution from traffic, reducing the size and viability of wildlife populations, facilitating the spread of invasive species, and impairing the scenic and recreational qualities of the landscape. This paper provides the rationale, method, and data for including landscape fragmentation in monitoring systems, using as an example the Swiss Monitoring System of Sustainable Development (Monet). We defined and compared four levels of fragmentation analysis, or fragmentation geometries (FGs), each based on different fragmenting elements, e.g., only anthropogenic, or combinations of anthropogenic and natural elements. As each FG has specific strengths and weaknesses, the most appropriate choice of FG depends on the context and objectives of a study. We present data on the current degree of landscape fragmentation for the five ecoregions and 26 cantons in Switzerland for all four FGs. Our results show that the degree of landscape fragmentation as quantified by the effective mesh size method is strongly supported by the postulates and indicator selection criteria of Monet, and we identify the most suitable FG focusing on the land area below 2,100 m (e.g., excluding lakes) and allowing for an equitable comparison of fragmentation degrees among regions that differ in area covered by lakes and high mountains. For a more detailed analysis of landscape fragmentation in the context of environmental impact assessments and strategic environmental assessments, a combination of all four FGs may provide a more informative tool than any single FG.

The present work was conducted in an area of cerrado sensu stricto in San Carlos, state of San Paulo, Brazil. It retracted the floral biology of Pyrostegia venusta, which isconsidered an invader creeper liana. We had done experimental... more

The present work was conducted in an area of cerrado sensu stricto in San Carlos, state of San Paulo, Brazil. It retracted the floral biology of Pyrostegia venusta, which isconsidered an invader creeper liana. We had done experimental crossings and nectar
collection, had observed the visitors, had described the flower morphology and had verifiedpollen viability. We have found a high number of abortions, which could be related to the low
pollen viability observed. The flower morphology indicates that hummingbirds should be theprincipal pollinator, the results we had obtained agreed whit that. We also detected that the
day period in which more birds visited the flowers coincided with the period of bigger nectarproduction. As a result we concluded that P. venusta invest a lot in the interaction with
hummingbirds in order to compensate the low viability of its pollen. The success of the plantseems to be a consequence of this strategy and vegetative reproduction.

The native distribution of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the western Atlantic extends from Nova Scotia to Argentina. Introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, it is currently recorded almost ubiquitously in the... more

The native distribution of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the western Atlantic extends from Nova Scotia to Argentina. Introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, it is currently recorded almost ubiquitously in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. An overview of the occurrence, abundance, and ecological impact of the species in southern European waters is provided; additionally, we present a pragmatic assessment of its management scenarios, explicitly considering the dual nature of C. sapidus as both an invasive species and a fishery resource. We emphasise that the ongoing expansion of C. sapidus in the region may represent a stimulating challenge for the identification and implementation of future strategies in the management of invasive crustaceans. The impact of the invader could be converted into an enhancement of the services delivered by southern European coastal ecosystems, while mitigation costs could be transformed into profits for local populations.

After removing invasive plants, whether by herbicides or other means, typical restoration design focuses on rebuilding native plant communities while disregarding soil microbial communities. However, microbial–plant interactions are known... more

After removing invasive plants, whether by herbicides or other means, typical restoration design focuses on rebuilding native plant communities while disregarding soil microbial communities. However, microbial–plant interactions are known to influence the relative success of native versus invasive plants. Therefore, the abundance and composition of soil microorganisms may affect restoration efforts. We assessed the effect of herbicide treatment on phytosymbiotic pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic (PPFM) bacteria and the potential consequences of native and invasive species establishment post-herbicide treatment in the lab and in a coastal sage scrub (CSS)/grassland restoration site. Lab tests showed that 4% glyphosate reduced PPFM abundance. PPFM addition to seeds increased seedling length of a native plant (Artemisia californica) but not an invasive plant (Hirschfeldia incana). At the restoration site, methanol addition (a PPFM substrate) improved native bunchgrass (Nassella...

Myths about invasive species are widespread in the general community, even when contrary to scientific evidence. Public revulsion against invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) in Australia has encouraged the belief that toads pose a... more

Myths about invasive species are widespread in the general community, even when contrary to scientific evidence. Public revulsion against invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) in Australia has encouraged the belief that toads pose a
significant risk to domestic poultry, by poisoning fowls that eat toads or that drink water contaminated by toads. Although discredited by scientists in 1938, within 2 years of the toads’ introduction to Australia, the myth continues to flourish. We conducted experimental trials to evaluate the vulnerability of chickens to toad-contaminated water, and to toad ingestion. No ill effects were seen, with one chicken consuming 45 small toads without falling ill. Thus, available evidence suggests that cane toads do not imperil domestic poultry.

We review plant conservation in the Mascarenes (Reunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues) and the granitic Seychelles islands. Sizes of angiosperm floras are: Seychelles (200 species, c. 70 endemics of which c. 70% are threatened), Mauritius (691... more

We review plant conservation in the Mascarenes (Reunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues) and the granitic Seychelles islands. Sizes of angiosperm floras are: Seychelles (200 species, c. 70 endemics of which c. 70% are threatened), Mauritius (691 species of which 273 are single island endemics [SIE] and another 150 are Mascarene endemics [ME]), Rodrigues (150 species, 47 SIE, 72 ME), Reunion (550 species, c. 165 SIE, c. 140 ME). The main threats affecting plant diversity are small population sizes and fragmentation, and invasive alien species. While in Mauritius, Rodrigues and Seychelles <5% of intact habitat is left, this proportion is still 30% in Reunion. Consequently habitat restoration is a priority in Mauritius, Rodrigues and Seychelles. All islands have recently greatly advanced some aspects of plant conservation, while gaps are also apparent. Advances include conservation strategies (all), ex situ conservation (all), extent of protected areas (Reunion, Seychelles), new NGOs (Reunion...

The study examined the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) of seven different tree species growing around electricity generating houses within the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Main campus, Samaru. Four parameters, leaf relative water... more

The study examined the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) of seven different tree species growing around electricity generating houses within the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Main campus, Samaru. Four parameters, leaf relative water content (RWC), ascorbic acid content (AA), total chlorophyll (TCH) and pH of leaf extract were used to compute the APTI of the tree species. Results indicate the order of tolerance showing Azadirachta indica (9.8) < Carica papaya (11.5) < Albizia lebbeck (14.9) < Senna siamea (17.0) <Mangifera indica (17.8) <Khaya senegalensis (19.5) < Termonalia collii (20.9). Terminalia collii, the most tolerant could act as a possible sink for air pollutants around pollution emitting sources. On the other hand, A. indica, the most sensitive of the studied species could serve as a possible indicator of air pollution.

A population of a non-indigenous armoured catfish Pterygoplichthys aff. pardalis from the Dinh river basin (Khan Hoa province, Vietnam). We provide evidence that this is a fully naturalised self-reproducing population and present data on... more

A population of a non-indigenous armoured catfish Pterygoplichthys aff. pardalis from the Dinh river basin (Khan Hoa province, Vietnam). We provide evidence that this is a fully naturalised self-reproducing population and present data on its reproduction. Batch spawning is noted. Possible threat presented by this population to the native habitat and its inhabitants is discussed along with its possible fate. We also analysed the patterns of the fish colouration, which is the main character used for the identification of the species of this genus. We provide evidence that morphometric traits and patterns of the body colouration do not form discrete clusters. Therefore, systematics of the genus should be revised and several species would likely be invalid.

Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) is a non-native invasive tree spreading within central Appalachia. This dioecious, deciduous, and allelopathic species copiously produces samaras, capable of traveling at least 200 m through primary... more

Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) is a non-native invasive tree spreading within central Appalachia. This dioecious, deciduous, and allelopathic species copiously produces samaras, capable of traveling at least 200 m through primary wind-dispersal. Removal of A. altissima individuals prior to timbering and other forest disturbances may help prevent spread into forest interiors. To aid in species management, this study investigated the use of remote sensing to identify the location and abundance of samaras in mixed mesophytic forests through supervised classifications. From empirical measurements, the estimated number of seeds per classified unit area was determined and the relationship between quantified propagule sources and individual seed primary dispersal was spatially modeled using a cellular automata model. The predicted seed dispersion pattern was compared to empirical seed trap measurements. Secondary seed dispersal, germination and seedling survival parameters were determined through field experiments. Specifically, I found that remote sensing can be successfully used to distinguish A. altissima samara clusters from surrounding closed canopy vegetation. The identified total area of classified A. altissima samara clusters was determined to be linearly related to total canopy seed yield, however model predictions of seed dispersal patterns generally predicted greater numbers of seeds per seed trap compared to measured outcomes. Seed dispersal predictions using all classified A. altissima samara clusters provided no positive relationships with observed values (Site II, p=0.2997; negative relationship at Site III, p=0.0053). Manually delineating seed sources through photo interpretation resulted in a positive relationship between model estimates and observed seed rain (Site II, p=0.0225), but may still contain commission errors (Site III, p=0.7002). Microsite survey observations of seed germination indicate the frequency of safe sites was high in disturbed environments (canopy gaps), but seedling survival was negligible in the year this study was performed. Measurements of secondary dispersal on land and water (hydrochory) indicate the species can be dispersed with multiple dispersal agents. Hydrochory was shown to be able to contribute greatly to the species’ long distance dispersal, as seeds can reach water bodies, stay viable for long periods of immersion, and can be dispersed downstream distances more than two orders of magnitude greater than primary dispersal. This was the first demonstration of hydrochory in this species. From these studies, it appears that polychory may contribute greatly to this species dispersal and I can infer the same polychory occurs in other terrestrial species, and may contribute to invasive success.

Resource managers can benefit from improved methods for identifying invasive plant species. The utilization of hyperspectral remote sensing as a tool for species-level mapping has been increasing and techniques need to be explored for... more

Resource managers can benefit from improved methods for identifying invasive plant species. The utilization of hyperspectral remote sensing as a tool for species-level mapping has been increasing and techniques need to be explored for identifying species of interest. ...