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Non-indigenous Species (non-indigenou + species)
Selected AbstractsA rapid technique for assessing the suitability of areas for invasive species applied to New Zealand's riversDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 2 2008Cathy Kilroy ABSTRACT Early responses to incursions of non-indigenous species (NIS) into new areas include modelling and surveillance to define the organisms' potential and actual distributions. For well-studied invasive species, predictive models can be developed based on quantitative data describing environmental tolerances. In late 2004, an invasive freshwater diatom Didymosphenia geminata, an NIS for which we had no such quantitative data, was detected in a New Zealand river. We describe a procedure used to rapidly develop a classification of suitability for all New Zealand's rivers, based on two sources of information. First, from a review of the limited available literature and unpublished data, we determined that temperature, hydrological and substrate stability, light availability, and water pH were the most important environmental gradients determining D. geminata's broad-scale distribution and capacity for establishing and forming blooms in rivers. The second information source was a GIS-based river network developed for a national classification of New Zealand's rivers, with associated data describing environmental characteristics of each section of the network. We used six variables that were available for every section of the network as surrogates for the environmental gradients that determine suitability. We then determined the environmental distance of all the river sections in the network from our assessment of the optimal conditions conducive to D. geminata blooms. The analysis suggested that > 70% of New Zealand's river sections (stream order > 3) fell into the two highest suitability categories (on a five-point scale). At the time of writing, D. geminata had spread to 12 catchments, all of which were within these two categories. The technique is applicable in initial responses to incursions of NIS where quantitative information is limited, and makes optimal use of available qualitative information. Our assessment contributed to evaluations of the potential ecological, social, and economic impacts of D. geminata and is currently being used to stratify site selection for ongoing surveillance. [source] Body size and invasion success in marine bivalvesECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 2 2002Kaustuv Roy The role of body size in marine bivalve invasions has been the subject of debate. Roy et al. found that large-bodied species of marine bivalves were more likely to be successful invaders, consistent with patterns seen during Pleistocene climatic change, but Miller et al. argued that such selectivity was largely driven by the inclusion of mariculture species in the analysis and that size-selectivity was absent outside of mariculture introductions. Here we use data on non-mariculture species from the north-eastern Pacific coast and from a global species pool to test the original hypothesis of Roy et al. that range limits of larger bivalves are more fluid than those of smaller species. First, we test the hypothesis that larger bivalve species are more successful than small species in expanding their geographical ranges following introduction into new regions. Second, we compare body sizes of indigenous and non-indigenous species for 299 of the 303 known intertidal and shelf species within the marine bivalve clade that contains the greater number of non-mariculture invaders, the Mytilidae. The results from both tests provide additional support for the view that body size plays an important role in mediating invasion success in marine bivalves, in contrast to Miller et al. Thus range expansions in Recent bivalves are consistent with patterns seen in Pleistocene faunas despite the many differences in the mechanisms. [source] Management implications of the Macquarie Island trophic cascade revisited: a reply to Dowding et al. (2009)JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Dana M. Bergstrom Summary 1. The management of non-indigenous species is not without its complications. In Bergstrom et al.'s (2009) study, we demonstrated that feral cats Felis catus on sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island were exerting top-down control on the feral rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus population, and that the eradication of the cats led to a substantial increase in rabbit numbers and an associated trophic cascade. 2. Dowding et al. (2009) claim our modelling was flawed for various reasons, but primarily that a reduction in the application of the rabbit control agent, Myxoma virus, coinciding with cat removal, was a major driver of rabbit population release. 3. We explore this proposition (as well as others) by examining rates of Myxoma viral release between 1991 and 2006 (with an attenuation factor for the years, 2003,2006) in association with presence/absence of cats against two estimates of rabbit population size. Myxoma viral release was a significant factor in the lower estimates of rabbit population, but the effect was small, and was not significant for higher rabbit population estimates. By contrast, the presence or absence of cats remained highly significant for both estimates. 4.Synthesis and applications. We re-affirm our position that top-down control of rabbit numbers by cats, prior to their eradication, was occurring on Macquarie Island. Nonetheless, we agree with Dowding et al. (2009) that systems with multiple invasive species represent complex situations that require careful scrutiny. Such scrutiny should occur in advance of, during, and following management interventions. [source] Development of inland lakes as hubs in an invasion networkJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2005JIM R. MUIRHEAD Summary 1The ability to predict spatially explicit dispersal by non-indigenous species is a difficult but increasingly important undertaking as it allows management efforts to be focused around areas identified as susceptible to invasion. Lakes may serve as useful models for these studies because the habitats are well defined, and vectors of spread may be readily identified and quantified. In this study, we examined patterns of spread of the non-indigenous spiny waterflea Bythotrephes longimanus to inland lakes in Ontario, Canada, to identify lakes for which management efforts to reduce traffic would be most effective. 2We surveyed people using lakes for recreational purposes to quantify movements of trailered boats and other risky activities, to model relative vector traffic from invaded lakes to non-invaded and other invaded lakes. Non-linear functions were developed to describe the cumulative number of invaded and non-invaded destination lakes visited by people leaving five important lakes already invaded by the spiny waterflea (Huron, Simcoe, Muskoka, Panache and Kashagawigamog). The relative difference in these functions was used to identify which lakes will develop into future invasion hubs and will therefore be most important to future dispersal of the species. 3In the recent past, Lake Muskoka has been an important hub from which the spiny waterflea has invaded other lakes. It is unlikely to continue to be a source for waterflea invasion as most outbound traffic is to previously invaded lakes. Conversely, most outbound traffic from Lakes Kashagawigamog and Simcoe is to non-invaded lakes and, therefore, these lakes are likely to develop into hubs in the future. 4Synthesis and applications. These data on zooplankton in lake systems and associated mechanisms of transport indicate patterns not only of intrinsic value to lake management, but also of potential importance in understanding invasions more generally. Frequency distributions of the number of outbound connections to both invaded and non-invaded destinations from invaded sources follow a power function, consistent with scale-free networks. These networks indicate that small proportions of sources function as hubs. Management efforts targeted to remove developing hubs from the invasion network, rather than equal effort applied to outbound vector traffic from all sources, may reduce the predicted rate of new invasions. [source] Lessepsian fish migration: genetic bottlenecks and parasitological evidenceJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2010Paolo Merella Abstract As a rule, non-indigenous species (NIS) populations derived from biological invasion events represent a subset of the genetic diversity of the source population. In biological invasions, host,parasite interactions play an important role, and parasitological data for NIS populations can provide useful information such as their area of origin, mechanism of invasion and prospects of success in the new habitat. When both genetic and parasitological data are available, and they suggest the same scenario, the history of an invasion can be inferred with no discrepancy, but when data cannot be reconciled an alternative model should be considered. In this study a comparison of genetic and parasitological data for the Lessepsian migrant the bluespotted cornetfish, Fistularia commersonii, in the Mediterranean Sea presents the opportunity to evaluate the compatibility of information of this nature, and to propose possible invasion scenarios consistent with evidence provided by both criteria. [source] Taxonomic homogenization and differentiation across Southern Ocean Islands differ among insects and vascular plantsJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2010Justine D. Shaw Abstract Aim, To investigate taxonomic homogenization and/or differentiation of insect and vascular plant assemblages across the Southern Ocean Islands (SOI), and how they differ with changing spatial extent and taxonomic resolution. Location, Twenty-two islands located across the Southern Ocean, further subdivided into five island biogeographical provinces. These islands are used because comprehensive data on both indigenous and non-indigenous insect and plant species are available. Methods, An existing database was updated, using newly published species records, identifying the indigenous and non-indigenous insect and vascular plant species recorded for each island. Homogenization and differentiation were measured using Jaccard's index (JI) of similarity for assemblages across all islands on a pairwise basis, and for island pairs within each of the biogeographical provinces. The effects of taxonomic resolution (species, genus, family) and distance on levels of homogenization or differentiation were examined. To explore further the patterns of similarity among islands for each of the taxa and groupings (indigenous and non-indigenous), islands were clustered based on JI similarity matrices and using group averaging. Results, Across the SOI, insect assemblages have become homogenized (0.7% increase in similarity at species level) while plant assemblages have become differentiated at genus and species levels. Homogenization was recorded only when pairwise distances among islands exceeded 3000 km for insect assemblages, but distances had to exceed 10,000 km for plant assemblages. Widely distributed non-indigenous plant species tend to have wider distributions across the SOI than do their insect counterparts, and this is also true of the indigenous species. Main conclusions, Insect assemblages across the SOI have become homogenized as a consequence of the establishment of non-indigenous species, while plant assemblages have become more differentiated. The likely reason is that indigenous plant assemblages are more similar across the SOI than are insect assemblages, which show greater regionalization. Thus, although a suite of widespread, typically European, weedy, non-indigenous plant species has established on many islands, the outcome has largely been differentiation. Because further introductions of insects and vascular plants are probable as climates warm across the region, the patterns documented here are likely to change through time. [source] Mistletoe (Tapinanthus bangwensis Reichenbach) infestation of indigenous and non-indigenous trees at Amani Nature Reserve, TanzaniaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001L. M. Lekunze Abstract A survey of Tapinanthus bangwensis was carried out in a plantation in the botanic garden at Amani Nature Reserve, which forms part of the East Usambara Mountain, located in the north-east of Tanzania. A total of 169 trees were examined on four transects of 100 × 50 m (5000 m2) each, located about 700 m apart. Three treatment transects were established in open woodland with a control transect in the closed canopy. Out of 101 trees (81 non-indigenous and 20 indigenous) examined in the open canopy, T. bangwensis was present on 24; eighteen non-indigenous and six indigenous. Of all the infested trees, a non-indigenous species, silky oak (Grevillea robusta) was the most common (37.4%), followed by an indigenous species, mzindanguruwe (Blighia unijugata) with 16.6%. Chi-squared tests showed that there was no significant difference in frequency of infestation between non-indigenous and indigenous species (,2 = 0.715, P = 0.5826). t -Testing showed that T. bangwensis preferred taller and larger trees (t = , 3.930, P = 0.0002 and t = , 2.416, P = 0.0175, respectively). No T. bangwensis was found on the 68 trees examined in the closed canopy. Résumé On a réalisé une étude sur Tapinanthus bangwensis dans une plantation du jardin botanique de la Réserve Naturelle d'Amani qui fait partie de la East Usambara Mountain, au nord-est de la Tanzanie. On a examiné un total de 169 arbres sur quatre transects de 100 mètres sur 50 (5000 m2) chacun, situés à environ 700 mètres l'un de l'autre. On a créé trois transects de traitement dans la forêt claire et un de contrôle dans la canopée fermée. Sur les 101 arbres (81 non indigènes et 20 indigènes) examinés dans la canopée ouverte, T. bangwensisétait présent sur 24, 18 non indigènes et six indigènes. Parmi les espèces infestées, une espèce non indigène, Grevillea robusta, était la plus commune (37,4%), suivie par une espèce indigène, mzindanguruwe (Blighia unijugata) avec 16,6%. Des tests de ,2 ont montré qu'il n'y avait pas de différence significative dans les fréquences d'infestation des espèces indigènes et non indigènes (,2 = 0,715, P = 0,5826). Les tests de t ont montré que T. bangwensis préférait les arbres plus hauts et plus gros (t = - 3,930, P = 0,0002 et t = - 2,416, P = 0,0175, respectivement). On n'a pas trouvé de T. bangwensis sur les 68 arbres examinés en canopée fermée. [source] Plant invasions in undisturbed ecosystems: The triggering attribute approachJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 6 2005Diego E. Gurvich The invasion of a target community by a non-indigenous plant species includes the stages of arrival, establishment and spread, which tend to depend on different characteristics of the invasive species and its context. While the mechanisms behind the invasion of highly disturbed ecosystems are well known, our understanding of the invasion process in undisturbed or weakly disturbed ecosystems is much more limited. Here we propose that, once a non-indigenous species has arrived to a new ecosystem and become established, the likelihood that it spreads, and thus becomes invasive, may depend on just one or very few characteristics, called,triggering attributes'(TA). We propose that a TA is a vegetative or regenerative attribute discontinuously distributed in comparison to the resident community. This attribute allows the species to benefit from a resource that is permanently or temporarily unused by the resident community. We present an original study case and examples from the literature to illustrate our approach, and we also propose some ways to test it in different ecosystems. [source] Factors influencing densities of non-indigenous species in the ballast water of ships arriving at ports in Puget Sound, Washington, United StatesAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 3 2009Jeffery R. Cordell Abstract 1.Oceanographic characteristics and the presence of international shipping in Puget Sound, Washington, USA contribute to its vulnerability to non-indigenous species (NIS) invasions. To evaluate NIS arriving in ballast water, zooplankton was sampled in 380 ballast tanks of ships after they entered Puget Sound. 2.Taxa were classified into a higher risk group of coastal organisms (including known NIS), and a lower risk group of largely oceanic species. Most ships reported conducting mid-ocean ballast water exchange (BWE). However, despite state regulations requiring BWE, and apparent compliance by ship operators, most sampled tanks from both transpacific and coastal routes had coastal zooplankton densities exceeding internationally proposed discharge standards. 3.BWE efficiency models and controlled before-and-after BWE experiments indicate that BWE consistently removes most coastal zooplankton. However, this study found that although the empty,refill method of BWE significantly reduced coastal plankton compared with un-exchanged tanks, the flow-through method did not, and in either case remaining coastal plankton densities presented appreciable risks of introducing NIS. 4.Densities of high risk taxa were consistently and significantly higher from US domestic trips dominated by tank ships carrying ballast water from California, and lower in samples from trans-Pacific trips dominated by container ships and bulk carriers with ballast from Asia. These findings are probably a result of the dense and diverse NIS assemblages present in California and other US west coast estuaries and the comparatively short transit times between them and Puget Sound. 5.While it appears that BWE can effectively replace NIS with less risky ocean species, new reporting, verification, and operational procedures may be necessary to enhance BWE efficacy. In the long-term, the introduction of ballast water treatment technologies may be required to significantly reduce the discharge of risky organisms from commercial ships if BWE practices do not become more effective. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Comprehensive review of the records of the biota of the Indian Seas and introduction of non-indigenous speciesAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 2 2005D.V. Subba Rao Abstract 1.Comparison of the pre-1960 faunal survey data for the Indian Seas with that for the post-1960 period showed that 205 non-indigenous taxa were introduced in the post-1960 period; shipping activity is considered a plausible major vector for many of these introductions. 2.Of the non-indigenous taxa, 21% were fish, followed by Polychaeta (<11%), Algae (10%), Crustacea (10%), Mollusca (10%), Ciliata (8%), Fungi (7%), Ascidians (6%) and minor invertebrates (17%). 3.An analysis of the data suggests a correspondence between the shipping routes between India and various regions. There were 75 species common to the Indian Seas and the coastal seas of China and Japan, 63 to the Indo-Malaysian region, 42 to the Mediterranean, 40 and 34 to western and eastern Atlantic respectively, and 41 to Australia and New Zealand. A further 33 species were common to the Caribbean region, 32 to the eastern Pacific, 14 and 24 to the west and east coasts of Africa respectively, 18 to the Baltic, 15 to the middle Arabian Gulf and Red Sea, and 10 to the Brazilian coast. 4.The Indo-Malaysian region can be identified as a centre of xenodiversity for biota from Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Philippines and Australian regions. 5.Of the introduced species, the bivalve Mytilopsis sallei and the serpulid Ficopomatus enigmaticus have become pests in the Indian Seas, consistent with the Williamson and Fitter ,tens rule'. Included amongst the biota with economic impact are nine fouling and six wood-destroying organisms. 6.Novel occurrences of the human pathogenic vibrios, e.g. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, non-01 Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio mimicus and the harmful algal bloom species Alexandrium spp. and Gymnodinium nagasakiense in the Indian coastal waters could be attributed to ballast water introductions. 7.Introductions of alien biota could pose a threat to the highly productive tropical coastal waters, estuaries and mariculture sites and could cause economic impacts and ecological surprises. 8.In addition to strict enforcement of a national quarantine policy on ballast water discharges, long-term multidisciplinary research on ballast water invaders is crucial to enhance our understanding of the biodiversity and functioning of the ecosystem. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Insect diversity and trophic structure differ on native and non-indigenous congeneric rushes in coastal salt marshesAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2010KERINNE J. HARVEY Abstract Displacement of native plant species by non-indigenous congeners may affect associated faunal assemblages. In endangered salt marshes of south-east Australia, the non-indigenous rush Juncus acutus is currently displacing the native rush Juncus kraussii, which is a dominant habitat-forming species along the upper border of coastal salt marshes. We sampled insect assemblages on multiple plants of these congeneric rushes in coastal salt marshes in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and compared the abundance, richness, diversity, composition and trophic structure between: (i) J. acutus and J. kraussii at invaded locations; and (ii) J. kraussii at locations either invaded or not invaded by J. acutus. Although J. acutus supported a diverse suite of insects, species richness and diversity were significantly greater on the native J. kraussii. Moreover, insect assemblages associated with J. kraussii at sites invaded by J. acutus were significantly different from, and more variable than, those on J. kraussii at non-invaded sites. The trophic structure of the insect assemblages was also different, including the abundance and richness of predators and herbivores, suggesting that J. acutus may be altering consumer interactions, and may be spreading in part because of a reduction in herbivory. This strongly suggests that J. acutus is not playing a functionally similar role to J. kraussii with respect to the plant-associated insect species assemblages. Consequently, at sites where this non-indigenous species successfully displaces the native congener, this may have important ecological consequences for community composition and functioning of these endangered coastal salt marshes. 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