Review
Evolutionary Biology
Arnaud Sentis, Jean-Louis Hemptinne, Alexandra Magro, Yannick Outreman
Summary: The role of evolution in biological control programs is often underestimated, but it is crucial for improving efficiency and resilience. Humans can manipulate natural evolutionary processes to enhance the performance of local biological control agents. However, biological control cannot be simplified as species interactions, as pests and biological control agents are influenced by multiple selective forces.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mirko Di Febbraro, Luciano Bosso, Mauro Fasola, Francesca Santicchia, Gaetano Aloise, Simone Lioy, Elena Tricarico, Luciano Ruggieri, Stefano Bovero, Emiliano Mori, Sandro Bertolino
Summary: Citizen science initiatives are being used to model the distribution of alien species, but only a few studies have evaluated the contribution of integrating citizen science data with scientifically structured surveys. This study compared the ability of citizen science data and scientific surveys, as well as their integration, to capture the realized niche and predict future invasion risk of 13 invasive alien species in Italy. The findings showed that citizen science data can be valuable in predicting future spread of invasive alien species, but it may also affect the niche quantification and prediction for species poorly known to citizen scientists or in local contexts.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Chunlong Liu, Christian Wolter, Franck Courchamp, Nuria Roura-Pascual, Jonathan M. Jeschke
Summary: Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used to predict geographic ranges of species, but niche change and lack of presence points have detrimental effects on SDM transferability.
Article
Plant Sciences
Richard G. Jefferson, Markus Wagner, Elizabeth Sullivan, Irina Tatarenko, Duncan B. Westbury, Paul Ashton, Lucy Hulmes
Summary: This account provides information on the biology of Geranium pratense L., including its distribution, habitat, responses to biotic and abiotic factors, structure and physiology, phenology, floral and seed characters, herbivores and disease, history, and conservation. Geranium pratense is a perennial gynodioecious forb commonly found in neutral grasslands. It is abundant in roadside verges, railway embankments, watercourse margins, and woodland rides. It has been introduced to various regions, including Canada, the USA, and New Zealand. It is pollinated by insects and has limited vegetative spread. The species has shown expansion in certain areas through introductions and seed sowing.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
J. Alex Baecher, Steve A. Johnson, Elizabeth A. Roznik, Brett R. Scheffers
Summary: While the impact of biotic-abiotic interactions on community assembly is increasingly documented, a process-based understanding of such interactions is lacking in ecological literature. The synergistic threat to biodiversity posed by climate change and invasive species exemplifies the complex nature of these interactions. Little is known about how abiotic conditions, such as climate change, will influence the negative biotic interactions that threaten native fauna.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Adrian Garcia-Rodriguez, Bernd Lenzner, Clara Marino, Chunlong Liu, Julian A. Velasco, Celine Bellard, Jonathan M. Jeschke, Hanno Seebens, Franz Essl
Summary: Shifts between native and alien climatic niches pose challenges for predicting biological invasions, especially for insular species. This study analyzed alien occurrences of endemic insular amphibians, reptiles, and birds and found that climatic mismatches were common in invasions of birds and reptiles, but less common in amphibians. Several predictors were identified for climatic mismatches, which varied among taxonomic groups.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Juliette N. Rooney-Varga, Margaret Hensel, Carolyn McCarthy, Karen McNeal, Nicole Norfles, Kenneth Rath, Audrey H. Schnell, John D. Sterman
Summary: Sociopolitical values play a crucial role in shaping climate change beliefs and intentions. Individuals with individualist-hierarchical values show lower levels of knowledge, urgency, and intent to act, but they make significantly larger gains after experiencing a simulation. Simulation-based experiences like World Climate may help decrease polarization and foster consensus towards science-based climate action.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paige Matheson, Angela McGaughran
Summary: Biological invasions can have significant impacts on the environment, native biodiversity, human health, and the global economy. Population genomics is a valuable tool in invasion biology, but its utilization and availability for invasive species research is still limited. With the increasing rate of invasions, it is crucial to understand how genetic factors contribute to invasion success using genomic data.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Madeleine Noll, Richard Wall, Benjamin L. Makepeace, Hannah Newbury, Lukasz Adaszek, Rene Bodker, Agustin Estrada-Pena, Jacques Guillot, Isabel Pereira da Fonseca, Julia Probst, Paul Overgaauw, Christina Strube, Fathiah Zakham, Stefania Zanet, Hannah Rose Vineer
Summary: This study assessed the ability of different climate niche modelling approaches to explain the known distribution of I. ricinus and D. reticulatus in Europe. The results showed that no single model was able to fully capture the distribution of these tick species.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kevin Lopez-Reyes, Luis Osorio-Olvera, Octavio Rojas-Soto, Xavier Chiappa-Carrara, Carlos Patron-Rivero, Carlos Yanez-Arenas
Summary: Modeling units based on phylogenetic relationships and including occurrence records of related species can improve the predictive capacity of niche models for estimating the invasion area of target species, particularly for species in non-environmental pseudo-equilibrium and with geographical constraints.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Fangyuan Yu, Yiwen Sun, Tiejun Wang, Andrew K. Skidmore, Changqing Ding, Xinping Ye
Summary: The study integrated ecological niche dynamics into the species distribution modeling of the Asian crested ibis in East Asia. The research found that the crested ibis retained similar ecological niches over time.
The current suitable habitat for crested ibis has decreased by 39.6% compared to historical range, with human activity having a greater impact than climate change on their distribution. Future potentially suitable habitat may shift northeastward and northwestward, possibly expanding by 18.7% compared to historical range.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yu-Qun Du, Alexander Jueterbock, Muhammad Firdaus, Anicia Q. Hurtado, Delin Duan
Summary: This study investigated the niche differences between two species of Kappaphycus seaweed using ecological niche modeling, ordination, and hypervolume approaches. The results showed significant niche differences in both geographical and environmental space between the two species. The models predicted that rising sea surface temperature will lead to different range shifts for the two species, with one species suffering contraction while the other species expanding its distribution. This study enhances our understanding of Kappaphycus aquaculture and highlights the importance of conservation and investigation under climate change.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Philip E. Hulme
Summary: This study examines both the direct and indirect effects of trade on biological invasions, as well as their interactions. Future trends in international trade may lead to increased pressure on national borders, requiring new approaches to address the growing threat of invasive species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pushpinder S. Jamwal, Mirko Di Febbraro, Maria Laura Carranza, Melissa Savage, Anna Loy
Summary: The study focused on assessing the vulnerability of three otter species in the Himalayan region to climate and land use changes until 2050. Results demonstrated that both future climate and land use changes will have significant impacts on the geographical range of the otters, with land use alterations having a more severe effect than climate change. Sensitivity was found to play a more crucial role than exposure in determining the vulnerability of the otters, indicating the importance of intrinsic components such as species sensitivity in vulnerability assessments.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zulema Nunez-Tobajas, Juan Carlos Senar, Ruth Rodriguez-Pastor, Jose G. Carrillo-Ortiz, Laura Cardador
Summary: As population density increases, individuals start using sub-optimal resources to compensate for the limitation of the preferred ones. However, shifts in nesting resource selection can occur during biological invasions.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Danish A. Ahmed, Emma J. Hudgins, Ross N. Cuthbert, Phillip J. Haubrock, David Renault, Elsa Bonnaud, Christophe Diagne, Franck Courchamp
Summary: The rate of biological invasions is rapidly increasing, posing a threat to global ecological and economic systems. This study developed a novel mathematical model to analyze the temporal trends of invasion costs based on population dynamics. The results revealed fundamental differences in cost dynamics among different genera, influenced by invasion duration, species ecology, and economic sectors impacted.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jerome M. W. Gippet, Lorena George, Cleo Bertelsmeier
Summary: The study found that fine-scale microclimatic heterogeneity could promote coexistence between native and invasive animal competitors. Despite lower ant species richness and diversity in invaded sites, some native ant species, such as the black garden ant Lasius niger, were able to persist at high densities in invaded areas.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alok Bang, Ross N. Cuthbert, Phillip J. Haubrock, Romina D. Fernandez, Desika Moodley, Christophe Diagne, Anna J. Turbelin, David Renault, Tatenda Dalu, Franck Courchamp
Summary: Biological invasions are a major driver of the biodiversity crisis, with significant economic impacts. However, there are knowledge gaps regarding the economic costs of invasive alien species (IAS), particularly in emerging economies like India. This study synthesized data on the economic costs of IAS in India, revealing that IAS have cost the Indian economy billions of dollars over several decades. The reported costs greatly underestimate the actual costs, and there is a need for more specific allocation of costs and a national research program on biological invasions in India.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Phillip J. Haubrock, Ross N. Cuthbert, Anthony Ricciardi, Christophe Diagne, Franck Courchamp
Summary: This study assesses the spatio-temporal and taxonomic patterns of costs associated with invasive freshwater bivalves and identifies knowledge gaps. The results reveal that the cumulative global costs of invasive macrofouling bivalves amounted to $63.7 billion between 1980 and 2020, with significant taxonomic and spatial biases, primarily concentrated in North America.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jelena Bujan, Sebastien Ollier, Irene Villalta, Severine Devers, Xim Cerda, Fernando Amor, Abdallah Dahbi, Cleo Bertelsmeier, Raphael Boulay
Summary: This study tested the predictive ability of important factors determining the fundamental niche (physiology, morphology, and evolutionary history) on the realized niche, and found no linkage between them. This has important implications for predicting species responses to climate change using the realized niche.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anne-Charlotte Vaissiere, Pierre Courtois, Franck Courchamp, Melina Kourantidou, Christophe Diagne, Franz Essl, Natalia Kirichenko, Melissa Welsh, Jean-Michel Salles
Summary: The article provides a synthesis of the nature and diversity of economic costs associated with invasive alien species (IAS) and discusses the potential for their assessment. This is crucial for improving the understanding and management of IAS costs across disciplines, as well as for designing effective policies and raising societal awareness.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Gyda Fenn-Moltu, Sebastien Ollier, Barney Caton, Andrew M. Liebhold, Helen Nahrung, Deepa S. Pureswaran, Rebecca M. Turner, Takehiko Yamanaka, Cleo Bertelsmeier
Summary: This study utilized a unique dataset of border interception records to identify key commodities associated with insect movement through trade and travel, with plant and wood products being the main commodities. It was found that more closely related species tended to share similar commodity associations, especially at the genus level.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Richard Mally, Rebecca M. Turner, Rachael E. Blake, Gyda Fenn-Moltu, Cleo Bertelsmeier, Eckehard G. Brockerhoff, Robert J. B. Hoare, Helen F. Nahrung, Alain Roques, Deepa S. Pureswaran, Takehiko Yamanaka, Andrew M. Liebhold
Summary: Invasion disharmony in Lepidoptera is driven by processes unrelated to the success of native assemblages. Successful invaders include families such as Crambidae, Pyralidae, Tineidae, and Gracillariidae.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Guillaume Latombe, Hanno Seebens, Bernd Lenzner, Franck Courchamp, Stefan Dullinger, Marina Golivets, Ingolf Kuehn, Brian Leung, Nuria Roura-Pascual, Emma Cebrian, Wayne Dawson, Christophe Diagne, Jonathan M. Jeschke, Cristian Perez-Granados, Dietmar Moser, Anna Turbelin, Piero Visconti, Franz Essl
Summary: This study investigated the impact of socio-economic and environmental factors on biological invasions and found that trade, governance, lifestyle and education are the best indicators for explaining invasive species richness and a country's capacity to manage invasions. Historical levels of governance and trade were found to have a stronger influence than recent levels, highlighting the importance of historical factors in shaping future invasions. The results provide valuable insights for decision-making and management of biological invasions.
SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Boris Leroy, Andrew M. Kramer, Anne-Charlotte Vaissiere, Melina Kourantidou, Franck Courchamp, Christophe Diagne
Summary: InvaCost is a global database that provides cost data on invasive alien species, and the invacost r package serves as a tool for querying and analyzing this data. This package helps scientists better understand and study the economic costs of invasive species, while addressing issues of repeatability and comparability in research, promoting interdisciplinary studies.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jerome M. W. Gippet, Zoe Sherpa, Cleo Bertelsmeier
Summary: The global pet trade poses significant risks to biodiversity and humans, and it is increasingly difficult to control. This study found that Instagram data can effectively track the global pet trade in ants, including invasive species, and provide affordable and reliable data for monitoring purposes.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aymeric Bonnamour, Rachael E. Blake, Andrew M. Liebhold, Helen F. Nahrung, Alain Roques, Rebecca M. Turner, Takehiko Yamanaka, Cleo Bertelsmeier
Summary: Thousands of insect species introduced outside of their native ranges have significant impacts on ecosystems and human societies. Nonnative plants play a crucial role in facilitating the establishment of invading insects by serving as habitat and resources, and plant imports also contribute to accidental insect introductions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gyda Fenn-Moltu, Sebastien Ollier, Olivia K. Bates, Andrew M. Liebhold, Helen F. Nahrung, Deepa S. Pureswaran, Takehiko Yamanaka, Cleo Bertelsmeier
Summary: This study investigates the mechanisms occurring during the transport and establishment stages of insect invasions using unintentional insect introductions records, and analyzes the influence of biogeographic variables, socio-economic variables, and biosecurity regulations on the size of species flows.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Jerome M. W. Gippet, Olivia K. Bates, Jeremie Moulin, Cleo Bertelsmeier
Summary: Giant land snails can carry at least 36 pathogen species, two-thirds of which can infect humans. While the global invasion of these snails is limited to tropical areas, they are strongly associated with densely populated areas where they come into contact with humans. However, in temperate countries, the climate should prevent their spread. It is therefore crucial to raise awareness of the health risks associated with this species and regulate its trade internationally.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fabrice Requier, Alice Fournier, Sophie Pointeau, Quentin Rome, Franck Courchamp
Summary: A study found that the invasive Yellow-legged hornet has significant ecological and economic impacts on honey bees and beekeeping. In a high predation scenario, it could lead to a mortality risk of up to 29.2% of beekeepers' livestock at a national scale, resulting in an annual cost of up to 30.8 million euros. This study is important for assessing the impacts of invasive species on honey bees and beekeeping.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
