Altitudinal distribution of native and alien plant species in roadside communities from central Argentina

Roadsides may homogenize the distribution of native species and act as corridors for the spread of alien taxa. We examined the variation in native and alien plant species richness and composition at two spatial scales defined by altitude and habitat type (edges and fill slopes), as well as the relationship between native and exotic species richness in roadside plant communities in mountains from central Argentina. Following a gradient from 1100 to 2200 m a.s.l. along a mountain road, plant species cover was recorded within sample plots of 30 m × 10 m systematically located at 100‐m altitude intervals on both roadside habitats. Although native species richness decreased with altitude and composition changed accordingly, the number of alien species peaked at both extremes of the elevation gradient and did not reflect an altitudinal replacement of chorological groups. The number of both native and alien species was higher in roadside edges, but a negative association between the richness of native and alien species occurred only on fill slopes, suggesting that roadside habitats differ in their susceptibility to plant species colonization and in the mechanisms driving native and alien species richness. Our results highlight the importance of altitude and roadside habitat as factors controlling plant species richness and composition along roadside communities in central Argentina. Although altitude acts as a filter for native plants, it apparently did not constrain the establishment of alien species along the studied roadsides, indicating that the influence of this road as a plant species corridor may increase with time, promoting the opportunities for aliens to expand their current distribution.     

三峡库区消落带外来植物入侵与景观基质组成结构的关联性

外来物种入侵过程不仅受入侵地生境的影响,也受到周边景观基质的影响.厘清景观基质对外来入侵物种的影响,对于外来物种的入侵管控具有重要意义.本研究针对长江三峡库区消落带植物群落开展调查,评估三峡库区消落带外来植物入侵现状;在岸线以上(含消落带)2000 m范围内划分出10个景观格局尺度,采用14个指标分析景观基质组成结构;...     

Hybridization of alien and aboriginal taxons of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bidens</Emphasis> L. genus in Eastern Europe

Earlier it was suggested, based on study of the morphological features, that a new taxon of burmarigold, which had been noted in recent decades in several locations on the territory of Russia and neighboring countries and described as an alien species of Bidens connata, is in fact a hybrid species that arose in Europe. This hypothesis was confirmed by the molecular genetic method. A complex of taxa of the genus Bidens from various parts of the areal and their F1 first generation offspring were studied, and a polymerase chain reaction was performed using ISSR primers. It was established that the taxon investigated represents a complex of hybrids and recurrent hybrids that arose in the European part of Russia independently by hybridization of the alien B. frondosa and the aboriginal B. cernua.     

Resource availability and its role in development of invasion processes

The state of biotic communities inhabiting different water bodies is analyzed aiming to determination of conditions facilitating development of biological invasions. Mass-balance and dynamic models are used to reveal the factors ensuring the invasion of zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, in Naroch Lakes (Byelorussia), and smelt, Osmerus eperlanus, in Lake Syamozero (Karelia). The results obtained indicate that for invasions leading to trophic chain lengthening, the main factor of successful invasion is the availability of resources that are not utilized by aboriginal species. Highest chances for successful invasion belong to invading species feeding on those trophic groups which contribute to the most extent to forming of 'excess' (i.e., available for the invader) production. It is shown that establishment of an alien species in a native community appears to be possible only when total amount of such 'excess' production is higher then some threshold value. Under conditions of spatio-temporal environmental heterogeneity, the timing factor, which determines the exact moment of an alien species intrusion, becomes important as well.     

Ecological traits and environmental affinity explain Red Sea fish introduction into the Mediterranean

Alien species are considered one of the prime threats to biodiversity, driving major changes in ecosystem structure and function. Identifying the traits associated with alien introduction has been largely restricted to comparing indigenous and alien species or comparing alien species that differ in abundance or impact. However, a more complete understanding may emerge when the entire pool of potential alien species is used as a control, information that is rarely available. In the eastern Mediterranean, the marine environment is undergoing an unparalleled species composition transformation, as a flood of aliens have entered from the Red Sea following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. In this study, we compile data on species traits, geographical distribution, and environmental affinity of the entire pool of reef‐associated fish species in the Red Sea and more generally across the Indo‐Pacific. We use this extensive data to identify the prime characteristics separating Red Sea species that have become alien in the Mediterranean from those that have not. We find that alien species occupy a larger range of environments in their native ranges, explaining their ability to colonize the seasonal Mediterranean. Red Sea species that naturally experience high maximum temperatures in their native range have a high probability of becoming alien. Thus, contrary to predictions of an accelerating number of aliens following increased water temperatures, hotter summers in this region may prevent the establishment of many alien species. We further find that ecological trait diversity of alien species is substantially more evenly spaced and more divergent than random samples from the pool of Red Sea species, pointing at additional processes, such as competition, promoting ecological diversity among alien species. We use these results to provide a first quantitative ranking of the potential of Red Sea species to become established in the eastern Mediterranean.     

Did global warming and alien invasions affect surf zone hyperbenthic communities on sandy beaches in Belgium?

Due to global warming, southern hyperbenthic species were expected, which extend their distribution range northwards. It was also expected that alien species would have invaded the surf zone hyperbenthos. Therefore, the species composition of the hyperbenthos occurring along the Belgian coast was determined, and spatial and temporal patterns in community composition were assessed. The hyperbenthos was sampled with a hand-pushed sledge on 10 sandy beaches during summer 1995, winter 1996, summer 2009 and winter 2010. Neither alien species nor any southern species which recently extended its distribution range northwards were observed during the present study, indicating that alien species and global warming did not yet affect the species composition of the surf zone hyperbenthos along the Belgian coast. The hyperbenthic community was dominated by Mysida, while Amphipoda were the most diverse group. Multivariate analysis revealed that temporal patterns dominated over spatial patterns: winter and summer hyperbenthic communities clearly differed in species composition and different species assemblages were also observed between the first and the recent sampling campaigns. Although for several other groups, a decline in species richness has been observed closer to the mouth of the Westerschelde, no spatial gradient could be recognised for the surf zone hyperbenthos. Instead, it was found that species richness was positively related to beach width. It could be concluded that the species composition and the total abundance of surf zone hyperbenthic communities along sandy beaches of the Belgian coast strongly vary in space, but especially in time.     

惠州口岸进境粮谷外来杂草调查与监测

【目的】随着国际农产品贸易的发展,外来杂草入侵我国的形势越来越严峻。对惠州口岸进境粮谷外来杂草进行调查与监测,能够为惠州口岸进境粮谷检疫监管工作提供参考。【方法】通过实地调查、监测,对惠州口岸进境粮谷厂区及周边外来入侵杂草的种类组成、分布、生活型、原产地、入侵途径和危害程度进行了分析。【结果】惠州口岸进境粮谷厂区及周边外来杂草有12科28种,其中,检疫性杂草有4种。在外来入侵杂草中,菊科植物种类最多,生活型以一年生草本为主;原产地以美洲为主,主要以无意引入,有7种杂草较严重危害当地生态环境。【结论】首次调查和总结了惠州口岸进境粮谷厂区及周边外来入侵杂草的名单和类别,提出了外来杂草口岸防控的建议。     

Little,but increasing evidence of impacts by alien bryophytes

Based on data of bryophyte invasions into 82 regions on five continents of both hemispheres, we aim here at a first comprehensive overview of the impacts that bryophytes may have on biodiversity and socio-economy. Of the 139 bryophytes species which are alien in the study regions seven cause negative impacts on biodiversity in 26 regions, whereas three species cause negative impacts on socio-economic sectors in five regions. The vast majority of impacts stem from anecdotal observations, whereas only 14 field or experimental studies (mostly on Campylopus introflexus in Europe) have quantitatively assessed the impacts of an alien bryophyte. The main documented type of impact on biodiversity is competition (8 alien bryophytes), with native cryptogams being most affected. In particular, C. introflexus (9 regions) and Pseudoscleropodium purum (7 regions) affect resident species composition. The few socio-economic impacts are caused by alien bryophytes which form dense mats in lawns and are then considered a nuisance. Most negative impacts on biodiversity have been recorded in natural grasslands, forests, and wetlands. Impacts of alien bryophytes on biodiversity and socio-economy are a recent phenomenon, with >85 % of impacts on biodiversity, and 80 % of impacts on socio-economy recorded since 1990. On average, 40 years (impacts on biodiversity) and 25 years (impacts on socio-economy) elapsed between the year a bryophyte species has been first recorded as alien in a region and the year impacts have been recorded first. Taking into account the substantial time lag between first record and first recorded impact in a region, it seems to be likely that the currently moderate impacts of alien bryophytes will continue to increase. As quantitative studies on impacts of alien bryophytes are rare and restricted to few environments and biogeographic regions, there is a need for addressing potential impacts of alien bryophytes in yet understudied settings.     

云南沾益海峰湿地鱼类区系及地理成因分析

对云南海峰自然保护区鱼类区系调查,结果共获鱼类11种,隶属4目6科11属。其中引入种9种,土著种仅2种,无特有种类。海峰湿地间歇性干涸明显,是一较为封闭的高原水域生态系统。以湿地鱼类区系组成为线索,认为在湿地内无土著种,更未形成狭域分布的特有种。此事实强烈地暗示,海峰湿地的形成历史可能极近,只在数万年之内。海峰湿地属于内陆湿地中的时令湖生态系统,还兼有人工湿地中蓄水区湿地类型的特点。     

Alien species richness is currently unbounded in all but the most urbanized bird communities

Urban areas suffer high pressure of introductions of alien species compared to other habitats due to intensive human activities. As trading globally continues to rise, more species will likely be introduced into urban areas. To determine whether this increase in introduction pressure will lead to increased alien species richness in urban areas, or whether other processes would act to impose an upper limit on species richness, we examined how the shape of the relationship between alien species richness and the number of introduced species over time (i.e. introduction pressure) varies along gradients of urbanization. We collected species composition data from urban bird surveys worldwide and used a global database of alien bird introductions to quantify how many species have been introduced over time at different sites. We found that urbanization gradually modified the shape of the studied relationship from linear to asymptotic. Only communities in extremely urbanized environments were associated with an asymptotic relationship, suggesting that alien bird richness has likely not reached its ecological limit in most urban areas. Our results show that urbanization can reduce the importance of introduction pressure in determining alien species richness. Additionally, the results predict that alien species richness will increase at finer spatial scales, especially if the introduced species can survive in urban areas outside of their native range.     

Alien plant species distribution in the European Alps: influence of species’ climatic requirements

The paper provides the first estimate of the role of abiotic and anthropogenic variables driving both alien plant species richness and composition covering the whole region of the European Alps. To establish and spread in a new area, alien plants must be able to tolerate the prevailing climatic conditions. We therefore tested the hypothesis that climatic requirements modified by bioclimatic origin and elevational distribution influence the distribution of alien plants in the Alps. Despite most alien plant species showing a relatively restricted distribution in the Alps, some regions, however, were already more strongly invaded. Most of these species were adapted to warmer conditions, probably constrained by climatic factors. Environmental heterogeneity was the most important predictor of alien plant species richness, followed by anthropogenic disturbance. Due to the political/artificial delineation of the administrative districts in the Alps (i.e., ignoring ecological conditions) we did not find a direct influence of climatic constraints on alien distribution. Anyway, northern Holarctic alien species showed a broader climatic tolerance and the capability to grow across a wide environmental range. Our results also reveal a strong influence of human pressure on warmer tropical species, despite their low adaptability to anthropogenic habitats. To this aim, managers would profit from early warnings to prevent future invasions. Considering bioclimatic origin, our study can aid in identifying potentially invasive species in a more regional setting.     

The alien flora of Kashmir Himalaya

Compilation of alien flora from phytogeographically distinct regions is of immediate relevance not only for better understanding the patterns of plant invasion but also for explicating the processes promoting invasion at local, regional or global scales. Despite being at higher risk of invasion by plants because of its European colonial past, south Asia has received very little attention in respect of characterization of its alien flora. This paucity of baseline data necessitated compilation of the first catalogue of alien flora from the Kashmir Himalaya—a phytogeographically distinct south Asian region nestled in the northwestern folds of Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. Total alien flora of the region is represented by 571 plant species, belonging to 352 genera and 104 families. It constitutes a relatively higher (29%) proportion of the total flora of the region. Families with largest number of alien representatives are Poaceae (60 species), Asteraceae (54 species), and Brassicaceae (30 species). However, families such as Amaranthaceae (83%) and Chenopodiacae (71%) show higher percentage of aliens relative to their total number of plant species in the region. Most of the alien plant species (38%) trace their origin to Europe, followed by Asia (27%) and Africa (15%). Present study also reports, for the first time, occurrence of seven plant species in this region. Each alien plant species is provided with information on the origin, habit, mode/purpose of introduction, current invasion status, altitudinal range and the primary published source.     

北京市建成区绿地植物物种来源分析

为探讨北京市建成区绿地植物的物种构成、外来植物组成及其在不同功能区的分布,采用机械布点和随机抽样法对北京市建成区绿地植物资源进行系统调查。结果表明：（1）北京市建成区绿地植物外来引进种173种,外来归化入侵种20余种：（2）外来引进种以国内引进为主,境外起源物种中美洲和欧亚区系植物占绝对优势：（3）外来种丰度按大小排列为：大型公园〉高等院校〉居住区绿地〉街头绿地／街心花园〉附属绿地〉街道绿地〉片林绿地,而各绿地类型的入侵种数量没有显著差异。     

Alien species reflecting history: medieval castles in Germany

Ninety‐seven alien plant species were found in habitats provided by rocks and walls around 56 castles in Germany. Compared to Central European agriophytes (i.e. alien species naturalised in natural vegetation), the flora adjacent to castles had more species introduced before 1500. More alien species introduced earlier were found at castles built earlier compared to castles built later. Fifty percent of the species introduced before and during the Middle Ages were usable plants at that time, compared to 20% of usable plants among the native species in the same habitats. Species introduced earlier were mainly used for medication and nutrition, whereas later introductions were used for ornamental purposes. Compared to the total alien flora of Germany, there were more useable species at the castles, nearly the same percentage of ornamentals and fewer plants without use. These results imply that the species composition of alien species growing in the vicinity of medieval castles today may be traced back to the historical reasons for their introduction to these places.     

Alien plant species composition and associations with anthropogenic disturbance in North American forests

A probability-based sampling scheme was used to survey plant species composition in forests of 16 states in seven geopolitical regions of the United States (California, Colorado, Minnesota, and parts of the Pacific Northwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast) in 1994. The proportion of alien species relative to the total species number and to canopy cover in the ground stratum (0–0.6 m height) was evaluated in 279 plots. Visually evident anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., artificial regeneration, logging, prescribed burning, and grazing by livestock), if any, were recorded on each plot. In each of the seven regions we quantified (1) the percentage of the number of species and total cover comprised of alien species, (2) the difference in these percentages for disturbed and undisturbed plots, and (3) the origin or native range for the alien species.The percentage of alien species ranged from approximately 4.5% (Colorado) to approximately 13.2% (California). The percentage of alien species cover ranged from approximately 1.5% in Colorado to 25% in California. In five regions, species introduced from temperate Eurasia comprised the largest proportion of alien species and cover. In the Southeast, species introduced from far eastern and subtropical Asia dominated the alien flora. In the Mid-Atlantic, the majority of alien species was Eurasian and the majority of alien species cover consisted of far eastern and subtropical Asian species.The proportion of plots in which at least one alien species was recorded was significantly higher in disturbed than undisturbed plots in the Southeast and marginally significantly higher ($p=0.053$) in the Northeast. These results are consistent with other published studies that indicate that anthropogenic disturbance affects the structure and composition of both the ground stratum and upper canopy of forest habitats. In other regions, however, no significant differences were found.     

Invasive plant integration into native plant–pollinator networks across Europe

The structure of plant–pollinator networks has been claimed to be resilient to changes in species composition due to the weak degree of dependence among mutualistic partners. However, detailed empirical investigations of the consequences of introducing an alien plant species into mutualistic networks are lacking. We present the first cross-European analysis by using a standardized protocol to assess the degree to which a particular alien plant species (i.e. Carpobrotus affine acinaciformis, Impatiens glandulifera, Opuntia stricta, Rhododendron ponticum and Solanum elaeagnifolium) becomes integrated into existing native plant–pollinator networks, and how this translates to changes in network structure.Alien species were visited by almost half of the pollinator species present, accounting on average for 42 per cent of the visits and 24 per cent of the network interactions. Furthermore, in general, pollinators depended upon alien plants more than on native plants. However, despite the fact that invaded communities received more visits than uninvaded communities, the dominant role of alien species over natives did not translate into overall changes in network connectance, plant linkage level and nestedness. Our results imply that although supergeneralist alien plants can play a central role in the networks, the structure of the networks appears to be very permeable and robust to the introduction of invasive alien species into the network.     

Differential processes underlying the roadside distributions of native and alien plant assemblages

Although biological invasion often alters ecosystem properties and community composition at different scales, considerable uncertainty still exists regarding the underlying mechanisms that regulate the spread of alien species into new habitats. An alien invasion is generally achieved through multiple processes from multiple sources; this type of invasion often prevents us from understanding of the dispersal mechanisms. Here, we aim to disentangle the processes of alien invasion by focusing on a single migration source. We surveyed the distribution of alien and native plant species in Shiretoko National Park, located in northern Japan. We measured the coverage of each species and the environmental and spatial factors in 362 quadrats established along roadsides. We found 101 native species and 35 alien species (γ-diversity) throughout the quadrats. The local species richness (α-diversity) was higher for the alien species (6.1 species) than for the native species (3.2 species). There was a significant negative correlation in α-diversity between native and alien species. Moreover, the α-diversity and distance from the nearest town (migration source) showed a negative relationship for alien assemblages while the native assemblages showed the opposite trend. These results suggest that the alien species are expanding their distribution outward from the town, resulting in a decrease in the α-diversity of native species in localities close to the migration source. Overall, our results emphasize that roadsides could unintentionally act as corridors for alien species, even in protected areas. Careful consideration is thus needed for utilizing these human-created habitats even though they were designed for conservation and management purposes.     

北京市建成区绿地植物物种来源分析

为探讨北京市建成区绿地植物的物种构成、外来植物组成及其在不同功能区的分布, 采用机械布点和随机抽样法对北京市建成区绿地植物资源进行系统调查。结果表明: (1)北京市建成区绿地植物外来引进种173种, 外来归化入侵种20余种; (2)外来引进种以国内引进为主, 境外起源物种中美洲和欧亚区系植物占绝对优势; (3)外来种丰度按大小排列为: 大型公园＞高等院校＞居住区绿地＞街头绿地/街心花园＞附属绿地＞街道绿地＞片林绿地, 而各绿地类型的入侵种数量没有显著差异。     

安徽省外来入侵植物的分布格局及其等级划分

区域性外来入侵植物的研究及其入侵等级划分在地方入侵植物管理与防治对策的制定上具有重要的指导意义。本文基于文献报道、标本记录和必要的分类学考证,特别是通过2013-2015年对安徽省外来入侵植物的全面调查,统计分析了安徽省外来入侵植物的物种组成、生活型、原产地、区系组成和水平分布格局,并对其入侵危害进行等级划分。结果显示,安徽省有外来入侵植物37科86属132种,总体上呈现种类丰富、原产于美洲的种类多、泛热带起源的种类多、危害严重的种类多、区域分化明显、入侵途径集中等特征。提出在外来入侵植物的防控中应重点警惕起源于美洲的、泛热带分布属的植物和关注人类活动频繁的热点区域。还对中国外来入侵植物研究中存在的问题进行了探讨,澄清了几个长期以来被忽视的关于外来入侵物种认知的问题。     

Alien flora of mountains: global comparisons for the development of local preventive measures against plant invasions

Aim We use data from 13 mountain regions and surrounding lowland areas to identify (1) the origins, traits and cultural uses of alien plant species that establish in mountains, (2) the alien species that are most likely to be a threat and (3) how managers might use this information to prevent further invasions. Location Australia, Canada, Chile, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, USA. Methods Lists of alien species were compiled for mountains and their surrounding or nearby lowlands. Principal co‐ordinates analysis was performed on a matrix of similarities created using presence/absence data for alien species. The significance of differences between means for (1) similarity metrics of lowland and mountain groups and (2) species traits of lowland and mountain alien floras was determined using t‐tests. In seven of the 13 mountain regions, lists of alien species undergoing management were compiled. The significance of differences between proportions of traits for species requiring and not requiring management input was determined with chi‐square tests. Results We found that the proximal lowland alien flora is the main determinant of a mountain region’s alien species composition. The highest similarities between mountain floras were in the Americas/Pacific Region. The majority of alien species commonly found in mountains have agricultural origins and are of little concern to land managers. Woody species and those used for ornamental purposes will often pose the greatest threat. Main conclusions Given the documented potential threat of alien species invading mountains, we advise natural resource managers to take preventive measures against the risk of alien plant invasion in mountains. A strategy for prevention should extend to the surrounding lowland areas and in particular regulate the introduction of species that are already of management concern in other mountains as well as climatically pre‐adapted alien mountain plants. These may well become more problematic than the majority of alien plants currently in mountains.