Invasive Alien Species

One of the primary tools for raising awareness on biological invasions has been the publication of species accounts of the most prominent alien invaders. Until now such compilations have been available only for particular taxa, biomes and/or regions (Cronk and Fuller 2001; Weber 2003; Weidema 2000). In Europe, species accounts for selected invasive species have been published for a few countries or

Heavy metals are contaminants that poses great environmental burden as they are hazardous to human, animal, plant health and the environment at large. In this Study, the phytoremediation potential of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) on contaminated soils of abandoned dumpsites was investigated. Some abandoned dumpsites within University of Port Harcourt premises were identified growing with stands of the plant species (Helianthus annuus). Samples of both soils and plant were collected and analysed for certain pollutants (Ni, Pb, Cr and Cd) using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Results of analysis were further interpreted using simple descriptive statistical tools. Results of the study confirmed the presence of heavy metals in the soil. Also evidence of accumulation of these metals in the various plant parts studied were established. The leaves of sunflower were found to contain higher concentration (55%) of heavy metals than the stems (45%). From the results, it was clear that cadmium was below detectable level (BDL) in both the soil and the plant parts analysed and lead was found to be lower in concentration compared to nickel and chromium which were higher. Nickel was found to be the most dominant heavy metal (287.6 mg/kg) in the soil samples analysed. Similarly, it was the most accumulated metal (15.71 mg/kg) in the sampled plant parts and clearly exceeds Food and Agricultural Organisation/World Health Organisation (FAO/WHO) recommended threshold limits (1.5 mg/kg) and also those of the control. In all, the concentration of heavy metals in the soil sampled in decreasing order was found to be as follows; Ni > Cr > Pb > Cd respectively where as that of the plant parts includes Ni > Pb > Cr > Cd. Therefore, this study has provided valuable data supporting the use of sunflower plants in phytoremediation.
Index Terms: Phytoremediation, sunflower, heavy metals, cadmium, lead, chromium,    nickel

Here in Hawaii, the only ones in the rat race are mongooses, along with Federal and State officials wanting to kill both rats and mongooses.  However, there is a big flaw in the recent Federal and State proposal for statewide eradication of Hawaii's rodents and mongooses, currently under review.  Here is the argument against eradication.

Invasive species pose threats to either human health or inflict ecological and/or economic damage. The silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), a Lessepsian species, is one of the most harmful species in the Mediterranean Sea, because of its potent neurotoxin, impacts on marine biodiversity, and the increased costs and labor they inflict on fishers. Since the catch and consumption of this pufferfish is prohibited by almost all countries bordering the Mediterranean, they have now expanded into the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea. We performed a comprehensive study of L. sceleratus covering ecological aspects, growth, reproduction, diet and trophic level based on samples from southwestern coasts of Turkey. The estimated growth parameters were L∞ = 88.7 cm, K = 0.27 year-1, C = 0.6 and WP = 0.1. Their sex-ratio was M/F = 1:0.69. Lagocephalus sceleratus appears to be a batch spawner with discontinuous oocyte recruitment and has different spawning seasons in the Eastern Medi...

PL: Wieloletnia presja antropogeniczna wywarła głębokie zmiany w krajobrazie doliny Kłodnicy w Gliwicach. W artykule przedstawiono różne warianty rewitalizacji doliny rzeki Kłodnicy, możliwe do realizacji w ramach funduszy unijnych, krajowych, partnerstwa publiczno-prywatnego i budżetu obywatelskiego. Zdecydowana większość mieszkańców (81%) źle ocenia stan badanego odcinka doliny, wskazując na potrzebę jej rewitalizacji (76%). Zaproponowane w pracy rozwiązania, zgodne z koncepcją zielonej architektury, pozwoliłyby na odtworzenie potencjału ekohydrologicznego doliny Kłodnicy i stworzenie przyjaznej dla mieszkańców przestrzeni publicznej. Przywrócenie właściwego stanu ekosystemów rzeki umożliwiłoby uzyskanie wielu usług ekosystemowych (poprawa bezpieczeństwa powodziowego, poprawa warunków aerosanitarnych, estetyzacja krajobrazu), podnoszących jakość i standard życia mieszkańców. Przewidziane w projekcie obiekty i infrastruktura stanowiłyby interesującą ofertę spędzania czasu wolnego oraz służyłyby podniesieniu świadomości ekologicznej mieszkańców. EN: Long-term anthropopressure caused negative changes in the landscape of the Kłodnica valley in Gliwice. The article presents various variants of revitalization of the Kłodnica valley. They are possible to realize within European funds, national funds, public-private partnership and the civil budget. Most inhabitants (81%) poorly assessed the state of the studied section of the Kłodnica valley. The inhabitants pointed also at the need to the revitalization of the valley (76%). Solutions proposed in the article, according to green architecture concept, would allow the reconstruction of the ecohydrological potential of the Kłodnica valley and creating friendly public space. The restoration of the proper state of river ecosystems would allow many valuable ecosystem services (improving flood safety, micro-climate regulation, aesthetization of landscape), which increases the standard and quality of life of inhabitants. Objects and infrastructure proposed in the project would be an interesting offer for spending leisure time and would increase the ecological awareness of inhabitants.

The native distribution of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the western Atlantic extends from Nova Scotia to Argentina. Introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, it is currently recorded almost ubiquitously in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. An overview of the occurrence, abundance, and ecological impact of the species in southern European waters is provided; additionally, we present a pragmatic assessment of its management scenarios, explicitly considering the dual nature of C. sapidus as both an invasive species and a fishery resource. We emphasise that the ongoing expansion of C. sapidus in the region may represent a stimulating challenge for the identification and implementation of future strategies in the management of invasive crustaceans. The impact of the invader could be converted into an enhancement of the services delivered by southern European coastal ecosystems, while mitigation costs could be transformed into profits for local populations.

La récente accélération des activités aquacoles offshore en Tunisie avec la présence de cages flottantes disséminées tout au long du littoral oriental ne s'est pas faite sans de rapides retentissements sur les biocénoses autochtones marquées par l'installation d'un nombre important de NIS d'origine érythréenne.

Abstract Here we report the first molecular data on an invasive Sinanodonta woodiana ( Lea, 1834 ) (Bivalvia: Unionidae) population from Lesser Sundas (Flores Island, Indonesia). The DNA barcoding reveals that this population belongs to a mitochondrial lineage that is widely distributed across Malaysia. The mean COI p -distance between this ‘tropical’ lineage and invasive European populations is 5.3 ± 1.0% which clearly corresponds to the interspecific difference. The representatives of such a ‘tropical’ lineage have likely invaded other Indonesian islands together with the introduction of their host fish species, because our sequenced specimens were taken from a population on the southeastern edge of the current Sinanodonta distribution. The molecular identification of invasive populations of the Chinese pond mussels using available online databases such as the BOLD IDS and NCBI's Genbank is doubtful, because there are at least seven distinct mitochondrial lineages, hence each of them could belong to a separate cryptic taxon.

As a result of recent collecting efforts and older unpublished data of one of us (AA), 32 ant species (including 2 morphospecies) new to the island of Sicily (Italy) were discovered. Seven of these taxa represent unequivocally exotic entities, whose discovery marks a decisive increase of this component in the local fauna. Among these, two forms of Nylanderia EMERY, 1906 are treated as morphospecies because of the problematic taxonomy of the genus. Six taxa among the discovered species are entirely new to the myrmecofauna of Italy. Finally, Tetramorium indocile SANTSCHI, 1927 is reported for the first time as a host for the social parasite Strongylognathus testaceus (SCHENCK, 1852). The state of the art of the Sicilian myrmecofauna, now counting about 150 species, is commented on.

Species are declining worldwide, but while some are becoming threatened, few others thrive under novel environmental conditions. Land use changes and biological invasion are the main drivers of this 'biotic homo-genization' (BH) that increasingly occurs in human-dominated landscapes. Among birds, several groups of species have been identified as 'winners' in this process (e.g. invasive and native urban specialists and generalist species). Yet, as populations continue to grow, competition can appear between those groups and it is not yet clear who are the primary 'winners' in the BH process. Here, we analyze trends of common native and non-native birds during the last 15 years across Israel, where large populations of very destructive invasive alien bird species were introduced towards the end of the previous century, using a nationwide citizen-science program, and two local standardized surveys. Community and population analyses showed that the non-native species are the primary 'winners' of the BH process. Native urban specialists and generalist species that were previously considered as 'winners' are now among the 'losers'. For instance, populations of the invasive common myna increased dramatically, while populations of the previously widespread house sparrow strongly decreased. Previous studies conducted in Israel have shed light on the mechanisms through which invasive bird species can impact native species, notably competition. We show that these processes are among the key factors that drive population declines and changes in bird communities. This highlights the importance of acting now, especially since non-native species are currently spreading from human-dominated areas to more natural environments.

A population of a non-indigenous armoured catfish Pterygoplichthys aff. pardalis from the Dinh river basin (Khan Hoa province, Vietnam). We provide evidence that this is a fully naturalised self-reproducing population and present data on its reproduction. Batch spawning is noted. Possible threat presented by this population to the native habitat and its inhabitants is discussed along with its possible fate. We also analysed the patterns of the fish colouration, which is the main character used for the identification of the species of this genus. We provide evidence that morphometric traits and patterns of the body colouration do not form discrete clusters. Therefore, systematics of the genus should be revised and several species would likely be invalid.

When a community or ecosystem is lost, some of its properties may remain, leaving behind an ecological memory. The soil properties, spores, seeds, stem fragments, mycorrhizae, species, populations and other remnants of the previous inhabitants contribute to shaping the replacement community and building a new ecosystem. The loss of ecological memory for the natural stability domain of a site reduces ecosystem resilience and enables alien invasive species to become established more easily. These invasives may eventually create a new ecosystem with its own ecological memory and resilience. These new ecosystems are described here as novel ecosystems and are placed in the context of adaptive cycles. Ecological restoration of urban ecosystems requires removing the ecological legacy of invasive alien species. To be successful, invasive species control must address both internal within patch memory of invasives and external between patch memory. The restoration of Garry oak ecosystems (Quercus garryana), by students of the Restoration of Natural Systems Program at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, and a number of other examples are presented here that highlight why ecological memory is especially important in urban ecosystems.

Admixture between differentiated populations is considered to be a powerful mechanism stimulating the invasive success of some introduced species. It is generally facilitated through multiple introductions; however, the importance of admixture prior to introduction has rarely been considered. We assess the likelihood that the invasive Ambrosia artemisiifolia populations of Europe and Australia developed through multiple introductions or were sourced from a historical admixture zone within native North America. To do this, we combine large genomic and sampling datasets analyzed with approximate Bayesian computation and Random Forest scenario evaluation to compare single and multiple invasion scenarios with pre- and post-introduction admixture simultaneously. We show the historical admixture zone within native North America originated before global invasion of this weed, and could act as a potential source of introduced populations. We provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that the invasive populations established through multiple introductions from the native range into Europe and subsequent bridgehead invasion into Australia. We discuss the evolutionary mechanisms that could promote invasiveness and evolutionary potential of alien species from bridgehead invasions and admixed source populations.

In early 1992 the northern Pacific seastar, Asterias amurensis was identified from Tasmanian waters. It is possible that larvae may have been released in discarded ballast water from overseas ships. Each adult female may release up to 19,000,000 eggs annually. The species is a serious predator of accessible marine fauna, particularly bivalve molluscs. Little is known of the impact of A. amurensis on its northern hemisphere habitat. The seastars appear to be thriving in Tasmanian waters and vast numbers have been observed around the Hobart waterfront. Research by the Tasmanian Museum includes survey s of present distribution and abundance of the seastar, data about its physico-chemical environment, aspects of its reproductive biology, and the species on which it preys. Future management of this pent in Australia may well depend on the information provided by this research [Asterias amurensis. ballast water introductions. [Echinodermata, Asteroidea, aquaculture, alien species, Tasmania. Australia.]

We describe the population biology and life-history traits of two Eurasian ruffe [Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.), Pisces: Percidae] populations which have recently colonised two small lakes in the lake Maggiore catchment of Northern Italy, the eutrophic lake (l.) Ghirla (ruffe first recorded in the early 1990s) and the oligotrophic l. Mergozzo (ruffe first recorded during the present sampling in 2010). Survey gill net catches revealed that ruffe has become one of the most abundant fish species in both lakes. Relative weight and weight-length relationships indicated better growth of ruffe in l. Mergozzo. Thus, gonad weight, adjusted for body size, was higher in l. Mergozzo, indicating a stronger individual reproductive potential in the more recently colonised lake. The stomach contents of ruffe were dominated by chironomid larvae and other benthic organisms, while pelagic microcrustaceans only occurred in small amounts. The ratio of benthic vs pelagic prey in the diet increased with ruffe size. Ruffe intraspecific food niche overlap (based on prey numbers) between age classes was slightly higher in oligotrophic l. Mergozzo than in eutrophic l. Ghirla and decreased with age in both lakes.

Following aquarium releases, invasive lionfishes have colonized large areas of the Caribbean and western Atlantic, resulting in an immense ecological damage. The early stages of that invasion are poorly known. Indeed, a lag of time between the introduction and detection often preclude genetic characterization of that crucial phase. With elevated awareness, the recent invasion of Pterois miles was quickly detected in the Mediterranean Sea. We hereby show that the very first individuals establishing populations in the Mediterranean Sea display haplotypes that nest within the large genetic diversity of Red Sea individuals, thus indicating an invasion via the Suez Canal. We also show that only two haplotypes are detected in the Mediterranean Sea, suggesting that few individuals may have been involved in the invasion. Thus, we conclude that the Mediterranean invasion is the result of a movement of individuals from the Red Sea, rather than from other means, and that low genetic diversity ...

The report presents a review of the studies on cyanoprokaryotes from Bulgarian coastal wetlands carried out in the period 1890-2017. The biodiversity of cyanoprokaryotes in coastal water basins (their phytoplankton and phytobenthos) was evaluated and analyzed by wetlands types with emphasis on the new and peculiar taxa described. The conservation status of the recorded species follows the Red List of Bulgarian microalgae. Special attention is paid to the occurrence of cyanoblooms, cyanotoxins and toxic species, as well as to the invasive and alien species.

A literature survey identified 403 primary research publications that investigated the ecological effects of invasive alien insects and/or the mechanisms underlying these effects. The majority of these studies were published in the last 8 years and nearly two-thirds were carried out in North America. These publications concerned 72 invasive insect species, of which two ant species, Solenopsis invicta and Linepithema humile, accounted for 18% and 14% of the studies, respectively. Most publications investigated effects on native biodiversity at population or community level. Genetic effects and, to a lesser extent, effects on ecosystem services and processes were rarely explored. We review the effects caused by different insect invaders according to: their ecosystem roles, i.e. herbivores, predators, parasites, parasitoids and pollinators; the level of biological organisation at which they occur; and the direct and indirect mechanisms underlying these effects. The best documented effects occur in invasive ants, Eurasian forest herbivores invasive in North America, and honeybees. Impacts may occur through simple trophic interactions such as herbivory, predation or parasitism. Alien species may also affect native species and communities through more complex mechanisms such as competition for resources, disease transmission, apparent competition, or pollination disruption, among others. Finally, some invasive insects, particularly forest herbivores and ants, are known to affect ecosystem processes through cascading effects. We identify biases and gaps in our knowledge of ecological effects of invasive insects and suggest further opportunities for research.

Several lines of evidence suggest that the effects of invasive speciesmay be greater in aquatic freshwaters than in terrestrial ecosystems.We argue that freshwaters are significantlymore invasible—from a number of poorly regulated sources—and also more susceptible to negative biodiversity, physical ecosystem, and socioeconomic impacts when invaded, than their terrestrial counterparts. Moreover, the nature
of freshwaters appears to result in impacts that are wide ranging and severe while being indirect, diffuse, and difficult to both detect and predict. For these reasons, we conclude that freshwater invasive species represent a special case,
when compared with terrestrial invasives, in which the likelihood of negative impacts, and their effects, is disproportionately severe. We suggest that future
approaches to research in this area should aim to audit the full array of impacts of a number of representative invasive species,with a view to building an evidence base
to support the global implementation of a precautionary approach to the release of aquatic freshwater non-native species.

Invasive alien species pose one of the highest threats to biodiversity, especially in isolated oceanic islands where high rates of both endemism and extinction risk also usually prevail. Few studies have investigated the impact of invasive alien plants on butterflies in insular ecosystems, despite butterflies representing a key indicator group for terrestrial arthropod diversity. Using the Pollard Technique, we quantified butterfly species richness and abundance in eight wet lowland forest areas invaded by alien plants, principally the strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum Sabine) on the tropical volcanic island of Mauritius, and compared the results with paired adjacent forest plots that had been weeded of alien plants between 2 and 12 years previously. Butterfly assemblages in weedinfested and weeded forests were distinctly different with higher species richness and much higher butterfly abundance in the latter. At least some of these differences seemed attributable to weed removal effects on forest structure, but understanding the precise

Abstract
Background: There is little information about the early development of this invasive fish species in order to understand its early life history and developmental strategies towards invasion.
Material and Methods: Female Pterygoplichthys pardalis were induced to spawn using human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) so as to study the developmental stages from fertilization until yolk
resorption.
Results: The females subjected to a single dose of HCG responded positively to treatment (97%) with higher fertilization success (88%) compared to the untreated females (21%). Nonetheless, the
HCG-induced fertilized eggs had a low hatching success (49%), while from the free-living embryos successfully hatched, a high number (90%) survived to become juveniles. Embryonic development in P. pardalis was completed 168 h and 30 min after fertilization, with the total yolk resorption completed on the 8
day post hatching, during which the suckermouth gradually shifted from rostral to ventral position to commence the loricariid algae-scraping feeding mode.
Conclusions: Pterygoplichthys pardalis does not undergo a true larval metamorphosis between the free-living embryo and the juvenile stage and a definitive adult phenotype is developed directly. These results provided basic, yet essential information on the early developmental features of this invasive species whose spawning and early developmental strategies were difficult to observe in the field. Implications of some ontogenetic features in this species with regards to invasion are also
discussed.
Keywords: Development, embryogenesis, invasion, larvae, morphology, Pterygoplichthys pardalis.

The invasive Clethra arborea has a dualrole in the diet of the Azores bullfinch, a critically endangered bird species endemic to the island of São Miguel (Azores, Portugal). This is a crucial winter food resource but it lowers the availability of native laurel forest species that compose most of the bird's diet throughout the year. The removal of this and other invasive alien species is part of current laurel forest habitat restoration programmes, disregarding the impact on the Azores bullfinch population. In order to evaluate the first responses of the Azores bullfinch to habitat restoration, we studied bird diet, foraging behaviour, food availability and habitat occupancy in managed (without C. arborea) and control areas. Significant increases in the availability of native food resources in managed areas were noticeable in the diet, particularly the intake of Ilex perado ssp. azorica and Prunus lusitanica ssp. azorica flower buds. In most of the studied months birds heavily used and foraged in managed over control areas. The one exception was in December, when a resource-gap occurred in managed areas, which may be overcome in the short-term due to re-establishment of native plants following removal of invasive aliens.

This chapter of the book "Sustainability Soup" explores how Western-based ideas and ideologies about resource management, economic, legal, and socio-cultural systems have disrupted and destabilized non-Western Aboriginal societies (both Inuit and First Nations) in the Canadian Arctic and the sub-Arctic northern regions. For hundreds of years Western-based resource management concepts, technologies, values and ideas have been imposed on other societies, primarily through militaristic control of space and resource development as well as religious and educational systems. Western ideologies and values can be characterized as analogous to invasive alien (or exotic) species that are disruptive to existing ecosystems. The introduction of Western approaches to development has led to severe cultural and social destabilization in many traditional societies such as the hunter-gatherer Aboriginal populations in Canada. This destabilization has resulted in the loss of traditional social and economic frameworks. The loss of these frameworks undermines the ability of non-Western societies to maintain sustainable livelihoods and protect ecosystems that support them.
Specifically, this chapter considers the impact of alien ideals, laws, resource management systems and socio-technical systems related to the oil and gas development sector in the Canadian Arctic in the past, present, and future. It is argued that metropolitan interests in Southern Canada, to paraphrase Harold Innis (1930, 1972), exported a resource development paradigm to the Arctic that caused cultural, economic, political and social disruptions to Aboriginal peoples. To understand the development processes underway today and the social, cultural, political, economic, and ecological destabilization of the Canadian North, it is necessary to consider some of the key social, cultural and economic transformations that have taken place in the past. The chapter then examines the current impact of alien ideologies and socio-technical systems on Aboriginal communities in the Arctic and on the natural environment. Finally, the chapter considers some of the future threats posed, such as the possible increase in Arctic shipping.

The Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus (Latham, 1790) is a member of the Acridotheres Genus of the Family Sturnidae (Passeriformes). This species spreads within the northern parts of South Asia around or close to the human settlements with recent expanding towards southern India. It can be distinguished from its analogous Common Myna Acridotheres tristis of the same Genus, which has been observed for the first time in Iraq at 1997, mainly by the orange skin patch around the eye with some other key morphological features. Since it was observed for the first time in Iraq in the bird-markets at 2001, some individuals of Bank Myna have been occasionally found in the cages in five districts. The first records for this species in the wild in Iraq were represented by unconfirmed observations in the wild at 2005 and 2008 due to the lack of documentation. This paper documents the first confirmed observation of the Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus for Iraq.

Introdotto nel 1922, il ciliegio tardivo è una pianta esotica che negli ultimi decenni ha colonizzato la pianura e il pianalto insubre, costituendo boschi dove domina e sostituisce le essenze autoctone. Descrizione ecologica. Il suo arrivo in Insubria. La situazione attuale. Tentativi di contenimento. la questione etica in rapporto alle questioni sollevate in area francese.

This review is a first attempt to summarize data on the records and distribution of 240 alien species in fresh water, brackish water and marine water areas of Ukraine, from unicellular algae up to fish. A checklist of alien species with their taxonomy, synonymy and with a complete bibliography of their first records is presented. Analysis of the main trends of alien species introduction, present ecological status, origin and pathways is considered.

The Australian Government's funding of land management by Aboriginal communities aims to enable them to manage natural and cultural resources according to their values and aspirations. But this approach is countered in the case of weed management, where the emphasis is on killing plants that are identified on invasive alien species lists prepared by government agencies. Based on field research with Bardi-Jawi, Bunuba, Ngurrara, Nyikina Mangala and Wunggurr land managers in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, we observed that 27 of 35 weed control projects followed the government agency weed lists for species-led control. Of these 27 projects, only two were considered successful in meeting Aboriginal cultural aspirations. In most of the other cases, the list-based approach generated frustration among Aboriginal rangers who felt they were engaged in purposeless killing. In contrast, we found that elders and rangers preferred site-based approaches that considered landscape and vegetation management from their culturally specific and highly contextual geographies of 'healthy country'. We outline instances where ranger groups have adopted site-based management that has been informed by geographies of healthy country and argue that such an approach offers a better alternative to current list-based weed control and produces positive outcomes for Aboriginal communities.

Rodriguez-Labajos B, Binimelis R, Monterroso I, Martinez-Alier J. 2009. The arrival of Dreissena polymorpha and Silurus glanis in the Ebro River: Socio-economics of Internlinked aquatic bioinvasions, in "Assessing biodiversity risks with socio-economic methods: The ALARM experience, Pensoft, Sofia-Moskow: 69-112.

This study aims to explore the socio-economic dimensions of the invasions of Dreissena polymorpha and Silurus glanis in a section of the Ebro River. The case allows the comparison of both bioinvasions in terms of policy responses and social attitudes towards aquatic alien species, not only in the Ebro but also in other Iberian watersheds.

BARA RIMBA meyakini bahwa sungai citarum hilir memiliki keanekaragaman habitat yang beragam dan perlu masyarakat ketahui. Survey lapangan perlu dilakukan untuk mendata setiap habitat yang terdapat di sungai citarum. Baik itu hewan, tumbuhan dan ikan yang ada di sungai citarum.

1. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is one of the world's most invasive aquatic plants and is known to cause significant ecological and socio-economic effects. 2. Water hyacinth can alter water clarity and decrease phytoplankton production, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, heavy metals and concentrations of other contaminants. 3. The effects of water hyacinth on ecological communities appear to be largely nonlinear. Abundance and diversity of aquatic invertebrates generally increase in response to increased habitat heterogeneity and structural complexity provided by water hyacinth but decrease due to decreased phytoplankton (food) availability. 4. Effects of water hyacinth on fish are largely dependent on original community composition and food-web structure. A more diverse and abundant epiphytic invertebrate community may increase fish abundance and diversity, but a decrease in phytoplankton may decrease dissolved oxygen concentrations and planktivorous fish abundance, subsequently affecting higher trophic levels. 5. Little is known about the effects of water hyacinth on waterbird communities; however, increases in macroinvertebrate and fish abundance and diversity suggest a potentially positive interaction with waterbirds when water hyacinth is at moderate density. 6. The socio-economic effects of water hyacinth are dependent on the extent of the invasion, the uses of the impacted waterbody, control methods and the response to control efforts. Ecosystem-level research programmes that simultaneously monitor the effects of water hyacinth on multiple trophic-levels are needed to further our understanding of invasive species.

The pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis (L.), is a well-known adventive and invasive indoor pest species. Although this species is very common in temperate Europe, it has been previously recorded in Romania only in Bucharest. We present new
records of this species from four additional sites in Romania: Cluj-Napoca, Miercurea Ciuc, Oradea, and Sibiu. This species poses potential public health risks in Romania.

Expansion of invasive alien species (IAS) is a global problem which has impoverished native biodiversity and  disrupted  ecosystems  from  aquatic  habitats, wetlands,  grasslands  to  forested  areas.  Rapid expansion of IAS into forest ecosystems of Nepal in last few decades has posed a serious threat to forest health with possible impact to carbon balance. Though most of the problematic IAS in forest ecosystems have been reported in Nepal for over five decades, their impacts on forest degradation and deforestation
have  not  been  assessed  at  spatially  large  scale  covering  different  physiographic  regions.  The present study  was  first  such humble  attempt to  identify  and  assess  the  nature  and  extent  of  negative  impacts brought by the invasion by IAS  in  the forests of Nepal. It included five  thematic  areas pertaining to IAS: distribution,  intensity,  trends,  impacts  and  archive. A  multidisciplinary  team  of  experts  was  engaged  in carrying  out  the  study  and  to  analyze  and  review  the  collected  primary  and  secondary  information  and data.

This is the twelfth floristic report, including selected data on new and rare species found in the Piedmont region. In this report are presented the Piedmont floristic notes 706-773. Six autochthonous entities are quoted for the first time in Piedmont Region: Arenaria marschlinsii, Epipactis neglecta, Epipactis exilis, Epipactis distans, Lolium apenninum, Hieracium obscuratum. One alien entity is quoted for the first time in Italy as naturalized: Dichanthelium clandestinum; six alien entities are also quoted for the first time in Piedmont region as naturalized: Elodea nuttallii, Catalpa ovata, Catalpa speciosa, Rudbeckia fulgida, Amaranthus viridis, Oxalis latifolia. Moreover new findings of rare, threatened or alien species are discussed.

Invasive alien species constitute a major threat to biodiversity and cases of extinction caused by invasive alien animals are abundant. However, while invasive alien plants also harm native biota there exists a lack of cases demonstrating their ability to cause extinction of native plant species. Different alien species (vertebrates, invertebrates, pathogens etc.) commonly deliver different simultaneous impacts like predation, disease or competition. In such situations, assessing the contribution of plant invasion in causing decline of a given plant population in its natural habitat can be difficult, yet is desirable to avoid or minimize wastage of managers' resources. Using native angiosperms in lowland wet forests of Mauritius, we first compared native seedling diversity in forest areas that have been weeded of invasive alien plants about a decade previously, with adjacent similar but non-weeded areas. Then, using the weeded area, we compared results of native plant surveys carried out around the time that invasive alien plants were controlled, with the same community about a decade latter. Species richness and abundance of seedlings were higher in the weeded areas compared to the adjacent non weeded forest. We also found that several species that were presumed extinct or critically threatened with extinction had recovered dramatically as a consequence of the sole removal of invasive alien plants. This shows that the threat posed by invasive alien plants can be overwhelmingly important in driving native plant population declines in tropical forests and that imminent plant extinctions can be averted by timely control of alien plants.

Based on the collected specimen and available photographs, we provide first records of the invasive assassin bug species Zelus (Diplodacus) renardii Kolenati, 1857 from Croatia and Montenegro. We also report a case of accidental introduction of a larva of Z. renardii to the Czech Republic. These records document further spreading of this species native in America in Mediterranean Europe and possible ways of its spreading to the new areas.

European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN): supporting European policies and scientific research
Stelios Katsanevakis1,2*, Ivan Deriu1, Fabio D’Amico1, Ana Luísa Nunes1, Sara Pelaez Sanchez1, Fabio
Crocetta1, Margarita Arianoutsou3, Ioannis Bazos3, Anastasia Christopoulou3, Giovanna Curto4, Pinelopi
Delipetrou5, Yannis Kokkoris3, Vadim Panov6, Wolfgang Rabitsch7, Alain Roques8, Riccardo Scalera9,
Susan M. Shirley10, Elena Tricarico11, Andrea Vannini12, Argyro Zenetos13, Sevasti Zervou3, Andreas Zikos3
and Ana Cristina Cardoso1

1European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES), 21027 Italy; 2Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece; 3Department of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,15784 Greece; 4Plant Protection Service, Emilia-Romagna Region, Via di Saliceto 81, 40128 Bologna, Italy; 5Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Greece; 6Regional Euro-Asian Biological Invasions Centre (REABIC), PL 3, 00981 Helsinki, Finland; 7Environment Agency Austria,Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria; 8INRA UR633, Zoologie Forestière, 45075 Orléans, France; 9IUCN/SSC Invasive Species
Specialist Group, Rome, Italy; 10Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA; 11Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50125 Firenze, Italy; 12Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, University of Tuscia , 01100 Viterbo, Italy; 13Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Ag. Kosmas, Greece

Invasion by alien species is one of the most critical factors affecting global biodiversity, leading to homogenization and species loss worldwide. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Moraceae) is one of the most conspicuous invasive plants in Brazil. We studied jackfruit invasion in the Atlantic Forest in Ilha Grande State Park, located on an island (Ilha Grande), by assessing jackfruit distribution and density along 23 trails (90 km). Presence or absence was verified in a total of 857 plots. Data showed that jackfruit is spread all over Ilha Grande, and that plant density varied significantly along and between trails. Jackfruit was registered as the dominant tree species on some of the trails. Control by park managers is an urgent need in order to ensure the conservation of local biodiversity. A decision key for jackfruit management according to jackfruit density, age class and slope is provided.