Melaleuca williamsii subsp. synoriensis (Myrtaceae) has been found in Rome (central Italy) along the banks of the river Tevere, representing the first discovery outside its native range ...(E-Australia). Description, distribution in Italy, phenology, and original photographs are provided.
•We review causes of diversity decline in hardwood forests.•We identify factors associated with erosion of ecological memory and a growing resilience debt.•We propose a conceptual framework for ...managers working in degraded and transforming systems.
Declines in the diversity of herbaceous and woody plant species in the understory of eastern North American hardwood forests are increasingly common. Forest managers are tasked with maintaining and/or promoting species diversity and resilience; however, the success of these efforts depends on a robust understanding of past and future system dynamics and identification and application of appropriate silvicultural interventions. We review how historical timber harvesting and land use, increases in deer population sizes, invasive species, and contemporary forest management practices interact to erode ecological memory and increase resilience debt of hardwood forests of eastern North America. The erosion of ecological memory and growing resilience debt in these forests pose significant challenges for forest managers because they alter the response of forests to management from the understory to overstory. Differences in how much ecological memory these systems retain, as well as the mosaic of interacting factors influencing contemporary dynamics, preclude a one size fits all management approach. That being said, our review has identified a host of common factors and pathways that can be manipulated. The approach we propose requires a more thoughtful understanding of the forest understory as the foundation upon which resilient systems are built. Which silvicultural levers will have the greatest utility clearly depend on the ecological context of the forest, and a willingness to experiment and adapt. We offer a conceptual model and recommendations for managers confronting novel plant communities and uncertain system dynamics.
The introduction of invasive species, which often differ functionally from the components of the recipient community, generates ecological impacts that propagate along the food web. This review aims ...to determine how consistent the impacts of aquatic invasions are across taxa and habitats. To that end, we present a global meta‐analysis from 151 publications (733 cases), covering a wide range of invaders (primary producers, filter collectors, omnivores and predators), resident aquatic community components (macrophytes, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates and fish) and habitats (rivers, lakes and estuaries). Our synthesis suggests a strong negative influence of invasive species on the abundance of aquatic communities, particularly macrophytes, zooplankton and fish. In contrast, there was no general evidence for a decrease in species diversity in invaded habitats, suggesting a time lag between rapid abundance changes and local extinctions. Invaded habitats showed increased water turbidity, nitrogen and organic matter concentration, which are related to the capacity of invaders to transform habitats and increase eutrophication. The expansion of invasive macrophytes caused the largest decrease in fish abundance, the filtering activity of filter collectors depleted planktonic communities, omnivores (including both facultative and obligate herbivores) were responsible for the greatest decline in macrophyte abundance, and benthic invertebrates were most negatively affected by the introduction of new predators. These impacts were relatively consistent across habitats and experimental approaches. Based on our results, we propose a framework of positive and negative links between invasive species at four trophic positions and the five different components of recipient communities. This framework incorporates both direct biotic interactions (predation, competition, grazing) and indirect changes to the water physicochemical conditions mediated by invaders (habitat alteration). Considering the strong trophic links that characterize aquatic ecosystems, this framework is relevant to anticipate the far‐reaching consequences of biological invasions on the structure and functionality of aquatic ecosystems.
Anolis sagrei is a lizard that naturally occurs on various islands of the Caribbean and in Central America. However, it has also been widely introduced in different countries around the world. In ...Mexico, it is present in seven states with tropical climate Here, we present the first record of A. sagrei from the Mexican state of Sonora.
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•Eucalyptus plantations induce a negative influence on red fox occupancy.•The red fox prefers habitats where vegetation is dominated by native species.•Human activities have a ...negative impact on red fox occupancy patterns.•The current structure of exotic plantations induces lower fox occurrence.
The replacement of natural areas with forestry plantations is a worldwide expanding process with direct consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem functionality. In the Mediterranean region, Eucalyptus spp. plantations are widespread, forming monospecific landscapes that in Portugal dominate most of its forested areas. The reduction in the availability of native habitats induces important challenges to native wildlife, namely changes in habitat use patterns and behavior. In this study, we evaluated the influence of Eucalyptus globulus exotic plantations on the occupancy patterns of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.), a mesocarnivore widely distributed in the Palearctic, and we examined potential drivers shaping those patterns. We conducted camera trapping surveys in Central Portugal (Southwestern Europe), in eight 16 km2 grids, and analyzed the resulting occurrence data accounting for imperfect detection. Our analysis revealed a preference of the red fox for native vegetation over non-native plantations and avoidance of areas with higher human disturbance. Our data suggest that the current structure of exotic plantations can have a negative impact on species occurrence, even for generalist and resilient species such as the red fox. By gaining insight into landscape structures that promotes fox occupancy, our research can contribute to the development and implementation of more integrative management measures aiming to promote the presence and conservation of mesocarnivores in Eucalyptus dominated landscapes while ensuring sustainable exploitation of these plantations.
Threatening the global community is a wide variety of potential threats, most notably invasive pest species. Invasive pest species are non-native organisms that humans have either accidentally or ...intentionally spread to new regions. One of the most effective and first lines of control strategies for controlling pests is the application of insecticides. These toxic chemicals are employed to get rid of pests, but they pose great risks to people, animals, and plants. Pesticides are heavily used in managing invasive pests in the current era. Due to the overuse of synthetic chemicals, numerous invasive species have already developed resistance. The resistance development is the main reason for the failure to manage the invasive species. Developing pesticide resistance management techniques necessitates a thorough understanding of the mechanisms through which insects acquire insecticide resistance. Insects use a variety of behavioral, biochemical, physiological, genetic, and metabolic methods to deal with toxic chemicals, which can lead to resistance through continuous overexpression of detoxifying enzymes. An overabundance of enzymes causes metabolic resistance, detoxifying pesticides and rendering them ineffective against pests. A key factor in the development of metabolic resistance is the amplification of certain metabolic enzymes, specifically esterases, Glutathione S-transferase, Cytochromes p450 monooxygenase, and hydrolyses. Additionally, insect guts offer unique habitats for microbial colonization, and gut bacteria may serve their hosts a variety of useful services. Most importantly, the detoxification of insecticides leads to resistance development. The complete knowledge of invasive pest species and their mechanisms of resistance development could be very helpful in coping with the challenges and effectively developing effective strategies for the control of invasive species. Integrated Pest Management is particularly effective at lowering the risk of chemical and environmental contaminants and the resulting health issues, and it may also offer the most effective ways to control insect pests.
There are five families of Embioptera recorded in Brazil, namely: Anisembiidae, Archembiidae, Clothodidae, Teratembiidae, and Oligotomidae, the latter represented by Oligotoma saundersii (Westwood, ...1837), an invasive species with worldwide distribution. In this work, we provide an update on O. saundersii distribution for three Brazilian states and the first record for Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado biomes. Additionally, we provide photographs of both sexes, a differential diagnosis for other families, and a distribution map with all records of O. saundersii for the country.
We present the most updated list of non-native freshwater fauna established in Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira archipelagos. This list includes 67 species at national level but corresponds ...to 84 species records, of which 53 are in the mainland, 23 in the Azores and 8 in Madeira archipelagos. We also discuss the progression of the cumulative number of introductions since 1800 and identify the most probable vectors of introduction, main taxonomic groups and their regions of origin. Furthermore, we review the existing knowledge about ecological and economic impacts, invasion risk and potential distribution of invaders, under present and future climatic conditions, and the applied management actions, including the production of legislation. Along the 20th century the number of successful introductions increased at an approximate rate of two new species per decade until the beginning of 1970s. Since then, this rate increased to about 14 new species per decade. These introductions were mainly a result of fisheries, as contaminants or for ornamental purposes. Fish and mollusks are the taxonomic groups with more established species, representing more than half of the total. Most species (>70%) are native from other regions of Europe and North America. Studies about ecological or socioeconomic impacts are more common for fish, crustaceans and mollusks. Impacts for most amphibians, reptiles and mammals are not thoroughly studied. A few studies on the impacts and management actions of health-threatening mosquitoes are also available. The potential distribution in the Portuguese territory was modelled for 26 species. Only a minority of these models provides projections of distributions under scenarios of future climate change. A comparison of the Portuguese and EU legislation shows large discrepancies in the invasive species lists. Using the EU list and a ranking procedure for the national context, we identify freshwater species of high national concern for which actions are urgently needed.
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•We reviewed information on non-native freshwater fauna in Portugal.•Fish and mollusks are the taxonomic groups with more established species.•Most species are native from other regions of Europe and North America.•The Portuguese and EU legislation showed large discrepancies in its invasive species.•We identified invaders for which legislation and actions are needed.
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