Moussab/ORKG-training-evaluation-set huggingface dataset:
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Ecological resistance to Acer negundo invasion in a European riparian forest: relative importance of environmental and biotic drivers
Abstract: Question The relative importance of environmental vs. biotic resistance of recipient ecological communities remains poorly understood in invasion ecology. Acer negundo, a North American tree, has widely invaded riparian forests throughout Europe at the ecotone between early- (Salix spp. and Populus spp.) and late-successional (Fraxinus spp.) species. However, it is not present in the upper part of the Rhone River, where native Alnus incana occurs at an intermediate position along the successional riparian gradient. Is this absence of the invasive tree due to environmental or biotic resistance of the recipient communities, and in particular due to the presence of Alnus? Location Upper Rhone River, France. Methods We undertook a transplant experiment in an Alnus-dominated community along the Upper Rhone River, where we compared Acer negundo survival and growth, with and without biotic interactions (tree and herb layer effects), to those of four native tree species from differing successional positions in the Upper Rhone communities (P. alba, S. alba, F. excelsior and Alnus incana). Results Without biotic interactions Acer negundo performed similarly to native species, suggesting that the Upper Rhone floodplain is not protected from Acer invasion by a simple abiotic barrier. In contrast, this species performed less well than F. excelsior and Alnus incana in environments with intact tree and/or herb layers. Alnus showed the best growth rate in these conditions, indicating biotic resistance of the native plant community. Conclusions We did not find evidence for an abiotic barrier to Acer negundo invasion of the Upper Rhone River floodplain communities, but our results suggest a biotic resistance. In particular, we demonstrated that (i) additive competitive effects of the tree and herb layer led to Acer negundo suppression and (ii) Alnus incana grew more rapidly than Acer negundo in this intermediate successional niche.
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Invasiveness of Ammophila arenaria: Release from soil-borne pathogens?
Abstract: The Natural Enemies Hypothesis (i.e., introduced species experience release from their natural enemies) is a common explanation for why invasive species are so successful. We tested this hypothesis for Ammophila arenaria (Poaceae: European beachgrass), an aggressive plant invading the coastal dunes of California, USA, by comparing the demographic effects of belowground pathogens on A. arenaria in its introduced range to those reported in its native range. European research on A. arenaria in its native range has established that soil-borne pathogens, primarily nematodes and fungi, reduce A. arenaria's growth. In a greenhouse experiment designed to parallel European studies, seeds and 2-wk-old seedlings were planted in sterilized and nonsterilized soil collected from the A. arenaria root zone in its introduced range of California. We assessed the effects of pathogens via soil sterilization on three early performance traits: seed germination, seedling survival, and plant growth. We found that seed germinatio...
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Diversity and abundance patterns of phytophagous insect communities on alien and native host plants in the Brassicaceae
Abstract: The herbivore load (abundance and species richness of herbivores) on alien plants is supposed to be one of the keys to understand the invasiveness of species. We investigate the phytophagous insect communities on cabbage plants (Brassicaceae) in Europe. We compare the communities of endophagous and ectophagous insects as well as of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera on native and alien cabbage plant species. Contrary to many other reports, we found no differences in the herbivore load between native and alien hosts. The majority of insect species attacked alien as well as native hosts. Across insect species, there was no difference in the patterns of host range on native and on alien hosts. Likewise the similarity of insect communities across pairs of host species was not different between natives and aliens. We conclude that the general similarity in the community patterns between native and alien cabbage plant species are due to the chemical characteristics of this plant family. All cabbage plants share glucosinolates. This may facilitate host switches from natives to aliens. Hence the presence of native congeners may influence invasiveness of alien plants.
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Plant-soil biota interactions and spatial distribution of black cherry in its native and invasive ranges
Abstract: One explanation for the higher abundance of invasive species in their non-native than native ranges is the escape from natural enemies. But there are few experimental studies comparing the parallel impact of enemies (or competitors and mutualists) on a plant species in its native and invaded ranges, and release from soil pathogens has been rarely investigated. Here we present evidence showing that the invasion of black cherry (Prunus serotina) into north-western Europe is facilitated by the soil community. In the native range in the USA, the soil community that develops near black cherry inhibits the establishment of neighbouring conspecifics and reduces seedling performance in the greenhouse. In contrast, in the non-native range, black cherry readily establishes in close proximity to conspecifics, and the soil community enhances the growth of its seedlings. Understanding the effects of soil organisms on plant abundance will improve our ability to predict and counteract plant invasions.
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Phytophagous insects of giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum (Apiaceae) in invaded areas of Europe and in its native area of the Caucasus
Abstract: Giant hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzianum (Apiaceae), was introduced from the Caucasus into Western Europe more than 150 years ago and later became an invasive weed which created major problems for European authorities. Phytophagous insects were collected in the native range of the giant hogweed (Caucasus) and were compared to those found on plants in the invaded parts of Europe. The list of herbivores was compiled from surveys of 27 localities in nine countries during two seasons. In addition, litera- ture records for herbivores were analysed for a total of 16 Heracleum species. We recorded a total of 265 herbivorous insects on Heracleum species and we analysed them to describe the herbivore assemblages, locate vacant niches, and identify the most host- specific herbivores on H. mantegazzianum. When combining our investigations with similar studies of herbivores on other invasive weeds, all studies show a higher proportion of specialist herbivores in the native habitats compared to the invaded areas, supporting the "enemy release hypothesis" (ERH). When analysing the relative size of the niches (measured as plant organ biomass), we found less herbivore species per biomass on the stem and roots, and more on the leaves (Fig. 5). Most herbivores were polyphagous gener- alists, some were found to be oligophagous (feeding within the same family of host plants) and a few had only Heracleum species as host plants (monophagous). None were known to feed exclusively on H. mantegazzianum. The oligophagous herbivores were restricted to a few taxonomic groups, especially within the Hemiptera, and were particularly abundant on this weed.
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: The invasive shrub Buddleja davidii performs better in its introduced range
Abstract: It is commonly assumed that invasive plants grow more vigorously in their introduced than in their native range, which is then attributed to release from natural enemies or to microevolutionary changes, or both. However, few studies have tested this assumption by comparing the performance of invasive species in their native vs. introduced ranges. Here, we studied abundance, growth, reproduction, and herbivory in 10 native Chinese and 10 invasive German populations of the invasive shrub Buddleja davidii (Scrophulariaceae; butterfly bush). We found strong evidence for increased plant vigour in the introduced range: plants in invasive populations were significantly taller and had thicker stems, larger inflorescences, and heavier seeds than plants in native populations. These differences in plant performance could not be explained by a more benign climate in the introduced range. Since leaf herbivory was substantially reduced in invasive populations, our data rather suggest that escape from natural enemies, associated with increased plant growth and reproduction, contributes to the invasion success of B. davidii in Central Europe.
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Release from foliar and floral fungal pathogen species does not explain the geographic spread of naturalized North American plants in Europe
Abstract: 1 During the last centuries many alien species have established and spread in new regions, where some of them cause large ecological and economic problems. As one of the main explanations of the spread of alien species, the enemy‐release hypothesis is widely accepted and frequently serves as justification for biological control. 2 We used a global fungus–plant host distribution data set for 140 North American plant species naturalized in Europe to test whether alien plants are generally released from foliar and floral pathogens, whether they are mainly released from pathogens that are rare in the native range, and whether geographic spread of the North American plant species in Europe is associated with release from fungal pathogens. 3 We show that the 140 North American plant species naturalized in Europe were released from 58% of their foliar and floral fungal pathogen species. However, when we also consider fungal pathogens of the native North American host range that in Europe so far have only been reported on other plant species, the estimated release is reduced to 10.3%. Moreover, in Europe North American plants have mainly escaped their rare, pathogens, of which the impact is restricted to few populations. Most importantly and directly opposing the enemy‐release hypothesis, geographic spread of the alien plants in Europe was negatively associated with their release from fungal pathogens. 4 Synthesis. North American plants may have escaped particular fungal species that control them in their native range, but based on total loads of fungal species, release from foliar and floral fungal pathogens does not explain the geographic spread of North American plant species in Europe. To test whether enemy release is the major driver of plant invasiveness, we urgently require more studies comparing release of invasive and non‐invasive alien species from enemies of different guilds, and studies that assess the actual impact of the enemies.
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Caterpillar assemblages on introduced blue spruce. differences from native Norway spruce 
Abstract: Blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.) is native to the central and southern Rocky Mountains of the USA (DAUBENMIRE, 1972), from where it has been introduced to other parts of North America, Europe, etc. In Central Europe, blue spruce was mostly planted in ornamental settings in urban areas, Christmas tree plantations and forests too. In the Slovak Republic, blue spruce has patchy distribution. Its scattered stands cover the area of 2,618 ha and 0.14% of the forest area (data from the National Forest Centre, Zvolen). Compared to the Slovak Republic, the area afforested with blue spruce in the Czech Republic is much larger –8,741 ha and 0.4% of the forest area (KRIVANEK et al., 2006, UHUL, 2006). Plantations of blue spruce in the Czech Republic were largely established in the western and north-western parts of the country (BERAN and SINDELAR, 1996; BALCAR et al., 2008b).
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Virulence of soil-borne pathogens and invasion by Prunus serotina
Abstract: *Globally, exotic invaders threaten biodiversity and ecosystem function. Studies often report that invading plants are less affected by enemies in their invaded vs home ranges, but few studies have investigated the underlying mechanisms. *Here, we investigated the variation in prevalence, species composition and virulence of soil-borne Pythium pathogens associated with the tree Prunus serotina in its native US and non-native European ranges by culturing, DNA sequencing and controlled pathogenicity trials. *Two controlled pathogenicity experiments showed that Pythium pathogens from the native range caused 38-462% more root rot and 80-583% more seedling mortality, and 19-45% less biomass production than Pythium from the non-native range. DNA sequencing indicated that the most virulent Pythium taxa were sampled only from the native range. The greater virulence of Pythium sampled from the native range therefore corresponded to shifts in species composition across ranges rather than variation within a common Pythium species. *Prunus serotina still encounters Pythium in its non-native range but encounters less virulent taxa. Elucidating patterns of enemy virulence in native and nonnative ranges adds to our understanding of how invasive plants escape disease. Moreover, this strategy may identify resident enemies in the non-native range that could be used to manage invasive plants.
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Macroparasite Fauna of Alien Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis): Composition, Variability and Implications for Native Species
Abstract: Introduced hosts populations may benefit of an "enemy release" through impoverishment of parasite communities made of both few imported species and few acquired local ones. Moreover, closely related competing native hosts can be affected by acquiring introduced taxa (spillover) and by increased transmission risk of native parasites (spillback). We determined the macroparasite fauna of invasive grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in Italy to detect any diversity loss, introduction of novel parasites or acquisition of local ones, and analysed variation in parasite burdens to identify factors that may increase transmission risk for native red squirrels (S. vulgaris). Based on 277 grey squirrels sampled from 7 populations characterised by different time scales in introduction events, we identified 7 gastro-intestinal helminths and 4 parasite arthropods. Parasite richness is lower than in grey squirrel's native range and independent from introduction time lags. The most common parasites are Nearctic nematodes Strongyloides robustus (prevalence: 56.6%) and Trichostrongylus calcaratus (6.5%), red squirrel flea Ceratophyllus sciurorum (26.0%) and Holarctic sucking louse Neohaematopinus sciuri (17.7%). All other parasites are European or cosmopolitan species with prevalence below 5%. S. robustus abundance is positively affected by host density and body mass, C. sciurorum abundance increases with host density and varies with seasons. Overall, we show that grey squirrels in Italy may benefit of an enemy release, and both spillback and spillover processes towards native red squirrels may occur.
Extracted statement — Continent: Europe
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: A phylogenetic approach towards understanding the drivers of plant invasiveness on Robben Island- South Africa
Abstract: Invasive plant species are a considerable threat to ecosystems globally and on islands in particular where species diversity can be relatively low. In this study, we examined the phylogenetic basis of invasion success on Robben Island in South Africa. The flora of the island was sampled extensively and the phylogeny of the local community was reconstructed using the two core DNA barcode regions, rbcLa and matK. By analysing the phylogenetic patterns of native and invasive floras at two different scales, we found that invasive alien species are more distantly related to native species, a confirmation of Darwin's naturalization hypothesis. However, this pattern also holds even for randomly generated communities, therefore discounting the explanatory power of Darwin's naturalization hypothesis as the unique driver of invasion success on the island. These findings suggest that the drivers of invasion success on the island may be linked to species traits rather than their evolutionary history alone, or to the combination thereof. This result also has implications for the invasion management programmes currently being implemented to rehabilitate the native diversity on Robben Island. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 172, 142–152.
Extracted statement — Continent: Africa
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Re-colonisation rate differs between co-existing indigenous and invasive intertidal mussels following major disturbance
Abstract: The potential of introduced species to become invasive is often linked to their ability to colonise disturbed habitats rapidly. We studied the effects of major disturbance by severe storms on the indigenous mussel Perna perna and the invasive mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in sympatric intertidal populations on the south coast of South Africa. At the study sites, these species dominate different shore levels and co-exist in the mid mussel zone. We tested the hypotheses that in the mid- zone P. perna would suffer less dislodgment than M. galloprovincialis, because of its greater tenacity, while M. galloprovincialis would respond with a higher re-colonisation rate. We estimated the per- cent cover of the 2 mussels in the mid-zone from photographs, once before severe storms and 3 times afterwards. M. galloprovincialis showed faster re-colonisation and 3 times more cover than P. perna 1 and 1.5 yr after the storms (when populations had recovered). Storm-driven dislodgment in the mid- zone was highest for the species that initially dominated at each site, conforming to the concept of compensatory mortality. This resulted in similar cover of the 2 species immediately after the storms. Thus, the storm wave forces exceeded the tenacity even of P. perna, while the higher recruitment rate of M. galloprovincialis can explain its greater colonisation ability. We predict that, because of its weaker attachment strength, M. galloprovincialis will be largely excluded from open coast sites where wave action is generally stronger, but that its greater capacity for exploitation competition through re-colonisation will allow it to outcompete P. perna in more sheltered areas (especially in bays) that are periodically disturbed by storms.
Extracted statement — Continent: Africa
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Human activity facilitates altitudinal expansion of exotic plants along a road in montane grassland, South Africa
Abstract: ABSTRACT Question: Do anthropogenic activities facilitate the distribution of exotic plants along steep altitudinal gradients? Location: Sani Pass road, Grassland biome, South Africa. Methods: On both sides of this road, presence and abundance of exotic plants was recorded in four 25-m long road-verge plots and in parallel 25 m × 2 m adjacent land plots, nested at five altitudinal levels: 1500, 1800, 2100, 2400 and 2700 m a.s.l. Exotic community structure was analyzed using Canonical Correspondence Analysis while a two-level nested Generalized Linear Model was fitted for richness and cover of exotics. We tested the upper altitudinal limits for all exotics along this road for spatial clustering around four potential propagule sources using a t-test. Results: Community structure, richness and abundance of exotics were negatively correlated with altitude. Greatest invasion by exotics was recorded for adjacent land at the 1500 m level. Of the 45 exotics, 16 were found at higher altitudes than expected and observations were spatially clustered around potential propagule sources. Conclusions: Spatial clustering of upper altitudinal limits around human inhabited areas suggests that exotics originate from these areas, while exceeding expected altitudinal limits suggests that distribution ranges of exotics are presently underestimated. Exotics are generally characterised by a high propagule pressure and/or persistent seedbanks, thus future tarring of the Sani Pass may result in an increase of exotic species richness and abundance. This would initially result from construction-related soil disturbance and subsequently from increased traffic, water run-off, and altered fire frequency. We suggest examples of management actions to prevent this. Nomenclature: Germishuizen & Meyer (2003).
Extracted statement — Continent: Africa
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Modeling Invasive Plant Spread: The Role of Plant-Environment Interactions and Model Structure
Abstract: Alien plants invade many ecosystems worldwide and often have substantial negative effects on ecosystem structure and functioning. Our ability to quantitatively predict these impacts is, in part, limited by the absence of suitable plant-spread models and by inadequate parameter estimates for such models. This paper explores the effects of model, plant, and environmental attributes on predicted rates and patterns of spread of alien pine trees (Pinus spp.) in South African fynbos (a mediterranean-type shrubland). A factorial experimental design was used to: (1) compare the predictions of a simple reaction-diffusion model and a spatially explicit, individual-based simulation model; (2) investigate the sensitivity of predicted rates and patterns of spread to parameter values; and (3) quantify the effects of the simulation model's spatial grain on its predictions. The results show that the spatial simulation model places greater emphasis on interactions among ecological processes than does the reaction-diffusion model. This ensures that the predictions of the two models differ substantially for some factor combinations. The most important factor in the model is dispersal ability. Fire frequency, fecundity, and age of reproductive maturity are less important, while adult mortality has little effect on the model's predictions. The simulation model's predictions are sensitive to the model's spatial grain. This suggests that simulation models that use matrices as a spatial framework should ensure that the spatial grain of the model is compatible with the spatial processes being modeled. We conclude that parameter estimation and model development must be integrated pro- cedures. This will ensure that the model's structure is compatible with the biological pro- cesses being modeled. Failure to do so may result in spurious predictions.
Extracted statement — Continent: Africa