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Li Y, Wang G, Geng Y, Li J, Feng Y. Variation in Seed Morphological Traits Affects the Dispersal Strategies of Chromolaena odorata Following Invasion. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1747. [PMID: 38999587 PMCID: PMC11244504 DOI: 10.3390/plants13131747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Seed germination and dispersal have an important impact on the establishment and spread of invasive plants. Understanding the extent of intraspecific seed trait variations can enhance our understanding of how invasive plants respond to environmental change after introduction and help predict the dynamic of invasive species under future environmental conditions. However, less attention has been given to the variation in seed traits within species as opposed to among species. We compared seed production, seed morphological traits, dispersal ability, and seedling performance of Chromolaena odorata from 10 introduced populations in Asia and 12 native populations in America in a common garden. The results showed that range (introduced vs. native) and climate affected these traits. Compared with the native population, the introduced populations had higher seed numbers per capitula, lighter seeds, and higher potential dispersal ability seeds (lower terminal velocity) but lower germination rates and seedling lengths. Climatic clines in seed numbers per capitula and pappus length were observed; however, the clines in pappus length differed between the introduced and native populations. Trait covariation patterns were also different between both ranges. In the native populations, there was a trade-off between seed numbers per capitula and seed mass, while this relationship was not found for the introduced populations. These results indicate that C. odorata alters the ecological strategy of seed following invasion, which facilitates its establishment and fast dispersal and contributes to successful invasion in the introduced ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangping Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
| | - Guofen Wang
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
| | - Yupeng Geng
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Ju Li
- Public Technology Service Center, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
| | - Yulong Feng
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
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Son D, Chu Y, Lee H. Roads as conduits for alien plant introduction and dispersal: The amplifying role of road construction in Ambrosia trifida dispersal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169109. [PMID: 38070574 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The initial disruption caused by road construction, combined with ongoing vehicular traffic and regular road maintenance, can repeatedly disturb the environment in ways that favor introduced alien plants. We hypothesized that several characteristics of road construction influence the introduction of alien plants and analyzed 444 Environmental Impact Assessment reports for insights into the relationship between the progression of construction and alien plant richness. Additionally, we believed that roads enhance seed dispersal post-construction, and tested this using Ambrosia trifida patches on completed roads. In 41 construction sites, a total of 137 alien plant species were identified, with 120 introduced after the onset of construction. Significant correlations were found between alien plant richness and road characteristics, with wider roads experiencing more newly introduced species, while longer roads had more total alien plants. As construction progressed, the richness of alien plants generally increased, with around 88 % of sites showing this trend. Changes in alien plant composition during construction revealed a transition from perennial to annual dominance. Post-construction, we found that vehicles played a role in Ambrosia trifida seed dispersal, with seeds predominantly dispersing in the direction of traffic. This study provides information on alien plant species that are commonly introduced and rapidly dispersed due to road construction. Overall, we showed that road construction and subsequent vehicle traffic are primary factors in the spread of alien plants, necessitating early management measures during construction to prevent their proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deokjoo Son
- Department of Science Education, Dankook University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 16890, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeounsu Chu
- National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 33657, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyohyemi Lee
- National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 33657, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Climate change and more disturbed land-use types will further the invasion of a non-native annual grass, Ventenata dubia. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02913-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIdentification of suitable habitat for invasive weeds and their projected infestation extent across different land use cover types under a changing climate is crucial for the broad management goals of prevention, detection, and rapid response. In this study, we adopted an ensemble approach of species distribution models to project potential habitat of the invasive annual grass, Ventenata dubia, within the Gallatin County and along its road corridors, in Montana, USA, under current and future climates. The model prediction of V. dubia habitat was excellent with an AUC value of > 0.90. The climate predictors with most influence on V. dubia occurrence were precipitation, potential evapo-transpiration, relative humidity, vapor pressure deficit, and solar radiation for growing season months. Under current climate, the model projected 243 and 1,371 km2 coverage of V. dubia along road corridors and the entire County, respectively. The projected coverage of V. dubia was greatest for road corridors (239% under RCP4.5 and 302% under RCP8.5) compared to that of Gallatin County (127% under RCP4.5 and 241% under RCP8.5). Among the land use cover types, the model projected greatest expansion of V. dubia across agriculture land with 425% and 484%, and grasslands with 278% and 442% under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 respectively. Our modelling approach suggests that the changing climate will facilitate spread and establishment of non-native species in disturbed habitats. We conclude that V. dubia with a short history of invasion is expanding at an alarming rate and requires greater investment in detection and monitoring to prevent further expansion.
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Lin CH, Liu YH, Huang RN, Lin CC, Liu HKH, Wen TH. Modeling geographical invasions of Solenopsis invicta influenced by land-use patterns. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11733. [PMID: 35918367 PMCID: PMC9345980 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15399-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Research into geographical invasions of red imported fire ants (RIFAs) by anthropogenic disturbances has received much attention. However, little is known about how land-use change and the characteristics of roads with different land-use types are associated with the risk of RIFA successful invasion or remaining at the highest level of invasion (RIFA SIRH). Furthermore, it was often assumed in prior studies that the risk of RIFA SIRH had a linear association with the independent variables. However, a linear relationship may not reflect the actual circumstances. In this study, we applied linear and nonlinear approaches to assess how land-use types, distance from the nearest road, different land-use types, and spatial factors affect the risk of RIFA SIRH. The results showed that agricultural land, land for transportation usage, and areas that had undergone land-use change from 2014 to 2017 had greater odds of RIFA invasion than natural land cover. We also identified land for transportation usage and the area of land-use change from 2014 to 2017, had more than 60% of RIFA SIRH within 350 m and 150 m from the nearest road. This study provided important insights into RIFA invasions in an isolated island and the areas of control strategies implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Hsien Lin
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, 10617, Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC.,Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, No. 162, Sec. 1, Heping E. Road, Taipei City, 10610, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Huei Liu
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, 10617, Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Rong-Nan Huang
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City, 10617, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chung-Chi Lin
- Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, No. 1, Jinde Road, Changhua City, 50007, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Helen Kang-Huey Liu
- Department of Political Science, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City, 10617, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tzai-Hung Wen
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, 10617, Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC.
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Mason DS, Baruzzi C, Lashley MA. Passive directed dispersal of plants by animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1908-1929. [PMID: 35770842 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Conceptual gaps and imprecise terms and definitions may obscure the breadth of plant-animal dispersal relationships involved in directed dispersal. The term 'directed' indicates predictable delivery to favourable microsites. However, directed dispersal was initially considered uncommon in diffuse mutualisms (i.e. those involving many species), partly because plants rarely influence post-removal propagule fate without specialized adaptations. This rationale implies that donor plants play an active role in directed dispersal by manipulating vector behaviour after propagule removal. However, even in most classic examples of directed dispersal, participating plants do not influence animal behaviour after propagule removal. Instead, such plants may take advantage of vector attraction to favourable plant microsites, indicating a need to expand upon current interpretations of directed dispersal. We contend that directed dispersal can emerge whenever propagules are disproportionately delivered to favourable microsites as a result of predictably skewed vector behaviour. Thus, we propose distinguishing active and passive forms of directed dispersal. In active directed dispersal, the donor plant achieves disproportionate arrival to favourable microsites by influencing vector behaviour after propagule removal. By contrast, passive directed dispersal occurs when the donor plant takes advantage of vector behaviour to arrive at favourable microsites. Whereas predictable post-removal vector behaviour is dictated by characteristics of the donor plant in active directed dispersal, characteristics of the destination dictate predictable post-removal vector behaviour in passive directed dispersal. Importantly, this passive form of directed dispersal may emerge in more plant-animal dispersal relationships because specialized adaptations in donor plants that influence post-removal vector behaviour are not required. We explore the occurrence and consequences of passive directed dispersal using the unifying generalized gravity model of dispersal. This model successfully describes vectored dispersal by incorporating the influence of the environment (i.e. attractiveness of microsites) on vector movement. When applying gravity models to dispersal, the three components of Newton's gravity equation (i.e. gravitational force, object mass, and distance between centres of mass) become analogous to propagules moving towards a location based on characteristics of the donor plant, the destination, and relocation processes. The generalized gravity model predicts passive directed dispersal in plant-animal dispersal relationships when (i) animal vectors are predictably attracted to specific destinations, (ii) animal vectors disproportionately disperse propagules to those destinations, and (iii) those destinations are also favourable microsites for the dispersed plants. Our literature search produced evidence for these three conditions broadly, and we identified 13 distinct scenarios where passive directed dispersal likely occurs because vector behaviour is predictably skewed towards favourable microsites. We discuss the wide applicability of passive directed dispersal to plant-animal mutualisms and provide new insights into the vulnerability of those mutualisms to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Mason
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110430, 1745 McCarty Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0410, USA
| | - Carolina Baruzzi
- School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, 1745 McCarty Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0410, USA
| | - Marcus A Lashley
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110430, 1745 McCarty Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0410, USA
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Qu X, Zhang Z, Gao P, Chen W, Qiang S. Intra- and cross-field dispersal of Beckmannia syzigachne seed by a combine harvester. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:4109-4116. [PMID: 33914407 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Beckmannia syzigachne (Steud.) Fernald has become a dominant weed that has evolved resistance to major herbicides used in the wheat fields of rice-wheat double cropping areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Seed dispersal occurs over long distances via irrigation water. As mechanical harvesting services popularize, there is concern that combine harvesters could play an increasing role in B. syzigachne seed dispersal. RESULTS Random sampling of 30 combine harvesters at wheat harvest determined that an average of 8000 B. syzigachne seeds remain in the combine after wheat harvesting, predominantly on the metal plate. These seeds could potentially be transported into adjacent fields. A double exponential model predicted that seeds remaining on the metal plate could be dispersed over 7885 m2 into the next field. Within a field, the number of fallen seeds and their dispersal distance were positively correlated to panicle density. Combines spread seeds away from the source potentially creating new weed patches. During irrigation and rotary tillage ploughing, 70% of B. syzigachne seeds scattered in the field floated on the water surface and were moved away by the wind. CONCLUSION Both wheat combine harvesters and water flow effectively spread B. syzigachne seeds. Areas with high B. syzigachne population density should be carefully harvested separately, and the metal plate should be carefully cleaned to prevent spreading the weed across fields and region. Floating B. syzigachne seeds displaced to field edges by water can be physically removed with nets to prevent further distribution by water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Qu
- Weeds Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Weeds Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pinglei Gao
- Agricultural College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Wansong Chen
- Weeds Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sheng Qiang
- Weeds Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Manoel RO, Rossini BC, Cornacini MR, Moraes MLT, Cambuim J, Alcântara MAM, Silva AM, Sebbenn AM, Marino CL. Landscape barriers to pollen and seed flow in the dioecious tropical tree Astronium fraxinifolium in Brazilian savannah. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255275. [PMID: 34339479 PMCID: PMC8336915 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene flow studies provide information on gene exchange between populations, which is essential for developing genetic conservation strategies. Such analyses enable a better understanding of the life history and seed and pollen dispersal mechanisms of plant species. In this study, we investigate pollen and seed flow in a regenerant population of the pioneer species Astronium fraxinifolium in an area degraded during the construction of a hydroelectric dam. We mapped, sampled, sexed, and genotyped 386 individuals in the regenerant population (RP), as well as 128 adult trees located along two highways adjacent to the degraded area; one in Mato Grosso do Sul State (MS) and other in São Paulo State (SP). Parentage analyses was carried out for 370 individuals of the RP population, using as putative parents 348 individuals from RP and all 128 individuals sampled in MS and SP. Based on parentage analysis and eight microsatellite loci, our analyses revealed that for individuals of the RP with an identified father (pollen donor), 1.1% of the pollen was dispersed up to 532 m, while for those with an identified mother (seed donor), 0.5% of seeds were dispersed up to 4,782 m. However, a large proportion of pollen (76.5%) and seeds (57%) immigrated from trees outside the sampled populations. Pollen and seeds were dispersed through a pattern of isolation by distance. Genetic diversity was significantly similar between adults of both highway populations and individuals from RP, with significant levels of inbreeding detected only in RP. Our results demonstrate that the nearest trees contributed pollen and seeds for the recovery of the degraded area, indicating reproductive spatial isolation among the sampled populations due to the damming of the river. Such results help to understand the process of regeneration for A. fraxinifolium in regenerant populations to inform strategies for conservation and environmental recovery with this species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mário L. T. Moraes
- Faculdade de Engenharia de Ilha Solteira/UNESP, Ilha Solteira, São Paulo,
Brazil
| | - José Cambuim
- Faculdade de Engenharia de Ilha Solteira/UNESP, Ilha Solteira, São Paulo,
Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre M. Silva
- Faculdade de Engenharia de Ilha Solteira/UNESP, Ilha Solteira, São Paulo,
Brazil
| | - Alexandre M. Sebbenn
- Departamento de Melhoramento e Conservação Genética, Instituto Florestal
de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Celso L. Marino
- Instituto de Biotecnologia/ UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo,
Brazil
- Instituto de Biociências/ UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo,
Brazil
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8
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Barone G, Domina G, Di Gristina E. Comparison of different methods to assess the distribution of alien plants along the road network and use of Google Street View panoramas interpretation in Sicily (Italy) as a case study. Biodivers Data J 2021; 9:e66013. [PMID: 34093056 PMCID: PMC8175327 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.9.e66013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The survey by foot in the field is compared to the survey from a car, the photo-interpretation of Google Street View (GSV) panoramas continuously and at intervals of 1.5 km and the photo-interpretation of Google Earth aerial images on a 10 km stretch of road in Sicily. The survey by foot was used as reference for the other methods. The interpretation of continuous GSV panoramas gave similar results as the assessment by car in terms of the number of species identified and their location, but with lower cost. The interpretation online of aerial photos allowed the identification of a limited number of taxa, but gave a good localisation for them. Interpretation of GSV panoramas, each of 1.5 km, allowed the recognition of twice as many taxa as the interpretation of aerial photos and taking half the time, but did not allow a complete localisation. None of these methods alone seems sufficient to carry out a complete survey. A mixture of different techniques, which may vary according to the available resources and the goal to be achieved, seems to be the best compromise. To further test the capabilities of the survey using the interpretation of GSV panoramas every 1.5 km along the roads, we proceeded to study the alien plants along 3500 km of the road network on the island of Sicily. This survey identified only 10% of the known species for the region, but allowed us to trace the distribution of invasive species whose distribution is currently poorly recorded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Barone
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo Palermo Italy
| | - Gianniantonio Domina
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo Palermo Italy
| | - Emilio Di Gristina
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo Palermo Italy
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Larson CD, Pollnac FW, Schmitz K, Rew LJ. Climate change and micro-topography are facilitating the mountain invasion by a non-native perennial plant species. NEOBIOTA 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.65.61673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Mountainous areas and their endemic plant diversity are threatened by global climate change and invasive species. Mountain plant invasions have historically been minimal, however, climate change and increased anthropogenic activity (e.g. roads and vehicles) are amplifying invasion pressure. We assessed plant performance (stem density and fruit production) of the invasive non-native forb Linaria dalmatica along three mountain roads, over an eight-year period (2008–2015) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), USA. We evaluated how L. dalmatica performed in response to elevation, changed over time, responded to climate and how the climate of our sites has changed, and compared elevation, climate, micro-topography (slope aspect and angle), and fruit production among sites with differing temporal trends. Linaria dalmatica stem density and fruit production increased with elevation and demonstrated two temporal groups, those populations where stem densities shrank and those that remained stable or grew over time. Stem density demonstrated a hump-shaped response to summer mean temperature, while fruit production decreased with summer mean maximum temperature and showed a hump-shaped response to winter precipitation. Analysis of both short and long-term climate data from our sites, demonstrated that summer temperatures have been increasing and winters getting wetter. The shrinking population group had a lower mean elevation, hotter summer temperatures, drier winters, had plots that differed in slope aspect and angle from the stable/growing group, and produced less fruit. Regional climate projections predict that the observed climate trends will continue, which will likely benefit L. dalmatica populations at higher elevations. We conclude that L. dalmatica may persist at lower elevations where it poses little invasive threat, and its invasion into the mountains will continue along roadways, expanding into higher elevations of the GYE.
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Yang M, Pickering CM, Xu L, Lin X. Tourist vehicle as a selective mechanism for plant dispersal: Evidence from a national park in the eastern Himalaya. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 285:112109. [PMID: 33581455 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
It is increasingly recognised that human vehicle may act as a vector to spread species, but research remains sparse to examine vehicle-mediated spread to natural areas, in particular to protected areas by urbanized societies through increasing tourism/recreation traffic. This study assessed the role of tourist vehicle in driving biotic exchange to Laojun Mountain National Park in the eastern Himalaya. A stratified random sampling method was applied to compare plant seeds in muds collected from different vehicles (sedan, SUV and others) entering the park in different seasons (May, August and October) from different regions. Across the 663 mud samples, 3119 seedlings of 124 species germinated which were predominately roadside ruderals and non-native species. The number of vehicle-dispersed flora was found to be correlated with the amount of mud attached on vehicles, with more seed carried by vehicles travelling in autumn, sport utility vehicles and those from local areas. When seed traits were analysed using generalized linear models, vehicles were more likely disperse appendaged and compact seeds, and those released from low-stature plants such as forb or grass. The results highlight the risks of species introduction and homogenization of flora from seeds on tourist vehicles entering protected areas. Strategies like vehicle washing and managing roadside vegetation may help reduce risks from tourism traffic in the eastern Himalayan parks as well as other sensitive ecosystems around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Yang
- Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, PR China.
| | - Catherine M Pickering
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Lei Xu
- Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, PR China
| | - Xin Lin
- Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, PR China
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11
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Xavier RO, Christianini AV, Pegler G, Leite MB, Silva-Matos DM. Distinctive seed dispersal and seed bank patterns of invasive African grasses favour their invasion in a neotropical savanna. Oecologia 2021; 196:155-169. [PMID: 33813660 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04904-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
High propagule availability compared to native species is often critical to invasion success, but it is unclear if this has contributed to invasions by African grasses in Neotropical savannas. We compared patterns of occurrence in the vegetation, seed rain and seed bank among African and native grasses in Cerrado sites in southeastern Brazil. In grasslands and savannas, we obtained the abundance of grasses in the vegetation, in the seed rain (monthly for one year) and in the seed bank (rainy and dry season), and assessed seed limitation and relationships among compartments. Invasive grasses showed low abundance in all compartments and high seed limitation in grasslands, where the seed bank and seed rain were dominated by small-seeded native grasses, but were at least as abundant as the natives in the seed bank and seed rain in savannas, mostly due to high abundance of Melinis minutiflora at these compartments. Native grasses dispersal occurred in the rainy season, whereas invasive grass dispersal occurred from mid rainy to mid dry season (Urochloa decumbens) and in the dry season (M. minutiflora). Melinis minutiflora showed a more persistent seed bank than U. decumbens and natives in savannas. Abundance of invasive and most of the native grasses in the vegetation was positively related to their abundance in the seed rain. Differences in seed production, the timing of seed dispersal and seed bank persistence compared to native grasses seem to favour invasive African grasses in the Cerrado, but this role may differ between grasslands and savannas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael O Xavier
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 14, São Paulo, SP, 05508-090, Brazil.
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade de Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato 255, Campinas, SP, 13083-862, Brazil.
| | - Alexander V Christianini
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia João Leme Dos Santos, km 110, Sorocaba, SP, 18052-780, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Pegler
- Departamento de Hidráulica e Saneamento, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida João Dagnone 1100, São Carlos, SP, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Boccia Leite
- Departamento de Hidrobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Dalva M Silva-Matos
- Departamento de Hidrobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil
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12
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Corridors as a tool for linking habitats – Shortcomings and perspectives for plant conservation. J Nat Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2021.125974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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13
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Geographical distribution of the dispersal ability of alien plant species in China and its socio-climatic control factors. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7187. [PMID: 33785794 PMCID: PMC8009951 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85934-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Dispersal ability is important for the introduction, establishment, and spread of alien plant species. Therefore, determination of the geographical distribution of the dispersal ability of such species, and the relationship between dispersal ability and socio-climatic factors are essential to elucidate the invasion strategies of the alien plant species. Analytic hierarchy process and inventory, risk rank, and dispersal mode data available on Chinese alien plant species were used to determine their dispersal ability, the geographical distribution thereof, and the relationship between socio-climatic factors and dispersal ability. High-risk alien plant species had a higher natural dispersal ability (or several natural dispersal modes) but a lower anthropogenic dispersal ability (or few anthropogenic dispersal modes) than low-risk alien plant species. The geographical distribution of the dispersal ability of the alien plant species showed an inverse relationship with species density. Alien plant species with low dispersal ability (i.e., with fewer dispersal modes and distribution in the southeast) showed a tendency to adapt to environments with mild climates, while those with high dispersal ability (i.e., with more disposal nodes and distribution in the northwest) showed a tendency to adapt to harsh environments. It is essential for land managers and policy makers to understand the geographical distribution of the dispersal ability of alien plant species and their socio-climatic control factors to formulate strategies to control the natural and anthropogenic dispersal of such plants.
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Lemke A, Buchholz S, Kowarik I, Starfinger U, von der Lippe M. Interaction of traffic intensity and habitat features shape invasion dynamics of an invasive alien species (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) in a regional road network. NEOBIOTA 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.64.58775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Road corridors are important conduits for plant invasions, and an understanding of the underlying mechanisms is necessary for efficient management of invasive alien species in road networks. Previous studies identified road type with different traffic volumes as a key driver of seed dispersal and abundance of alien plants along roads. However, how the intensity of traffic interacts with the habitat features of roadsides in shaping invasion processes is not sufficiently understood. To elucidate these interactions, we analyzed the population dynamics of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.), a common non-indigenous annual species in Europe and other continents, in a regional road network in Germany. Over a period of five years, we recorded plant densities at roadsides along four types of road corridors, subject to different intensities of traffic, and with a total length of about 300 km. We also classified roadsides in regard to habitat features (disturbance, shade). This allowed us to determine corridor- and habitat-specific mean population growth rates and spatial-temporal shifts in roadside plant abundances at the regional scale. Our results show that both traffic intensity and roadside habitat features significantly affect the population dynamics of ragweed. The combination of high traffic intensity and high disturbance intensity led to the highest mean population growth whereas population growth in less suitable habitats (e.g. shaded roadsides) declined with decreasing traffic intensity. We conclude that high traffic facilitates ragweed invasion along roads, likely due to continued seed dispersal, and can compensate partly for less suitable habitat features (i.e. shade) that decrease population growth along less trafficked roads. As a practical implication, management efforts to decline ragweed invasions within road networks (e.g. by repeated mowing) should be prioritized along high trafficked roads, and roadside with disturbed, open habitats should be reduced as far as possible, e.g. by establishing grassland from the regional species pool.
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Spatial heterogeneities of human-mediated dispersal vectors accelerate the range expansion of invaders with source-destination-mediated dispersal. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21410. [PMID: 33293657 PMCID: PMC7722924 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78633-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid range expansions of invasive species are a major threat to ecosystems. Understanding how invasive species increase their habitat ranges and how environmental factors, including intensity of human activities, influence dispersal processes is an important issue in invasion biology, especially for invasive species management. We have investigated how spatially heterogeneous factors influence range expansion of an invasive species by focusing on long-distance dispersal, which is frequently assisted by human activities. We have developed models varying two underlying processes of a dispersal event. These events are described by source and destination functions that determine spatial variations in dispersal frequency and the probability of being a dispersal destination. Using these models, we investigated how spatially heterogeneous long-distance dispersal influences range expansion. We found that: (1) spatial variations in the destination function slow down late population dynamics, (2) spatial variations in the source function increase the stochasticity of early population dynamics, and (3) the speed of early population dynamics changes when both the source and the destination functions are spatially heterogeneous and positively correlated. These results suggest an importance of spatial heterogeneity factors in controlling long-distance dispersal when predicting the future spread of invasive species.
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16
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Valkó O, Lukács K, Deák B, Kiss R, Miglécz T, Tóth K, Tóth Á, Godó L, Radócz S, Sonkoly J, Kelemen A, Tóthmérész B. Laundry washing increases dispersal efficiency of cloth-dispersed propagules. NEOBIOTA 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.61.53730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Due to increased human mobility, cloth-dispersed propagules can be transported over long distances, which would not have been bridged otherwise. We studied a potentially important component of human-mediated seed dispersal by assessing the effects of laundry washing on the dispersed propagules. We studied the germination of 18 species, which have morphological adaptations for epizoochory and are commonly dispersed by people. We tested six treatments (washing with water, soap nut or detergent, at 30 °C or 60 °C) compared to an untreated control. Washing intensity was the most significant factor affecting germination. Washing at 30 °C was neutral for 14 species, suppressed one species and supported three species. Washing at 60 °C decreased seedling numbers of half of the studied species. The intensive washing treatments at 60 °C significantly decreased the synchrony of germination. We showed that people are not purely transporting propagules from one location to another, but via the laundry cycle, we can also influence the fate of the transported propagules by affecting germination potential, seedling fitness and germination dynamics. These results have new implications for understanding the early stages of biological invasions and call for improved biosecurity measures in nature reserves subjected to a growing pressure of tourism.
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17
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Beckman NG, Aslan CE, Rogers HS, Kogan O, Bronstein JL, Bullock JM, Hartig F, HilleRisLambers J, Zhou Y, Zurell D, Brodie JF, Bruna EM, Cantrell RS, Decker RR, Efiom E, Fricke EC, Gurski K, Hastings A, Johnson JS, Loiselle BA, Miriti MN, Neubert MG, Pejchar L, Poulsen JR, Pufal G, Razafindratsima OH, Sandor ME, Shea K, Schreiber S, Schupp EW, Snell RS, Strickland C, Zambrano J. Advancing an interdisciplinary framework to study seed dispersal ecology. AOB PLANTS 2020; 12:plz048. [PMID: 32346468 PMCID: PMC7179845 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plz048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Although dispersal is generally viewed as a crucial determinant for the fitness of any organism, our understanding of its role in the persistence and spread of plant populations remains incomplete. Generalizing and predicting dispersal processes are challenging due to context dependence of seed dispersal, environmental heterogeneity and interdependent processes occurring over multiple spatial and temporal scales. Current population models often use simple phenomenological descriptions of dispersal processes, limiting their ability to examine the role of population persistence and spread, especially under global change. To move seed dispersal ecology forward, we need to evaluate the impact of any single seed dispersal event within the full spatial and temporal context of a plant's life history and environmental variability that ultimately influences a population's ability to persist and spread. In this perspective, we provide guidance on integrating empirical and theoretical approaches that account for the context dependency of seed dispersal to improve our ability to generalize and predict the consequences of dispersal, and its anthropogenic alteration, across systems. We synthesize suitable theoretical frameworks for this work and discuss concepts, approaches and available data from diverse subdisciplines to help operationalize concepts, highlight recent breakthroughs across research areas and discuss ongoing challenges and open questions. We address knowledge gaps in the movement ecology of seeds and the integration of dispersal and demography that could benefit from such a synthesis. With an interdisciplinary perspective, we will be able to better understand how global change will impact seed dispersal processes, and potential cascading effects on plant population persistence, spread and biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle G Beckman
- Department of Biology & Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Clare E Aslan
- Landscape Conservation Initiative, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Haldre S Rogers
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Oleg Kogan
- Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
| | - Judith L Bronstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - James M Bullock
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Benson Lane, Wallingford, UK
| | - Florian Hartig
- Theoretical Ecology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Mathematics, Lafayette College, Easton, PA, USA
| | - Damaris Zurell
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Dept. Land Change Science, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Humboldt-University Berlin, Geography Dept., Berlin, Germany
| | - Jedediah F Brodie
- Division of Biological Sciences and Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Emilio M Bruna
- Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation & Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Robin R Decker
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Edu Efiom
- REDD+ Unit, Cross River State Forestry Commission, Calabar, Nigeria
- Biology Department, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Evan C Fricke
- National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, University of Maryland, Annapolis, MD, USA
| | - Katherine Gurski
- Department of Mathematics, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Alan Hastings
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Jeremy S Johnson
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Bette A Loiselle
- Center for Latin American Studies and Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Maria N Miriti
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Michael G Neubert
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Liba Pejchar
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - John R Poulsen
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gesine Pufal
- Natur Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Manette E Sandor
- Landscape Conservation Initiative, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Katriona Shea
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sebastian Schreiber
- Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Eugene W Schupp
- Department of Wildland Resources & Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Rebecca S Snell
- Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | | | - Jenny Zambrano
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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18
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A framework for predicting which non-native individuals and species will enter, survive, and exit human-mediated transport. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-02086-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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19
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Transplant experiments predict potential future spread of alien succulents along an elevation gradient. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-01982-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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20
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21
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Lázaro-Lobo A, Ervin GN. A global examination on the differential impacts of roadsides on native vs. exotic and weedy plant species. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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22
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Lemke A, Kowarik I, Lippe M. How traffic facilitates population expansion of invasive species along roads: The case of common ragweed in Germany. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Lemke
- Department of EcologyEcosystem Science/Plant EcologyTechnische Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB) Berlin Germany
| | - Ingo Kowarik
- Department of EcologyEcosystem Science/Plant EcologyTechnische Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB) Berlin Germany
| | - Moritz Lippe
- Department of EcologyEcosystem Science/Plant EcologyTechnische Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB) Berlin Germany
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23
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Arredondo TM, Marchini GL, Cruzan MB. Evidence for human-mediated range expansion and gene flow in an invasive grass. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20181125. [PMID: 30051826 PMCID: PMC6053927 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cities and adjacent regions represent foci of intense human activity and provide unique opportunities for studying human-mediated dispersal and gene flow. We examined the effect of landscape features on gene flow in the invasive grass Brachypodium sylvaticum across an urban-rural interface at the edge of its expanding range. We used genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism surveys of individuals from 22 locations. Resistance surfaces were created for each landscape feature, using ResistanceGA to optimize resistance parameters. Our Structure analysis identified three distinct clusters, and diversity analyses support the existence of at least three local introductions. Multiple regression on distance matrices showed no evidence that development, roads, canopy cover or agriculture had a significant influence on genetic distance in B. sylvaticum Geographical distance was a mediocre predictor of genetic distance and reflected geographical clustering. The model of rivers acting as a conduit explained a large portion of variation in genetic distance, but the lack of evidence of directional gene flow eliminated hydrochory as a dispersal mechanism. These results and observations of the distribution of populations in disturbed sites indicate that the influence of rivers on patterns of dispersal of B. sylvaticum probably reflects seed dispersal due to human recreational activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina M Arredondo
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA
| | - Gina L Marchini
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA
| | - Mitchell B Cruzan
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA
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24
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Bajwa AA, Nguyen T, Navie S, O'Donnell C, Adkins S. Weed seed spread and its prevention: The role of roadside wash down. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 208:8-14. [PMID: 29241067 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Vehicles are one of the major vectors of long-distance weed seed spread. Viable seed removed from vehicles at roadside wash down facilities was studied at five locations in central Queensland, Australia over a 3-year period. Seed from 145 plant species, belonging to 34 different families, were identified in the sludge samples obtained from the wet particulate matter collection pit of the wash down facilities. Most of the species were annual forbs (50%) with small or very small seed size (<2 mm in diameter). A significant amount of seed from the highly invasive, parthenium weed was observed in these samples. More parthenium weed seed were found in the Rolleston facility and in the spring, but its seed was present in all facilities and in all seasons. The average number of viable seed found within every ton of dry particulate matter removed from vehicles was ca. 68,000. Thus, a typical wash down facility was removing up to ca. 335,000 viable seed from vehicles per week, of which ca. 6700 were parthenium weed seed. Furthermore, 61% of these seed (ca. 200,000) were from introduced species, and about half of these (35% of total) were from species considered to be weeds. Therefore, the roadside wash down facilities found throughout Queensland can remove a substantial amount of viable weed seed from vehicles, including the invasive parthenium weed, and the use of such facilities should be strongly encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ahsan Bajwa
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Thi Nguyen
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Sheldon Navie
- IVM Group Pty. Ltd., PO Box 545, Varsity Lakes, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chris O'Donnell
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Steve Adkins
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
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25
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Rew LJ, Brummer TJ, Pollnac FW, Larson CD, Taylor KT, Taper ML, Fleming JD, Balbach HE. Hitching a ride: Seed accrual rates on different types of vehicles. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 206:547-555. [PMID: 29127927 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.10.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Human activities, from resource extraction to recreation, are increasing global connectivity, especially to less-disturbed and previously inaccessible places. Such activities necessitate road networks and vehicles. Vehicles can transport reproductive plant propagules long distances, thereby increasing the risk of invasive plant species transport and dispersal. Subsequent invasions by less desirable species have significant implications for the future of threatened species and habitats. The goal of this study was to understand vehicle seed accrual by different vehicle types and under different driving conditions, and to evaluate different mitigation strategies. Using studies and experiments at four sites in the western USA we addressed three questions: How many seeds and species accumulate and are transported on vehicles? Does this differ with vehicle type, driving surface, surface conditions, and season? What is our ability to mitigate seed dispersal risk by cleaning vehicles? Our results demonstrated that vehicles accrue plant propagules, and driving surface, surface conditions, and season affect the rate of accrual: on- and off-trail summer seed accrual on all-terrain vehicles was 13 and 3508 seeds km-1, respectively, and was higher in the fall than in the summer. Early season seed accrual on 4-wheel drive vehicles averaged 7 and 36 seeds km-1 on paved and unpaved roads respectively, under dry conditions. Furthermore, seed accrual on unpaved roads differed by vehicle type, with tracked vehicles accruing more than small and large 4-wheel drives; and small 4-wheel drives more than large. Rates were dramatically increased under wet surface conditions. Vehicles indiscriminately accrue a wide diversity of seeds (different life histories, forms and seed lengths); total richness, richness of annuals, biennials, forbs and shrubs, and seed length didn't differ among vehicle types, or additional seed bank samples. Our evaluation of portable vehicle wash units showed that approximately 80% of soil and seed was removed from dirty vehicles. This suggests that interception programs to reduce vehicular seed transportation risk are feasible and should be developed for areas of high conservation value, or where the spread of invasive species is of special concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J Rew
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
| | - Tyler J Brummer
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
| | - Fredric W Pollnac
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
| | - Christian D Larson
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
| | - Kimberley T Taylor
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
| | - Mark L Taper
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA.
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26
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Brancatelli G, Zalba S. Vector analysis: a tool for preventing the introduction of invasive alien species into protected areas. NATURE CONSERVATION 2018. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.24.20607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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27
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Barlow KM, Mortensen DA, Drohan PJ, Averill KM. Unconventional gas development facilitates plant invasions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2017; 202:208-216. [PMID: 28735205 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Vegetation removal and soil disturbance from natural resource development, combined with invasive plant propagule pressure, can increase vulnerability to plant invasions. Unconventional oil and gas development produces surface disturbance by way of well pad, road, and pipeline construction, and increased traffic. Little is known about the resulting impacts on plant community assembly, including the spread of invasive plants. Our work was conducted in Pennsylvania forests that overlay the Marcellus and Utica shale formations to determine if invasive plants have spread to edge habitat created by unconventional gas development and to investigate factors associated with their presence. A piecewise structural equation model was used to determine the direct and indirect factors associated with invasive plant establishment on well pads. The model included the following measured or calculated variables: current propagule pressure on local access roads, the spatial extent of the pre-development road network (potential source of invasive propagules), the number of wells per pad (indicator of traffic density), and pad age. Sixty-one percent of the 127 well pads surveyed had at least one invasive plant species present. Invasive plant presence on well pads was positively correlated with local propagule pressure on access roads and indirectly with road density pre-development, the number of wells, and age of the well pad. The vast reserves of unconventional oil and gas are in the early stages of development in the US. Continued development of this underground resource must be paired with careful monitoring and management of surface ecological impacts, including the spread of invasive plants. Prioritizing invasive plant monitoring in unconventional oil and gas development areas with existing roads and multi-well pads could improve early detection and control of invasive plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Barlow
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - David A Mortensen
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Patrick J Drohan
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Kristine M Averill
- Section of Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, NY, 14853, USA
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28
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Ofori BY, Stow AJ, Baumgartner JB, Beaumont LJ. Influence of adaptive capacity on the outcome of climate change vulnerability assessment. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12979. [PMID: 29021590 PMCID: PMC5636830 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13245-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change vulnerability assessment (CCVA) has become a mainstay conservation decision support tool. CCVAs are recommended to incorporate three elements of vulnerability – exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity – yet, lack of data frequently leads to the latter being excluded. Further, weighted or unweighted scoring schemes, based on expert opinion, may be applied. Comparisons of these approaches are rare. In a CCVA for 17 Australian lizard species, we show that membership within three vulnerability categories (low, medium and high) generally remained similar regardless of the framework or scoring scheme. There was one exception however, where, under the warm/dry scenario for 2070, including adaptive capacity lead to five fewer species being classified as highly vulnerable. Two species, Eulamprus leuraensis and E. kosciuskoi, were consistently ranked the most vulnerable, primarily due to projected losses in climatically suitable habitat, narrow thermal tolerance and specialist habitat requirements. Our findings provide relevant information for prioritizing target species for conservation and choosing appropriate conservation actions. We conclude that for the species included in this study, the framework and scoring scheme used had little impact on the identification of the most vulnerable species. We caution, however, that this outcome may not apply to other taxa or regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Y Ofori
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Macquarie Park, NSW 2019, Australia. .,Department Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.
| | - Adam J Stow
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Macquarie Park, NSW 2019, Australia
| | - John B Baumgartner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Macquarie Park, NSW 2019, Australia
| | - Linda J Beaumont
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Macquarie Park, NSW 2019, Australia
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29
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Rauschert ESJ, Mortensen DA, Bloser SM. Human-mediated dispersal via rural road maintenance can move invasive propagules. Biol Invasions 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1416-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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30
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Weiss F, Brummer TJ, Pufal G. Mountain bikes as seed dispersers and their potential socio-ecological consequences. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2016; 181:326-332. [PMID: 27379751 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Seed dispersal critically influences plant community composition and species distributions. Increasingly, human mediated dispersal is acknowledged as important dispersal mechanism, but we are just beginning to understand the different vectors that might play a role. We assessed the role of mountain bikes as potential dispersal vectors and associated social-ecological consequences in areas of conservation concern near Freiburg, Germany. Seed attachment and detachment on a mountain bike were measured experimentally at distances from 0 to 500 m. We assessed effects of seed traits, weather conditions, riding distance and tire combinations using generalized linear mixed effect models. Most seeds detached from the mountain bike within the first 5-20 m. However, a small proportion of seeds remained on tires after 200-500 m. Attachment was higher, and the rate of detachment slower, in semi-wet conditions and lighter seeds travelled farther. Seed dispersal by mountain bikes was moderate compared to other forms of human mediated dispersal. However, we found that lighter seeds could attach to other bike parts and remain there until cleaning which, depending on riders' preferences, might only be after 70 km and in different habitats. Ecological impacts of mountain biking are growing with the popularity of the activity. We demonstrate that mountain bikes are effective seeds dispersers at landscape scales. Thus, management to mitigate their potential to spread non-native species is warranted. We suggest bike cleaning between rides, control of non-native species at trailheads and increased awareness for recreationalists in areas of conservation concern to mitigate the potential negative consequences of seed dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Weiss
- Chair for Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tyler J Brummer
- Bioprotection Research Centre, PO Box 85084, Lincoln University, 7647, Canterbury, New Zealand
| | - Gesine Pufal
- Chair for Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
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31
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Deus E, Silva JS, Catry FX, Rocha M, Moreira F. Google Street View as an alternative method to car surveys in large-scale vegetation assessments. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2015; 188:560. [PMID: 27624742 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-016-5555-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Car surveys (CS) are a common method for assessing the distribution of alien invasive plants. Google Street View (GSV), a free-access web technology where users may experience a virtual travel along roads, has been suggested as a cost-effective alternative to car surveys. We tested if we could replicate the results from a countrywide survey conducted by car in Portugal using GSV as a remote sensing tool, aiming at assessing the distribution of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. wildlings on roadsides adjacent to eucalypt stands. Georeferenced points gathered along CS were used to create road transects visible as lines overlapping the road in GSV environment, allowing surveying the same sampling areas using both methods. This paper presents the results of the comparison between the two methods. Both methods produced similar models of plant abundance, selecting the same explanatory variables, in the same hierarchical order of importance and depicting a similar influence on plant abundance. Even though the GSV model had a lower performance and the GSV survey detected fewer plants, additional variables collected exclusively with GSV improved model performance and provided a new insight into additional factors influencing plant abundance. The survey using GSV required ca. 9 % of the funds and 62 % of the time needed to accomplish the CS. We conclude that GSV may be a cost-effective alternative to CS. We discuss some advantages and limitations of GSV as a survey method. We forecast that GSV may become a widespread tool in road ecology, particularly in large-scale vegetation assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Deus
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves", InBIO Associate Laboratory, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Joaquim S Silva
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves", InBIO Associate Laboratory, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal
- School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Bencanta, 3045-601, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Filipe X Catry
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves", InBIO Associate Laboratory, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Rocha
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
- School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Bencanta, 3045-601, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Moreira
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves", InBIO Associate Laboratory, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisboa, Portugal
- REN Biodiversity Chair, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO Associate Laboratory, University of Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-601, Vairão, Portugal
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Crespo-Pérez V, Régnière J, Chuine I, Rebaudo F, Dangles O. Changes in the distribution of multispecies pest assemblages affect levels of crop damage in warming tropical Andes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:82-96. [PMID: 24920187 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Climate induced species range shifts might create novel interactions among species that may outweigh direct climatic effects. In an agricultural context, climate change might alter the intensity of competition or facilitation interactions among pests with, potentially, negative consequences on the levels of damage to crop. This could threaten the productivity of agricultural systems and have negative impacts on food security, but has yet been poorly considered in studies. In this contribution, we constructed and evaluated process-based species distribution models for three invasive potato pests in the Tropical Andean Region. These three species have been found to co-occur and interact within the same potato tuber, causing different levels of damage to crop. Our models allowed us to predict the current and future distribution of the species and therefore, to assess how damage to crop might change in the future due to novel interactions. In general, our study revealed the main challenges related to distribution modeling of invasive pests in highly heterogeneous regions. It yielded different results for the three species, both in terms of accuracy and distribution, with one species surviving best at lower altitudes and the other two performing better at higher altitudes. As to future distributions our results suggested that the three species will show different responses to climate change, with one of them expanding to higher altitudes, another contracting its range and the other shifting its distribution to higher altitudes. These changes will result in novel areas of co-occurrence and hence, interactions of the pests, which will cause different levels of damage to crop. Combining population dynamics and species distribution models that incorporate interspecific trade-off relationships in different environments revealed a powerful approach to provide predictions about the response of an assemblage of interacting species to future environmental changes and their impact on process rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Crespo-Pérez
- UR 072, Diversité, Ecologie et Evolution des Insectes Tropicaux, Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes et Spéciation, UPR 9034, CNRS, IRD, Gif-sur- Yvette Cedex, 91198, France; Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay Cedex, 91405, France; Laboratorio de Entomología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, 12 de Octubre, 1076 y Roca, Quito, Ecuador; Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CNRS, 1919 route de Mende, Montpellier cedex 5, 34293, France
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Ansong M, Pickering C. Weed seeds on clothing: a global review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2014; 144:203-211. [PMID: 24956465 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Revised: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/25/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Weeds are a major threat to biodiversity including in areas of high conservation value. Unfortunately, people may be unintentionally introducing and dispersing weed seeds on their clothing when they visit these areas. To inform the management of these areas, we conducted a systematic quantitative literature review to determine the diversity and characteristics of species with seeds that can attach and be dispersed from clothing. Across 21 studies identified from systematic literature searches on this topic, seeds from 449 species have been recorded on clothing, more than double the diversity found in a previous review. Nearly all of them, 391 species, are listed weeds in one or more countries, with 58 classified as internationally-recognised environmental weeds. When our database was compared with weed lists from different countries and continents we found that clothing can carry the seeds of important regional weeds. A total of 287 of the species are listed as aliens in one or more countries in Europe, 156 are invasive species/noxious weeds in North America, 211 are naturalized alien plants in Australia, 97 are alien species in India, 33 are invasive species in China and 5 are declared weeds/invaders in South Africa. Seeds on the clothing of hikers can be carried to an average distance of 13 km, and where people travel in cars, trains, planes and boats, the seeds on their clothing can be carried much further. Factors that affect this type of seed dispersal include the type of clothing, the type of material the clothing is made from, the number and location of the seeds on plants, and seed traits such as adhesive and attachment structures. With increasing use of protected areas by tourists, including in remote regions, popular protected areas may be at great risk of biological invasions by weeds with seeds carried on clothing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ansong
- Environmental Futures Centre, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia.
| | - Catherine Pickering
- Environmental Futures Centre, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
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Roles of dispersal mode, recipient environment and disturbance in the secondary spread of the invasive seaweed Codium fragile. Biol Invasions 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-014-0782-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair G. Auffret
- Landscape Ecology; Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology; Stockholm University; Stockholm 106 91 Sweden
| | - Johan Berg
- Department of Human Geography; Stockholm University; Stockholm 106 91 Sweden
| | - Sara A.O. Cousins
- Landscape Ecology; Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology; Stockholm University; Stockholm 106 91 Sweden
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Catford JA, Morris WK, Vesk PA, Gippel CJ, Downes BJ. Species and environmental characteristics point to flow regulation and drought as drivers of riparian plant invasion. DIVERS DISTRIB 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jane A. Catford
- Centre of Excellence in Environmental Decisions; School of Botany; The University of Melbourne; Melbourne Vic. 3010 Australia
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior; University of Minnesota; Saint Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - William K. Morris
- Centre of Excellence in Environmental Decisions; School of Botany; The University of Melbourne; Melbourne Vic. 3010 Australia
| | - Peter A. Vesk
- Centre of Excellence in Environmental Decisions; School of Botany; The University of Melbourne; Melbourne Vic. 3010 Australia
| | - Christopher J. Gippel
- Australian Rivers Institute; Griffith University; Nathan Campus Brisbane Qld 4111 Australia
| | - Barbara J. Downes
- Department of Resource Management and Geography; The University of Melbourne; Melbourne Vic. 3010 Australia
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Lembrechts JJ, Milbau A, Nijs I. Alien roadside species more easily invade alpine than lowland plant communities in a subarctic mountain ecosystem. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89664. [PMID: 24586947 PMCID: PMC3935920 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Effects of roads on plant communities are not well known in cold-climate mountain ecosystems, where road building and development are expected to increase in future decades. Knowledge of the sensitivity of mountain plant communities to disturbance by roads is however important for future conservation purposes. We investigate the effects of roads on species richness and composition, including the plant strategies that are most affected, along three elevational gradients in a subarctic mountain ecosystem. We also examine whether mountain roads promote the introduction and invasion of alien plant species from the lowlands to the alpine zone. Observations of plant community composition were made together with abiotic, biotic and anthropogenic factors in 60 T-shaped transects. Alpine plant communities reacted differently to road disturbances than their lowland counterparts. On high elevations, the roadside species composition was more similar to that of the local natural communities. Less competitive and ruderal species were present at high compared with lower elevation roadsides. While the effects of roads thus seem to be mitigated in the alpine environment for plant species in general, mountain plant communities are more invasible than lowland communities. More precisely, relatively more alien species present in the roadside were found to invade into the surrounding natural community at high compared to low elevations. We conclude that effects of roads and introduction of alien species in lowlands cannot simply be extrapolated to the alpine and subarctic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas J. Lembrechts
- Research Group of Plant and Vegetation Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Ann Milbau
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Abisko, Sweden
| | - Ivan Nijs
- Research Group of Plant and Vegetation Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
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Kaplan H, van Niekerk A, Le Roux JJ, Richardson DM, Wilson JRU. Incorporating risk mapping at multiple spatial scales into eradication management plans. Biol Invasions 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-013-0611-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Pollnac FW, Rew LJ. Life after establishment: factors structuring the success of a mountain invader away from disturbed roadsides. Biol Invasions 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-013-0617-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Ansong M, Pickering C. Are weeds hitchhiking a ride on your car? A systematic review of seed dispersal on cars. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80275. [PMID: 24265803 PMCID: PMC3827208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 10/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
When traveling in cars, we can unintentionally carry and disperse weed seed; but which species, and where are they a problem? To answer these questions, we systematically searched the scientific literature to identify all original research studies that assess seed transported by cars and listed the species with seed on/in cars. From the 13 studies that fit these criteria, we found 626 species from 75 families that have seed that can be dispersed by cars. Of these, 599 are listed as weeds in some part of the world, with 439 listed as invasive or naturalized alien species in one or more European countries, 248 are invasive/noxious weeds in North America, 370 are naturalized alien species in Australia, 167 are alien species in India, 77 are invasive species in China and 23 are declared weeds/invaders in South Africa. One hundred and one are classified as internationally important environmental weeds. Although most (487) were only recorded once, some species such as Chenopodium album, Poa pratensis and Trifolium repens were common among studies. Perennial graminoids seem to be favoured over annual graminoids while annual forbs are favoured over perennial forbs. Species characteristics including seed size and morphology and where the plants grew affected the probability that their seed was transported by cars. Seeds can be found in many different places on cars including under the chassis, front and rear bumpers, wheel wells and rims, front and back mudguards, wheel arches, tyres and on interior floor mats. With increasing numbers of cars and expanding road networks in many regions, these results highlight the importance of cars as a dispersal mechanism, and how it may favour invasions by some species over others. Strategies to reduce the risk of seed dispersal by cars include reducing seed on cars by mowing road verges and cleaning cars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ansong
- Environmental Futures Centre, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Catherine Pickering
- Environmental Futures Centre, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
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Hahn T, Kettle CJ, Ghazoul J, Hennig EI, Pluess AR. Landscape Composition Has Limited Impact on Local Genetic Structure in Mountain Clover, Trifolium montanum L. J Hered 2013; 104:842-52. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/est058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Ansong M, Pickering C. A global review of weeds that can germinate from horse dung. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Auffret AG, Cousins SAO. Humans as long-distance dispersers of rural plant communities. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62763. [PMID: 23658770 PMCID: PMC3642177 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 03/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are known for their capacity to disperse organisms long distances. Long-distance dispersal can be important for species threatened by habitat destruction, but research into human-mediated dispersal is often focused upon few and/or invasive species. Here we use citizen science to identify the capacity for humans to disperse seeds on their clothes and footwear from a known species pool in a valuable habitat, allowing for an assessment of the fraction and types of species dispersed by humans in an alternative context. We collected material from volunteers cutting 48 species-rich meadows throughout Sweden. We counted 24 354 seeds of 197 species, representing 34% of the available species pool, including several rare and protected species. However, 71 species (36%) are considered invasive elsewhere in the world. Trait analysis showed that seeds with hooks or other appendages were more likely to be dispersed by humans, as well as those with a persistent seed bank. More activity in a meadow resulted in more dispersal, both in terms of species and representation of the source communities. Average potential dispersal distances were measured at 13 km. We consider humans capable seed dispersers, transporting a significant proportion of the plant communities in which they are active, just like more traditional vectors such as livestock. When rural populations were larger, people might have been regular and effective seed dispersers, and the net rural-urban migration resulting in a reduction in humans in the landscape may have exacerbated the dispersal failure evident in declining plant populations today. With the fragmentation of habitat and changes in land use resulting from agricultural change, and the increased mobility of humans worldwide, the dispersal role of humans may have shifted from providers of regular local and landscape dispersal to providers of much rarer long-distance and regional dispersal, and international invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair G Auffret
- Landscape Ecology, Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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von der Lippe M, Bullock JM, Kowarik I, Knopp T, Wichmann MC, Wichmann M. Human-mediated dispersal of seeds by the airflow of vehicles. PLoS One 2013; 8:e52733. [PMID: 23320077 PMCID: PMC3540062 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2012] [Accepted: 11/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-mediated dispersal is known as an important driver of long-distance dispersal for plants but underlying mechanisms have rarely been assessed. Road corridors function as routes of secondary dispersal for many plant species but the extent to which vehicles support this process remains unclear. In this paper we quantify dispersal distances and seed deposition of plant species moved over the ground by the slipstream of passing cars. We exposed marked seeds of four species on a section of road and drove a car along the road at a speed of 48 km/h. By tracking seeds we quantified movement parallel as well as lateral to the road, resulting dispersal kernels, and the effect of repeated vehicle passes. Median distances travelled by seeds along the road were about eight meters for species with wind dispersal morphologies and one meter for species without such adaptations. Airflow created by the car lifted seeds and resulted in longitudinal dispersal. Single seeds reached our maximum measuring distance of 45 m and for some species exceeded distances under primary dispersal. Mathematical models were fit to dispersal kernels. The incremental effect of passing vehicles on longitudinal dispersal decreased with increasing number of passes as seeds accumulated at road verges. We conclude that dispersal by vehicle airflow facilitates seed movement along roads and accumulation of seeds in roadside habitats. Dispersal by vehicle airflow can aid the spread of plant species and thus has wide implications for roadside ecology, invasion biology and nature conservation.
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Ansong M, Pickering C. Long-distance dispersal of Black Spear Grass (Heteropogon contortus) seed on socks and trouser legs by walkers in Kakadu National Park. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Ansong
- Environmental Futures Centre; Griffith University; Gold Coast; Queensland; 4222; Australia
| | - Catherine Pickering
- Environmental Futures Centre; Griffith University; Gold Coast; Queensland; 4222; Australia
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