Impact of alien invasive species on habitats and species richness in Saudi Arabia

2016 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 53-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Thomas ◽  
Mohammed A. El-Sheikh ◽  
Ahmed H. Alfarhan ◽  
Abdulrehman A. Alatar ◽  
M. Sivadasan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Alien Invasive Species

scholarly journals Alien plants in Western region, Saudi Arabia: أنواع النباتات الدخيلة في المنطقة الغربية بالمملكة العربية السعودية

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
SAUD THAMER SAEED AL-HARTHI , ABDULLAH MANAHI AL-QAHTANI , B
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Exotic Plants ◽  
Alien Invasive Species ◽  
Western Region ◽  
Nicotiana Glauca ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
World Species

    Urbanization in Saudi Arabia has led to the introduction of many exotic plant species as well as weeds, especially in the last few years that have never been seen before. The present study aims to identify the alien invasive species in the western region of Saudi Arabia, assessing the impacts of the invasive species on native plants as well as endemic plants and also the adverse effects of plants on the natural vegetation cover. Several field trips were made for plant collections and different categories of exotic plants were identified which include annual herbs and grasses, perennial herbs, sub shrubs, shrubs and trees. In the present study, 16 exotic plants were identified of which 14 belong to old world species and 2 belong to new world species (the plants from South America is the most representative of these species). These exotic species have caused a change in the composition of natural plant communities and have affected the diversity of native plants in natural habitats and protected areas. Examples of these plant species include: Argemone ochroleuca, Nicotiana glauca, Opuntia dillenii, Prosopis juliflora etc. Among these species P. juliflora, was found at low elevations such as valleys and farms while N. glauca and O. dillenii were observed at high elevations such as mountains.    

scholarly journals Complex community responses underpin biodiversity change following invasion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra R. Kortz ◽  
Anne E. Magurran
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
Mechanistic Approach ◽  
Α Diversity ◽  
Biodiversity Change ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractHow do invasive species change native biodiversity? One reason why this long-standing question remains challenging to answer could be because the main focus of the invasion literature has been on shifts in species richness (a measure of α-diversity). As the underlying components of community structure—intraspecific aggregation, interspecific density and the species abundance distribution (SAD)—are potentially impacted in different ways during invasion, trends in species richness provide only limited insight into the mechanisms leading to biodiversity change. In addition, these impacts can be manifested in distinct ways at different spatial scales. Here we take advantage of the new Measurement of Biodiversity (MoB) framework to reanalyse data collected in an invasion front in the Brazilian Cerrado biodiversity hotspot. We show that, by using the MoB multi-scale approach, we are able to link reductions in species richness in invaded sites to restructuring in the SAD. This restructuring takes the form of lower evenness in sites invaded by pines relative to sites without pines. Shifts in aggregation also occur. There is a clear signature of spatial scale in biodiversity change linked to the presence of an invasive species. These results demonstrate how the MoB approach can play an important role in helping invasion ecologists, field biologists and conservation managers move towards a more mechanistic approach to detecting and interpreting changes in ecological systems following invasion.

scholarly journals Demographics of Eucalyptus grandis and implications for invasion

Koedoe ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kudakwashe Musengi ◽  
Sally Archibald
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Eucalyptus Grandis ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Alien Invasive Species ◽  
Rate Of Spread ◽  
Invasion Stage ◽  
The Future ◽  
Plantation Species ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Almost All

Alien invasive species can have negative impacts on the functioning of ecosystems. Plantation species such as pines have become serious invaders in many parts of the world, but eucalypts have not been nearly as successful invaders. This is surprising considering that in their native habitat they dominate almost all vegetation types. Available theory on the qualities that characterise invasive species was used to assess the invasive potential of Eucalyptus grandis – a common plantation species globally. To determine rates of establishment of E. grandis outside plantations, we compared population demographics and reproductive traits at two locations in Mpumalanga, South Africa: one at higher elevation with more frost. Eucalyptus grandis has a short generation time. We found no evidence that establishment of E. grandis was limiting its spread into native grassland vegetation, but it does appear that recruitment is limited by frost and fire over much of its range in Mpumalanga. Populations at both study locations displayed characteristics of good recruitment. Size class distributions showed definite bottlenecks to recruitment which were more severe when exposed to frost at higher elevations. Generally, the rate of spread is low suggesting that the populations are on the establishing populations’ invasion stage. This research gives no indication that there are any factors that would prevent eucalyptus from becoming invasive in the future, and the projected increase in winter temperatures should be a cause for concern as frost is currently probably slowing recruitment of E. grandis across much of its planted range.Conservation implications: Eucalyptus plantations occur within indigenous grasslands that are of high conservation value. Frost and fire can slow recruitment where they occur, but there are no obvious factors that would prevent E. grandis from becoming invasive in the future, and monitoring of its rates of spread is recommended.

scholarly journals Introducing the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species: challenges with classification

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. e25306
Author(s):  
Shyama Pagad
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Alien Invasive Species ◽  
Validation And Verification ◽  
The World ◽  
Invasive Status

The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) presents annotated country checklists of introduced and invasive species. Annotations include higher taxonomy of the species, synonyms, environment/system in which the species occurs, and its biological status in that country. Invasiveness is classified by evidenced impact in that country. Draft country checklists are subjected to a process of validation and verification by networks of country experts. Challenges encountered across the world include confusion with alien/invasive species terminology, classification of the ‘invasive’ status of an alien species and issues with taxonomic synonyms.

Alien Invasive Elements of Upper Ganga Ramsar Site, Uttar Pradesh, India

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-386
Author(s):  
Arti Garg ◽  
Vineet Singh
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Habitat Conservation ◽  
Alien Invasive Species ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Ramsar Site ◽  
Wetland Ecosystem ◽  
Wetland Biodiversity ◽  
The Family

Invasive alien species of Upper Ganga Ramsar Site in Uttar Pradesh and their impact on the wetland ecosystem is discussed. In all 69 alien invasive species under 58 genera and 32 families were recorded of which there were 55 herbs, 5 climbers/twiners, 5 shrubs, 2 undershrubs and 2 tree species. The alien invasives of American origin dominated while the family Asteraceae showed maximum representation. It is inferred that stringent measures need to be adopted for combating the spread of alien invasives in order to conserve the wetland biodiversity and loss of indigenous species for habitat conservation.

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