We reported a systematic approach aimed at identifying the optimal conditions for compaction of MOF-801, a small-pore zirconium-based metal–organic framework (MOF) containing fumaric acid as the ...linker, that can be easily synthesised in aqueous medium. Pellets of the MOF were prepared by compressing the powder either in neat form or dry-mixed with binders (sucrose, polyvinylalcohol, polyvinylbutyral) under a range of pressures and for different times. The mechanical stability and durability of the pellets was tested by simple drop tests and shake tests, finding that addition of 5% of polyvinylbutyral was enough to produce highly resilient pellets that did not release significant amounts of powder upon cracking. The crystallinity, textural properties and CO2 adsorption performance of the MOF were successively assessed, observing the least change of the original properties in pellets compressed at 146 MPa for 15 s. Compaction at higher pressures impacted the performance more heavily, with no evident benefit from the mechanical point of view, whereas compression time did not have a relevant effect. The cyclic adsorption behaviour was tested, showing that the pellets retained as much as 90% of the CO2 working capacity, while displaying unaffected sorption kinetics, and 74% of the H2O working capacity.
The present contribution reports on the capture of two adult male specimens of the Asian/Japanese shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus (de Haan, 1835) from Glamorgan, south Wales and Kent, southern ...England. These represent the first records of this species from mainland Great Britain.
Following the recent discovery of the brush-clawed shore crab, Hemigrapsus takanoi Asakura & Watanabe, 2005, in Great Britain, new data are presented here on the occurrence of this species from ...additional locations, five in north Kent and one in Suffolk. This study provides significant evidence to suggest that in Suffolk the species has become well established and now forms a large reproducing population. A new earliest date for introduction of the species to Great Britain is given and the possible vectors involved at the various localities in the SE of England are discussed. Management and eradication of H. takanoi from this area are now considered to be unfeasible. The future spread and potential impact of H. takanoi in Great Britain should be carefully monitored.
Invasive alien species (IAS) are considered one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, particularly through their interactions with other drivers of change. Horizon scanning, the systematic ...examination of future potential threats and opportunities, leading to prioritization of IAS threats is seen as an essential component of IAS management. Our aim was to consider IAS that were likely to impact on native biodiversity but were not yet established in the wild in Great Britain. To achieve this, we developed an approach which coupled consensus methods (which have previously been used for collaboratively identifying priorities in other contexts) with rapid risk assessment. The process involved two distinct phases: Preliminary consultation with experts within five groups (plants, terrestrial invertebrates, freshwater invertebrates, vertebrates and marine species) to derive ranked lists of potential IAS. Consensus‐building across expert groups to compile and rank the entire list of potential IAS. Five hundred and ninety‐one species not native to Great Britain were considered. Ninety‐three of these species were agreed to constitute at least a medium risk (based on score and consensus) with respect to them arriving, establishing and posing a threat to native biodiversity. The quagga mussel, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, received maximum scores for risk of arrival, establishment and impact; following discussions the unanimous consensus was to rank it in the top position. A further 29 species were considered to constitute a high risk and were grouped according to their ranked risk. The remaining 63 species were considered as medium risk, and included in an unranked long list. The information collated through this novel extension of the consensus method for horizon scanning provides evidence for underpinning and prioritizing management both for the species and, perhaps more importantly, their pathways of arrival. Although our study focused on Great Britain, we suggest that the methods adopted are applicable globally.
Information on non-native species (NNS) is often scattered among a multitude of sources, such as regional and national databases, peer-reviewed and grey literature, unpublished research projects, ...institutional datasets and with taxonomic experts. Here we report on the development of a database designed for the collation of information in Britain. The project involved working with volunteer experts to populate a database of NNS (hereafter called “the species register”). Each species occupies a row within the database with information on aspects of the species’ biology such as environment (marine, freshwater, terrestrial etc.), functional type (predator, parasite etc.), habitats occupied in the invaded range (using EUNIS classification), invasion pathways, establishment status in Britain and impacts. The information is delivered through the Great Britain Non-Native Species Information Portal hosted by the Non-Native Species Secretariat. By the end of 2011 there were 1958 established NNS in Britain. There has been a dramatic increase over time in the rate of NNS arriving in Britain and those becoming established. The majority of established NNS are higher plants (1,376 species). Insects are the next most numerous group (344 species) followed by non-insect invertebrates (158 species), vertebrates (50 species), algae (24 species) and lower plants (6 species). Inventories of NNS are seen as an essential tool in the management of biological invasions. The use of such lists is diverse and far-reaching. However, the increasing number of new arrivals highlights both the dynamic nature of invasions and the importance of updating NNS inventories.
The ascidian Corella eumyota, originally from the Southern Hemisphere, was first reported in the Northern Hemisphere in Brittany, France, in 2002. Since then, it has been recorded in Spain, Ireland, ...the south coast of England and South Wales. Most European records to date have been from artificial habitats such as marinas. In Plymouth, England, C. eumyota was first found in two marinas in 2005 but individuals were soon also detected in small numbers on nearby shores. Shore surveys in March and August of 2008 indicated that C. eumyota has established reproductive populations on natural and semi-natural shores of Plymouth Sound and the adjacent coastline, largely restricted to relatively sheltered sites in the lower reaches of estuaries. At these sites it is generally the most abundant non-colonial ascidian. The species clearly has the capacity to become a significant component of the biota of sheltered shores in the Northern Hemisphere.
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