Widespread resistance of Mediterranean island ecosystems to the establishment of three alien species

This study illustrates the contribution of plant and faecal microfossil records to interdisciplinary approaches on the identification, composition, taphonomy and seasonality of livestock dung materials. The focus is on the taphonomy of opal phytoliths and calcitic dung spherulites embedded within modern faecal pellets collected from pasture grounds and pens from a range of animals, including cattle, sheep and pigs from three different farms and seasons of the year in Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Modern reference materials provide comparative plant and dung microfossil indicators on factors affecting the formation, composition, preservation and decay of animal faeces, as well as on the diverse environmental and anthropogenic aspects influencing these. The reported results show relevant changes in phytolith and spherulite composition according to animal species and age, livestock management, seasonality, and grazing and foddering regimes. Both microfossil records provide fundamental information on taphonomic issues that are understudied, such as the variation in the digestibility among different species, including under investigated animals such as pigs, as well on the seasonality of plant and faecal microfossils that are excreted with dung as an important material for reconstructing human-environment interactions which is commonly overlooked in archaeology.

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First Record of the Alien Species Procambarus virginalis Lyko, 2017 in Fresh Waters of Sardinia and Insight into Its Genetic Variability

Life ◽

10.3390/life11070606 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 606

Author(s):

Daria Sanna ◽

Ilenia Azzena ◽

Fabio Scarpa ◽

Piero Cossu ◽

Angela Pira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variability ◽

Alien Species ◽

Procambarus Clarkii ◽

Mitochondrial Gene ◽

First Record ◽

Indigenous Species ◽

Fresh Waters ◽

Mediterranean Island ◽

Marbled Crayfish ◽

Non Indigenous Species

In the fresh waters of Sardinia (Italy), the non-indigenous crayfish species Procambarus clarkii has been reported from 2005, but, starting from 2019, there have been several reports of a new non-indigenous crayfish in southern and central areas of this Mediterranean island, and its morphology suggests that this species may be the marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis. Forty-seven individuals of this putative species were analyzed, using the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I as molecular marker to identify this crayfish and investigate the level of genetic variability within the recently established population. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were carried out on a dataset including sequences from the Sardinian individuals and from all congenerics available in GenBank. Results showed that the new Sardinian crayfish belong to the species P. virginalis. All the sequences belonging to P. virginalis from European countries are identical, with only few exceptions found among Sardinian individuals. In conclusion, this paper highlights the occurrence of a new further alien species in the Sardinian fresh waters, which are already characterized by the high presence of non-indigenous species.

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Carbon stock increases up to old growth forest along a secondary succession in Mediterranean island ecosystems

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0220194 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (7) ◽

pp. e0220194 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Emilio Badalamenti ◽

Giovanna Battipaglia ◽

Luciano Gristina ◽

Agata Novara ◽

Juliane Rühl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Secondary Succession ◽

Carbon Stock ◽

Island Ecosystems ◽

Old Growth ◽

Old Growth Forest ◽

Mediterranean Island

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Rapid responses against invasive species on islands: lessons from the introduced Barbary ground squirrel Atlantoxerus getulus in the Canary Islands

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605318000200 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 53 (4) ◽

pp. 782-786 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Félix M. Medina ◽

Marta López-Darias ◽

Julien C. Piquet

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Early Detection ◽

Alien Species ◽

Canary Islands ◽

Ground Squirrel ◽

Rapid Response ◽

Island Ecosystems ◽

Effective Prevention ◽

Invasive Species Control ◽

Rapid Responses

AbstractDespite efforts to combat invasive species, further measures are still required to prevent their arrival and translocation, especially into biodiverse island ecosystems. Although many governments worldwide have already established protocols to control alien species, the European outermost regions have yet to implement fully effective prevention or rapid response procedures. The numerous translocations of the invasive Barbary ground squirrel Atlantoxerus getulus within the Canary Islands illustrate this problem. From 1996 to 2016 at least 2.1 individuals per year have been moved from Fuerteventura to other islands. If movements of these medium-sized vertebrates are taking place regularly, the number of smaller species transported within the archipelago could potentially be greater. We argue that it is essential to implement stricter strategies for invasive species control in these remote biodiversity-rich islands, including early detection and rapid response, to minimize impacts on native biodiversity.

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Spatio-temporal responses of butterflies to global warming on a Mediterranean island over two decades

10.1101/2020.04.03.023689 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Pau Colom ◽

Anna Traveset ◽

David Carreras ◽

Constantí Stefanescu

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Large Scale ◽

Habitat Characteristics ◽

Effect Of Temperature ◽

Island Ecosystems ◽

Mediterranean Island ◽

Effects Of Temperature ◽

Spatio Temporal ◽

Positive Effect

AbstractIn recent decades, efforts have been made to understand how global warming affects biodiversity and in this regard butterflies have emerged as a model group. The most conspicuous sign that warming is affecting the ecology of butterflies are the phenological advances occurring in many species. Moreover, rising temperatures are having a notable impact – both negative and positive – on population abundances. To date, patterns have generally been analysed at species level without taking into account possible differences between populations, which, when they are noted, are mostly attributed to large-scale climate differences across a latitudinal gradient. In this work, we use a long-term database of butterflies from the island of Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) to investigate how phenology and population dynamics have been affected by climate warming during the past two decades. In addition, we assess how responses are modulated by habitat characteristics and by species’ biological cycles. Our results show that species respond differently to warming at a local scale depending on season and habitat, and that coastal habitats in the Mediterranean region are particularly sensitive to the effects of climate change. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the effects of temperature could be partially offset in more inland habitats such as forests and deep ravines. The positive effect of temperature on ravine populations during the summer suggests that butterflies disperse across habitats as a response to rising temperatures during the season. This type of dispersal behaviour as a response to warming could be especially important in island ecosystems where the possibilities of modifying altitudinal or latitudinal distributions are often severely limited.

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Horizon scanning for invasive alien species with the potential to threaten biodiversity and human health on a Mediterranean island

Biological Invasions ◽

10.1007/s10530-019-01961-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 2107-2125 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jodey Peyton ◽

Angeliki F. Martinou ◽

Oliver L. Pescott ◽

Monica Demetriou ◽

Tim Adriaens ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Human Health ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Horizon Scanning ◽

Mediterranean Island

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Ecological and socioeconomic impacts of invasive alien species in island ecosystems

Environmental Conservation ◽

10.1017/s0376892907003815 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 98-111 ◽

Cited By ~ 177

Author(s):

JAMIE K. REASER ◽

LAURA A. MEYERSON ◽

QUENTIN CRONK ◽

MAJ DE POORTER ◽

L.G. ELDREGE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Technical Information ◽

Sufficient Evidence ◽

Population Declines ◽

Island Ecosystems ◽

Socioeconomic Impacts ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Goods And Services ◽

The Impact

Minimizing the impact of invasive alien species (IAS) on islands and elsewhere requires researchers to provide cogent information on the environmental and socioeconomic consequences of IAS to the public and policy makers. Unfortunately, this information has not been readily available owing to a paucity of scientific research and the failure of the scientific community to make their findings readily available to decision makers. This review explores the vulnerability of islands to biological invasion, reports on environmental and socioeconomic impacts of IAS on islands and provides guidance and information on technical resources that can help minimize the effects of IAS in island ecosystems. This assessment is intended to provide a holistic perspective on island-IAS dynamics, enable biologists and social scientists to identify information gaps that warrant further research and serve as a primer for policy makers seeking to minimize the impact of IAS on island systems. Case studies have been selected to reflect the most scientifically-reliable information on the impacts of IAS on islands. Sufficient evidence has emerged to conclude that IAS are the most significant drivers of population declines and species extinctions in island ecosystems worldwide. Clearly, IAS can also have significant socioeconomic impacts directly (for example human health) and indirectly through their effects on ecosystem goods and services. These impacts are manifest at all ecological levels and affect the poorest, as well as richest, island nations. The measures needed to prevent and minimize the impacts of IAS on island ecosystems are generally known. However, many island nations and territories lack the scientific and technical information, infrastructure and human and financial resources necessary to adequately address the problems caused by IAS. Because every nation is an exporter and importer of goods and services, every nation is also a facilitator and victim of the invasion of alien species. Wealthy nations therefore need to help raise the capacity of island nations and territories to minimize the spread and impact of IAS.

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