Latest Articles from NeoBiota Latest 12 Articles from NeoBiota https://neobiota.pensoft.net/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:05:00 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://neobiota.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from NeoBiota https://neobiota.pensoft.net/ Tree diversity reduces co-infestation of Douglas fir by two exotic pests and pathogens https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/94109/ NeoBiota 84: 397-413

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.84.94109

Authors: Alex Stemmelen, Bastien Castagneyrol, Quentin Ponette, Simone Prospero, Gilles San Martin, Salome Schneider, Hervé Jactel

Abstract: The number of non-native invasive pests and pathogens has increased dramatically in recent years, with disastrous consequences for the health of forests worldwide. Multiple studies have shown that mixed forests may suffer less damage from insect pests than single species forest. This “associational resistance” can be notably explained by the fact that heterospecific neighbours make it more difficult for herbivores to locate and then exploit their host tree. However, the validity of these findings in the case of non-native, invasive pests and pathogens remains to be demonstrated. In this study, we monitored over two hundred Douglas firs in pure and mixed plots of a tree diversity experiment to assess the damage from the non-native gall midge Contarinia pseudotsugae and the non-native needle cast Nothophaeocryptopus gaeumannii. The probability of Swiss needle-cast infection was lower in Douglas fir trees surrounded by heterospecific neighbours. Gall midge damage was lower on Douglas firs surrounded by taller neighbours, consistent with the hypothesis of reduced host Apparency. Douglas fir trees that were more damaged by C. pseudotsugae were also more often infected by N. gaeumannii. Our study thus provides partial support of the associational resistance hypothesis of mixed forests against exotic pests and pathogens. Promoting forest species diversity at the stand level could, therefore, offer interesting prospects for reducing the impact of biological invasions, especially those involving both pests and pathogens.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 18 May 2023 18:00:17 +0300
Pining away and at home: global utilisation of Pinus radiata by native and non-native insects https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/95864/ NeoBiota 84: 137-167

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.84.95864

Authors: Eckehard G. Brockerhoff, Belinda A. Gresham, Nicolas Meurisse, Helen F. Nahrung, Anouchka Perret-Gentil, Andrew R. Pugh, Stephanie L. Sopow, Rebecca M. Turner

Abstract: Pinus radiata (radiata pine or Monterey pine) is threatened in its native range in California and, at the same time, one of the most widely-planted tree species worldwide, especially in the southern hemisphere. It is affected by a wide range of plant-feeding insects both in its native range and in regions where it is planted as an introduced tree. In addition, there are many invasive insects that have colonised P. radiata, in some cases causing major damage. Here, our objectives were to provide a complete and up-to-date overview of all insect species recorded from P. radiata worldwide, to summarise where these insects are native and which countries or regions they have invaded, to categorise them according to their impacts as damaging species or as vectors of plant pathogens, and to examine border interceptions to determine whether pathways exist that would allow these species to enter and potentially invade additional regions. Our compilation of insects feeding on P. radiata provides a list of 649 species (and an additional 11 species identified at the genus level only). Coleoptera is the most represented order in the list (299 species), followed by Lepidoptera (224 species) and Hemiptera (65 species). We classified 28 species as high-impact, including 12 true bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), eight Lepidoptera, five other Coleoptera, two Hymenoptera and one Hemiptera. These species can cause substantial direct damage or act as vectors of highly-damaging plant pathogens. Other species cause only occasional damage, rarely requiring management (classified as ‘low-medium impact’) or they are generally benign (‘negligible impact’). Hemiptera and Scolytinae have a high proportion of species established outside their native range. The Nearctic and Neotropic regions have been invaded by the most high-impact species, mainly by species native to Europe. Border interceptions of 185 species (29% of those on our list) were recorded during import inspections between 1995–2021, indicating considerable potential for further invasions. The findings of our study can be used to identify potential high-impact invaders and the pathways that may require more phytosanitary attention. Furthermore, our analyses provide useful insights into the insect-plant interactions resulting from the global distribution of a tree species and the native and non-native insects feeding on it.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 18 May 2023 18:00:07 +0300
Comparing environmental impacts of alien plants, insects and pathogens in protected riparian forests https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/71651/ NeoBiota 69: 1-28

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.69.71651

Authors: Katharina Lapin, Sven Bacher, Thomas Cech, Rok Damjanić, Franz Essl, Freya-Isabel Georges, Gernot Hoch, Andreja Kavčič, András Koltay, Saša Kostić, Ivan Lukić, Aleksander Marinšek, László Nagy, Sanja Novak Agbaba, Janine Oettel, Saša Orlović, Leopold Poljaković-Pajnik, Markus Sallmannshofer, Martin Steinkellner, Srdjan Stojnic, Marjana Westergren, Milica Zlatkovic, Anita Zolles, Maarten de Groot

Abstract: The prioritization of alien species according to the magnitude of their environmental impacts has become increasingly important for the management of invasive alien species. In this study, we applied the Environmental Impact Classification of Alien Taxa (EICAT) to classify alien taxa from three different taxonomic groups to facilitate the prioritisation of management actions for the threatened riparian forests of the Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve, South East Europe. With local experts we collated a list of 198 alien species (115 plants, 45 insects, and 38 fungi) with populations reported in southeast European forest ecosystems and included them in the EICAT. We found impact reports for 114 species. Eleven of these species caused local extinctions of a native species, 35 led to a population decrease, 51 to a reduction in performance in at least one native species and for 17 alien species no effects on individual fitness of native species were detected. Fungi had significantly highest impact and were more likely to have information on their impacts reported. Competition and parasitism were the most important impact mechanisms of alien species. This study is, to our knowledge, the first application of EICAT to all known alien species of several taxonomic groups in a protected area. The impact rankings enabled to identify taxa that generally cause high impacts and to prioritize species for the management in protected areas according to their impact magnitudes. By following a standardized impact protocol, we identified several alien species causing high impacts that do not appear on any expert-based risk list, which are relevant for policymakers. Thus, we recommend that alien species be systematically screened to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize their management with respect to spatio-temporal trends in impact magnitudes.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 7 Oct 2021 13:45:26 +0300
Biological invasions in France: Alarming costs and even more alarming knowledge gaps https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/59134/ NeoBiota 67: 191-224

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.67.59134

Authors: David Renault, Eléna Manfrini, Boris Leroy, Christophe Diagne, Liliana Ballesteros-Mejia, Elena Angulo, Franck Courchamp

Abstract: The ever-increasing number of introduced species profoundly threatens global biodiversity. While the ecological and evolutionary consequences of invasive alien species are receiving increasing attention, their economic impacts have largely remained understudied, especially in France. Here, we aimed at providing a general overview of the monetary losses (damages caused by) and expenditures (management of) associated with invasive alien species in France. This country has a long history of alien species presence, partly due to its long-standing global trade activities, highly developed tourism, and presence of overseas territories in different regions of the globe, resulting in a conservative minimum of 2,750 introduced and invasive alien species. By synthesizing for the first time the monetary losses and expenditures incurred by invasive alien species in Metropolitan France and French overseas territories, we obtained 1,583 cost records for 98 invasive alien species. We found that they caused a conservative total amount ranging between US$ 1,280 million and 11,535 million in costs over the period 1993–2018. We extrapolated costs for species invading France, for which costs were reported in other countries but not in France, which yielded an additional cost ranging from US$ 151 to 3,030 millions. Damage costs were nearly eight times higher than management expenditure. Insects, and in particular the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus and the yellow fever mosquito Ae. aegypti, totalled very high economic costs, followed by non-graminoid terrestrial flowering and aquatic plants (Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Ludwigia sp. and Lagarosiphon major). Over 90% of alien species currently recorded in France had no costs reported in the literature, resulting in high biases in taxonomic, regional and activity sector coverages. To conclude, we report alarming costs and even more alarming knowledge gaps. Our results should raise awareness of the importance of biosecurity and biosurveillance in France, and beyond, as well as the crucial need for better reporting and documentation of cost data.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 29 Jul 2021 18:55:08 +0300
Arboreta reveal the invasive potential of several conifer species in the temperate forests of western Europe https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/56027/ NeoBiota 64: 23-42

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.64.56027

Authors: Aurore Fanal, Grégory Mahy, Adeline Fayolle, Arnaud Monty

Abstract: Identifying emerging invasive species is a priority to implement early preventive and control actions. In terms of the number of invasive tree species, forestry represents the second largest pathway of introduction, with an invasive debt likely existing for alien conifers in Europe. In the early 1900s, a network of arboreta was established in southern Belgium to assess the wood production potential of prospective conifer and broadleaved species. Here, we use eight arboreta as natural experiments to identify alien conifers presenting invasive behavior. Through systematic sampling, we quantified the natural regeneration of alien conifers and recorded local environmental variables. For each species, regeneration density, dispersal distances, and age structure were analyzed. Generalized mixed effects models were fitted to test the effect of planted area and tree-stand type on regeneration. The environmental space occupied by regenerating alien conifers was evaluated using principal component analysis. Out of 31 planted alien species, 15 (48%) were identified in natural regeneration, of which eight (26%) exhibited important regeneration density and dispersal distances. The most invasive species were Tsuga heterophylla and Abies grandis, confirming earlier field observations. Both large planted areas and areas planted with alien conifer species increased the density of regeneration. Species that had the highest regeneration density tolerated a wide range of environmental conditions, including shaded understory, which could lead to the invasion of mature, undisturbed forests. This study showed that 17% of the studied alien conifers are potentially invasive because they show important regeneration, long-distance dispersal, and, of importance, have already produced offspring that have matured and are capable of creating new satellite populations. In conclusion, our results provide a guideline for future planting operations, recommending extreme caution when planting these species in the temperate forests of Western Europe.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Wed, 20 Jan 2021 10:53:17 +0200
An uphill battle? The elevational distribution of alien plant species along rivers and roads in the Austrian Alps https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/55096/ NeoBiota 63: 1-24

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.63.55096

Authors: Tom Vorstenbosch, Franz Essl, Bernd Lenzner

Abstract: Ever-increasing international trade and anthropogenic activity has led to the relocation of thousands of plant species worldwide. So far, the harsh climate of the European Alps historically has restricted the establishment of alien plants. However, new opportunities created by rising temperatures and increasing human activity might allow alien plants to spread further upwards. Here, the distribution of alien plants along an altitudinal gradient in two Austrian valleys is analyzed. Specifically, the distribution along two contrasting corridors (roads, rivers) and the spread of alien plants into adjacent habitats is examined. Following the MIREN sampling protocol, 20 transects composed of three plots along each river and main road, were established in each study region. Plant species cover and a range of site-specific factors were collected. In total, 641 plant species were recorded, of which 20 were alien. Alien species richness along roads was slightly higher compared to rivers, and the composition of the alien flora differed markedly between roads and rivers. Further, alien plant species richness decreases with distance to roads and rivers (indicating that adjacent habitats are less invaded), as well as with increasing elevation. Mowing along roadsides resulted in lower alien plant species cover, but higher alien plant species richness. Finally, compositional dissimilarity between sites showed that elevation, proximity of a plot to a river or road, and alien plant cover are important factors for higher dissimilarity. This study demonstrates that both natural (rivers) and man-made (roads) corridors play an essential role in the upward spread of different alien plants in mountains.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 22 Oct 2020 16:15:41 +0300
A priority-setting scheme for the management of invasive non-native species in protected areas https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/52633/ NeoBiota 62: 591-606

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.62.52633

Authors: Sílvia R. Ziller, Michele de Sá Dechoum, Raphaela Aparecida Duarte Silveira, Hugo Marques da Rosa, Marcelo Souza Motta, Leonardo Filipe da Silva, Beatriz Cunha Mello Oliveira, Rafael D. Zenni

Abstract: Invasion by non-native species is one of the major threats to the conservation of biodiversity and to the provision of ecosystem services by protected areas. Invasive species often co-occur in protected areas, represented by sparse, isolated individuals or populations in different stages in the process of invasion. Species invasiveness, habitat invasibility and impact also differ between ecosystems, so the risk of invasion varies. Besides, prioritization is required due to constraints on time, financial and other resources. Priority-setting is therefore key to help protected area managers invest efforts on biological invasions that offer the best chances of producing large-scale positive results at the lowest cost possible. A priority-setting scheme for the control of invasive non-native species in natural areas is presented in this paper. The scheme, based on field observations of species occurrences, was applied to the Itatiaia National Park (Brazil). Priorities are calculated from a combination of three criteria attributed to each occurrence: species risk of invasion considering local ecosystems, invasion stage, and species frequency. Data collected in the field in the Itatiaia National Park were used to calculate priorities for 50 non-native species (six animals and 44 plants) in four locations in the Park. The highest priorities were attributed to species of high risk in an early stage of invasion occurring in one site, whereas a few widespread species of low risk were given lower priority. The scheme has proven functional for setting priorities for the control of non-native species in the Itatiaia National Park and in many other protected areas in Brazil.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 15 Oct 2020 20:20:25 +0300
Global guidelines for the sustainable use of non-native trees to prevent tree invasions and mitigate their negative impacts https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/58380/ NeoBiota 61: 65-116

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.61.58380

Authors: Giuseppe Brundu, Aníbal Pauchard, Petr Pyšek, Jan Pergl, Anja M. Bindewald, Antonio Brunori, Susan Canavan, Thomas Campagnaro, Laura Celesti-Grapow, Michele de Sá Dechoum, Jean-Marc Dufour-Dror, Franz Essl, S. Luke Flory, Piero Genovesi, Francesco Guarino, Liu Guangzhe, Philip E. Hulme, Heinke Jäger, Christopher J. Kettle, Frank Krumm, Barbara Langdon, Katharina Lapin, Vanessa Lozano, Johannes J. Le Roux, Ana Novoa, Martín A. Nuñez, Annabel J. Porté, Joaquim S. Silva, Urs Schaffner, Tommaso Sitzia, Rob Tanner, Ntakadzeni Tshidada, Michaela Vítková, Marjana Westergren, John R. U. Wilson, David M. Richardson

Abstract: Sustainably managed non-native trees deliver economic and societal benefits with limited risk of spread to adjoining areas. However, some plantations have launched invasions that cause substantial damage to biodiversity and ecosystem services, while others pose substantial threats of causing such impacts. The challenge is to maximise the benefits of non-native trees, while minimising negative impacts and preserving future benefits and options. A workshop was held in 2019 to develop global guidelines for the sustainable use of non-native trees, using the Council of Europe – Bern Convention Code of Conduct on Invasive Alien Trees as a starting point. The global guidelines consist of eight recommendations: 1) Use native trees, or non-invasive non-native trees, in preference to invasive non-native trees; 2) Be aware of and comply with international, national, and regional regulations concerning non-native trees; 3) Be aware of the risk of invasion and consider global change trends; 4) Design and adopt tailored practices for plantation site selection and silvicultural management; 5) Promote and implement early detection and rapid response programmes; 6) Design and adopt tailored practices for invasive non-native tree control, habitat restoration, and for dealing with highly modified ecosystems; 7) Engage with stakeholders on the risks posed by invasive non-native trees, the impacts caused, and the options for management; and 8) Develop and support global networks, collaborative research, and information sharing on native and non-native trees. The global guidelines are a first step towards building global consensus on the precautions that should be taken when introducing and planting non-native trees. They are voluntary and are intended to complement statutory requirements under international and national legislation. The application of the global guidelines and the achievement of their goals will help to conserve forest biodiversity, ensure sustainable forestry, and contribute to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations linked with forest biodiversity.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Review Article Thu, 8 Oct 2020 12:30:20 +0300
Into the great wide open: do alien plants spread from rivers to dry savanna in the Kruger National Park? https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/54608/ NeoBiota 60: 61-77

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.60.54608

Authors: Petr Pyšek, Martin Hejda, Jan Čuda, Guin Zambatis, Klára Pyšková, Sandra MacFadyen, David Storch, Robert Tropek, Llewellyn C. Foxcroft

Abstract: Protected areas play an important role as refuges from invasive species impacts on biodiversity. Within the MOSAIK (Monitoring Savanna Biodiversity in the Kruger National Park) project, plant species were recorded in a representative set of 60 plots, 50 × 50 m in size, across the entire KNP, distributed so as to cover a range of savanna habitats, i.e. perennial rivers, seasonal rivers and dry crests, and two main bedrock types (granite and basalt). The data were used to assess the role of rivers in the dispersal of alien plants and study whether the alien plant species spread from rivers to open dry savanna. The resulting dataset provided the first thorough information on the spatial distribution of naturalised alien plants in KNP. In total, we recorded 20 plant species that are alien to the park, four of them considered invasive: Parthenium hysterophorus, Opuntia stricta, Xanthium strumarium and Zinnia peruviana. The most widespread species in KNP was Tridax procumbens, recorded in 11 plots (i.e. 18% of all sampled), four other species were found in > 10% of the plots. One species, Bidens bipinnata, was not previously reported from the park and represents a new record. The majority of aliens were concentrated along perennial rivers (60% of all occurrences), but some were repeatedly recorded at seasonal rivers as well and two of the most invasive species in KNP, Opuntia stricta and Parthenium hysterophorus, occurred also on dry crests away from water. The average number of alien species per plot was low (1.6), as was their mean percentage contribution to all species in a plot (2.2%), but some plots harboured as many as seven species and contributed up to 11.9%. Moreover, only 21 plots (35%) were alien-species free. In terms of the total species number per habitat, perennial rivers had significantly more aliens than crests and were marginally significantly richer than seasonal rivers. By recording all naturalised alien species occurring in the plots – many of them are not invasive but may become so in the future – and by using the GloNAF database of global distribution of naturalised species, we assessed the invasion potential of the recorded species.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Tue, 18 Aug 2020 16:53:04 +0300
The interplay between propagule pressure, seed predation and ectomycorrhizal fungi in plant invasion https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/30978/ NeoBiota 42: 45-58

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.42.30978

Authors: Jaime Moyano, Mariana C. Chiuffo, Nahuel Policelli, Martin A. Nuñez, Mariano A. Rodriguez-Cabal

Abstract: There are many hypotheses aiming to explain invasion success, but evaluating individual hypotheses in isolation may hinder our ability to understand why some species invade and others fail. Here we evaluate the interaction between propagule pressure, seed predation and missed mutualism in the invasion success of the pine, Pinus ponderosa. We evaluated the independent and interactive effects of propagule pressure and seed predation at increasing distances from a pine plantation. Additionally, because pines are obligate mutualists with ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) and pine invasions fail in the absence of their EMF symbionts, we evaluated EMF availability through a growth chamber bioassay. In this bioassay we measured root colonization by EMF with soil samples collected from the different distances from the plantation. We found that propagule pressure overwhelms seed predation only at the edge of the pine plantation, while seed predation overcomes propagule pressure at 25 m and further distances from the plantation. We also found that EMF root colonization decreases with distance from the plantation. However, pine roots were colonized up to 200 m from the plantation, suggesting that EMF may not be hindering invasion, at least not on the scale of this experiment. Taken together our results demonstrate that seed predation may be limiting the invasion of P. ponderosa in the study region as propagule pressure only overcomes seed predation at the plantation edge. Here we provide evidence of how strong biotic resistance can suppress an invasion, regardless of the variation in propagule pressure and the availability of mutualists.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Mon, 18 Feb 2019 10:00:43 +0200
Alien flora of Turkey: checklist, taxonomic composition and ecological attributes https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/12460/ NeoBiota 35: 61-85

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.35.12460

Authors: Ahmet Uludag, Necmi Aksoy, Ayşe Yazlık, Zubeyde Filiz Arslan, Efecan Yazmış, Ilhan Uremis, Tiziana Antonella Cossu, Quentin Groom, Jan Pergl, Petr Pyšek, Giuseppe Brundu

Abstract: The paper provides an updated checklist of the alien flora of Turkey with information on its structure. The alien flora of Turkey comprises 340 taxa, among which there are 321 angiosperms, 17 gymnosperms and two ferns. Of the total number of taxa, 228 (68%) are naturalized and 112 (32%) are casual. There are 275 neophytes (172 naturalized and 103 casual) and 61 archaeophytes (52 naturalized and 9 casual); four species could not be classified with respect to the residence time. In addition, 47 frequently planted taxa with a potential to escape are also listed. The richest families are Asteraceae (38 taxa), Poaceae (30), Fabaceae (23) and Solanaceae (22). As for the naturalized alien plants, the highest species richness is found in Asteraceae (31 taxa), Poaceae (22), Amaranthaceae (18) and Solanaceae (15). The majority of alien taxa are perennial (63.8% of the total number of taxa with this life history assigned, including those with multiple life histories), annuals contribute 33.8% and 2.4% are biennial aliens. Among perennials the most common life forms are phanerophytes, of which 20.3% are trees and 12.6% shrubs; woody vines, stem succulents, and aquatic plants are comparatively less represented. Most of the 340 alien taxa introduced to Turkey have their native ranges in Americas (44.7%) and Asia (27.6%). Of other regions, 9.1% originated in Africa, 4.4% in Eurasia, 3.8% in Australia and Oceania and 3.5% in the Mediterranean. The majority of taxa (71.9%) were introduced intentionally, whereas the remaining (28.1%) were introduced accidentally. Among the taxa introduced intentionally, the vast majority are ornamental plants (55.2%), 10.0% taxa were introduced for forestry and 6.7% as crops. Casual alien plants are most commonly found in urban and ruderal habitats (40.1%) where naturalized taxa are also often recorded (27.3%). Plants that occur as agricultural weeds are typically naturalized rather than casual (16.0% vs 7.1%, respectively). However, (semi)natural habitats in Turkey are often invaded by alien taxa, especially by those that are able to naturalize.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Fri, 2 Jun 2017 14:39:57 +0300
Planted forests and invasive alien trees in Europe: A Code for managing existing and future plantings to mitigate the risk of negative impacts from invasions https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/7015/ NeoBiota 30: 5-47

DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.30.7015

Authors: Giuseppe Brundu, David M. Richardson

Abstract: Planted forests of alien tree species make significant contributions to the economy and provide multiple products and ecosystem services On the other hand, non-native trees now feature prominently on the lists of invasive alien plants in many parts of the world, and in some areas non-native woody species are now among the most conspicuous, damaging and, in some cases, best-studied invasive species. Afforestation and reforestation policies, both on public and private land, need to include clearly stated objectives and principles to reduce impacts of invasive trees outside areas set aside for forestry. With the intention of encouraging national authorities to implement general principles of prevention and mitigation of the risks posed by invasive alien tree species used in plantation forestry into national environmental policies, the Council of Europe facilitated the preparation of a Code of Conduct on Planted Forest and Invasive Alien Trees. This new voluntary Code, comprising 14 principles, complements existing codes of conduct dealing with horticulture and botanic gardens. The Code is addressed to all relevant stakeholders and decision makers in the 47 Member States of the Council of Europe. It aims to enlist the co-operation of the forest sector (trade and industry, national forest authorities, certification bodies and environmental organizations) and associated professionals in preventing new introductions and reducing, controlling and mitigating negative impacts due to tree invasions that arise, directly or indirectly, as a consequence of plantation forestry.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Thu, 23 Jun 2016 16:20:20 +0300