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Wani SA, Ahmad R, Gulzar R, Rashid I, Khuroo AA. Alien flora causes biotic homogenization in the biodiversity hotspot regions of India. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163856. [PMID: 37142012 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Biotic homogenization by invasive alien species is one of dominant drivers of global environmental change. However, little is known about the patterns of biotic homogenization in global biodiversity hotspots. Here we fill this knowledge gap by studying the patterns of biotic homogenization and associated geographic and climatic correlates in Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). For this, we use a novel biodiversity database comprising 10,685 native and 771 alien plant species across 12 provinces of the IHR. The database was assembled by screening 295 and 141 studies published from 1934 to 2022 for natives and aliens, respectively. Our results revealed that each native species on average was distributed among 2.8 provinces, whereas the alien species in 3.6 provinces, thereby indicating wider distribution range of alien species in the IHR. The Jaccard's similarity index between the provinces was higher for alien species (mean = 0.29) as compared to natives (mean = 0.16). Addition of alien species pool has homogenized most of the provincial pairwise floras (89.4 %) across the IHR, with greater dissimilarity in their native floras. Our results suggest that the alien species have strong homogenization effect on the provincial floras, regardless of their differences in geographic and climatic distances. The biogeographic patterns of alien and native species richness in the IHR were better explained by a different set of climatic variables, with former by precipitation of driest month and the latter by annual mean temperature. Our study contributes to better understanding of the patterns of biotic homogenization and its impacts on native biodiversity in the IHR. Looking ahead, in an era of Anthropocene, we discuss the wide implications of our findings in guiding biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration in global hotspot regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Ahmad Wani
- Centre for Biodiversity & Taxonomy, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Rameez Ahmad
- Centre for Biodiversity & Taxonomy, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Ruquia Gulzar
- Centre for Biodiversity & Taxonomy, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Irfan Rashid
- Department of Geoinformatics, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Anzar Ahmad Khuroo
- Centre for Biodiversity & Taxonomy, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190006, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
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Flora introduced and naturalized in Central America. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02968-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Rojas‐Sandoval J, Ackerman JD, Marcano‐Vega H, Willig MR. Alien species affect the abundance and richness of native species in tropical forests: The role of adaptive strategies. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - James D. Ackerman
- Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico San Juan Puerto Rico USA
| | | | - Michael R. Willig
- Institute of the Environment, Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut USA
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Wani SA, Ahmad R, Gulzar R, Rashid I, Malik AH, Rashid I, Khuroo AA. Diversity, Distribution and Drivers of Alien Flora in the Indian Himalayan Region. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Olivero-Lora S, Rojas-Sandoval J, Meléndez-Ackerman EJ, Orengo-Rolón JL. Hurricane driven changes in vegetation structure and ecosystem services in tropical urban yards: a study case in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Meléndez-Ackerman EJ, Rojas-Sandoval J. Profiling native and introduced perennial garden plants in Puerto Rican urban residential yards. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Worldwide the number of non-native species escaping from cultivation into native habitats is steadily increasing with no signs of saturation. Species that eventually become invasive may generate unwanted social and ecological conditions especially in areas of conservation concern. This study built upon prior biodiversity work from 432 residential yards in the San Juan Metropolitan Area of Puerto Rico to evaluate the natural history and functional traits of native and non-native plant species in these green spaces. We reviewed the literature for a total of 361 plant species to extract information on their taxonomy, native distribution range, invasive status (casual, naturalized or invasive), life-form and ecological and biological species attributes. We then evaluated the relationship between their attributes and their probability of escaping cultivation and become invasive. Our results show that non-native species growing in yards are more likely to succeed in becoming invasive if they have vegetative growth, a mixed breeding system, and an unspecialized dispersal mode. We also found that native and non-native species occurring in residential yards share similar adaptive strategy scores. Most plant species that have already become invasive originated from Asia and America a fact that is likely tied to the US nursery trade. We used the combined results of this and prior studies to understand the factors facilitating plant invasion and to generate recommendations for the development of management strategies that may limit the spread of non-native ornamentals with the potential to escape cultivation and become invasive on this island.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvia J Meléndez-Ackerman
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00931
- Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation (CATEC), University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00931
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Rojas-Sandoval J, Ackerman JD. Ornamentals lead the way: global influences on plant invasions in the Caribbean. NEOBIOTA 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.64.62939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the historical factors associated with the invasion success of alien species in a region may help us to identify sources, vectors, and pathways that are more likely to originate new invaders. Here, we gather data for traits related to the history of introduction (e.g., continent of origin, reason for introduction, and date of introduction) of 616 alien plant species listed as invasive on 18 island groups across the Caribbean region. We used these data to evaluate how human activity has influenced plant invasions on Caribbean islands over time and whether invasion success could be driven by traits of the introduction process. We found that significantly more invasive plants (54%) were intentionally introduced for ornamental reasons than for any other purpose. Most invaders in the Caribbean are native to Asia, South America, and Africa and the cumulative number of invasive species in this region has been steadily increasing during the last 200 years, but since 1850, this trend has been led by species introduced as ornamentals. We also found a significant association between continent of origin and reason of introduction, with more invaders than expected being ornamentals from Asia and America, and forage species from Africa. Our results show that introduced ornamentals are successfully invading all major habitats across the Caribbean, exacerbating conservation issues and threatening native biodiversity. Armed with knowledge of origins and reasons for introductions, effective biosecurity actions as well as control and management strategies can be better targeted to address the problem of invasive species in the region.
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Zimmerman JK, Rojas-Sandoval J, Shiels AB. Invasive Species in Puerto Rico: The View From El Yunque. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.640121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Native flora and fauna of Puerto Rico have a long biogeographic connection to South America. Theory and empirical evidence suggest that islands, particularly those distantly isolated from the mainland, should be more susceptible to naturalizations and invasions of non-native species than continental areas. Anthropogenic disturbances can facilitate accidental and deliberate introductions of non-native species. In this study, we asked: What is the current status of introduced species within El Yunque National Forest (EYNF), the largest and most well-conserved forest area of Puerto Rico? To address this question, we reviewed the literature and surveyed local experts to identify introduced plant and animal taxa that are behaving as invaders within EYNF. We hypothesized that well-conserved forest areas within EYNF would be more resistant to invasions than disturbed areas along roads and ruderal areas with a long history of human activity. We found that there is only partial evidence that supports our hypothesis and this evidence is strongest in vascular plants, but not for the other taxonomic groups analyzed. Our combined results showed that currently the more ubiquitous invasive species in EYNF include some mammals (feral cat, rat, and mongoose) and some invertebrates (earthworms, mosquito, and Africanized honeybee). For many taxa, there is little information to thoroughly test our hypothesis, and thus more detailed surveys of the status of non-native and invasive species in EYNF are needed.
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Rojas‐Sandoval J, Ackerman JD, Tremblay RL. Island biogeography of native and alien plant species: Contrasting drivers of diversity across the Lesser Antilles. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julissa Rojas‐Sandoval
- Institute of the Environment University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
- Department of Botany National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington DC USA
| | | | - Raymond L. Tremblay
- Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico San Juan PR USA
- Analítica Fundación Caguas PR USA
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Soifer LG, Ackerman JD. Extremes of forest–urban gradient offer some refuge for alien orchid invasion. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-01963-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Temeles EJ, Bishop GA. A hurricane alters pollinator relationships and natural selection on an introduced island plant. Biotropica 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ethan J. Temeles
- Department of Biology Amherst College Amherst Massachusetts
- Department of Environmental Studies Amherst College Amherst Massachusetts
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Rojas-Sandoval J, Tremblay RL, Acevedo-Rodríguez P, Díaz-Soltero H. Invasive plant species in the West Indies: geographical, ecological, and floristic insights. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:4522-4533. [PMID: 28690783 PMCID: PMC5496547 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The level of invasion (number or proportion of invasive species) in a given area depends on features of the invaded community, propagule pressure, and climate. In this study, we assess the invasive flora of nine islands in the West Indies to identify invasion patterns and evaluate whether invasive species diversity is related to geographical, ecological, and socioeconomic factors. We compiled a database of invasive plant species including information on their taxonomy, origin, pathways of introduction, habitats, and life history. This database was used to evaluate the similarity of invasive floras between islands and to identify invasion patterns at regional (West Indies) and local (island) scales. We found a total of 516 alien plant species that are invasive on at least one of the nine islands studied, with between 24 to 306 invasive species per island. The invasive flora on these islands includes a wide range of taxonomic groups, life forms, and habitats. We detected low similarity in invasive species diversity between islands, with most invasive species (>60%) occurring on a single island and 6% occurring on at least five islands. To assess the importance of different models in predicting patterns of invasive species diversity among islands, we used generalized linear models. Our analyses revealed that invasive species diversity was well predicted by a combination of island area and economic development (gross domestic product per capita and kilometers of paved roadways). Our results provide strong evidence for the roles of geographical, ecological, and socioeconomic factors in determining the distribution and spread of invasive species on these islands. Anthropogenic disturbance and economic development seem to be the major drivers facilitating the spread and predominance of invasive species over native species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julissa Rojas-Sandoval
- Department of Botany National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington DC USA
| | - Raymond L Tremblay
- Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation University of Puerto Rico San Juan PR USA
| | - Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez
- Department of Botany National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington DC USA
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