Behavioural responses of native predators to an invasive toxic prey species

One important impact of invasive species may be to modify the behaviour of native taxa. For example, the invasion of highly toxic cane toads (Bufo marinus) kills many anurophagous native predators, but other predators learn to recognize and avoid the toxic invader. We exposed native fish (northern trout gudgeons, Mogurnda mogurnda) and Dahl's aquatic frogs (Litoria dahlii) to cane toad tadpoles, then monitored the predator's responses during subsequent trials. Both the frogs and fish initially attacked toad tadpoles, but rapidly learned not to do so. Fish and adult frogs retained their aversion for at least a week, whereas recently metamorphosed frogs did not. Clearly, the spread of cane toads through tropical Australia can modify feeding responses of native aquatic predators. For predators capable of rapid avoidance learning, the primary impact of cane toads may be on foraging behaviour rather than mortality.     

澳大利亚外来入侵物种管理策略及对我国的借鉴意义

澳大利亚是一个岛状大陆,海洋运输业十分发达,通过贸易,旅游,运输等途径有意或无间引进有害外来物种的风险较大。澳大利亚政府高度重视外来入侵物种的管理工作,制定了《澳大利亚国家生物多样性保护策略》,针对外来杂草和通过压舱水载入的海洋外来入侵物种的管理制定了《国家杂草策略》,《杂草风险评价系统》和《压舱水指南》等法规和技术性文件,加强了对外来入侵物种的管理。本文简要介绍了澳大利亚外来入侵物种管理的有关策略和指南,并提出了我国在外来入侵物种管理方面的对策建议;（1）尽快建立相应的法规体系,实现外来入侵物种的依法管理;（2）加强机构建设,形成多部门的协调管理机制;（3）加强外来入侵物种管理制度的建设;（4）采取适当的引进预防,消除,控制和恢复措施;（5）开展科学研究,为外来入侵物种的管理提供科学依据;（6）制定教育和培训计划,提高公众意识。     

Alien predators are more dangerous than native predators to prey populations

Alien predators are widely considered to be more harmful to prey populations than native predators. To evaluate this expectation, we conducted a meta-analysis of the responses of vertebrate prey in 45 replicated and 35 unreplicated field experiments in which the population densities of mammalian and avian predators had been manipulated. Our results showed that predator origin (native versus alien) had a highly significant effect on prey responses, with alien predators having an impact double that of native predators. Also the interaction between location (mainland versus island) and predator origin was significant, revealing the strongest effects with alien predators in mainland areas. Although both these results were mainly influenced by the huge impact of alien predators on the Australian mainland compared with their impact elsewhere, the results demonstrate that introduced predators can impose more intense suppression on remnant populations of native species and hold them further from their predator-free densities than do native predators preying upon coexisting prey.     

Behavioural responses of reptile predators to invasive cane toads in tropical Australia

The ecological impact of an invasive species can depend on the behavioural responses of native fauna to the invader. For example, the greatest risk posed by invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina Bufonidae) in tropical Australia is lethal poisoning of predators that attempt to eat a toad; and thus, a predator's response to a toad determines its vulnerability. We conducted standardized laboratory trials on recently captured (toad‐naïve) predatory snakes and lizards, in advance of the toad invasion front as it progressed through tropical Australia. Responses to a live edible‐sized toad differed strongly among squamate species. We recorded attacks (and hence, predator mortality) in scincid, agamid and varanid lizards, and in elapid, colubrid and pythonid snakes. Larger‐bodied predators were at greater risk, and some groups (elapid snakes and varanid lizards) were especially vulnerable. However, feeding responses differed among species within families and within genera. Some taxa (notably, many scincid and agamid lizards) do not attack toads; and many colubrid snakes either do not consume toads, or are physiologically resistant to the toad's toxins. Intraspecific variation in responses means that even in taxa that apparently are unaffected by toad invasion at the population level, some individual predators nonetheless may be fatally poisoned by invasive cane toads.     

Predator behaviour and morphology mediates the impact of an invasive species: cane toads and death adders in Australia

The arrival of an invasive species can have severe impacts on native species. The extent of the impact, as well as the speed at which native species may mount an adaptive response, depend upon the correlation between impact and the individual phenotypes of the native species. Strong correlation between phenotype and impact within the native species raises the possibility of rapid adaptive response to the invader. Here, we examine the impact of a dangerous newly arrived prey species (the highly toxic cane toad Bufo marinus ) on naïve predators (death adders Acanthophis praelongus ) in northern Australia. During laboratory trials and field radiotracking, toads killed 48% of the adders we studied. Long-term monitoring of the population also suggests a massive decline (>89%) in recent years concurrent with the arrival of toads. Variation in snake physiology (resistance to toad toxin) had little bearing on snake survival in the field. Snake behaviour (tendency to attack toads) and morphology (body size and head size), however, were strong predictors of snake survival. Smaller snakes with relatively small heads, and snakes that were unwilling to attack toads in the laboratory, had much higher survival rates in the field. These results show that toads have a massive impact on death adder populations, but that snake phenotypes strongly mediate this impact. Thus natural selection is operating on these adder populations and an adaptive response is a possibility. If these adders can rapidly shift toad-relevant morphological and behavioural traits (either through plastic or evolved means), they will ultimately face a lowered impact from this toxic invader.     

War of the weeds: Competition hierarchies in invasive species

Invasive plant species succeed because they are able to propagate and disperse into unoccupied habitat, outcompete and suppress other plant species or use a combination of these two strategies. Ecosystems are often invaded by multiple species and it is important to determine which species are likely to dominate plant communities through competition and which species will succeed by other means. We assessed frequency and abundance of 65 invasive species over 1700 km of riparian zone in the Burdekin catchment of North Queensland, Australia and established a dominance hierarchy for those species. The cover of every invasive and one native shrub known to have increased in abundance in historical times, was surveyed in quadrats as part of a nested hierarchical design consisting of 8030 quadrats, within 803 transects, within 90 sites. Total species cover and species frequency were derived from the results of this survey. We estimated the pairwise interactions between individual species and used a non‐parametric David Score to rank species and construct a competition hierarchy of invasive species at the quadrat and transect levels. Species frequency and cover were highly correlated (r² = 0.81). The competition hierarchy of species at the quadrat level was moderately related to species cover, but poorly related to species frequency (r² = 0.24 and 0.02). The competition rank of many species, including Urochloa mosambicensis and Parthenium hysterophorus, changed markedly with scale when assessed at the quadrat and transect levels. This suggests different processes influenced their competitive success at different scales. This technique enabled us to explore and accept the hypothesis that abundant species are often the most competitive. However, some exceptions were identified in this study and these species may in time become more abundant in the catchment.     

Collembola as alternative prey sustaining spiders in arable ecosystems: prey detection within predators using molecular markers

Collembola comprise a major source of alternative prey to linyphiid spiders in arable fields, helping to sustain and retain these predators as aphid control agents within the crop. Polymerase chain reaction primers were developed for the amplification, from spider gut samples, of DNA from three of the most abundant species of Collembola in wheat crops in Europe, namely Isotoma anglicana, Lepidocyrtus cyaneus and Entomobrya multifasciata. The primers amplified fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and were designed following alignment of comparable sequences for a range of predator and prey species. Each of the primer pairs proved to be species-specific to a Collembola species, amplifying DNA fragments from 211 to 276 base pairs in length. Following consumption of a single collembolan, prey DNA was detectable in 100% of spiders after 24 h of digestion. We report the first use of DNA-based techniques to detect predation by arthropods on natural populations of prey in the field. All three species of Collembola were consumed by the spiders. By comparing the ratios of the Collembola species in the field with the numbers of spiders that gave positive results for each of those species, it was possible to demonstrate that the spiders were exercising prey choice. Overall, a single target species of Collembola was eaten by 48% of spiders while a further 16% of spiders contained DNA from two different species of Collembola. Preference was particularly evident for I. anglicana, the species most frequently found in spider guts yet the least numerous of the three target species in the field.     

Ecology of Lantana camara: An invasive plant species in Amurum Forest Reserve,Jos Plateau,Central Nigeria

Lantana camara (Lantana) is an invasive species of South American origin, and it is visibly widespread in Amurum Forest Reserve (AFR) Jos-Plateau, central Nigeria. Presently, there is no baseline study on Lantana and its spread despite its conspicuous presence within AFR. This is the first study to investigate its abundance and interactions with native fauna and flora in AFR. Established study plots were used to estimate its relative abundance in three habitat types (gallery forest, savannah woodland and rocky outcrops) and to investigate its effect on plants. An experiment using cowpea-tested allelopathic effects of Lantana and focal observation/beating tray method was used to collect data on vertebrate and invertebrate species utilising/interacting with Lantana. Lantana is widespread within AFR occupying 77% of plots with the gallery forest habitat having the highest abundance compared with the savannah woodland and rocky outcrop. Plots with Lantana had fewer woody plant species than plots without Lantana. Tests on soil samples from the reserve for basic properties revealed that Lantana-infested sites had relatively poor soils compared with non-Lantana-infested sites. Birds and insects in AFR utilise Lantana and are probably responsible for its spread. Control measures are necessary to limit its spread and mitigate its likely negative effect on plant species.     

The threat of invasive species to bats: a review

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Predation of a cave fish (Poecilia mexicana, Poeciliidae) by a giant water-bug (Belostoma, Belostomatidae) in a Mexican sulphur cave

Abstract.  1. Caves are often assumed to be predator-free environments for cave fishes. This has been proposed to be a potential benefit of colonising these otherwise harsh environments. In order to test this hypothesis, the predator–prey interaction of a belostomatid (predator) and a cave fish (prey) occurring in the Cueva del Azufre (Tabasco, Mexico) was investigated with two separate experiments.
2. In one experiment, individual Belostoma were given a chance to prey on a cave fish, the cave form of the Atlantic molly ( Poecilia mexicana ), to estimate feeding rates and size-specific prey preferences of the predator. In the other experiment, population density of Belostoma was estimated using a mark–recapture analysis in one of the cave chambers.
3. Belostomatids were found to heavily prey on cave mollies and to exhibit a prey preference for large fish. The mark–recapture analysis revealed a high population density of the heteropterans in the cave.
4. The absence of predators in caves is not a general habitat feature for cave fishes. None the less predation regimes differ strikingly between epigean and hypogean habitats. The prey preference of Belostoma indicates that cave-dwelling P. mexicana experience size-specific predation pressure comparable with surface populations, which may have implications for life-history evolution in this cave fish.     

Genetic tagging reveals a significant impact of poison baiting on an invasive species

Globally, invasive predators are major pests of agriculture and biodiversity and are the focus of comprehensive control programs. Because these species are typically elusive, wary of traps, and occur at low densities, their fundamental population dynamics are difficult to determine and quantitative evaluations of control programs are rarely conducted. Noninvasive DNA analysis has the potential to resolve this long-standing limitation to pest management. We carried out a landscape-scale experiment to quantify reduction in the abundance of a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) population when baited with sodium fluoroacetate (1080) poison (the most widely used method of fox control in Australia). We collected fox hairs with hair snares during 4 4-day sessions over the course of 6 months at a site in semi-arid Western Australia. The first session took place in late summer just prior to when juvenile foxes typically disperse, and the final session followed aerial baiting with 1080 poison. We obtained consensus microsatellite genotypes from 196 samples, and used them to conduct both spatially explicit and open model capture–recapture analysis. Twenty-eight percent of trap nights yielded hair samples suitable for identification of individual foxes, which is more than an order of magnitude greater than trapping rates reported with conventional techniques. Fox density changed little during 3 pre-baiting sessions and averaged 0.73 foxes/km² (±0.33 SE), which is less than most previous trap-based estimates for Australian foxes. Density dropped significantly in response to baiting to 0.004 foxes/km². Prior to baiting, the apparent survival of foxes remained static (0.72 ± 0.14 SE), but in response to baiting it dropped precipitously and was effectively zero. This experiment provides the first quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of 1080 poison baiting for reducing fox density, and in this case demonstrates it to be a highly effective method for culling foxes from a region. Further, it demonstrates that noninvasive DNA analysis will provide significantly more data than conventional trapping methods. This method is likely to provide greater precision and accuracy than conventional methods and therefore result in more robust evaluations of management strategies for the fox in Australia, and for cryptic species elsewhere. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

Deleterious effects by mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) on the endangered fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata)

Invasive fishes, via competition and predation, may be an important factor in endangering populations of amphibians and other aquatic fauna. The mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis , commonly stocked into amphibian breeding sites for mosquito control worldwide, has recently been found in some breeding sites of the endangered fire salamander Salamandra infraimmaculata in northern Israel. A comparison of Salamandra larvae in natural pools varying in Gambusia densities suggested that Gambusia negatively affects Salamandra by causing damage to its appendages, in particular, its tailfin (as manifested in a smaller tail:body ratio). Comparison of the same pool before and after mosquitofish introduction suggested strong negative effects on larval performance and number of emerging metamorphs. To explicitly test the hypothesis that Gambusia negatively affects Salamandra larval development, growth and survival, we conducted a replicated outdoor mesocosm experiment. In this experiment, we also tested how habitat structural complexity, in the form of radiating cords simulating artificial vegetation, might mediate damage caused by Gambusia . We used a two-by-two factorial design: the presence or absence of increased structural complexity crossed with the presence or absence of mosquitofish. After a short period, mosquitofish strongly reduced larval wet weight and survival, and increased body damage in the form of a reduced larval tail:body ratio and partially missing gills and limbs. No Salamandra larvae exposed to mosquitofish survived to metamorphosis in either habitat type. We conclude that Gambusia strongly and negatively affects Salamandra larvae and that the introduction of Gambusia into sites containing Salamandra is inconsistent with the goal of preserving this endangered urodele.     

Multiple origins of invasive and ‘native’ water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) in Switzerland

The marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) has been introduced in many areas in Central and Western Europe as a result of commercial trade with Eastern Europe, and is rapidly replacing the native pool frog (P. lessonae). A large number of Pelophylax species are distributed in Eastern Europe and the strong phenotypic similarity between these species is rendering their identification hazardous. Consequently, alien populations of Pelophylax might not strictly be composed of P. ridibundus as previously suspected. In the present study, we analysed the cytochrome‐b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 genes of introduced and native Pelophylax species from Switzerland (299 individuals) in order to properly identify the source populations of the invaders and the genetic status of the native species. Our study highlighted the occurrence of several genetic lineages of invasive frogs in western Switzerland. Unexpectedly, we also showed that several populations of the native pool frog (P. lessonae) cluster with the Italian pool frog P. bergeri from central Italy (considered by some authors as a subspecies of P. lessonae). Hence, these populations are probably also the result of introductions, meaning that the number of native P. lessonae populations is fewer than expected in Switzerland. These findings have important implications concerning the conservation of the endemic pool frog populations, as the presence of multiple alien species could strongly affect their long‐term subsistence. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 112 , 442–449.     

The impact of tree modification by African elephant (Loxodonta africana) on herpetofaunal species richness in northern Tanzania

In Africa, no other nonhuman animal fulfils the role of ecosystem engineers to the extent of the elephant. However, little is known about the relationship between elephant modified habitats and species composition of other animals. Our objective was to sample the herpetofauna within an Acacia habitat that varied in the degree of elephant impact. If elephant foraging was only modifying but not degrading or enriching the habitat, then herpetofauna species abundance and richness were predicted to be similar in elephant damaged and elephant excluded areas. We conducted this study at Endarakwai Ranch in northeastern Tanzania for 6 months in 2007 and 2008. We sampled herpetofaunal species richness and abundance within high, medium and low elephant damaged areas and in a plot that excluded elephants. Areas of heavy damage yielded higher species richness than the exclusion plot. Species diversity did not differ between the damaged areas and the exclusion plot. Frogs were more abundant in areas of high damage; in contrast, toads were found the least in high damage areas. The results support the notion that free ranging elephants influence herpetofaunal species distribution by creating habitat complexity through modifying the woodland area.     

Detecting host–parasitoid interactions in an invasive Lepidopteran using nested tagging DNA metabarcoding

Determining the host–parasitoid interactions and parasitism rates for invasive species entering novel environments is an important first step in assessing potential routes for biocontrol and integrated pest management. Conventional insect rearing techniques followed by taxonomic identification are widely used to obtain such data, but this can be time‐consuming and prone to biases. Here, we present a next‐generation sequencing approach for use in ecological studies which allows for individual‐level metadata tracking of large numbers of invertebrate samples through the use of hierarchically organised molecular identification tags. We demonstrate its utility using a sample data set examining both species identity and levels of parasitism in late larval stages of the oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea—Linn. 1758), an invasive species recently established in the United Kingdom. Overall, we find that there are two main species exploiting the late larval stages of oak processionary moth in the United Kingdom with the main parasitoid (Carcelia iliaca—Ratzeburg, 1840) parasitising 45.7% of caterpillars, while a rare secondary parasitoid (Compsilura concinnata—Meigen, 1824) was also detected in 0.4% of caterpillars. Using this approach on all life stages of the oak processionary moth may demonstrate additional parasitoid diversity. We discuss the wider potential of nested tagging DNA metabarcoding for constructing large, highly resolved species interaction networks.     

美国对入侵种的管理对策

外来种入侵是产生当前世界生物多样性危机的重要原因之一。目前外来种入侵问题已经引起人们的普遍关注。1999年2月美国联邦政府发布总统令,号召联邦政府机构执行人员防止外来入侵种所造成的严重环境威胁,指示有关职能部门行使职权阻止引入入侵种并且恢复本地种。总统令指示建立一个入侵物种理事会,并就理事会、联邦机构的职责做了相应界定。美国农业部等部门支持的入侵植物管理国家策略项目,提出了针对入侵种的三项国家目标一入侵种的预防、控制和本地种的恢复。国家管理策略的制定不同层次的人们提供了合作、教育和研究的机遇。美国政府部门以及有关社会团体已经就外来种入侵危害防范积极展开行动,包括制定标准防止入侵种进入,控制、根除入侵种,向民众进行有关外来种入侵的教育,增加财政年度预算等等。     

Quantitative analysis of research topics and public concern on V. velutina as invasive species in Asian and European countries

We analyzed the research topics and public concern on Vespa velutina as an invasive species in Asian and European countries quantitatively though digitized texts such as scientometrics and conservation culturomics. We collected 126 scientific publications of V. velutina published during the last three decades, and 423 news articles on V. velutina in South Korea. In total, 22 countries have contributed to scientific research on V. velutina. Research topics were clearly classified to studies on taxonomy and invasion of V. velutina. In South Korea, people have recognized the ecological and health impact of V. velutina. Although scientific and public interest in V. velutina has increased since 2000, research topics may be narrow and information of news articles may be simple. To achieve the sustainable management of V. velutina, multilateral studies including environmental, social, and economic research on V. velutina are necessary.