scholarly journals Invasion success on European coastal dunes

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39
Author(s):  
Silvia Giulio ◽  
Luigi Cao Pinna ◽  
Marta Carboni ◽  
Flavio Marzialetti ◽  
Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta
Keyword(s):  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Regional Distribution ◽  
Coastal Dunes ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Ecological Traits ◽  
Vulnerable Habitats ◽  
Main Components

Many invasive plants are threatening the already highly vulnerable habitats of coastal dunes in Europe. Setting priority target species to control is mandatory for an effective planning of invasion management strategies at European level. This can be possible after identifying the species that currently have greater invasion success, in consideration of their ecological traits and origin. We quantified the three main components of invasion success for the extra-European alien plants found on European coastal dunes: local abundance, regional distribution and niche breadth, and related them to their life forms and origins. We found that life form was a better predictor of invasion success. In particular, geophytes and therophytes were the species with the greatest invasion success. Quite surprisingly, alien plants from Africa appeared as the group with slightly higher mean invasion success although this result was no statistically significant. We also highlighted the species deserving special attention. Among these, Xanthium orientale, Erigeron canadensis and Oenothera gr. biennis showed the widest levels of niche breadth and regional distribution, and had overall the greatest invasion success, but other species also had high levels in one of the three components of invasion success.

scholarly journals The alien flora of Sudan and South Sudan: taxonomic and biogeographical composition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Omer ◽  
Maha Kordofani ◽  
Haytham H. Gibreel ◽  
Petr Pyšek ◽  
Mark van Kleunen
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
Result Show ◽  
Perennial Herbs ◽  
Disturbed Habitats

AbstractStudies on plant invasions depend on local and regional checklists of the alien flora. However, global overview studies have shown that some regions, including many African countries, remain understudied in this regard. To contribute to filling this gap, here we present the first checklist of alien plants of Sudan and South Sudan (the Sudans). We analysed the taxonomic and geographical composition of the species on this list. Our result show that of the 113 alien species in Sudans (99 in Sudan and 59 in South Sudan), 92 (81.4%) are naturalized and 21 (18.6%) are just casual aliens. The number of naturalized species represent 2.2% of the total flora of the Sudans (4096). The alien species belong to 44 families and 85 genera, and many of them are native to Southern America and Northern America (85.8%). Annual and perennial herbs are the prevailing life forms in the alien flora of the Sudans (68.1%), and, among the casual species, perennial herbs are underrepresented whereas woody tree species are over-represented. Alien plants of the Sudans are mostly used for medicinal and environmental purposes globally. The naturalized plants predominantly occur in man-made disturbed habitats, such as agricultural and ruderal habitats. This first overview of the alien flora of the Sudans should stimulate further research and recording of the alien flora to better understand the drivers and consequences of alien plants in the Sudans.

Managing Alien Plants for Biodiversity Outcomes—the Need for Triage

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul O. Downey ◽  
Moira C. Williams ◽  
Leonie K. Whiffen ◽  
Bruce A. Auld ◽  
Mark A. Hamilton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Plant Management ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Triage System

AbstractRecognition that alien plants pose a significant threat to biodiversity has not always translated into effective management strategies, policy reforms, and systems to establish priorities. Thus, many alien plant management decisions for the protection of biodiversity occur with limited knowledge of what needs to be protected (other than biodiversity in a generalized sense) or the urgency of actions. To rectify this, we have developed a triage system that enables alien plant management decisions to be made based on (1) the urgency of control relative to the degree of threat posed to biodiversity, compared with (2) the likelihood of achieving a successful conservation outcome as a result of alien plant control. This triage system is underpinned by a two-step approach, which identifies the biodiversity at risk and assesses sites to determine priorities for control. This triage system was initially developed to manage the threat posed by bitou bush to native species in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It has subsequently been improved with the national assessment of lantana in Australia, and the adaptation from a single to multiple alien plant species approach on a regional scale. This triage system identifies nine levels of priority for alien plant management aimed at biodiversity conservation, ranging from immediate, targeted action to limited or no action. The development of this approach has enabled long-term management priorities to be set for widespread alien plants that are unlikely to be eradicated. It also enables control to occur in a coordinated manner for biodiversity conservation at a landscape scale, rather than as a series of individual unconnected short-term actions.

Biological invasions as natural hazards: towards building a strategy to cope with invasive alien plants

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandros Galanidis ◽  
Chrysanthi Michelaki ◽  
Panagiotis Dimitrakopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Biological Invasions ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Cultivated Plants ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Prioritization Scheme

<p>Biological invasions can be compared to natural hazards as besides their environmental effect can also produce rapid and damaging socioeconomic impacts. Additionally, their causes and consequences are generally well understood yet difficult to predict, and their incidence is almost unfeasible to control. For both phenomena, it is their random and uncontrollable nature that demand planning for the worst. Therefore, biological invasions and natural hazards require similar management strategies and commitments.</p><p>The aim of this study was to support decision makers and stakeholders in Lesvos Island Greece in prioritizing high impact alien plant species. We applied an integrated framework that combined a literature review and a systematic roadside survey of alien plants presence, along with their distribution, abundances, habitat preferences and impacts. Relied on this solid base we structured a prioritization scheme that would identify and rank aliens according to their invasiveness and produce alert lists of the most invasive ones. Two Risk Assessment protocols were implemented: the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) prioritization scheme, and the Australian Weed Risk Assessment (A-WRA). Each screening method delivered assessment lists that classified aliens as <em>invasive</em>, <em>possibly invasive</em>, and <em>non-invasive</em>. With the aim of benchmarking the performances of the two methods we compared their results with a third invasiveness estimation performed by a panel of experts at national level.</p><p>In total, 151 alien plants from 53 different families were found. The most abundant families were Asteraceae (10%), Amaranthaceae and Poaceae (9%), and Fabaceae (8%). A subset of 87 species, which excluded urban, ornamental, or cultivated plants with rare occurrences and no documented impacts, was assessed. According to the EPPO scheme, 8% of species categorized as invasive, 57% as possibly invasive and 34% as non-invasive. The A-WRA method was stricter, classifying 80% of species as invasive, 14% as possibly invasive and only 6% as non-invasive. Compared to expert’s opinion, EPPO scheme indicated a 10% match for invasive and a 43% for non-invasive species, whereas A-WRA an 83% and 14% respectively.</p><p>Main ranking differences between the two methods are due to the diverse input information each one requires, and to differences in the relevant importance of that information to the final ranking. A-WRA is a precautionary method that rejects even minor invaders, whereas EPPO method is a rapid prioritization tool that provides information for a subsequent appropriate Pest Risk Analysis. Our framework delivers critical information and can improve the development of early-warning systems that would promote successful preventative management strategies for biological invasions.</p><p><em><strong>Acknowledgements</strong>: This research is co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Social Fund- ESF) through the Operational Programme “Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning 2014-2020” in the context of the project “An Integrative Framework for the Study of Alien Flora” (MIS 5049419).</em></p>

scholarly journals Bio-Ecological Traits of Western Tubenose Goby Proterorhinus semilunaris (Heckel, 1837): A Key to Understand Its Invasion Success

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gülşah Saç
Keyword(s):  
Standard Length ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Ecological Traits ◽  
Tubenose Goby ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Index Of Relative Importance ◽  
Proterorhinus Semilunaris

This study aims to contribute to the limited knowledge on the bio-ecological traits of the native Western tubenose goby, Proterorhinus semilunaris, which is considered to invade many inland waters in Europe and North America. During monthly sampling surveys from March 2012 to June 2013, the species was collected from the four stations in the Istranca River (Turkey) by electrofishing. The standard length and body weight of 310 samples varied between 1.4–6.1 cm and 0.08–7.09 g, respectively. The sex ratio of female to male was found to be 1.7:1.0, with a significant difference. The values of the exponent b in the length–weight relationship were approximately 3 for females, males, and all individuals, indicating an isometric growth. The size at first sexual maturity was 2.44 cm standard length (SL) for females and 2.29 cm SL for males. Absolute fecundity ranged from 56 to 344 eggs with a mean of 164 eggs. The food composition of the species comprised of 8 major groups: Insecta (Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Odonata, Trichoptera, Coleoptera), Arachnida, Annelida, Gastropoda, Crustacea, Pisces, plant, and detritus. According to the results of modified index of relative importance (MI) and index of relative importance (IRI), insect and Diptera were the most prevalent prey for this fish. The present study has provided baseline information on the basic biological traits of the fish in its natural habitat for further understanding of this species success of invasion.

scholarly journals MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OF MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM: A CONSIDERATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES BY LOCAL USER AT BAROS

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-98
Author(s):  
Mochammad Yenny ◽  
Boedi Hendrarto ◽  
Jafron W. Hidayat
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Mangrove Ecosystem ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Ecological Functions ◽  
Management Policies ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Local User

Ecosystem management policies are complex and susceptible to social conflict because of uncertainty and many interests. The management policy without considering the mangrove ecosystem services is also believed to be one of the main factors causing the degradation of mangrove ecosystem. This research intends to formulate management strategy by considering the type of mangrove ecosystem services that is important according to the perspective of the community user. A total of 108 respondents were included in the survey. The results of PCA (Principal component analysis) showed that there were three main components formed with cumulative variance of 75,238%. The three components are physical ecological function which has the highest eigenvalue of 4,454 and 49,494% of variance, followed by tourism 14,150%, forest and fishery products 11,594%. The main components can be interpreted as a priority that can be used as the basis for management strategies. Therefore, an appropriate management strategy to be implemented based on these priorities is to harmonize the ecological functions and physical benefits of the processes that take place in the mangrove ecosystem with the use of educational based tourism.   Keywords: management strategies, ecosystem services, perspectives, community users

scholarly journals Alien plants of the Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park (Ukraine)

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64
Author(s):  
Lyudmila Lyubinska
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Geographical Origin ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Taxonomic Structure ◽  
Nature Park

Alien plants of the Podilski Tovtry National Nature Park (Ukraine)The results of a study on alien plants of the Podilsky Tovtry National Nature Park are presented. The alien fraction of the Park's flora comprises 335 species of vascular plants. Its taxonomic structure, ecological and life forms and species primary geographical origin are analyzed.

scholarly journals Are Introduced Alien Species More Predisposed to Invasion in Recipient Environments If They Provide a Wider Range of Services to Humans?

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 553
Author(s):  
Kowiyou Yessoufou ◽  
Annie Estelle Ambani
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Invasive Species ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Propagule Pressure ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Alien Invasive Species ◽  
Unexpected Finding

The drivers of invasion success of alien species remain, to some extent, a matter of debate. Here, we suggest that the services (the benefits humans obtain from a species) provided by alien plants could predict their invasion status, such that alien species providing more services would be more likely to be invasive than not. The rationale for this expectation is that alien species providing multiple services stand a better chance of being introduced in various numbers and multiple times outside their native range (propagule pressure theory). We investigated this hypothesis on alien woody species in South Africa. First, we defined 12 services provided by all the 210 known naturalized alien woody plants in South Africa. Then, we tested for a phylogenetic signal in these services using a DNA barcode-based phylogeny. Finally, we tested for potential links between the services and invasion status by fitting GLM models with appropriate error families. We found a phylogenetic signal in most services, suggesting that closely related species tend to provide similar services. Counter-intuitively, we consistently found that alien non-invasive species tend to provide more services, or even unique services, in comparison to alien invasive species. Although alternative scenarios are plausible to explain this unexpected finding, we speculate that harvesting alien plants for human benefits may limit their invasion ability. This warrants further investigation.

scholarly journals Widespread anthropogenic translocation of the African Clawed Frog across its native range is revealed by its co-introduced monogenean parasite in a co-phylogeographic approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anneke Lincoln Schoeman ◽  
Louis Heyns du Preez ◽  
Nikol Kmentová ◽  
Maarten P M Vanhove
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Invasion Biology ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Native Range ◽  
Invasive Range ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
Host Lineage ◽  
Live Bait

1. The management of biological invasions relies upon the development of methods to trace their origin and expansion. Co-introduced parasites, especially monogenean flatworms, are ideal tags for the movement of their invasive hosts due to their short generations, direct life cycles and host specificity. However, they are yet to be applied to trace the intraspecific movement of species in their native ranges. 2. As proof of this concept, we conducted a co-phylogeographic analysis based upon two mitochondrial markers of a globally distributed frog Xenopus laevis and its monogenean flatworm parasite Protopolystoma xenopodis in both its native range in southern Africa and its invasive range in Europe. 3. Translocation of lineages was largely masked in the frog's phylogeography. However, incongruent links between host and parasite phylogeography indicated host switches from one host lineage to the other after these were brought into contact due to human-mediated translocation in the native range. Thus, past translocation of host lineages is revealed by the invasion success of its co-introduced parasite lineage. 4. This study demonstrates the concept that parasite data can serve as an independent line of evidence in invasion biology, also on the intraspecific level, shedding light on previously undetected invasion dynamics. Based upon the distribution of these invasive parasite lineages, we infer that the widespread translocation of hosts is mainly facilitated by the frog's use as live bait by the local angling communities and not via official export routes. 5. Data from co-introduced, host-specific parasites can add value to investigations in invasion biology and conservation. A better understanding of the translocation history and resulting genetic mixing of animals in their native ranges prior to introduction into new environments can inform management strategies in the invasive range. Knowledge of the intraspecific movement of different lineages of animals in their native ranges also has conservation implications, since contact between divergent lineages of hosts and parasites can facilitate host switches and altered parasite dynamics in both native and invasive populations. Therefore, we recommend the inclusion of parasite data as a more holistic approach to the invasion ecology of animals on the intraspecific level.

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