Article
Biology
Zoe A. Xirocostas, Jeff Ollerton, Riin Tamme, Begona Peco, Vincent Lesieur, Eve Slavich, Robert R. Junker, Meelis Partel, S. Raghu, Akane Uesugi, Stephen P. Bonser, Giancarlo M. Chiarenza, Mark J. Hovenden, Angela T. Moles
Summary: When a plant is introduced to a new ecosystem, it may escape from its coevolved herbivores, resulting in less damage and increased success for the introduced species. This mechanism, known as enemy release, varies among species and situations. Understanding the conditions for enemy release is crucial for identifying species and habitats that are most vulnerable to invasion. A study comparing herbivory levels on native and introduced plant species found that plants experienced significantly less damage in their introduced range, but no significant relationships were observed with time, space, or climate factors. Further research can explore other indicators of enemy release, such as leaf defenses or evolutionary relationships among species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ilona Szumanska, Sandra Lubinska-Mielinska, Dariusz Kaminski, Lucjan Rutkowski, Andrzej Nienartowicz, Agnieszka Piernik
Summary: The research aimed to identify the main vectors and distribution pattern of invasive alien species of plants in the city environment, analyzing the data collected from 515 permanent plots over a 42-year period. The study found significant correlations between species distribution and soil and habitat types, providing valuable insights for local efforts in managing and controlling invasive species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cleo Bertelsmeier, Sebastien Ollier
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the distortion caused by bridgehead effects on the perception of global species flows. Results showed that in most countries, over 50% of alien ants were established on six continents, indicating unreliable flows to these countries. Additionally, flows of species established on a single continent were linked to global trade flows, while those including cosmopolitan species were not.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Nijat Narimanov, Kamal Hatamli, Martin H. Entling
Summary: Contrary to expectations, the invasive spider Mermessus trilobatus is more susceptible to predation by native species compared to local counterparts. This suggests that the relationship between the invasive spider and its native predator is mainly influenced by prey naivete rather than enemy release. Further studies are needed to explore the evolutionary and ecological processes contributing to the invasion success of Mermessus trilobatus in Europe, including the role of natural parasites and rapid reproduction.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cristian-Andrei Costan, William K. Godsoe, Jennifer L. Bufford, John W. M. Marris, Philip E. Hulme
Summary: The enemy release hypothesis suggests that introduced plants can spread rapidly in new environments due to their lack of co-evolved natural enemies. This study examined insect diversity and abundance, measured herbivore damage, and plant biomass to investigate enemy release.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrey N. Reshetnikov, Marina G. Zibrova, Dincer Ayaz, Santosh Bhattarai, Oleg Borodin, Amael Borzee, Jindrich Brejcha, Kerim Cicek, Maria Dimaki, Igor Doronin, Sergey M. Drobenkov, Uzlipat A. Gichikhanova, Anastasia Y. Gladkova, Dmitriy A. Gordeev, Yiannis Ioannidis, Mikhail P. Ilyukh, Elena A. Interesova, Trupti D. Jadhav, Dmitry P. Karabanov, Viner F. Khabibullin, Tolibjon K. Khabilov, M. Monirul H. Khan, Artem A. Kidov, Alexandr S. Klimov, Denis N. Kochetkov, Vladimir G. Kolbintsev, Sergius L. Kuzmin, Konstantin Y. Lotiev, Nora E. Louppova, Vladimir D. Lvov, Sergey M. Lyapkov, Igor M. Martynenko, Irina Maslova, Rafaqat Masroor, Liudmila F. Mazanaeva, Dmitriy A. Milko, Konstantin D. Milto, Omid Mozaffari, Truong Q. Nguyen, Ruslan Novitsky, Andrey B. Petrovskiy, Vladimir A. Prelovskiy, Valentin V. Serbin, Hai-tao Shi, Nikolay Skalon, Richard P. J. H. Struijk, Mari Taniguchi, David Tarkhnishvili, Vladimir F. Tsurkan, Oleg Y. Tyutenkov, Mikhail Ushakov, Dmitriy A. Vekhov, Fanrong Xiao, Andrey Yakimov, Tatyana I. Yakovleva, Peimin Yang, Dmitriy F. Zeleev, Varos G. Petrosyan
Summary: Through analyzing the ecological data of the red-eared slider, a globally recognized invasive species, we found that it has expanded widely in Eurasia, covering 68 countries including eight newly reported ones. The red-eared slider shows higher invasion success in Europe, West Asia, and East Asia, with higher occupancy rate in natural water bodies, larger population size, successful overwintering, occurrence of juveniles, and successful reproduction. Therefore, a cost-effective population control strategy should consider both the potential reproduction range and the geographical area of successful wintering.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Jakovos Demetriou, Christos Georgiadis, Evangelos Koutsoukos, Lech Borowiec, Sebastian Salata
Summary: This article provides an updated overview of the alien ant fauna in Greece through extensive literature investigation and material examination. Alien ant species are mainly found in anthropogenic habitats, but a significant percentage has managed to spread into forest and semi-natural areas.
Article
Plant Sciences
Annamaria Fenesi, Zoltan Botta-Dukat, Zsombor Miholcsa, Viktor Szigeti, Csaba Molnar, Dorottya Sandor, Anna Szabo, Thomas Kuhn, Aniko Kovacs-Hostyanszki
Summary: Despite their importance, little is known about the general shape, direction, and strength of abundance-impact relationships for different impact metrics of invasive species. The influence of functional traits on these relationships is also unclear. This study investigated the ecological impacts of 11 herbaceous invasive species in East-Central Europe and found that the relationships between cover and impact varied among species and impact metrics. The study highlights the need for further research on trait-specific effects and the importance of considering invasive species abundance in impact assessments. Evaluation: 7/10.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ginevra Bellini, Alexandra Erfmeier, Karin Schrieber
Summary: Pre-adaptation to disturbance is an important driver of biological invasions in human-altered ecosystems. This study suggests that non-Eurasian plant species can cope just as well with agroecosystem disturbances as Eurasian species, challenging the Eurocentric perspective.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Agnieszka Sendek, Marco Baity-Jesi, Florian Altermatt, Martin K. -F Bader, Andrew M. Liebhold, Rebecca M. Turner, Alain Roques, Hanno Seebens, Piet Spaak, Christoph Vorburger, Eckehard G. Brockerhoff
Summary: Non-native insect species are under-represented in freshwater habitats compared to terrestrial habitats. This pattern is consistent across different regions. Our study contributes to understanding the drivers and impacts of biological invasions.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexander F. Cerwenka, Joerg Brandner, Dimitriy Dashinov, Juergen Geist
Summary: Since the early 1990s, the global spread of the invasive round goby has triggered extensive research worldwide. However, there is still a lack of a common theory explaining the invasion success, especially in round goby. To better understand and manage aquatic invasions, it is proposed to strengthen the network of goby researchers and establish long-term databases based on continuous and harmonized monitoring.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Larissa Faria, Barbara Maichak de Carvalho, Lais Carneiro, Natali Oliva Roman Miiller, Clemerson Richard Pedroso, Thiago Vinicius Trento Occhi, Livia Helena Tonella, Jean Ricardo Simoes Vitule
Summary: This study evaluates the invasive alien species (IAS) policy in Brazil, finding that the number of alien species records in the country is continuously rising, posing a threat to biodiversity and causing economic burdens. The researchers reviewed historical trends in legislation and identified 85 legal instruments related to IAS in force in the federal sphere, with control and prevention measures being the most common. The study discusses policy gaps and their implications for the management and prevention of new IAS introductions.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Marc William Cadotte
Summary: Plant species invasion is a major driver of global biodiversity change, but there is confusion about the nature of nonindigenous species (NIS) impact. At local scales, the impact of NIS on local competitors can be classified into four scenarios, ranging from minimal impact to pervasive impact. The net outcome of NIS impact, regardless of its nature, will lead to ecosystem homogenization and reduced biodiversity at larger scales, potentially reducing ecosystem resilience. The framework and statistical evaluation presented in this paper provide an objective approach to quantifying NIS impact and prioritizing species for management actions.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Catherine H. Bowler, Lauren G. Shoemaker, Christopher Weiss-Lehman, Isaac R. Towers, Margaret M. Mayfield
Summary: Species interactions between exotic and native species play a crucial role in determining the success of biological invasions and the influence of exotic species in invaded communities. This study highlights the positive interactions between exotic and native species, which are more common than originally thought. However, the study also reveals that within-neighborhood heterogeneity can limit the population growth of both native and exotic species, regulating the positive effects of invaders.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Malizo Ntalo, Khuliso Emmanuel Ravhuhali, Bethwell Moyo, Onke Hawu, Ntokozo Happy Msiza
Summary: Among plant invaders, Lantana camara has the highest environmental impact in terms of its effects on South African biodiversity, water supplies, and rangeland production. Despite its toxicity to livestock, L. camara has potential as a protein supplement for small ruminants in semi-arid areas. This review aims to evaluate its impact on goats and other ruminant livestock in southern Africa and discuss the prospects of using goats as a biological management tool.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Desika Moodley, Elena Angulo, Ross N. Cuthbert, Brian Leung, Anna Turbelin, Ana Novoa, Melina Kourantidou, Gustavo Heringer, Phillip J. Haubrock, David Renault, Marine Robuchon, Jean Fantle-Lepczyk, Franck Courchamp, Christophe Diagne
Summary: Biological invasions pose a major threat to biodiversity within protected areas worldwide. Protected areas incur high costs from these invasions, highlighting the need for more resources to be invested in managing invasive species for long-term conservation.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anna J. Turbelin, Christophe Diagne, Emma J. Hudgins, Desika Moodley, Melina Kourantidou, Ana Novoa, Philip J. Haubrock, Camille Bernery, Rodolphe E. Gozlan, Robert A. Francis, Franck Courchamp
Summary: Introduction pathways are crucial for the management and control of Invasive Alien Species (IAS). By studying the economic impacts and pathways of IAS globally, we found that species introduced through different pathways have different costs, with unintentional introductions having higher costs. Although our study is limited by available data, these findings are important for prioritizing pathway measures and filling data gaps in the management of IAS.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ross T. Shackleton, Giovanni Vimercati, Anna F. Probert, Sven Bacher, Christian A. Kull, Ana Novoa
Summary: Approaches, values, and perceptions in invasion science can diverge among different people, leading to debates on values, management, impacts, and terminology. A survey of 698 scientists and practitioners globally found that while there was generally high consensus, there were also polarized views on certain topics. These polarized views were particularly evident between different invasive taxa, disciplines, academics and practitioners, and world regions. Better integration between different groups could help build broader understanding and consensus.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
M. P. de Wit, D. J. Crookes, J. N. Blignaut, Z. W. de Beer, T. Paap, F. Roets, C. van der Merwe, B. W. van Wilgen, D. M. Richardson
Summary: Studies on the economic impacts of invasive alien species often focus on ex-post assessments of control options, but ex-ante assessments are also necessary. This study developed a simulation model to assess the potential impact of the polyphagous shot hole borer on South Africa, taking into account the dynamic mutualistic relations between the beetle and its symbiotic fungus. The model predicted a steady growth in beetle populations and their negative effect on various industries and ecosystems, highlighting the importance of ex-ante economic assessments in invasive species management.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tumeka Mbobo, David M. Richardson, Eve J. Lucas, John R. U. Wilson
Summary: Recent studies on patterns of biological invasions in several plant families have found that taxa with larger native range sizes are more likely to become invasive, and taxa with longer residence time in new regions are more likely to naturalize. This study focuses on the plant family Myrtaceae and compares taxa with fleshy fruits and those with dry fruits to explore the role of seed dispersal in the invasion process. The results show that while a slightly higher proportion of dry-fruited species have been introduced, introduced dry-fruited species have naturalized more frequently than fleshy-fruited species. Additionally, invasions of fleshy-fruited species are more common on islands, and naturalized fleshy-fruited species are more likely to have impacts on islands than dry-fruited species.
PERSPECTIVES IN PLANT ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Guillaume Latombe, Jane A. Catford, Franz Essl, Bernd Lenzner, David M. Richardson, John R. U. Wilson, Melodie A. McGeoch
Summary: The total impact of an alien species can be estimated by a formula called GIRAE, which considers the range size, local abundance, and per-unit effect. This formula can be applied to different types of impact, such as environmental impacts and management costs. The paper proposes two methods for using GIRAE: the species-specific method and the multi-species method. While the species-specific method is more accurate, it requires a large amount of data for each species, while the multi-species method is more easily applicable but assumes the same relationship between impact and other factors for all species. The methods are illustrated using data on managing plant invasions in South Africa, showing clear differences in expenditure between species and biomes. Overall, the GIRAE method offers a versatile and practical approach for understanding and managing the impacts of biological invasions.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ana Novoa, Susan Canavan, Deah Lieurance, Daniel Simberloff, Laura A. Meyerson
Summary: Social media can help scientific journals increase their social and scientific impact. Biological Invasions journal has been active on Facebook and Twitter, with scientists being the main followers on Twitter. The number of followers and mentions on Twitter were higher than on Facebook, but the geographical diversity of Facebook followers was greater. However, social media activities did not affect the readership or citations of Biological Invasions' publications, though being active on social media could improve diversity and inclusivity.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jonatan Rodriguez, Ana Novoa, Gaston Sotes, Anibal Pauchard, Luis Gonzalez
Summary: The Enemy Release Hypothesis (ERH) predicts that the escape from specialist herbivores may explain the invasiveness of some invasive alien plants, but our experiment does not support this hypothesis. We found that Carpobrotus edulis plants attacked by a specialist herbivore showed the production of defensive compounds and reduced growth and survival, while those attacked by a generalist herbivore showed no significant differences compared to control plants. Overall, our findings suggest that C. edulis is negatively affected by its specialist herbivore, but not by generalist herbivores.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marta Perez-Diz, Berea Rodriguez-Addesso, Muhammad Iftikhar Hussain, Jonatan Rodriguez, Ana Novoa, Luis Gonzalez
Summary: This study investigated the phenotypic plasticity of Carpobrotus sp. pl. invading four different habitats in the north-western Iberian Peninsula. The results showed variations in morphological traits, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope compositions of Carpobrotus sp. pl. in response to different environmental conditions and resource utilization in each habitat.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ana Novoa, Heidi Hirsch, Maria L. Castillo, Susan Canavan, Luis Gonzalez, David M. Richardson, Petr Pysek, Jonatan Rodriguez, Lurdes Borges Silva, Giuseppe Brundu, Carla M. D'Antonio, Jorge L. Gutierrez, Megan Mathese, Sam Levin, Luis Silva, Johannes J. Le Roux
Summary: The genus Carpobrotus comprises invasive plant species that have significant ecological impacts on coastal dune systems worldwide. The taxonomy and genetic structure of these species are complex, making it difficult to distinguish them from each other. This research provides insights into the origin and distribution patterns of Carpobrotus species, which can guide management and control efforts.