Scientists' warning on invasive alien species

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 95(6), P. 1511 - 1534

Published: June 25, 2020

ABSTRACT Biological invasions are a global consequence of an increasingly connected world and the rise in human population size. The numbers invasive alien species – subset that spread widely areas where they not native, affecting environment or livelihoods increasing. Synergies with other changes exacerbating current facilitating new ones, thereby escalating extent impacts invaders. Invasions have complex often immense long‐term direct indirect impacts. In many cases, such become apparent problematic only when invaders well established large ranges. Invasive break down biogeographic realms, affect native richness abundance, increase risk extinction, genetic composition populations, change animal behaviour, alter phylogenetic diversity across communities, modify trophic networks. Many also ecosystem functioning delivery services by altering nutrient contaminant cycling, hydrology, habitat structure, disturbance regimes. These biodiversity accelerating will further future. Scientific evidence has identified policy strategies to reduce future invasions, but these insufficiently implemented. For some nations, notably Australia New Zealand, biosecurity national priority. There been successes, as eradication rats cats on islands biological control weeds continental areas. However, countries, receive little attention. Improved international cooperation is crucial biodiversity, services, livelihoods. Countries can strengthen their regulations implement enforce more effective management should address interact invasions.

Language: Английский

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Climate change determines the sign of productivity trends in US forests

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(4)

Published: Jan. 16, 2024

Forests are integral to the global land carbon sink, which has sequestered ~30% of anthropogenic emissions over recent decades. The persistence this sink depends on balance positive drivers that increase ecosystem storage-e.g., CO

Language: Английский

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Moving eDNA surveys onto land: Strategies for active eDNA aggregation to detect invasive forest insects

Molecular Ecology Resources, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 20(3), P. 746 - 755

Published: Feb. 28, 2020

Abstract The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to monitor terrestrial species has been relatively limited, with successful implementations still confined sampling from natural or artificial water bodies and soil. Sampling for eDNA depends on proximity availability water, whereas soil is limited in its spatial scale due the large quantities necessary processing difficulty doing so. These challenges limit widespread several systems, such as surveying forests invasive insects. We developed two new aggregation approaches that overcome above‐ground eliminate dependency creating utilizing pre‐existing conduct sampling. first, “spray aggregation,” uses spray action remove surface substrates was shrubs other understorey vegetation, while second, “tree rolling,” physical transfer via a roller tree trunks branches. tested these by spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula , recent pest northeastern USA considered significant ecological economic threat agriculture. found our matched visual surveys, but also detected L. presence ahead indicating increased sensitivity over currently used methodology. we describe can be adapted variety forest insects represent novel strategy biodiversity.

Language: Английский

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California’s forest carbon offsets buffer pool is severely undercapitalized

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 5

Published: Aug. 5, 2022

California operates a large forest carbon offsets program that credits stored in forests across the continental United States and parts of coastal Alaska. These can be sold to buyers who wish justify ongoing emissions, including California’s cap-and-trade program. Although fossil CO 2 emissions have effectively permanent atmospheric consequences, is inherently less durable because are subject significant socioeconomic physical risks cause temporarily re-released into atmosphere. To address these risks, nominally designed provide 100-year guarantee on claims based self-insurance known as buffer pool. Projects contribute pool suite project-specific risk factors, with retired needed cover losses from events such wildfire or drought. So long remains solvent, program’s permanence claim intact. Here, we perform an actuarial analysis performance We document how wildfires depleted nearly one-fifth total than decade, equivalent at least 95 percent program-wide contribution intended manage all fire for 100 years. also show potential single disease, sudden oak death, could fully encumber set aside disease insect risks. findings indicate severely undercapitalized therefore unlikely able environmental integrity

Language: Английский

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Managing for the unexpected: Building resilient forest landscapes to cope with global change

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 28(14), P. 4323 - 4341

Published: April 16, 2022

Natural disturbances exacerbated by novel climate regimes are increasing worldwide, threatening the ability of forest ecosystems to mitigate global warming through carbon sequestration and provide other key ecosystem services. One way cope with unknown disturbance events is promote ecological resilience both functional trait structural diversity fostering connectivity landscape ensure a rapid efficient self-reorganization system. We investigated how expected unexpected variations in biotic affect storage forested region southeastern Canada. Using process-based model (LANDIS-II), we simulated responses change insect outbreaks under different policy scenarios-including approach based on diversification network analysis-and tested potentially most damaging pests interact changes composition structure due changing management. found that warming, lengthening vegetation season, will increase productivity storage, but impacts drought drastically reduce such variables. Generalist, non-native insects feeding hardwood agents for our region, their monitoring early detection should be priority authorities. Higher driven climate-smart management fostered promotes warm-adapted species, might severity. However, alternative scenarios led higher as well connectivity-and thus resilience-than conventional Our results demonstrate adopting landscape-scale perspective planning interventions strategically space diversify forests promising enhancing stressors.

Language: Английский

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Historical plant introductions predict current insect invasions

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 120(24)

Published: June 5, 2023

Thousands of insect species have been introduced outside their native ranges, and some them strongly impact ecosystems human societies. Because a large fraction insects feed on or are associated with plants, nonnative plants provide habitat resources for invading insects, thereby facilitating establishment. Furthermore, plant imports represent one the main pathways accidental introductions. Here, we tested hypothesis that invasions precede promote invasions. We found geographical variation in current flows was best explained by dating back to 1900 rather than more recent flows. Interestingly, were better predictor potentially confounding socioeconomic variables. Based observed time lag between invasions, estimated global invasion debt consists 3,442 region-level introductions, representing potential increase 35% This most important Afrotropics, Neotropics, Indomalaya, where expect 10 20-fold discoveries new species. Overall, our results highlight strong link show limiting spread might be key preventing future both insects.

Language: Английский

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Testing the reliability of an AI-based large language model to extract ecological information from the scientific literature

npj Biodiversity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3(1)

Published: May 16, 2024

Artificial intelligence-based large language models (LLMs) have the potential to substantially improve efficiency and scale of ecological research, but their propensity for delivering incorrect information raises significant concern about usefulness in current state. Here, we formally test how quickly accurately an LLM performs comparison a human reviewer when tasked with extracting various types data from scientific literature. We found was able extract relevant over 50 times faster than had very high accuracy (>90%) discrete categorical data, it performed poorly certain quantitative data. Our case study shows that LLMs offer great generating databases at unprecedented speed scale, additional quality assurance steps are required ensure integrity.

Language: Английский

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The Role of Deadwood in the Carbon Cycle: Implications for Models, Forest Management, and Future Climates

Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 55(1), P. 133 - 155

Published: Aug. 2, 2024

Deadwood represents a significant carbon pool and unique biodiversity reservoir in forests savannas but has been largely overlooked until recently. Storage release of from deadwood is controlled by interacting decomposition drivers including biotic consumers (animals microbes) abiotic factors (water, fire, sunlight, freeze–thaw). Although previous research focused mainly on forests, we synthesize studies across diverse ecosystems with woody vegetation. As changing climates land-use practices alter the landscape, expect accelerating variable rates inputs outputs pools. Currently, Earth system models implicitly represent only microbial as wood decomposition; show that many other influence Forest management increasingly recognize an important contributor to forest dynamics, biodiversity, budgets. Together, emerging knowledge modeling suggests growing need for additional contributions storage greenhouse gas emissions.

Language: Английский

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Modeling Spongy Moth Forest Mortality in Rhode Island Temperate Deciduous Forest

Forests, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(1), P. 93 - 93

Published: Jan. 8, 2025

Invasive pests cause major ecological and economic damages to forests around the world including reduced carbon sequestration biodiversity loss of forest revenue. In this study, we used Random Forest model mortality resulting from a 2015–2017 Spongy moth outbreak in temperate deciduous Rhode Island (northeastern U.S.). Mortality was modeled with 100 m spatial resolution based on Landsat-derived defoliation maps geospatial data representing soil characteristics, drought condition, characteristics as well proximity coast, development, water. two classes (low/high) three (low/med/high). The best models had overall accuracies 82% 65% for two-class three-class models, respectively. most important predictors were defoliation, distance canopy cover. Model performance improved only slightly inclusion more than variables. classified 35% having >5 trees/ha 21% >11 trees/ha. study shows benefit that use both environmental classifying caused by moth.

Language: Английский

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Automated Applications of Acoustics for Stored Product Insect Detection, Monitoring, and Management

Insects, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 12(3), P. 259 - 259

Published: March 19, 2021

Acoustic technology provides information difficult to obtain about stored insect behavior, physiology, abundance, and distribution. For example, acoustic detection of immature insects feeding hidden within grain is helpful for accurate monitoring because they can be more abundant than adults present in samples without adults. Modern engineering acoustics have been incorporated into decision support systems product management, but with somewhat limited use due device costs the skills needed interpret data collected. However, inexpensive modern tools may facilitate further incorporation mainstream pest management precision agriculture. One such system was tested herein describe Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adult larval movement grain. Development improved methods identify sounds targeted insects, distinguishing them from each other background noise, an active area current research. The most powerful new machine learning. different strengths weaknesses depending on types noise signal characteristic target sounds. It likely that will automation decrease managing future.

Language: Английский

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