Life Sciences Commons^™

Invasive Species Impacts On Infrastructure, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

Executive Summary

Invasive species represent one of the most significant threats to ecosystems, human and animal health, infrastructure, the economy, and cultural resources. Because potentially invasive, non-native species typically enter the United States through ports of entry in urban environments, some of the first observable impacts may be to infrastructure, yet little is known about the economic costs associated with these impacts to the “built” environment. In addition, federal agencies currently lack the authority necessary to effectively prevent, eradicate, and control invasive species that impact the human-built environment. This lack of authority prevents rapid response to some of the most …

Functional Trait Values, Not Trait Plasticity, Drive The Invasiveness Of Rosa Sp. In Response To Light Availability, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Jennifer E. Murphy

Biology

PREMISE OF THE STUDY : Functional trait plasticity in resource capture traits has been suggested as an underlying mechanism promoting invasive species establishment and spread. Earlier studies on this mechanism treat invasiveness as a discrete characteristic (i.e., invasive vs. noninvasive) and do not consider the potential impacts of evolutionary history. In the present study, we used a continuous measure of invasiveness and a phylogenetic framework to quantify the relationship between functional trait expression, plasticity, and invasiveness in Rosa .

Monk Parakeets, Michael L. Avery, James R. Lindsay

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Since their introduction to the United States in the 1960s, monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) have thrived (Figure 1). Until recently, annual Christmas Bird Count data have shown the population to be increasing exponentially. In the U.S., monk parakeets are an urban and suburban species with few natural predators, diseases or other factors limiting their population growth. They exploit backyard bird feeders and non-native ornamental plants for food. Monk parakeets often construct nests on man-made structures, such as electric utility facilities and cell phone towers. Because the birds build and maintain nests throughout the year, management of parakeet populations …

Experimental Assessment Of Lionfish Removals To Mitigate Reef Fish Community Shifts On Northern Gulf Of Mexico Artificial Reefs, Kristin A. Dahl, William F. Patterson Iii, Richard A. Synder

C-IMAGE Publications

Substantial declines in reef fishes were observed at northern Gulf of Mexico artificial reef sites between 2009−2010 and 2011−2012, a period that bracketed the appearance of invasive lionfish in this ecosystem. Small demersal reef fishes, the predominant prey of lionfish in other systems, displayed the greatest declines. However, a confounding factor during this time was the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWH) in summer 2010. In some areas, targeted lionfish removals have been demonstrated to mitigate negative effects on native fishes. Therefore, we conducted a 2 yr experiment to examine the effectiveness and ecological benefits of targeted lionfish removals at artificial …

Nitrogen Loading Leads To Increased Carbon Accretion In Both Invaded And Uninvaded Coastal Wetlands, Jason P. Martina, William S. Currie, Deborah E. Goldberg, Kenneth J. Elgersma

Faculty Publications

Gaining a better understanding of carbon (C) dynamics across the terrestrial and aquatic landscapes has become a major research initiative in ecosystem ecology. Wetlands store a large portion of the global soil C, but are also highly dynamic ecosystems in terms of hydrology and N cycling, and are one of the most invaded habitats worldwide. The interactions between these factors are likely to determine wetland C cycling, and specifically C accretion rates. We investigated these interactions using MONDRIAN, an individual-based model simulating plant growth and competition and linking these processes to N and C cycling. We simulated the effects of …

Effects Of Soil Erosion Barriers On Percent Cover And Sediment Size, Michael Perez

STAR Program Research Presentations

Ranching began on Santa Rosa Island in the 1840’s, introducing nonnative megafauna that put selective grazing pressures on endemic species. Dense groves of island oak (Q. tomentella) are aid in sediment deposition and retention. A current restoration effort, involved installing soil erosion barriers, known as wattles, to prevent sediment from being lost upslope and recruit plant growth whose root systems could further stabilize the slope. This experiment was designed to compare percent cover of vegetation growth in areas with and without soil erosion barriers. This was done using the line intercept method (n=42) on three meter transects, measuring …

Addressing The Needs Of Classical Biological Control Programs, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

Conclusions

Classical biological control has been among the most cost- effective and environmentally safe management tools for invasive species for many years, both nationally and internationally. Addressing the political, regulatory, and institutional challenges in the discovery, pre-release phase and post-release monitoring of a classical biological control program would greatly enhance the long-term potential for success. From this white paper, a number of recommendations were developed that we believe will significantly improve prioritization and effectiveness of classical biological control programs, including:

1. Develop transparent criteria to prioritize those invasive species for which classical biological control is the most cost-effective control option. …

Greater Bud Outgrowth Of Bromus Inermis Than Pascopyrum Smithii Under Multiple Environmental Conditions, Jacqueline P. Ott, Jack L. Butler, Yuping Rong, Lan Xu

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Tiller recruitment of perennial grasses in mixed-grass prairie primarily occurs from belowground buds. Environmental conditions, such as temperature, soil moisture and grazing can affect bud outgrowth of both invasive and native perennial grasses. Differential bud outgrowth responses of native and invasive species to climate change and grazing could alter competitive interactions that have implications for future land management. The aims of this work were to (i) compare how spring temperature altered bud outgrowth of native Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve (western wheatgrass) and introduced Bromus inermis Leyss.(smooth brome), (ii) compare how watering frequency altered bud outgrowth of these two species …

Evolutionary Responses Of Invasive Grass Species To Variation In Precipitation And Soil Nitrogen, Monica A. Nguyen, Amy E. Ortega, Quoc L. Nguyen, Sarah Kimball, Michael L. Goulden, Jennifer L. Funk

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

1.Global climate models suggest that many ecosystems will experience reduced precipitation over the next century and the consequences for invasive plant performance are largely unknown. Annual invasive species may be able to quickly evolve traits associated with drought escape or tolerance through rapid genetic changes.

2.We investigated the influence of five years of water and nitrogen manipulations on trait values in a southern California grassland system. Seeds from two annual grass species (Avena barbata, Bromus madritensis) were collected from experimental plots and grown in a common environment over two generations. We measured 14 physiological, morphological, phenological, and …

Molecular Analysis Confirming The Introduction Of Nile Crocodiles, Crocodylus Niloticus Laurenti 1768 (Crocodylidae), In Southern Florida, With An Assessment Of Potential For Establishment, Spread, And Impacts., Michael R. Rochford, Kenneth L. Krysko, Frank J. Mazzotti, Matthew W. Shirley, Mark W. Parry, Joseph A. Wasilewski, Jeffrey S. Beauchamp, Christpher R. Gillette, Edward F. Metzger Iii, Michiko A. Squires, Louis A. Somma

Papers in Herpetology

The state of Florida, USA, has more introduced herpetofauna than any other governmental region on Earth. Four species of nonnative crocodilians have been introduced to Florida (all since 1960), one of which is established. Between 2000–2014 we field-collected three nonnative crocodilians in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and one in Hendry County, Florida. We used DNA barcoding and molecular phylogenetics to determine species identification and native range origin. Also, we described diet, movement, and growth for one crocodile. Our molecular analyses illustrated that two of the crocodiles we collected are most closely related to Nile Crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) from South Africa, suggesting …

Does Habitat Restoration Increase Coexistence Of Native Stream Fishes With Introduced Brown Trout: A Case Study On The Middle Provo River, Utah, Usa, Mark C. Belk, Eric J. Billman, Craig Ellsworth, Brock R. Mcmillan

Faculty Publications

Restoration of altered or degraded habitats is often a key component in the conservation plan of native aquatic species, but introduced species may influence the response of the native community to restoration. Recent habitat restoration of the middle section of the Provo River in central Utah, USA, provided an opportunity to evaluate the effect of habitat restoration on the native fish community in a system with an introduced, dominant predator—brown trout (Salmo trutta). To determine the change in distribution of fish species and community composition, we surveyed 200 m of each of the four study reaches both before …

Ovipositional Preference, Fidelity, And Fitness Of Drosophila Suzukii In A Co-Occurring Crop And Non-Crop Host System, Lauren M. Diepenbrock, Katharine A. Swoboda-Bhattarai, Hannah Burrack

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a devastating pest of soft-skinned fruits including blackberries and raspberries. Management of this pest is focused on preventing infestation in crops, but non-crop hosts may play an important role in enabling D. suzukii to persist in the absence of cultivated hosts. Drosophila suzukii may also infest fruits of both crop and non-crop hosts concurrently. Our goals were to determine whether (1) D. suzukii prefers to oviposit in cultivated blackberry, Rubus L. subgenus rubus Watson, or American pokeweed, Phytolacca americana, a non-crop host commonly found along field edges, (2) D. suzukii prefers to oviposit into the same …

Rapid Response Plan For Management And Control Of The Chinese Mitten Crab, Northeast United States And Atlantic Canada, A. Eberhardt, J. Pederson, B. Bisson

Maine Sea Grant Publications

The Rapid Response Plan for Management and Control of the Chinese Mitten Crab is intended to guide efforts to mitigate the further introduction and spread of the Chinese mitten crab in the northeastern United States and Canada. Due to the unique challenges of invasive species introductions to marine and coastal ecosystems, the mitten crab and other existing and potential marine invasive species are more difficult and often more costly to manage or control than freshwater aquatic or terrestrial invasive species. These challenges include ecosystem connectivity across vast geographic areas, ocean currents and tidal influence, and shipping- and ballast-related vectors for …

Zebra Mussel (Dreissena Polymorpha) Affects The Feeding Ecology Of Early Stage Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) In The Hudson River Estuary, Michael G. Smircich, David L. Strayer, Eric T. Schultz

EEB Articles

Variability in the feeding ecology of young fishes over short and long time scales in estuaries is likely to affect population dynamics. We studied 14 years of early stage Striped Bass feeding ecology in the Hudson River Estuary over a 25-year time span, including years in which invasive zebra mussels markedly altered energy flow within the estuary. We predicted that feeding success would be low and that diet composition would be altered during years of high zebra mussel impact, particularly in upriver locations where mussels occur. Feeding success in the short term was indicated by volume of gut contents and …

Isolation And Characterization Of Microbial Community Associated With Diadumene Lineata, The Orange-Striped Sea Anemone, Tiffany Lin, Andrew Weir

Student and Faculty Research Days

The orange-striped sea anemone, Diadumene lineata, is a marine invertebrate that can be found in the Northern Hemisphere. Distribution of Diadumene lineata ranges from Japan to the Gulf of Argentina. This invasive anemone originated from the Pacific Coast of Asia and serves as a host for a diverse microbial community including a photosynthetic alga. The epiphytic bacteria adhere to the outer surface as well as to the gastrovascular cavity of the host. The microbial community associated with Diadumene lineata is relatively unknown. This study attempted to isolate and identify bacteria commonly associated with this invasive marine invertebrate. Diadumene lineata was …

Biological Invasions, Ecological Resilience And Adaptive Governance, Brian C. Chaffin, Ahjond S. Garmestani, David G. Angeler, Dustin L. Herrmann, Craig A. Stow, Magnus Nystrom, Jan Sendzimir, Matthew E. Hopton, Jurek Kolasa, Craig R. Allen

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

In a world of increasing interconnections in global trade as well as rapid change in climate and land cover, the accelerating introduction and spread of invasive species is a critical concern due to associated negative social and ecological impacts, both real and perceived. Much of the societal response to invasive species to date has been associated with negative economic consequences of invasions. This response has shaped a war-like approach to addressing invasions, one with an agenda of eradications and intense ecological restoration efforts towards prior or more desirable ecological regimes. This trajectory often ignores the concept of ecological resilience and …

Altitudinal Shifts Of The Native And Introduced Flora Of California In The Context Of 20th-Century Warming, A. Wolf, Naupaka B. Zimmerman, W. R. Anderegg, P. E. Busby, J. Christensen

Biology Faculty Publications

Aim: The differential responses of plant species to climate change are of great interest and grave concern for scientists and conservationists. One underexploited resource for better understanding these changes are the records held by herbaria. Using these records to assess the responses of different groups of species across the entire flora of California, we sought to quantify the magnitude of species elevational shifts, to measure differences in shifts among functional groups and between native and introduced species, and to evaluate whether these shifts were related to the conservation of thermal niches.

Location: California.

Methods: To characterize these shifts in California, …

Epigenetic Response To Environmental Change: Dna Methylation Varies With Invasion Status, Aaron W. Schrey, Travis R. Robbins, Jacob Lee, David W. Dukes Jr., Alexandria K. Ragsdale, Christopher J. Thawley

Biology Faculty Publications

Epigenetic mechanisms may be important for a native species’ response to rapid environmental change. Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta Santschi, 1916) were recently introduced to areas occupied by the Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus Bosc & Daudin, 1801). Behavioral, morphological and physiological phenotypes of the Eastern Fence Lizard have changed following invasion, creating a natural biological system to investigate environmentally induced epigenetic changes.We tested for variation in DNA methylation patterns in Eastern Fence Lizard populations associated with different histories of invasion by Red Imported Fire Ants. At methylation sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism loci, we detected a higher diversity …

Plant Community Shifts Caused By Feral Swine Rooting Devalue Florida Rangeland, Brittany Bankovich, Elizabeth Boughton, Raoul Boughton, Michael L. Avery, Samantha M. Wisely

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive species threaten agriculture by changing agroecosystem structure and function, reducing habitat value, decreasing biodiversity and ecosystem services and increasing management costs. Grazing lands in south central Florida are a mosaic of sown pastures, native grasslands, wetlands and woodlands that provide a variety of ecosystem services. Disturbance of these pastures and native grasslands by invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa) can have negative consequences for both economic productivity and biodiversity. In this study, we show that the effect of rooting on plant diversity depends on ecosystem type and initial levels of plant species diversity. For example, in native grassland pasture, rooting …

Feral Swine Damage To Globally Imperiled Wetland Plant Communities In A Significant Biodiversity Hotspot In Florida, Richard M. Engeman, Steve L. Orzell, Rodney K. Felix, Eric A. Tillman, Gary Killian, Michael L. Avery

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We studied rooting damage during five-years of feral swine control at Avon Park Air Force Range, a significant botanical biodiversity hotspot in peninsular Florida with many globally imperiled plant species and communities. While control reduced swine abundance, remaining animals consistently rooted the 49 studied sites in both middle-dry season (MDS) and late-dry season (LDS) each year. At each study site, we measured rooting with sub-meter accuracy. Neither total nor proportional area rooted differed in either season, across study years, or among plant community types: herbaceous seepage slopes, wet pine savannas, wet grasslands. The proportion of sites with damage during MDS …

Defending Against Disparate Marine Turtle Nest Predators: Nesting Success Benefits From Eradicating Invasive Feral Swine And Caging Nests From Raccoons, Richard M. Engeman, David Addison, J. C. Griffin

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nest predation can threaten marine turtle nesting success, and having to address dissimilar predator species complicates nest protection efforts. On Florida’s Keewaydin Island predation by raccoons Procyon lotor and invasive feral swine Sus scrofa are disparate, significant threats tomarine turtle nests. Using 6 years of nesting data (mostly for loggerhead marine turtles Caretta caretta) we examined the impacts of swine predation on nests and the benefits of swine eradication, caging nests to protect them from raccoon predation, and the effects of nest caging on swine predation. Nest predation by swine began in mid nesting season 2007, after which swine …

Success Stories And Emerging Themes In Conservation Physiology, Christine L. Madliger, Steven J. Cooke, Erica J. Crespi, Jennifer L. Funk, Kevin R. Hultine, Kathleen E. Hunt, Jason R. Rohr, Brent J. Sinclair, Cory D. Suski, Craig K. R. Willis, Oliver P. Love

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The potential benefits of physiology for conservation are well established and include greater specificity of management techniques, determination of cause–effect relationships, increased sensitivity of health and disturbance monitoring and greater capacity for predicting future change. While descriptions of the specific avenues in which conservation and physiology can be integrated are readily available and important to the continuing expansion of the discipline of ‘conservation physiology’, to date there has been no assessment of how the field has specifically contributed to conservation success. However, the goal of conservation physiology is to foster conservation solutions and it is therefore important to assess whether …

The Cuba-Florida Plant-Pest Pathway, Cory Penca, Damian C. Adams, Jiri Hulcr

Insecta Mundi

Recent shifts in US policies towards Cuba suggest a relaxation or lifting of the embargo may occur in the

near future. With the prospects of open travel and trade with Cuba come concerns over the introduction of agricultural

pests. In an effort to assess these concerns the distribution-based introduction risk of pests listed in the 2015 Cooperative

Agricultural Pest Survey’s (CAPS) list of priority pests of economic and environmental importance is reviewed. Of

the 59 pests on the CAPS priority pest list, 20 have been recorded in the literature as being present in the Caribbean

Basin, South America and Central …

Invasive Species In An Urban Flora: History And Current Status In Indianapolis, Indiana, Rebecca W. Dolan

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Invasive plant species are widely appreciated to cause significant ecologic and economic damage in agricultural fields and in natural areas. The presence and impact of invasives in cities is less well documented. This paper characterizes invasive plants in Indianapolis, Indiana. Based on historical records and contemporary accounts, 69 of the 120 species on the official Indiana state list are reported for the city. Most of these plants are native to Asia or Eurasia, with escape from cultivation as the most common mode of introduction. Most have been in the flora of Indianapolis for some time. Eighty percent of Indianapolis’ invasive …

First Record Of The Bermuda Grass Scale Odonaspis Ruthae Kotinsky, 1915 (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) In Colombia, José Mauricio Montes Rodríguez, Takumasa Kondo

Insecta Mundi

The Bermuda grass scale Odonaspis ruthae Kotinsky, 1915 (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) is reported for the first time in Colombia. The scale insect was collected in two localities, in northwestern and southwestern Colombia. This is the first record of the tribe Odonaspidini in Colombia. Aspects of the distribution and biology of the species are discussed. A key to separate the species of Odonaspis recorded in the Neotropical region is provided.

Se registra por primera vez la escama del pasto Bermuda Odonaspis ruthae Kotinsky, 1915 (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) en Colombia. El insecto escama fue recolectado en dos localidades, una al noroccidente y …

First Records Of The Iceryine Scale Insects Crypticerya Brasiliensis (Hempel) And Crypticerya Genistae (Hempel) (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) For Colombia, Takumasa Kondo, Penny Gullan, Ana L. B. G. Peronti, Andra Amalia Ramos Portilla, Alejandro Caballero, Nelson Villarreal- Pretelt

Insecta Mundi

Abstract. Crypticerya brasiliensis (Hempel) and Crypticerya genistae (Hempel) (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae: Iceryini) are herein reported for the fi rst time in Colombia. The above two species and Crypticerya multicicatrices Kondo and Unruh and Crypticerya zeteki (Cockerell) are briefl y diagnosed based on the adult females. The presence of C. zeteki in Colombia is confi rmed and a key to the adult females of species of the tribe Iceryini reported in Colombia is provided.

Resumen. Se reportan por primera vez a Crypticerya brasiliensis (Hempel) y Crypticerya genistae (Hempel) (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae: Iceryini) en Colombia. Las dos especies arriba mencionadas junto con Crypticerya multicicatrices …