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opencc-by-4.0Mar 2021View details →

Appendix 3 to "The Status of Biological Invasions and their Management in South Africa in 2019"—Data on the status of pathways

For more details see: http://iasreport.sanbi.org.za SANBI and CIB 2020. Appendix 3 to "The Status of Biological Invasions and their Management in South Africa in 2019"—Data on the status of pathways. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch and DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3947666

opencc-by-4.0Mar 2021View details →

Appendix 1 to "The Status of Biological Invasions and their Management in South Africa in 2019"—Data sources used

For more details see: http://iasreport.sanbi.org.za SANBI and CIB 2020. Appendix 1 to "The Status of Biological Invasions and their Management in South Africa in 2019"—Data sources used. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch and DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3947603

opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

Data from: Evidence for rapid evolutionary change in an invasive plant in response to biological control

We present evidence that populations of an invasive plant species that have become re-associated with a specialist herbivore in the exotic range through biological control have rapidly evolved increased anti-herbivore defences compared to populations not exposed to biocontrol. We grew half-sib families of the invasive plant Lythrum salicaria sourced from 17 populations near Ottawa, Canada, that differed in their history of exposure to a biocontrol agent, the specialist beetle Neogalerucella calmariensis. In a greenhouse experiment, we manipulated larval and adult herbivory to examine whether a population's history of biocontrol influenced plant defence and growth. Plants sourced from populations with a history of biocontrol suffered lower defoliation than naïve, previously unexposed populations, strongly suggesting they had evolved higher resistance. Plants from biocontrol-exposed populations were also larger and produced more branches in response to herbivory, regrew faster even in the absence of herbivory, and were better at compensating for the impacts of herbivory on growth (i.e., they exhibited increased tolerance). Furthermore, resistance and tolerance were positively correlated among genotypes with a history of biocontrol but not among naïve genotypes. Our findings suggest that biocontrol can rapidly select for increased defences in an invasive plant, and may favour a mixed defence strategy of resistance and tolerance without an obvious cost to plant vigour. While rarely studied, such evolutionary responses in the target species have important implications for the long-term efficacy of biocontrol programmes.

opencc-zeroNov 2019View details →

Genomic footprints of a biological invasion: introduction from Asia and dispersal in Europe of the topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva)

Facilitated by the intensification of global trading, the introduction and dispersal of species to areas in which they are historically non-native is nowadays common. From an evolutionary standpoint, invasions are paradoxical: not only non-native environments could be different from native ones for which introduced individuals would be ill-adapted, but also small founding population size should be associated with reduced adaptive potential. As such, biological invasions are considered valuable real-time evolutionary experiments. Here, we investigated the population structure and adaptive potential of the highly invasive topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva) across Europe and East Asia. We RAD-sequenced 301 specimens from sixteen populations and three distinct within-catchment invaded regions as well as two locations in the native range. With 13785 single nucleotide polymorphisms, we provide conclusive evidence for a genome-wide signature of two distinct invasion events, in Slovakia and Turkey, each originating from a specific area in the native range. A third invaded area, in France, appears to be the result of dispersal within the invasive range. Few loci showed signs of selection, the vast majority of which being identified in the Slovakian region. Functional annotation suggests that faster early stage development, resistance to pollution and immunocompetence contribute to the invasion success of the local habitats. <a name="_Hlk15399671">By showing that populations in the invasive range have different evolutionary histories, our study reinforces the idea that populations, rather than species, are the units to consider in invasion biology. </a>

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Global patterns in threats to vertebrates by biological invasions

Biological invasions as drivers of biodiversity loss have recently been challenged. Fundamentally, we must know where species that are threatened by invasive alien species (IAS) live, and the degree to which they are threatened. We report the first study linking 1,372 vertebrates threatened by more than 200 IAS from the completely revised Global Invasive Species Database. New maps of the vulnerability of threatened vertebrates to IAS permit assessments of whether IAS have a major influence on biodiversity, and if so, which taxonomic groups are threatened and where they are threatened. We found that centres of IAS-threatened vertebrates are concentrated in the Americas, India, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand. The areas in which IAS-threatened species are located do not fully match the current hotspots of invasions, or the current hotspots of threatened species. The relative importance of biological invasions as drivers of biodiversity loss clearly varies across regions and taxa, and changes over time, with mammals from India, Indonesia, Australia, and Europe are increasingly being threatened by IAS. The chytrid fungus primarily threatens amphibians, whereas invasive mammals primarily threaten other vertebrates. The differences in IAS threats between regions and taxa can help efficiently target IAS, which is essential for achieving the Strategic Plan 2020 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Causes and consequences of failed adaptation to biological invasions: the role of ecological constraints

Biological invasions are a major challenge to native communities and have the potential to exert strong selection on native populations. As a result, native taxa may adapt to the presence of invaders through increased competitive ability, increased antipredator defences or altered morphologies that may limit encounters with toxic prey. Yet, in some cases, species may fail to adapt to biological invasions. Many challenges to adaptation arise because biological invasions occur in complex species-rich communities in spatially and temporally variable environments. Here, we review these 'ecological' constraints on adaptation, focusing on the complications that arise from the need to simultaneously adapt to multiple biotic agents and from temporal and spatial variation in both selection and demography. Throughout, we illustrate cases where these constraints might be especially important in native populations faced with biological invasions. Our goal was to highlight additional complexities empiricists should consider when studying adaptation to biological invasions and to begin to identify conditions when adaptation may fail to be an effective response to invasion.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: Disentangling the role of phenotypic plasticity and genetic divergence in contemporary ecotype formation during a biological invasion

The occurrence of contemporary ecotype formation through adaptive divergence of populations within the range of an invasive species typically requires standing genetic variation but can be facilitated by phenotypic plasticity. The relative contributions of both of these to adaptive trait differentiation have rarely been simultaneously quantified in recently diverging vertebrate populations. Here we study a case of intraspecific divergence into distinct lake and stream ecotypes of threespine stickleback that evolved in the past 140 years within the invasive range in Switzerland. Using a controlled laboratory experiment with full-sib crosses and treatments mimicking a key feature of ecotypic niche divergence, we test if the phenotypic divergence that we observe in the wild results from phenotypic plasticity or divergent genetic predisposition. Our experimental groups show qualitatively similar phenotypic divergence as those observed among wild adults. The relative contribution of plasticity and divergent genetic predisposition differs among the traits studied, with traits related to the biomechanics of feeding showing a stronger genetic predisposition, whereas traits related to locomotion are mainly plastic. These results implicate that phenotypic plasticity and standing genetic variation interacted during contemporary ecotype formation in this case.

opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

Data from: Biological invasion modifies the co-occurrence patterns of insects along a stress gradient

Biological invasions have become one of the most important drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem change world-wide. However, it is still unclear how invasions may interact with local abiotic stressors, which are expected to increase as global change intensifies. Furthermore, we know little about the response to biological invasions of insects, despite their disproportionate contribution to global animal biodiversity. The aim of the present work is to investigate the impact of an invasive aquatic insect on the co-occurrence patterns of native species of insects along a salinity gradient, and determine which assembly rules are driving these patterns. First, we characterised the habitat specialisation and functional niches of each species from physiological and biological traits, respectively, and their degree of overlap. Second, we used field data to compare the co-occurrence patterns of native and invasive species in invaded and non-invaded areas of southern Iberia and northern Morocco. Finally, we tested if habitat filtering or niche differentiation assembly rules mediate their co-occurrence. In non-invaded areas, habitat filtering drives habitat segregation of species along the salinity gradient, with a lower contribution of niche differentiation. The presence of the invasive insect modifies the distribution and co-occurrence patterns of native species. In invaded areas, niche differentiation seems to be the main mechanism to avoid competition among the invasive and native species, enabling coexistence and resource partitioning. The combined study of functional niche similarity and abiotic stressor tolerance of invasive and native species can improve our understanding of the effects of invasive species along abiotic stress gradients. This approach may increase our capacity to predict the outcomes of biological invasion in a global change context.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: Density dependence, precipitation, and biological control agent herbivory influence landscape-scale dynamics of the invasive Eurasian plant Linaria dalmatica

1. Resource availability and natural enemies are among the most commonly cited mechanisms affecting competitive ability of invasive plants, but their simultaneous effects on plant dynamics are seldom evaluated in the field. Understanding how endogenous and exogenous factors affect invasive plant abundance is essential when evaluating the impact of classical weed biological control agents because misinterpretations of the mechanisms regulating plant demography may bias inference of herbivore impact. 2. In this study we report results from a citizen-science monitoring program initiated to evaluate the effects of the stem–mining weevil Mecinus janthiniformis on the Eurasian invasive weed Dalmatian toadflax Linaria dalmatica. We used a discrete model of population dynamics to evaluate the relative importance of endogenous and exogenous processes affecting changes in ramet density of L. dalmatica at 38 spatially replicated sites in Idaho, USA. 3. Analysis of per capita population growth rates based on ramet density indicated the presence of direct density dependence, which was most likely due to intraspecific competition. Changes in ramet density were not influenced by the abundance of the resident plant community. 4. Precipitation had a strong, positive effect on ramet density of L. dalmatica while the abundance of M. janthiniformis had a weaker, but significant, negative effect after accounting for the density dependence. There was no support for an interactive effect between precipitation and herbivory. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our results indicate that biological control is an important factor affecting weed population growth at the landscape scale, but they also suggest that biological control impact may vary considerably on local infestations due to site-specific variation in rainfall and density-dependent processes. We recommend that invasive plant management strategies integrate precipitation and biological control agent monitoring into their programs to estimate expected biological control efficacy. Alternative control methods should be prioritized in areas where herbivore impact is expected to be low.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: The population biology of fungal invasions

Fungal invasions are increasingly recognized as a significant component of global changes, threatening ecosystem health and damaging food production. Invasive fungi also provide excellent models to evaluate the generality of results based on other eukaryotes. We first consider here the reasons why fungal invasions have long been overlooked: they tend to be inconspicuous, and inappropriate methods have been used for species recognition. We then review the information available on the patterns and mechanisms of fungal invasions. We examine the biological features underlying invasion success of certain fungal species. We review population structure analyses, revealing native source populations and strengths of bottlenecks. We highlight the documented ecological and evolutionary changes in invaded regions, including adaptation to temperature, increased virulence, hybridization, shifts to clonality and association with novel hosts. We discuss how the huge census size of most fungi allows adaptation even in bottlenecked, clonal invaders. We also present new analyses of the invasion of the anther-smut pathogen on white campion in North America, as a case study illustrating how an accurate knowledge of species limits and phylogeography of fungal populations can be used to decipher the origin of invasions. This case study shows that successful invasions can occur even when life history traits are particularly unfavourable to long-distance dispersal and even with a strong bottleneck. We conclude that fungal invasions are valuable models to contribute to our view of biological invasions, in particular by providing insights into the traits as well as ecological and evolutionary processes allowing successful introductions.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Consequences of seed origin and biological invasion for early establishment of a North American grass species

Local, wild-collected seeds of native plants are recommended for use in ecological restoration to maintain patterns of adaptive variation. However, some environments are so drastically altered by exotic, invasive weeds that original environmental conditions may no longer exist. Under these circumstances, cultivated varieties selected for improved germination and vigor may have a competitive advantage at highly disturbed sites. This study investigated differences in early establishment and seedling performance between wild and cultivated seed sources of the native grass, Poa secunda, both with and without competition from the invasive exotic grass, Bromus tectorum. We measured seedling survival and above-ground biomass at two experimental sites in western Montana, and found that the source of seeds selected for restoration can influence establishment at the restoration site. Cultivars had an overall advantage when compared with local genotypes, supporting evidence of greater vigor among cultivated varieties of native species. This advantage, however, declined rapidly in the presence of B. tectorum and most accessions were not significantly different for growth and survival in competition plots. Only one cultivar had a consistent advantage despite a strong decline in its performance when competing with invasive plants. As a result, cultivated varieties did not meet expectations for greater establishment and persistence relative to local genotypes in the presence of invasive, exotic species. We recommend the use of representative local or regional wild seed sources in restoration to minimize commercial selection, and a mix of individual accessions (wild, or cultivated when necessary) in highly invaded settings to capture vigorous genotypes and increase the odds native plants will establish at restoration sites.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Stress in biological invasions: introduced invasive grey squirrels increase physiological stress in native Eurasian red squirrels

1. Invasive alien species can cause extinction of native species through processes including predation, interspecific competition for resources, or disease-mediated competition. Increases in stress hormones in vertebrates may be associated with these processes and contribute to the decline in survival or reproduction of the native species. 2. Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) have gone extinct across much of the British Isles and parts of Northern Italy following the introduction of North American invasive grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis). We extracted glucocorticoid metabolites from faecal samples to measure whether the presence of the invasive species causes an increase in physiological stress in individuals of the native species. 3. We show that native red squirrels in seven sites where they co-occurred with invasive grey squirrels had glucocorticoid concentrations that were three times higher than those in five sites without the invasive species. Moreover, in a longitudinal study, stress hormones in native red squirrels increased after colonisation by grey squirrels. When we experimentally reduced the abundance of the invasive grey squirrels, the concentration of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in co-occurring red squirrels decreased significantly between pre- and post-removal periods. 4. Hence, we found that the invasive species acts as a stressor which significantly increases the concentrations of glucocorticoids in the native species. 5. Given that sustained elevations in glucocorticoids could reduce body growth and reproductive rate, our results are consistent with previous studies where the co-occurrence of the invasive grey squirrel was associated with smaller size and lower reproductive output in red squirrels.

opencc-zeroDec 2012View details →

Data from: Inadvertent biological control: an Australian thrips killing an invasive New Zealand tree in California

Transport hubs of international trade and tourism are sites of unprecedented long-distance dispersal of species and novel ecological interactions. In cases of invasive plants released from their specialist natural enemies, novel interactions with both resident enemies and new arrivals can accumulate and potentially reduce weed competitiveness. I present here one dramatic example of this, where an invasive woody weed in southern California is being rapidly controlled by an accidentally introduced genus-specialist herbivorous insect. The New Zealand native shrub/small tree, Myoporum laetum, is a long-time popular ornamental plant in California and has become an invasive woody weed. In 2005, a Myoporum-specific thrips, Klambothrips myopori, was discovered (and described) in California feeding on M. laetum leaves. Several searches have failed to find K. myopori in New Zealand and a population has recently been discovered in Tasmania, Australia, feeding on Myoporum insulare. In 5 years, K. myopori has killed off about half of southern Californian M. laetum with almost all surviving individuals being gradually defoliated. Inadequate border biosecurity has resulted in inadvertent biological control, in a rapid timeframe, caused by a novel enemy. Unfortunately, K. myopori has subsequently been accidentally transported from California to Hawaii where it is now killing off Hawaiian native Myoporum sandwicense. Transport hubs can both connect weeds with natural enemies and disperse those enemies more widely.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Trade-offs in parasitism efficiency and brood size mediate parasitoid coexistence, with implications for biological control of the invasive emerald ash borer

1. Parasitoids often are selected for use as biological control agents because of their high host specificity, yet such host specificity can result in strong interspecific competition. Few studies have examined whether and how various extrinsic factors (such as parasitism efficiency, i.e. the ability to optimize host-finding attack rates) influence the outcome of competition between parasitoids, even though they could have profound effects on the implementation of classical biological control programmes. 2. To determine the potential influence of extrinsic competition and coexistence on host suppression efficacy, we compared parasitism by two larval parasitoids (Tetrastichus planipennisi and Spathius galinae) of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) Agrilus planipennis, under different host densities, parasitoid densities, host plant sizes and parasitoid–host ratios. 3. Spathius galinae had significantly higher parasitism efficiency (≈4 times), but significantly lower brood size (>6 times) than that of T. planipennisi. The attack rates of hosts increased significantly with parasitoid density, whereas host density did not significantly affect multiparasitism. The parasitism rate of T. planipennisi on small host logs was significantly higher than that on large logs, while host plant (log) size had no significant impact on S. galinae parasitism. 4. The multiparasitism rate was rather low regardless of host log size and parasitoid/host density, indicating that intrinsic competition between the two species of parasitoids might seldom occur in the field. The two species of parasitoids could therefore coexist in the same habitat, and any adverse effects on the suppression of EAB populations caused by competitive behaviour between the two species of parasitoids would likely be negligible. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our findings suggest that introducing multiple species of parasitic natural enemies could be feasible for management of invasive species, but it is important to examine multiple extrinsic factors simultaneously when evaluating interspecific competition between them. Among these different extrinsic factors, we found that coexistence between parasitoids can be mediated by trade-offs in their parasitism efficiency and brood sizes. Thus, the differences in life-history traits of natural enemies could be used to select among biological control agents being considered for releases.

FIGURES 5–13 in Description of a new species of Anagyrus Howard (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae), a promising biological control agent of the invasive Madeira mealybug, Phenacoccus madeirensis Green (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae)

FIGURES 5–13. Anagyrus amnestos sp. n.: 5. Female head, frontal view (slide preparation); 6. Male head, frontal view (slide preparation); 7. Antenna, female; 8. Antenna, male; 9. Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 10. Fore wing, female; 11. Fore wing, male; 12. Female genitalia; 13. Male genitalia.

FIGURES 20–27 in Description of a new species of Anagyrus Howard (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae), a promising biological control agent of the invasive Madeira mealybug, Phenacoccus madeirensis Green (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae)

FIGURES 20–27. Anagyrus kamali: 20. Female, dorsal view; 21. Female, lateral view; 22. Antenna, female; 23. Antenna, male; 24. Male, dorsal view; 25. Male, lateral view; 26. Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 27. Fore wing, female.

FIGURES 1–4 in Description of a new species of Anagyrus Howard (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae), a promising biological control agent of the invasive Madeira mealybug, Phenacoccus madeirensis Green (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae)

FIGURES 1–4. Anagyrus amnestos sp. n.: 1. Female, dorsal view; 2. Female, lateral view; 3. Male, dorsal view; 4. Female, dorsal view of head, and antenna.

FIGURES 14–19 in Description of a new species of Anagyrus Howard (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae), a promising biological control agent of the invasive Madeira mealybug, Phenacoccus madeirensis Green (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae)

FIGURES 14–19. Anagyrus agraensis: 14. Female, dorsal view; 15. Female, lateral view; 16. Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 17. Antenna, female; 18. Antenna, male; 19. Fore wing, female.

FIGURE 40 in Taxonomic history and invasion biology of two Phyllonorycter leaf miners (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) with links to taxonomic and molecular datasets

FIGURE 40. The occurrence of Phyllonorycter mespilella (red dots) and P. trifasciella (blue dots) in the Canary Islands.

FIGURE 38–39. Archive references. 38 in Taxonomic history and invasion biology of two Phyllonorycter leaf miners (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) with links to taxonomic and molecular datasets

FIGURE 38–39. Archive references. 38, the citation and the illustration of Tinea mespilella Hübner, 1805 from Hübner, J. 1796–1838. Sammlung europäischer Schmetterlinge. Achte Horde. Tineae Die Schaben; nach der Natur geordnet, beschrieben und vorgestellt: pl. 39, fig. 272. 39a, the title page of the list of specimens bearing Haworth's labels in the Thomas Henry Allis collection. 39b, the list, indicating that the type specimen of P. trifasciella was examined by Mr. Raymond Uffen.