Primeros registros para Portugal del inductor de agallas foliares Cystiphora sonchi (Vallot, 1827) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) y algunas notas sobre su distribución en la Península Ibérica

One frequent limitation in zoology and ecology studies is that the current spatial distribution of several species is only partially assessed, based on museum or amateurs’ records, underestimating the real distribution of the species. Although this limitation could be partially solved by different tools (e.g., species distribution models), the correct functioning of many of such tools is related to the number of occurrences, requiring a minimum number of occurrences to be correctly validated. The genus Cystiphora Kieffer, 1892 (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) has three species in the Iberian Peninsula and is mainly characterized by the induction of galls in species of sow-thistle (Sonchus spp.); this genus has an added value since some species are used as biocontrol against invasive sow-thistles in the Nearctic and Australasian regions. However, little is known about its actual distribution in Iberia. Cystiphora sonchi (Vallot, 1827) is a Palearctic species whose presence in Iberia Peninsula was until now restricted to four records in the East of Peninsula and in the Balearic Islands. We found three new populations of this species in Coimbra, central Portugal, adding a new species to the Portuguese fauna. Additionally, in order to complete as much as possible its current spatial distribution, a methodical search was carried in different Biodiversity Databases. These two approaches, expanded the distribution area of C. sonchi in the Iberian Peninsula, with five new occurrences (three for Portugal, one for Galicia and one for Andalusia) and establishing a new west limit in the current distribution of C. sonchi in the Palearctic region.Un problema habitual en los estudios de zoología y ecología es la evaluación parcial de la distribución espacial actual de muchas especies, pues subestima su distribución real al estar basada en los registros de naturalistas y de museos. Aunque esta limitación puede ser parcialmente resuelta por medio de diferentes herramientas (p.e. modelos de distribución de especies), el correcto funcionamiento de dichas herramientas está condicionado por el número de localizaciones disponibles, necesitando además de un número mínimo de ellas para que los modelos puedan ser validados. El género Cystiphora Kieffer, 1892 (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), con tres especies en la Península Ibérica, está caracterizado principalmente por la formación de agallas en las especies de cerrajas (Sonchus spp.); sin embargo, poco se sabe acerca de su distribución actual en Iberia. Además, como valor añadido, varias de las especies que pertenecen a este género son utilizadas como agentes de lucha de control biológico contra las cerrajas invasoras en las regiones del Neártico y de Australasia. Cystiphora sonchi (Vallot, 1827) es una especie paleártica cuya presencia en la Península Ibérica estaba restringida hasta hoy a cuatro citas en el Este de la Península y en las Islas Baleares. Se encontraron tres nuevas poblaciones de esta especie en Coimbra (Portugal centro), añadiendo una nueva especie a la fauna portuguesa. Además, con el objetivo de completar lo máximo posible su distribución, se realizó una búsqueda sistemática en diferentes bases de datos de biodiversidad. Con esos dos enfoques, se estableció un nuevo límite occidental del área de distribución de C. sonchi y se expandió su área de distribución actual en la Península Ibérica con cinco nuevos registros (tres para Portugal, uno para Galicia y uno para Andalucía)

Short- and long-term impacts of Acacia longifolia invasion on the belowground processes of a Mediterranean coastal dune ecosystem

Many coastal dune ecosystems in Portugal are invaded by the leguminous tree Acacia longifolia (Andrews) Willd. This exotic species was first introduced over one hundred years ago in an effort to mitigate dune erosion and loss of coastal landscapes. However, since then A. longifolia has spread to new areas, displacing the native vegetation. These invaded ecosystems contrast with the native dune ecosystems that are typically dominated by herb and shrub communities. This study characterizes belowground changes to the native environment as a result of recent (20 y) by A. longifolia by analyzing a range of chemical and microbial parameters. Both invaded areas accumulated higher litter densities with greater N contents and lower C/N ratios than the native areas, which corresponded to lower C/N ratio and to higher potential rates of nitrification in the invaded soils. Long-term occupation by A. longifolia has significantly altered the soil properties with increased levels of organic C, total N and exchangeable cations resulting in higher microbial biomass, basal respiration, and [beta]-glucosaminidase activity. However, basal respiration and microbial biomass were significantly higher within recent invasion sites when calculated relative to soil organic C. The results from this study show that invasions by A. longifolia have altered the original native ecosystem processes and that the impacts are more pronounced within long-term invaded sites. A positive feedback mechanism is apparent for A. longifolia invading these Mediterranean dunes, which can make the restoration of native plant communities increasingly difficult with time elapsed since invasion.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T4B-4SM206B-1/1/bddafe50838e7acced911a3255e7827

Erradicação, contenção e controlo de espécies invasoras.

Os primeiros estudos que procuraram explicar os processos de invasão biológica, incidiram sobre a vulnerabilidade das comunidades biológicas das ilhas e sobre o impacto da fixação de populações humanas, as quais favoreceram a introdução deliberada de uma grande variedade de animais e plantas. Um dos cientistas que mais cedo abordou a problemática das invasões biológicas, e que se pode considerar pioneiro neste domínio, foi Charles Elton. No seu livro “The Ecology of invasions by animals and plants”, publicado em 1958, colocou três questões relativas ao estudo dos processos de invasão que mantêm uma evidente actualidade: 1. Que características convertem uma espécie numa invasora potencial quando introduzida num ambiente novo? 2. Que características tornam um habitat mais ou menos susceptível à invasão? 3. Que estratégias de gestão são mais adequadas para controlar uma espécie invasora? Avaliar o impacto das espécies invasoras na biodiversidade e ecossistemas nativos, perceber as causas e os mecanismos que permitem a sua fixação e sucesso, desenvolver estratégias de prevenção de introdução, gestão e controlo, bem como consciencializar a opinião pública e os decisores políticos para a dimensão e gravidade das invasões biológicas, ao nível dos seus efeitos na biodiversidade, saúde pública e economia, permanecem grandes desafios que se colocam aos cientistas que se dedicam a este problema. O presente livro tem o importante objectivo de apresentar a história e a expressão territorial das invasões biológicas em Portugal, numa análise sistemática e multidimensional, não negligenciando a importância da divulgação, da comunicação, e das metodologias e ferramentas de gestão das espécies mais problemáticas

Motivations of citizen scientists to engage in projects on invasive alien species

The ongoing transport and spread of alien species worldwide are among the distinguishing characteristics of the Anthropocene. Likewise, despite its long history, citizen science (CS) is increasingly being recognized as a 21st century phenomenon. The critical mass of citizen scientists is evident by the steady increase in the number of projects depending on volunteer participation. The same is true of projects dealing with the problem of invasive alien species (IAS), which rely heavily on volunteers’ help for the initial detection of new invaders and their subsequent control and eradication. However, despite their importance for the success of many CS IAS projects, little is known about the motivations guiding volunteers to participate in IAS projects. Consequently, the goal of this research was to uncover the main motivations leading volunteers to take part in IAS projects and thus ensure a better and more successful design of future IAS CS project initiatives. A meta-synthesis approach was used to search for, analyze and synthesize the results obtained from the selected publications. Relevant studies were searched for using multiple databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar and Google), using a search string encompassing (through a set of relevant synonyms) the three relevant topics: motivations, citizen science and invasive alien species. Filtering of the resulting documents was performed on several levels, aiming to finally include only those studies with empirical evidence pertaining to the participants’ motivations, leading to the final set of 27 relevant publications. A list of 202 statements pertaining to volunteer motivations was retrieved from the selected documents, and the listed motivations were further assigned to broader motivation categories using an iterative coding approach. The process of iterative categorization of the motivation statements yielded 16 different motivations affecting the participation of volunteers in IAS CS actions. These motivations have been further divided into those which are primarily environmental (supporting IAS management, helping the environment and protecting native species and habitats), those with a social connotation (social interaction, community responsibility and contribution to science) and those which are more personal (learning something new, personal and career development, feeling of accomplishment, health and wellbeing, enjoyment and fun). Some of the listed motivations are influenced by more than one aspect. For example, outdoor recreation, contact with nature and attachment to a particular place are motivations which refer to both a personal and an environmental aspect, while wanting to share existing knowledge and livelihood/food/income protection or opportunities are equally part of the social and personal aspect of motivations. An important outcome of this research is its recognition of previously unreported motivations, unique to IAS CS initiatives: 1) supporting invasive alien species (IAS) management, 2) protecting native species and habitats, and 3) livelihood/food/income protection or opportunities, as these aspects could be the cornerstones of future IAS CS project campaign

A review of volunteers’ motivations to monitor and control invasive alien species

People make an important contribution to the study and management of biological invasions, as many monitoring and control projects rely heavily on volunteer assistance. Understanding the reasons why people participate in such projects is critical for successful recruitment and retention of volunteers. We used a meta-synthesis approach to extract, analyze and synthesize the available information from 28 selected studies investigating motivations of volunteers to engage in monitoring and control of invasive alien species (IAS). Our findings show how motivations fit three broad themes, reflecting environmental concerns, social motivations, and personal reasons. An important outcome of this study is the description of motivations that are unique to the IAS context: supporting IAS management, protecting native species and habitats, and livelihood/food/income protection or opportunities. In addition, our study reflects on important methodological choices for investigating volunteer motivations as well as ethical issues that may arise in practice. We conclude with a set of recommendations for project design and future research on volunteer motivations in IAS contexts, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with social scientists

Novel tools and best practices for education about invasive alien species

Increasing public awareness is a prerequisite for successful management of invasive alien species (IAS). Environmental education can play an important role in this process by providing relevant learning outcomes and experiences for youth and students, as well as professionals in different sectors associated with introduction pathways or who are involved in mitigation and eradication of IAS. This paper responds to the urgent call for the inclusion of the IAS topic in education through the development, implementation and evaluation of novel and user-friendly educational materials. The aim of this paper is to describe best practices in IAS education and to share the lessons learned from eight educational projects from seven different countries. We discuss four challenges for IAS education, related to (1) inconsistent and ambiguous terminology, (2) communicating risk, (3) implementation of education materials, and (4) evaluation of learning effects. Examples of best practices are the use of smartphone applications and gaming elements, place-based education and exhibitions. We also note the importance of open access publishing of education materials to make them easily available. We intend this discussion to serve as a source of inspiration to researchers, science communicators and teachers and to spur the development of new teaching materials worldwide.Peer reviewe

Stakeholder engagement in the study and management of invasive alien species

Invasive alien species are a major driver of global environmental change and a range of management interventions are needed to manage their effects on biodiversity, ecosystem services, human well-being and local livelihoods. Stakeholder engagement is widely advocated to integrate diverse knowledge and perspectives in the management of invasive species and to deal with potential conflicts of interest. We reviewed the literature in the ISI Web of Science on stakeholder engagement (the process of involving stakeholders (actors) in decision making, management actions and knowledge creation) in invasion science to assess and understand what has been done (looking at approaches and methodologies used, stakeholders involved, and outcomes from engagement) and to make recommendations for future work. Research on stakeholder engagement in invasion science has increased over the last decade, helping to improve scientific knowledge and contributing towards policy formulation and co-implementation of management. However, many challenges remain and engagement could be made more effective. For example, most studies engage only one stakeholder group passively using questionnaires, primarily for assessing local knowledge and perceptions. Although useful for management and policy planning, these stakeholders are not active participants and there is no two-way flow of knowledge. To make stakeholder involvement more useful, we encourage more integrative and collaborative engagement to (1) improve co-design, co-creation and co-implementation of research and management actions; (2) promote social learning and provide feedback to stakeholders; (3) enhance collaboration and partnerships beyond the natural sciences and academia (interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration); and (4) discuss some practical and policy suggestions for improving stakeholder engagement in invasion science research and management. This will help facilitate different stakeholders to work better together, allowing problems associated with biological invasions to be tackled more holistically and successfully

Alien plant species: environmental risks in agricultural and agro-forest landscapes under climate change

Alien plant species have been essential for farming and agro-forestry systems and for their supply of food, fiber, tannins, resins or wood from antiquity to the present. They also contributed to supporting functions and regulating services (water, soil, biodiversity) and to the design of landscapes with high cultural and scenic value. Some of those species were intentionally introduced, others arrived accidentally, and a small proportion escaped, naturalized and became invasive in natural ecosystems—these are known as invasive alien species (IAS). Here, invasive means that these species have some significant negative impact, either by spreading from human-controlled environments (e.g. fields, gardens) to natural ecosystems, where they can cause problems to native species, or to other production systems or urban areas, impacting on agricultural, forestry activities or human health. Socio-environmental impacts associated with plant invasions have been increasingly recognized worldwide and are expected to increase considerably under changing climate or land use. Early detection tools are key to anticipate IAS and to prevent and control their impacts. In this chapter, we focus on crop and non-crop alien plant species for which there is evidence or prediction of invasive behaviour and impacts. We provide insights on their history, patterns, risks, early detection, forecasting and management under climate change. Specifically, we start by providing a general overview on the history of alien plant species in agricultural and agroforestry systems worldwide. Then, we assess patterns, risks and impacts resulting from alien plants originally cultivated and that became invasive outside cultivation areas. Afterwards, we provide several considerations for managing the spread of invasive plant species in the landscape. Finally, we discuss challenges of alien plant invasions for agricultural and agroforest systems, in the light of climate change.Joana R. Vicente was supported by POPH/FSE and FCT (Post-Doc grant SFRH/BPD/84044/2012). Ana Sofia Vaz was supported by FSE/MEC and FCT (Ph.D. grant PD/ BD/52600/2014). Ana Isabel Queiroz supported by FCT—the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UID/HIS/04209/2013 and IF/00222/2013/CP1166/CT0001]. This work received financial support from the European Union (FEDER funds POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006821) and National Funds (FCT/MEC, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministério da Educação e Ciência) under the Partnership Agreement PT2020 UID/BIA/50027/201

Explaining people’s perceptions of invasive alien species:A conceptual framework

Human perceptions of nature and the environment are increasingly being recognised as important for environmental management and conservation. Understanding people's perceptions is crucial for understanding behaviour and developing effective management strategies to maintain, preserve and improve biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. As an interdisciplinary team, we produced a synthesis of the key factors that influence people's perceptions of invasive alien species, and ordered them in a conceptual framework. In a context of considerable complexity and variation across time and space, we identified six broad-scale dimensions: (1) attributes of the individual perceiving the invasive alien species; (2) characteristics of the invasive alien species itself; (3) effects of the invasion (including negative and positive impacts, i.e. benefits and costs); (4) socio-cultural context; (5) landscape context; and (6) institutional and policy context. A number of underlying and facilitating aspects for each of these six overarching dimensions are also identified and discussed. Synthesising and understanding the main factors that influence people's perceptions is useful to guide future research, to facilitate dialogue and negotiation between actors, and to aid management and policy formulation and governance of invasive alien species. This can help to circumvent and mitigate conflicts, support prioritisation plans, improve stakeholder engagement platforms, and implement control measures

Global Actions for Managing Cactus Invasions

The family Cactaceae Juss. contains some of the most widespread and damaging invasive alien plant species in the world, with Australia (39 species), South Africa (35) and Spain (24) being the main hotspots of invasion. The Global Cactus Working Group (IOBC GCWG) was launched in 2015 to improve international collaboration and identify key actions that can be taken to limit the impacts caused by cactus invasions worldwide. Based on the results of an on-line survey, information collated from a review of the scientific and grey literature, expertise of the authors, and because invasiveness appears to vary predictably across the family, we (the IOBC GCWG): (1) recommend that invasive and potentially invasive cacti are regulated, and to assist with this, propose five risk categories; (2) recommend that cactus invasions are treated physically or chemically before they become widespread; (3) advocate the use of biological control to manage widespread invasive species; and (4) encourage the development of public awareness and engagement initiatives to integrate all available knowledge and perspectives in the development and implementation of management actions, and address conflicts of interest, especially with the agricultural and ornamental sectors. Implementing these recommendations will require global co-operation. The IOBC GCWG aims to assist with this process through the dissemination of information and experienc