Article
Environmental Sciences
Mauricio Cruz Mantoani, Bruce Arthur Osborne
Summary: Plant invasions can have significant impacts on soil GHG emissions, with different invasive plants affecting CO2 emissions in varying degrees. Soil GHG emissions affected by invasions can return to normal levels as vegetation is reestablished. More detailed and comprehensive assessments of the effects of plant invasions on GHG emissions and their global impact are needed.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mario Mairal, Steven L. Chown, Justine Shaw, Desalegn Chala, John H. Chau, Cang Hui, Jesse M. Kalwij, Zuzana Munzbergova, Bettine Jansen van Vuuren, Johannes J. Le Roux
Summary: The study reveals that human activity significantly impacts the post-introduction dynamics of invasive species, leading to high genetic diversity and admixture of P. annua on Marion Island, while populations on unoccupied Prince Edward Island show low genetic diversity and structure. High genetic variation and admixture facilitated by human activity, coupled with high habitat suitability, suggest that P. annua is likely to increase its distribution and abundance in the future.
Review
Plant Sciences
Jonathan O. O. Hernandez, Muhammad Naeem, Wajid Zaman
Summary: The ability of plants to find tolerable climatic ranges through seed dispersal varies greatly depending on their life-history traits and habitat characteristics. A systematic review on seed dispersal mechanisms was conducted to understand plant seed movements in changing environments. The review found that the majority of studies were conducted in Spain, Brazil, and the USA, while there was limited data from megadiverse countries and Africa. The effects of land use changes, habitat degradation/disturbances, climate, and extreme weather conditions had the most significant impact on seed dispersal mechanisms and agents.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephen J. Morreale, T. Bruce Lauber, Richard C. Stedman
Summary: The unimpeded transfer and spread of invasive species in freshwater systems is a global concern that alters species compositions, disrupts ecosystem processes, and diverts economic resources. By tracing the fishing behavior of anglers, a study found that there is a high cumulative probability of invasive species transport by several million people fishing each year throughout the extensive freshwater network of the Great Lakes. Understanding and managing this transfer of invasive species can be aided by comprehensive georeferenced surveys and spatial analysis of fishing destinations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marco R. Hernandez, Justin R. Barker, Hugh J. Macisaac
Summary: This study models the risk differences in cargo vessel discharges that meet the IMO D-2 standards and analyzes the impact on invasion risk. The results indicate that community composition strongly affects the risk, and colonization pressure has a significant influence at low community propagule pressure. The IMO D-2 standards require very low individual propagule pressures and community propagule pressures, and more empirical research is needed to determine if vessels can meet these requirements.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Daniel Vedder, Ludwig Leidinger, Juliano Sarmento Cabral
Summary: The success of species invasions depends on multiple factors such as propagule pressure, disturbance, productivity, and the traits of native and non-native species. Research shows that higher propagule pressure and specific traits play a key role in invasion success, with invasive species having greater competitive and dispersive abilities.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Andrzej M. Jagodzinski, Pawel Horodecki, Anna K. Jasinska, Tomasz Malinski, Zenon Pilarek, Kacper Wozniak, Dorota Wronska-Pilarek, Jerzy Zielinski, Marcin K. Dyderski
Summary: Biological invasions pose a significant threat to biodiversity, and this study focuses on the spread of xSorbaronia ' Mitschurinii ' into temperate Scots pine forests. The study found that the density and biomass of the species decreased with distance from the propagule source, but increased with the maximal age and light availability of the studied plant. The study highlights the importance of managing high-density plantations of alien species to prevent their transformation into invasion hotspots.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mauricio Cruz Mantoani, Bruce Arthur Osborne
Summary: This study demonstrates that mechanical removal and herbicide application can effectively eradicate mature plants of Gunnera tinctoria, but mechanical removal leads to an increase in the number of seedlings, which is further exacerbated by extreme weather events. However, nine months after removal, the number of native species has recovered to approximately 80% of that in uninvaded grasslands, and mature plants of G. tinctoria showed a reduction in above-ground production after the extreme weather event, although largely recovering after six months.
Article
Biology
Melinda Halassy, Peter Batary, Aniko Csecserits, Katalin Torok, Orsolya Valko
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of functional similarity, seeding density, and priority effect in increasing invasion resistance based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of seed-based ecological restoration experiments. The results suggest that native priority is the most promising mechanism for controlling invasion, reducing the performance of invasive species by over 50%.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Jodie Schlaefer, Alexandra Carter, Severine Choukroun, Robert Coles, Kay Critchell, Jonathan Lambrechts, Michael Rasheed, Samantha Tol, Alana Grech
Summary: This study presents a framework to measure the optimal number of particles required to capture variability in dispersal and connectivity of marine plants (seagrasses). It found that the optimal release particle numbers varied with seagrass habitat type, season, and physical parameters. The study also provides guidance on important factors to consider when determining the optimal number of particles required to predict dispersal and connectivity in biophysical models of marine plants.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mauricio C. Mantoani, Bruce A. Osborne
Summary: The study investigates the impact of leaf removal and waterlogging on CO2 and N2O emissions from the invasive species Gunnera tinctoria. Results show that intact plants are a significant source of N2O emissions, which can be transiently enhanced by leaf removal.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Quanlai Zhou, Jing Wu, Xue Cui, Xuehua Li, Zhimin Liu, Ala Musa, Qun Ma, Haibin Yu, Wei Liang, Shaoyan Jiang, Yongcui Wang
Summary: The dispersal ability of alien plant species is influenced by socio-climatic factors, with high-risk species having higher natural dispersal ability and low-risk species having higher anthropogenic dispersal ability. The geographical distribution of dispersal ability of alien plant species shows an inverse relationship with species density.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Dailos Hernandez-Brito, Pedro Romero-Vidal, Fernando Hiraldo, Guillermo Blanco, Jose A. Diaz-Luque, Jomar M. Barbosa, Craig T. Symes, Thomas H. White, Erica C. Pacifico, Esther Sebastian-Gonzalez, Martina Carrete, Jose L. Tella
Summary: Plant-animal interactions are crucial for sustaining ecosystem function, with a little-known mutualistic relationship revealed between parrots and plants through epizoochory. This mutualism facilitates long-distance dispersal of tiny seeds and potentially aids in the spread of exotic plants. Further studies including parrots are needed for a better understanding of plant dispersal processes and conservation efforts.
Article
Ecology
Maxime Dahirel, Aline Bertin, Marjorie Haond, Aurelie Blin, Eric Lombaert, Vincent Calcagno, Simon Fellous, Ludovic Mailleret, Thibaut Malausa, Elodie Vercken
Summary: Range expansions are crucial in shaping the distribution of species, with 'pulled' and 'pushed' dynamics playing different roles. Adjusting connectivity among populations may be a generalizable way to create pushed expansions. Empirical studies have shown that reducing connectivity leads to pushed dynamics in expansion processes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Valeria L. Martin-Albarracin, Guillermo C. Amico
Summary: Biotic interactions, especially mutualisms, play an important role in ecosystem structure and functioning, as well as in biodiversity maintenance. This study focused on assessing frugivory patterns in environments with invasion of non-native plants and found that native and non-native fruits differ in morphological traits. While overall there were no differences in visit or fruit removal rates between native and non-native plants at the community level, at the species level, certain frugivorous species may play a key role in promoting the invasion of non-native plants.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2021)