Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Julian D. Olden, Ethen Whattam, Spencer A. Wood
Summary: The ornamental aquarium pet trade is a major pathway for the introduction of aquatic invasive species, with informal online marketplaces playing an increasingly important role in this process. The AquaBid platform has facilitated a significant trade of live freshwater animals, fish eggs, and plant assortments, highlighting the dynamics and trade flows of the informal retail market online.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Francisco J. Oficialdegui, Jose M. Zamora-Marin, Simone Guareschi, Pedro M. Anastacio, Pablo Garcia-Murillo, Filipe Ribeiro, Rafael Miranda, Fernando Cobo, Belinda Gallardo, Emili Garcia-Berthou, Dani Boix, Andres Arias, Jose A. Cuesta, Leopoldo Medina, David Almeida, Filipe Banha, Sandra Barca, Idoia Biurrun, M. Pilar Cabezas, Sara Calero, Juan A. Campos, Laura Capdevila-Arguelles, Cesar Capinha, Frederic Casals, Miguel Clavero, Joao Encarnacao, Carlos Fernandez-Delgado, Javier Franco, Antonio Guillen, Virgilio Hermoso, Annie Machordom, Joana Martelo, Andres Mellado-Diaz, Felipe Morcilloy, Javier Oscoz, Anabel Perdices, Quim Pou-Rovira, Argantonio Rodriguez-Merino, Macarena Ros, Ana Ruiz-Navarro, Marta I. Sanchez, David Sanchez-Fernandez, Jorge R. Sanchez-Gonzalez, Enrique Sanchez-Gullon, M. Alexandra Teodosio, Mar Torralva, Rufino Vieira-Lanero, Francisco J. Oliva-Paterna
Summary: As the number of introduced species continues to rise, it is crucial to identify and prioritize current and potential invasive alien species (IAS) for effective management. Using a combination of scientific knowledge and expert opinion, this study identified the most relevant aquatic IAS in the Iberian Peninsula and classified them into a concern list and an alert list. This approach provides a robust assessment and cost-effective strategy for prioritizing resources in IAS prevention and management.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Farida Anjum, Mushtaq Ahmad, Zabta Khan Shinwari, Muhammad Zafar, Shazia Sultana, Salman Majeed, Anwer Usman, Asif Mir
Summary: The objective of this study is to comprehensively account for the diversity of invasive alien plants in the Lesser Himalayas of Pakistan. The study documents a total of 73 invasive alien species, categorizing them by family, habit, nativity, mode of introduction, and global distribution. The analysis shows that the majority of invasive species are intentionally introduced, with trade being the most common mode of introduction. The study also highlights the negative impacts of plant invasions on indigenous flora and ecosystem functions, emphasizing the urgent need for planning strategies and control measures to mitigate these adverse effects.
PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Denis A. Demidko, Natalia N. Demidko, Pavel V. Mikhaylov, Svetlana M. Sultson
Summary: Biological invasions by bark beetles and borers pose a significant threat to ecosystems, with species utilizing four main invasion strategies: inbred, polyphagous, intermediate, and aggressive. These invaders exhibit traits like high fecundity, polyvoltinism, association with plant pathogens, and long-range or aggregation pheromones, contributing to their success in invaded areas and potential harm to native plant species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carter S. S. Cranberg, Reuben P. P. Keller
Summary: Tracking the introduction and establishment of aquatic invasive species in Illinois is important for monitoring the health of freshwater environments. The updated database shows an increase in the number of nonindigenous aquatic species in Illinois, suggesting a growing threat. Current sampling efforts are insufficient, and there may be additional non-native species present but not yet recorded. Illinois is likely to remain a hub for the introduction and spread of invasive aquatic species with implications for freshwater ecosystems across the continent.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ramiro O. Bustamante, Daniela Quinones, Milen Duarte, Estefany Goncalves, Lohengrin A. Cavieres
Summary: Understanding the factors that limit invasive expansion in alien species is crucial for predicting potential colonization zones. This study examined the invasive stages of six alien leguminous species and found a correlation between climatic niche and geographic distribution. The results supported Hutchinson's duality, showing that small areas in the niche space can translate into large areas in the geographic space. The colonization stage had the highest proportional projected area in all species when projected in the geographic space.
Article
Ecology
Simone Guareschi, Alex Laini, Judy England, Jon Barrett, Paul J. Wood
Summary: The study found that the richness of alien invaders has the greatest impact on aquatic macroinvertebrate biodiversity, while functional redundancy is negatively affected by invader abundance at the river basin scale. As the number of invading taxa increases, the response of communities varies.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nuno Mouta, Renato Silva, Eva M. Pinto, Ana Sofia Vaz, Joaquim M. Alonso, Joao F. Goncalves, Joao Honrado, Joana R. Vicente
Summary: Freshwater ecosystems are highly diverse but vulnerable to biological invasions, such as the invasive water-hyacinth. This study explores the potential of using unmanned aerial vehicle imagery and multispectral data to efficiently monitor the spread of the water-hyacinth in the Cavado River. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in mapping plant invaders and can aid in the assessment and long-term monitoring of control actions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shrisha Mohit, Timothy B. Johnson, Shelley E. Arnott
Summary: Through experiments on six invasive species in Ontario, it was found that high water pressure washing can effectively remove biological material from surfaces. Brief exposure to water at temperatures above 60°C caused nearly 100% mortality among most species tested. Air-drying for more than 60 hours resulted in complete mortality for zebra mussels and spiny waterfleas, and more than 6 days for plants, while snails showed high survival rates after a week of air-drying. Hot water exposure followed by air-drying was more effective than either method separately against all tested species.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Emma M. DeRoy, Steven Crookes, Kyle Matheson, Ryan Scott, Cynthia H. McKenzie, Mhairi E. Alexander, Jaimie T. A. Dick, Hugh J. MacIsaac
Summary: Assessing the strength of interspecific interactions is crucial for predicting the ecological impacts of aquatic invasive species. This study found that invasive species had higher per capita impacts on shared prey compared to native species, indicating severe ecological impacts. By combining predator abundances and per capita effects, impact projections can be made to determine the current and future adverse impacts of aquatic invasive species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xin Hu, Muhammad Arif, Dongdong Ding, Jiajia Li, Xinrui He, Changxiao Li
Summary: This study examines the impact of invasive plants on the early stages of litter decomposition in the riparian zone. The results show that invasive plants decompose rapidly compared to native plants, with A. philoxeroides potentially accelerating native plant decomposition. However, species richness has little effect on the decomposition rate, which is dependent upon differences in chemical functional characteristics among the species.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Kasey E. E. Barton, Claire Fortunel
Summary: Island floras are diverse and face severe threats. The vulnerability of island species to invasive plants and their ability to resist displacement remains unclear. The assumption that island plants have evolved conservative resource use, slow growth rates, and weak competitive abilities has mixed evidence. Future studies comparing functional strategies of native island and native continental plants, as well as tests for competition between native and invasive island plants, are urgently needed to protect these biodiversity hotspots.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jaime Moyano, Lucia B. Zamora-Nasca, Paul Caplat, Pablo Garcia-Diaz, Barbara Langdon, Xavier Lambin, Lia Montti, Anibal Pauchard, Martin A. Nunez
Summary: Biological invasions have negative impacts worldwide, and understanding the relationship between the abundance of invasive species and the magnitude of their impacts is crucial. This study assessed the impact of the woody invader Pinus contorta on grassland productivity and livestock grazing in Patagonia, Argentina, and compared different measures of abundance as predictors of impact. The results provide important insights for the management of invasive pines.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
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
Biology
Emily M. X. Reed, Sara Cathey, Cameron Braswell, Prashasti Agarwal, Jacob N. Barney, Bryan L. Brown, Ariel Heminger, Ayda Kianmehr, Scott Salom, Todd Schenk, Gourav Sharma, David C. Haak
Summary: Despite the awareness of the threats of biological invasions, governments struggle to effectively prevent and control invasive species. A coordinated response, based on scientific research and attentive to the dynamics of policy-making, is crucial. A comprehensive survey of invasion-related laws and regulations in 21 eastern US states revealed inconsistencies in state policies regarding invasive species designation, particularly for invertebrate taxa.