bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential of mollusc culture in Bangladesh.
Authors: Matin A. K. M Abdul
Published: April 2021

Development of mollusc culture as a livelihood option for rural coastal fisher folk in Bangladesh is now being considered. All the cultural requirements of molluscs are available in Bangladesh. It has been estimated that there are about 450 species of molluscs, but the two most commercially important species (green mussel, Perna viridis; oyster, Crassostrea sp.) have been chosen to assess their potential for aquaculture. The proposed site (St. Martin's Island) is most suitable for the species being considered. Although not locally consumed, molluscs have an international market. Resource personnel, skilled and semi-skilled as well as institutional facilities to implement mollusc culture are also present in the country. Therefore, it can firmly be stated that Bangladesh has great potential for mollusc culture.
Pangas pond culture in Bangladesh.
Authors: Huq Khandaker , Shafiq-ur-Rahman
Published: April 2021

Culture of indigenous pangas (Pangasius pangasius) started in 1945 in Khulna region and was dependent on natural fish fry. Exotic Thai pangas (Pangasius hypophthalmus, previously Pangasius sutchi) was introduced to Bangladesh in 1990 from Thailand by the Department of Fisheries. Induced breeding of Thai pangas was introduced by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute in 1993. Pangas is omnivorous. It can tolerate a wide range of physico-chemical parameters. The survival rate of Thai pangas is 85-95% with a production rate of 20-30 t ha-1 yr-1. Both mono and polyculture are practiced in Bangladesh. Recently, cage culture of pangas has been introduced.
Inland saline area shrimp and finfish farms in the Southern USA.
Authors: Treece Granvil , Adami Robert
Published: April 2021

Mexico got started in inland brackish water shrimp culture in 1996 and reported 135 ha dedicated to inland culture by 2001. Jory et al. (2003) listed 28 inland farms in Mexico. Treece (2002) described six shrimp and finfish farms in West Texas, USA that utilized salt water trapped below the ground. The aquifer that the shrimp farms use in the Imperial area (Texas) is the Cenozoic Alluvium, water remaining from the Permian Sea. All farms draw from the same source. Salinity varies from 10 ppt to 15 ppt. There are no fresh water zones in that area, and no discharge water leaves any of the farms. This water is not used in any other form of agriculture on a large scale. All soils are basically red clay in the Pecos River Basin. The farms are utilizing 'organic culture' as much as possible and they all try to stay as natural as possible with the culture techniques, to better utilize niche markets. The original research and development project in West Texas started in 1972 when two gravel pit operators decided to stock the brackish water pits with red drum and marine shrimp. Inland shrimp farms were built in Texas in the 1980s, but none were sustainable until recently. Interest was renewed after a research project was conducted in Imperial, Texas by Texas A&M University, the Texas General Land Office and the Pecos County Water District #3 in 1992. Commercial operations began to build ponds in the Pecos and Ward county area in the Pecos River Delta. An example of a 26 hectare inland saline shrimp culture facility can be seen in Pictures (Permian Sea Shrimp Company in Imperial, Texas). Multiple ponds utilize a common drain and harvest area. The white spots on each pond are the result of paddlewheel aerators.
Inland pond culture in Israel.
Authors: Milstein Ana , Sarig Shmuel
Published: April 2021

Israel is located in a semi-arid zone and has no major rivers or underground freshwater sources. In spite of the climatic constraints and water shortage, aquaculture is highly developed. Freshwater pond fish culture is practiced in the northern part of the country, in low areas that once were swamps. This is an entrepreneurial activity that combines the ecological principles of the Chinese polyculture system with technologies and objectives (profit and dividends) of intensive industrial fish production systems. There has been a trend towards intensification as indicated by a decrease of available land for fish ponds and an increase in the yield per unit area. Automation, computerization and the use of high quality feeds, automatic feeders, aerators, harvesting devices of several types and heavy machinery allow high stocking densities (15,000-25,000 fish ha-1), yields of 8-15 t ha-1 year-1 using 5-8 m3 water kg-1 fish produced (depending on the degree of water recirculation between ponds), and saving labour that is an expensive resource in the country.
Institution and governance - PROSHIKA's role as a civil society organization in aquaculture.
Authors: Rahman Md.
Published: April 2021

PROSHIKA is one of the largest non-government development organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh. It is an acronym for three Bangla words, viz. proshikshan (training), shiksha (education) and kaj (action). Since its inception, PROSHIKA has made efforts to generate a participatory process of development and has succeeded in pioneering an approach that puts human development at the centre. The central ethos is human development and empowerment of the poor who gradually stand to achieve freedom from poverty themselves. The process is founded upon the understanding that poverty reduction and promotion of sustainable development are dependent on human and material capacity building of the poor to enable their socioeconomic and cultural empowerment. PROSHIKA implements an aquaculture programme through groups, federations and community-based organisations (CBOs) linked with government, national and international organisations and NGOs to promote access to water-bodies and to lobby with policy-makers for sustainable management of aquatic resources. PROSHIKA has enabled 256,000 men and women to directly benefit from the formation of private institutions undertaking policy development.
Harvesting and marketing of mud crab in Bangladesh.
Authors: Kamal Dipak
Published: April 2021

The mud crab (Scylla olivacea) is the brackish water resource with the most potential in Bangladesh after shrimp. It is widely distributed in coastal waters, including mangroves, tidal rivers and estuaries, and vast areas of traditional tide-fed shrimp ponds. The mud crab fishery is entirely capture-based and export-oriented with more than 50,000 persons involved in fishing, transportation, trading and export. The species is harvested from wild sources and black tiger shrimp ponds throughout coastal areas of Bangladesh using traditional craft and gear. Due to good price and high demand on the international market and absence of alternate income options for coastal communities, increased fishing intensity has already resulted in severe decline in natural stocks of mud crab over the last decade. Consequently, the catch per unit effort (CPUE) production and export earnings have also declined significantly over the past few years. To increase the natural stock of the resource, it is urgent to introduce both stock enhancement and aquaculture of mud crab in Bangladesh. Post harvest transportation and marketing also need to be improved to reduce high handling and transportation mortality (>30%) of harvested crabs.
Helping ourselves - the role of self-help groups in poverty alleviation through aquaculture.
Authors: Haylor Graham
Published: April 2021

Self-help groups (SHGs) are ways for farmers and fishers, especially those who are poor, to come together and work together. They can be a useful entry point for outsiders, promote a supportive local environment, strengthen voices in decision-making and in negotiations with more powerful forces, increase the effectiveness of local actions, and provide easier access to micro-credit and other resources and services. This case study describes a rural aquaculture development context, in India, the development of SHGs and the concept of a 'one-stop aqua shop', set up and run by a federation of self-help groups in Kaipara village, West Bengal (a pilot state along with Jharkhand and Orissa). It outlines testing new ways to share information, as part of a series of revised procedures and institutional arrangements for service delivery recommended by farmers and fishers and prioritized by government, with support from the Department for International Development (DFID) Natural Resources Support Programme (NRSP) and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) to the Support to Regional Aquatic Resources Management (STREAM) Initiative.
Grouper pond culture in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam.
Authors: Le Anh Tuan
Published: April 2021

In Vietnam, pond culture of marine finfish including mullet, milkfish and seabass has been developed since the 1960s (Dao, 1996) and significant expansion took place in the early 1990s with the appearance of a live fish market. Groupers (Epinephelus akaara, E. bleekeri, E. coioides, E. fuscoguttatus, E. malabaricus, E. merra and E. sexfasciatus) are currently among the major cultured species. There are approximately 500 ha of coastal pond culture of marine finfish in Vietnam producing more than 1,000 t of products, mainly groupers with a farm gate value of more than VND100 billion (more than US$7 million) in 2003. Khanh Hoa, a province in the south of central Vietnam with an area of 5,258 km2 and a population of approximately 1 million, is one of major localities producing groupers in ponds with a total estimated production of 100 t in 2003. This case study reviews the current status of pond culture of groupers, and identifies major technical, economic and social constraints to further development in Khanh Hoa province as well as elsewhere.
GIS for land evaluation of watershed aquaculture development in Thainguyen, Vietnam.
Authors: Giap Dao Huy
Published: April 2021

This study was conducted in the Daitu district of Thainguyen, Vietnam during November 2001 to January 2003 to identify and estimate potential areas for aquaculture development in a watershed area by integrating socio-economic and environmental data into a geographical information system (GIS) database. Fourteen base layers were used for land evaluation and grouped into four main land use requirements for aquaculture namely: (1) potential for pond construction (slope, land use type, soil thickness and elevation); (2) soil quality (soil type, texture and pH); (3) water availability (distance to water, water sources and precipitation); and (4) geographical and socio-economic factors (population density, distances to roads, local markets and hatcheries). The study demonstrated the usefulness of GIS modelling to select suitable sites for the development of watershed ponds, and the importance of using the data as a tool for planners to develop strategic plans for aquaculture development. The study indicated that about 4.7% (2,725 ha) of the total land area of 57,618 ha in Daitu district was suitable for watershed pond aquaculture, compared to the existing 404 ha of watershed ponds.
Experiment on an integrated rice-fish polyculture system.
Authors: Salem Nhut
Published: April 2021

An experiment was carried out in Vietnam on an integrated rice-fish polyculture system with three species: common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and silver barb (Barbonymus gonionotus). Agricultural by-products were used as supplementary feed at a rate of 2-3% total body weight of fish per day. The total fish yield (823 kg ha-1) and fish production (988 kg ha-1 yr-1) at 2 fish m-2 were significantly higher (p<0.05) than at 1 fish m-2 (453 kg ha-1 and 544 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively). The cost : benefit ratio (1.80) and the cost : profit ratio (1.75) for farm household income at 1 fish m-2 were lower than at 2 fish m-2 (2.08 and 2.02, respectively). This system should be adopted by aquaculture extension programmes to improve rural farmers' income when the market prices for common carp, tilapia and silver barb are sufficiently high to obtain a benefit at the end of the culture cycle.
Culture techniques for Artemia biomass production in salt pans.
Authors: Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh , Nguyen Van Hoa , Nguyen Thi Hong Van
Published: April 2021

Culture techniques for Artemia biomass production in salt pans were studied successfully by Can Tho University and applied on a pilot-scale for several years. The productivity ranged from 0.7 to1 t wet weight ha-1 per month or 2 to 4 t ha-1 per crop (4 to 5 months culture period). In addition to live Artemia biomass, cysts were also harvested at 20 to 30 kg cyst wet weight ha-1 (yielding 30 to 50% of the cyst-oriented production). However, the biomass culture system is not yet well developed and its use is still limited in Vietnam, as its nutritional value is not that well understood, and there is a lack of necessary technology for processing, transporting and preservation of live Artemia.
Crop rotation with penaeid shrimp (Penaeus monodon).
Authors: Huq Khandaker , Rahman Shafiqur
Published: April 2021

In crop rotation different crops may be cultivated within the same year to rejuvenate the environment and reduce pests and diseases. Crop rotation in shrimp farming is not popular in Bangladesh as the shrimp bagda (Penaeus monodon) is much more profitable than growing rice or farming brackish water fish. In traditional and improved traditional farms, it is usual practice to stock seed and harvest shrimp year-round. Viral disease occurred in the 1990s and caused mass mortality of penaeid shrimp. To minimise the risk of disease, there is a need to apply crop rotation techniques of shrimp with rice and finfish on farms in coastal areas, as is carried out by some farmers. Shrimp culture is generally done in the dry season (February-June) when water salinity increases (>10ppt) and ceases in the rainy season (July-August) when salinity decreases (<5ppt) because of heavy rainfall. Depending on salinity, some farmers produce two crops. During February-June they produce shrimp and subsequently they produce rice or freshwater fish.
Carp seed transportation and distribution.
Authors: Hasan Mahmud
Published: April 2021

Carp seed trading has become an important enterprise to make money for hatchery/nursery owners and seed traders, engaging more than 100,000 people in Bangladesh. Aquaculture, in particular carp production, has increased dramatically with the introduction of artificial propagation. The bottleneck of artificial propagation has been removed with successful induced breeding. Induced breeding has been introduced into Bangladesh in the 1980s and since then carp seed production and trading have increasingly become the driving force for the dramatic expansion of aquaculture. Private hatcheries/nurseries have been dominating by producing about 97% of the total seed production. As a result, carp seed trading has become an important entrepreneurship.
Aquaculture for an ethnic minority in the Terai of Nepal.
Authors: Pant Jharendu
Published: April 2021

The Chitwan valley situated in the inner Terai, Nepal, is endowed with a favourable sub-tropical monsoonal climate, rich soil and abundant forest resources. Livelihoods of half of the population in Chitwan depend on farming. The average size of farm holdings is small (about 0.6 ha) with the agricultural system characterized by an integration of crop and livestock sub-systems. Recognizing the possible role of small-scale aquaculture in poverty alleviation in Nepal, the project "Women in Aquaculture in Nepal" aimed at the introduction and development of backyard pond aquaculture. It has been working with small-scale farming households of the traditional fishing communities of the Darai and Tharu in the Chitwan valley. The project has successfully demonstrated the role of backyard pond aquaculture to diversify the farming systems of traditional fishing communities in the Chitwan valley. Whilst farmers operated low-input aquaculture systems, there is scope for significantly increasing fish production through intensification.
African cassava mosaic virus (African cassava mosaic).
Authors: Alabi Olufemi Joseph , Mulenga Rabson M.
Published: April 2021

Cassava is vegetatively propagated therefore ACMV and other CMGs are primarily transmitted via movement of contaminated cuttings. Consequently, introductions of specific CMGs into new localities mirror patterns of cassava cuttings exchange among farmers. Once infected cuttings are planted, the virus establishes easily and can be transmitted within and between fields through the feeding behaviour of the whitefly vector, Bemisia tabaci. ACMV is particularly invasive in that it is the most widespread of all known CMGs, occurring across all cassava-producing countries of Africa in cassava and several alternative host plants (Thottappilly et al., 2003; Alabi et al. 2015). ACMV has also been reported infecting non-cultivated exotic cotton species in Pakistan (Nawaz-Ul-Rehman et al., 2012) further underscoring its invasive nature. Yield loss due to CMD can range from 12 to 82%, depending on the cassava variety and infection type (Owor et al., 2004). ACMV is not on the IUCN or ISSG alert list.
Phyllostachys flexuosa (drooping timber bamboo).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

A datasheet on Phyllostachys flexuosa covering, as an economically important bamboo or rattan, its taxonomy, importance, cultivation, distribution, biology and ecology, uses, products and pests.
Ipomoea nil (white edge morning-glory).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Ipomoea nil is a climber species that has been widely cultivated as a garden ornamental across tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions of the world. It is an aggressive and opportunistic colonizer producing stems that either twine into other plants for support or sprawl along the ground. It has escaped from cultivation and become widely naturalized and invasive, primarily in areas near cultivation, disturbed areas and forest edges. Currently, I. nil is listed as invasive in China, India, Philippines, Spain, Galapagos, Cuba, and on several islands in the Pacific Region.
Digitaria eriantha (pangola grass).
Authors: Vélez-Gavilán Jeanine
Published: April 2021

D. eriantha is a perennial grass not considered as a serious weed in some countries, but a competitive and aggressive weed in others (PROTA, 2016; Tropical Forages, 2016; Weeds of Australia, 2016). The species is listed as invasive in Central America (Costa Rica), the Caribbean (Cuba), South America (Colombia, Ecuador) and Oceania (Australia, USA-Hawaii) (Oviedo Prieto et al., 2012; PIER, 2016). Catasús Guerra (2015), however, argues that the species should not be on the list of the invasive species for Cuba, due to lack of spread as it is being over-grazed and not producing viable seeds. It is on the list of the top 200 most invasive species in Queensland, Australia, forming dense populations in riparian areas, open woodlands and on some beaches (Weeds of Australia, 2016).
Paspalum fasciculatum (bull grass).
Authors: Ventosa-Febles Eduardo A.
Published: April 2021

Paspalum fasciculatum, commonly known as Bamboo Grass, is native to the Americas, from south Mexico to Argentina (Randall, 2012). It is a serious pasture weed in areas of fertile, poorly drained soils in the tropical Americas. It can influence abiotic ecosystem processes and significantly alter ecological community composition. In Trinidad, although only partially distributed across the region, it negatively impacts over 50% of the biodiversity where it is found, and its invasiveness has been ranked as 'medium'. It is a common weed in banana plantations and oil palm in Costa Rica and along borders of streams, and swamps at low altitudes from southern Mexico to Ecuador and Argentina.
Ambrosia tenuifolia (lacy ragweed).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Ambrosia tenuifolia is a pioneer herb native to temperate South America that has been introduced in Europe, North America, Southern Africa, Oceania and the Middle East. It competes well in highly disturbed sites where it can become dominant or co-dominant. It propagates by seeds and vegetatively by ramets allowing it to rapidly spread and colonize new areas. Ambrosia tenuifolia is a fast-growing species with the potential to multiply the surface of colonization many times over in a short space of time.
Eragrostis ciliaris (gophertail lovegrass).
Authors: Duenas-Lopez Manuel Angel
Published: April 2021

Eragrostis ciliaris is a loose-clump-forming, annual to short-lived perennial grass, native to the Paleotropics. It is naturalized in parts of tropical America and the Pacific Islands. It is a common weed on roadsides cultivated land and disturbed sites. E. ciliaris is included in the list of weeds affecting rice crops globally. It is cited as invasive in some Pacific islands (Guam, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia), the Hawaiian Islands and in Cuba.
Clerodendrum lindleyi (clerodendrum).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Clerodendrum lindleyi is a perennial shrub native to tropical Asia cultivated as an ornamental for its attractive foliage and flowers and for medicinalpurposes. C. lindleyi is listed as invasive only in Cuba, where it is regarded as a garden escapee that rapidly invades disturbed sites such as pastures and roadsides.
Cardamine flexuosa (wavy bittercress).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Cardamine flexuosa is a fast-growing herb that often behaves as a weed in both disturbed and undisturbed sites. It is native to Europe and found throughout much of Asia, and has naturalized in North and South America, South Africa and Australia. This species flowers vigorously and forms dense understorey root mats that alter successional processes and displace native plant species. C. flexuosa is a common agricultural weed in paddy fields, crop gardens and orchards and a common weed of gardens, greenhouses and lawns. It is listed as invasive in Myanmar, the Philippines, Hawaii, Cook Islands, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands and the Bahamas.
Cynoglossum amabile (Chinese forget-me-not).
Authors: Kaufman Sylvan
Published: April 2021

Cynoglossum amabile is a perennial herb in warmer climates but also grows as an annual in cooler climates. It is native to China and Bhutan but has also been widely planted as an ornamental plant around the world in temperate and tropical climates and is often naturalized where it is planted. It has not been recorded as an invasive species, however, it is considered a weed according to some sources and reportedly spreads as an escape from gardens, via the seed and nursery trade and via internet sales. Information about its impacts where it is naturalized is lacking.
Phyllostachys flexuosa (drooping timber bamboo).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Phyllostachys flexuosa is a fast-growing bamboo that is often cultivated as an ornamental and for its culms. This species expands quickly by underground rhizomes and has the potential to form dense stands and outcompete native vegetation and alter soil conditions. Currently, it is listed as invasive only in Cuba and New Caledonia.
Clerodendrum paniculatum (pagoda flower).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Clerodendrum paniculatum is a shrub which is widely cultivated as an ornamental for its spectacularly showy inflorescences. This species often establishes as a garden escapee. Its ability to produce root suckers allows the species to easily colonize new areas. Once established, it can form clonal stands of several plants. C. paniculatum is included in the Global Compendium of Weeds and listed as invasive in Singapore, Cuba, Hawaii, French Polynesia, Micronesia, Fiji, Palau, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Western Samoa.
Glycosmis parviflora (flower axistree).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Glycosmis parviflora is a shrub or small tree, native to parts of eastern Asia, that is widely planted as an ornamental. It has escaped from cultivation in a number of countries and become naturalized in shrublands and ruderal areas. It displays attributes often associated with invasiveness. For instance, seedling and young plants are shade tolerant, and its fruits are dispersed by vertebrates such as birds and mammals. Currently, it is listed as invasive in Cuba and as potentially invasive in Florida (Oviedo Prieto et al., 2012 USDA-NRCS, 2016).
Hyptis alata (clustered bushmint).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Hyptis alata is a perennial herb native to the Americas that grows as a weed in pastures and disturbed sites, forming dense thickets that render affected areas unproductive. Several Hyptis species behave as weeds and have become naturalized principally in savannas, disturbed sites and agricultural systems in warmer and wet regions of the world. A total of 19 Hyptis species are already included in the Global Compendium of Weeds, listed as agricultural weeds, environmental weeds and invasive species.
Hyptis spicigera (black sesame).
Authors: Dube Shruti
Published: April 2021

Hyptis spicigera is an annual herb possibly native to tropical and subtropical America but now widely naturalized in tropical Africa and Asia, and Australia. This species has become a widespread weed in the Guinea Savannah zone. Its seeds contaminate the pasture grass seed. H. spicigera is listed as an agricultural weed in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa (e.g. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria). It is considered an invasive weed in rice-growing areas in Madagascar with no further details. H. spicigera has also spread widely as a tropical weed in the Caribbean region, and is listed as an invasive species on the Global Register for Introduced and Invasive Species for Cuba with evidence of impact. H. spicigera is also listed in the 2017 edition of the Global Compendium of Weeds. This species received a high invasive risk score in an assessment of the invasive threat of introduced species in Australia.
Pteris tripartita (giant brake).
Authors: Vélez-Gavilán Jeanine
Published: April 2021

Pteris tripartita is a terrestrial fern native to the tropics of the Old Word, introduced to the New World as an ornamental, with records of its being sold in nurseries in Florida (USA) in the 19th century. It is naturalized at scattered localities from Florida to northern South America, including the Caribbean. It is reported as invasive in Cuba and the south of Florida, USA. Its invasiveness in Cuba is due to its high reproductive capacity and its spread into secondary vegetation and cultivated lands in the eastern part of the country. In southern Florida, it is considered as a moderately invasive species, recorded as escaping cultivation in 1928. It is invasive in floodplain wetlands, basin wetlands and mesic uplands, displacing native species. It is not reported as invasive in its native range. It is regarded as a critically endangered species in India.
Eragrostis unioloides (Chinese lovegrass).
Authors: Duenas-Lopez Manuel Angel
Published: April 2021

Eragrostis unioloides is an annual grass or sometimes perennial, erect herb, rooting at nodes. Terrestrial, it grows in many dry as well as moist habitats. It is distributed in temperate and tropical Asia from southern Asia to Malesia and northeast Australia. It has been introduced in the southeast USA, Mesoamerica, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands and in tropical West Africa. It is a common weedy grass mainly in rice crops in its native range and in some crops in the Caribbean region. It is found principally in disturbed sites, such as roadsides and in damp places in its distribution range. It is cited as invasive in Fiji, the Hawaiian Islands and Mexico, but no further information is available about its impacts in natural habitats or on biodiversity in its non-native range.
Securigera varia (crown vetch).
Authors: Vélez-Gavilán Jeanine
Published: April 2021

S. varia is a perennial herbaceous vine from the pea family that has been introduced into various countries as an ornamental, for erosion control, ground cover, soil improvement, as a cover crop and as fodder/forage for livestock (GISD, 2016, US Forest Service, 2016). The species is considered a threat in the USA, for its rapid vegetative growth resulting in monocultures and its detrimental effect on the native vegetation (Molano-Flores, 2014; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States, 2016). The multi-branched rhizomes can extend up to 3 m long; and the stems can extend up to 2 m long; plants can fully cover 20-30 square metres in four years (Molano-Flores, 2014; US Forest Service, 2016). Luneva (2009) cites it as a dangerous weed that is a problem in rye, oat, summer and winter wheat crops and in vineyards; seeds littering the cereal grains, being hard to separate. There are no invasive behaviour reports for the species in western Europe (Alien Plants of Belgium, 2016). It is reported as invasive in many states of the USA, and in British Columbia in Canada (Molano-Flores, 2014; Casals, 2016; E-Flora of British Columbia, 2016; US Forest Service, 2016). It is included in a list of noxious plants of concern in Mexico, with the recommendation of doing a country assessment for its eradication or containment (Sánchez-Blanco et al., 2012). It is also included in the Global Invasive Species Database of the IUCN (GISD, 2016). An invasiveness assessment carried out for Alaska gave it an invasiveness rank of 68 on a scale of 1-100 (Alaska Natural Heritage Program, 2016).
Euphorbia tirucalli (Indian-tree spurge).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

E. tirucalli is a many-branched succulent plant widely commercialized as an ornamental, hedge plant, potted plant and for soil conservation (Orwa et al., 2009; USDA-ARS, 2016). It has escaped from cultivation and once naturalized, it often grows forming thickets mostly in disturbed sites, abandoned gardens, deciduous forests, semiarid sites, and along roadsides (Little et al., 1974; PIER, 2016). This species grows very fast, and produces a lot of biomass even under very marginal soil and extreme climatic conditions (Mwine and Damme, 2011). In invaded areas, it is propagating vegetatively by cuttings and stem fragments (Little et al., 1974; PIER, 2016). Currently, this species is listed as invasive in Hawaii and Cuba (Oviedo Prieto et al., 2012; PIER, 2016), but is listed as potentially invasive on many islands in the Pacific and in tropical and subtropical areas of Asia (Nguyen and Sosef, 1999; Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2016; PIER, 2016).
Eragrostis pilosa (India lovegrass).
Authors: Duenas-Lopez Manuel Angel
Published: April 2021

Eragrostis pilosa is an annual grass native to Eurasia and Africa that has become naturalized in many other tropical and temperate regions of the world. It is a common weed in disturbed areas such as roadsides and crop fields. It is invasive in a number of Pacific Islands, the Philippines, Australia, and North America but no further information is available about its impacts or invasiveness in natural or semi-natural habitats in its non-native range.
Vachellia macracantha (porknut).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Vachellia macracantha is a thorny, deciduous shrub or tree that is cultivated as a fodder plant, for firewood and as ornamental in areas within and outside its native distribution range. It is considered to be native to northern South America, the USA and the Caribbean, but its native distribution range is still uncertain. It has escaped from cultivation and can be found naturalized in disturbed sites, coastal areas and drylands, where it often grows as a weed forming dense thickets. The species also has the potential to modify soil nitrogen levels, with negative impacts on nutrient cycling and balances. It is listed as invasive in Cuba and Chile.
Heliocarpus donnellsmithii (majagua).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Heliocarpus donnellsmithii is a pioneer tree that can be found growing in forest edges, forest gaps, secondary forests, disturbed sites, abandoned crop and pasturelands. Mature trees can produce large amounts of seeds that are easily dispersed by wind. It is a disturbance-dependent species and its germination and seedling establishment rates are high (>60%) in open areas with high sunlight intensity. Outside its native distribution range, this species only occurs in Martinique. On this island, H. donnellsmithii is listed as a "successional activator" tree with the potential to modify the natural successional patterns.
Heteropogon contortus (spear grass).
Authors: Dube Shruti
Published: April 2021

H. contortus is native to Africa, temperate and tropical Asia, Australasia and southwestern Europe, and is naturalized in southern USA, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America (USDA-ARS, 2017). It is reported as naturalized in Hawaii by USDA-ARS (2017) but according to University of Hawaii (2009), it is not clear whether H. contortus is indigenous to Hawaii or a Polynesian introduction. USDA-ARS (2017) and Baldwin et al. (2012) report H. contortus as an alien species in California, USA, but according to Calflora (2017), it is native in California.
Impatiens walleriana (busy lizzy).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Impatiens walleriana is one of the world's most widely grown ornamental plant species. It has repeatedly escaped from cultivation and usually can be found naturalized in secondary forests, coastal thickets, forest gullies, riversides, roadsides and damp shady places. When established it often forms dense and large stands in the understory of secondary forests and plantations that successfully outcompete native plant species and alter ecological succession. Currently, it is listed as invasive in China, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Galapagos, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Hawaii and the Canary Islands. Impatiens walleriana remains a source of great interest among gardeners and breeders, and new hybrids and varieties are developed every year, facilitating the introduction and spread of this species into new areas and thus increasing the likelihood that further invasions will take place.
Ipomoea quamoclit (cypress vine).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Ipomoea quamoclit is a fast-growing vine, native to Mexico and Central America, and widely cultivated and introduced to many countries as an ornamental for its attractive foliage and bright flowers. It has escaped from cultivation to become naturalized and invasive in a variety of habitats, where it competes with native vine species and behaves as an agricultural weed. It is listed as invasive in Australia, Papua New Guinea, India, the United States, Brazil, the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Maldives, the Seychelles and many islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Lagenaria siceraria is a vine species, probably originating from tropical Africa, that has been transported and cultivated by humans since ancient times mainly for its fruit. This species is considered one of the most widely distributed plants in the world due to its long history of domestication. Plants can grow up to 5 m long and are shallow-rooted with an extensive lateral root system. Even where this species is known almost exclusively in cultivation, it often escapes from cultivation and can be found naturalized along riversides, roadsides, dry thickets, savannahs and in areas near villages. L. siceraria is a species of environmental concern because it is a vigorous and fast-growing vine that often grows over other plant species, displacing and outcompeting them for water, nutrients and sunlight.
Litsea glutinosa (Indian laurel).
Authors: Duenas-Lopez Manuel Angel
Published: April 2021

Litsea glutinosa belongs to the family Lauraceae. It is a small- to medium-sized tree, 3-20 m tall, semi-evergreen, and fast-growing dioecious (Chowdhury et al., 2008; Ramana and Raju, 2019). It is native to India, South China to Malaysia, Australia and the western Pacific islands, and introduced and established in South Africa, the western Indian Ocean, and the south-western Pacific (New Caledonia), Mauritius and other tropical regions (Dassanayake, 1995). It has been introduced as a crop (Vos, 2004) and as an ornamental in tropical countries (EPPO, 2019). It has escaped from cultivation and is naturalized in some of the introduced areas. L. glutinosa has many uses in its area of origin as well as in some of its areas of introduction (ISSG, 2015). It is used principally as a binder for tablet formulations, and in the incense stick industry (Ramana and Raju, 2017).L. glutinosa is considered invasive in South Africa, where it is declared an invader plant (Henderson, 2001) and in the Indian Ocean (MacDonald et al., 1991; ISSG, 2015; PIER, 2019) on the islands of Mauritius (Mauritius Island and Rodrigues Island) (PIER, 2019) and Mayotte (Vos, 2004; ISSG, 2015; PIER, 2019). Jacq et al. (2005) do not consider L. glutinosa to be invasive globally, and ISSG (2015) considers it a small tree with high invasion potential, displacing native plant species in disturbed environments, although there is no evidence yet of its impact. It is classified by the IUCN (2019) as a species of Least Concern.
Litsea glutinosa (Indian laurel).
Authors: Duenas-Lopez Manuel Angel
Published: April 2021

Litsea glutinosa belongs to the family Lauraceae. It is a small- to medium-sized tree, 3-20 m tall, semi-evergreen, and fast-growing dioecious (Chowdhury et al., 2008; Ramana and Raju, 2019). It is native to India, South China to Malaysia, Australia and the western Pacific islands, and introduced and established in South Africa, the western Indian Ocean, and the south-western Pacific (New Caledonia), Mauritius and other tropical regions (Dassanayake, 1995). It has been introduced as a crop (Vos, 2004) and as an ornamental in tropical countries (EPPO, 2019). It has escaped from cultivation and is naturalized in some of the introduced areas. L. glutinosa has many uses in its area of origin as well as in some of its areas of introduction (ISSG, 2015). It is used principally as a binder for tablet formulations, and in the incense stick industry (Ramana and Raju, 2017). L. glutinosa is considered invasive in South Africa, where it is declared an invader plant (Henderson, 2001) and in the Indian Ocean (MacDonald et al., 1991; ISSG, 2015; PIER, 2019) on the islands of Mauritius (Mauritius Island and Rodrigues Island) (PIER, 2019) and Mayotte (Vos, 2004; ISSG, 2015; PIER, 2019). Jacq et al. (2005) do not consider L. glutinosa to be invasive globally, and ISSG (2015) considers it a small tree with high invasion potential, displacing native plant species in disturbed environments, although there is no evidence yet of its impact. It is classified by the IUCN (2019) as a species of Least Concern.
Paspalum dilatatum (dallisgrass).
Authors: Vélez-Gavilán Jeanine
Published: April 2021

Paspalum dilatatum is a perennial grass native to South America that has been introduced into tropical and subtropical areas as a forage species/fodder. It is reported as invasive in Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Hawaii, American Samoa, Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Solomon Islands and the Minor Outlying Islands. In Hawaii and New Zealand, it forms dense stands that smother and prevent recruitment of native species.
Plumbago auriculata (cape leadwort).
Authors: Ventosa-Febles Eduardo
Published: April 2021

Plumbago auriculata is an evergreen, climbing shrub native to South Africa that has been introduced in tropical and subtropical climates of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental, and is used in traditional medicine and as a source of dye. It has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized outside of its native range. There are no reports of this plant acting as an invasive, but it has been listed as potentially invasive in Cuba.
Rauvolfia caffra (quinine tree).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

R. caffra is a tree native to Africa, where it is commonly used in traditional medicine (PROTA, 2016). This tree species has an attractive appearance and is often planted as an ornamental and shade tree. Until now, R. caffra has been listed as invasive only in Cuba, where it has escaped from cultivation and can be found growing in ruderal areas and abandoned farms (Granda and Fuentes, 1987; Oviedo Prieto et al., 2012). Its high growth rate, wide environmental tolerance, prolific seed production, shade tolerant seedlings, and the attraction of biotic dispersal agents are all factors contributing to the likelihood of this species becoming naturalized and invasive into new habitats. Consequently, this species should be monitored where introduced but not yet regarded as generally invasive.
Sterculia apetala (Panama tree).
Authors: Vélez-Gavilán Jeanine
Published: April 2021

Sterculia apetala is a tree native the tropics and subtropics of North, Central and South America, grown as an ornamental and shade tree and cultivated for its timber and edible seeds. It is reported as invasive in Puerto Rico, Cuba and Hawaii. In Hawaii, numerous seedlings and saplings that were originally growing close to pineapple plantations are now slowly spreading into nearby areas. Without seed predation or animal dispersal the seeds fall close to the parental plant, leading to almost pure stands of seedlings and saplings. In Cuba it is regarded as a transformer species, due to its high seed production and high dispersal capacity.
Tabebuia rosea (pink poui).
Authors: Vélez-Gavilán Jeanine
Published: April 2021

T. rosea is a tree widely used as an ornamental, due to its beautiful flower display, and cultivated for its wood (Orwa et al., 2009; Useful Tropical Plants, 2016). It has wind dispersed seeds, and rapid germination and seedling growth, all features which can promote its spread and its invasiveness (PROTA, 2016; Useful Tropical Plants, 2016). Takaki and Socolowski (2007) regard the species as having a high invasive potential in Sao Paulo, Brazil, due to its highly successful germination and recruitment under both direct sun and shade conditions. It is currently reported as invasive in Singapore and Hawaii, USA, without further details (PIER, 2016). It has the potential of spreading into other countries as it is cultivated in nurseries for its distribution as an ornamental in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Although not reported by Kairo et al. (2003) as invasive in Trinidad and Tobago, it is listed as an exotic in their work about invasive threats in the Caribbean region.
Dimorphotheca sinuata (Cape marigold).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Dimorphotheca sinuata is a herbaceous species native to Namibia and South Africa that has been widely commercialized as an ornamental for its attractive and colourful flowers. It has escaped cultivation and often can be found naturalized in open and disturbed sites and along road verges. D. sinuata is drought-resistant and thus able to survive in water-stressed habitats such as deserts and dry thickets. It is listed as invasive only in the Dominican Republic but it is also regarded as an emerging environmental weed in Australia and California.
Cissus verticillata (possum grape vine).
Authors: Rojas-Sandoval Julissa
Published: April 2021

Cissus verticillata is a large, climbing species cultivated as an ornamental and medicinal plant around the world. It is native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Once established, C. verticillata grows climbing over the top of the canopy and supporting itself by means of coiled tendrils, or scrambling over the ground. It is common to find this species engulfing entire trees. If the plant is cut, the remaining branches and stems can develop aerial roots that will find their way to the ground, regenerating new. C. verticillata is regarded as a weed in areas within and outside its native distribution range. It was reported in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas in 2003 and may pose a potential weed problem in the citrus groves there and in Florida.
Blighia sapida (akee apple).
Authors: Areces-Berazain Fabiola
Published: April 2021

Blighia sapida, commonly known as ackee, is a tree species native to the Guinean forests of West Africa that has been introduced to the Americas, Australia and a small number of countries in Asia and Oceania. It is cultivated as an ornamental and fruit tree despite the arils being deadly poisonous if improperly prepared. It has been reported as naturalized in Jamaica, where has become an important food crop, and in Cuba and Australia although it does not appear to constitute an immediate problem in these countries.
No social distancing in the immune system
Authors: Miller Jacques F.
Published: April 2021

Lymphocytes comprise two major subsets, T and B cells. Some T cells kill infected cells, while others help B cells produce antibodies. Deciphering the interactions between these cells and other cells is crucial to the development of therapeutics and vaccines.
Strengthening effect of laser shock: concave model with and without reflection
Authors: Ge Liangchen , Chen Haotian , Tian Zongjun , Xu Boyuan , Hua Guoran , Cao Yupeng
Published: April 2021

When a laser shock wave is loaded onto the surface of a concave model, many factors affect the laser shock effect, including loading pressure, curvature, surface wave and reflection of longitudinal wave. It is difficult to clarify the mixed effects of these factors, as such. The reflection of longitudinal wave is the most important factor, and the non-reflective concave model can effectively distinguish the influence of longitudinal wave reflection. In this paper, the concave models with and without reflection are established using the ABAQUS software. The effect of loading pressure, curvature, surface wave, and reflection of longitudinal wave on laser shock processing are analyzed. Curvature changes the incident angle of the laser during processing, so the actual pressure on the material surface changes. The results show that the optimal loading pressure is 2000 MPa/4 J when the curvature is 1/5 and the spot radius is 4 mm. The experimental results are consistent with the simulation results, so the simulation results are reliable.
A method for an efficient formation of giant vesicles of neutral phospholipids in microarrays using a microplotter equipment
Authors: Avendaño-Gomez Juan R , Solis-Gonzalez Obed A , González-Martínez Haydee , Vega-Cuellar Miguel A
Published: April 2021

A methodology which provides a high efficiency of giant vesicle formation was established using the gentle hydration method and a microplotter equipment. The method consists of preparing a mixture of zwitterionic egg yolk phosphatidylcholine/additive in solution and printing a number of droplets onto a glass substrate, which immediately dry after deposition. Then, gentle hydration of these micro-sized thin-films provides a high amount of giant liposomes, per microsized film. Several cases were studied by varying different compounds as additives (i.e., non-electrolytes and electrolytes) at different molar ratios, lipid to additive, in order to find the optimal conditions. Optical and confocal microscopies were employed to characterize vesicle formation. Studies indicate that the kosmotropic salt KH2PO4 at 1:10 molar concentration, EggPC to salt, is the most effective in vesicle production. Abundant liposome formation can be observed in a short time, about 5 min upon hydration. The osmotic pressure is the driven force to produce giant liposomes in our experiments, which is generated by dissolving the additive among two lipid lamellar phases in water. In salt experiments, the osmotic pressure strength is manly determined from the ion-specificity effect (i.e., the Hofmeister effect) rather than the concentration of the salt. The use of a salt as additive provides giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The microplotter protocol provides benefits such as a facile, efficient and rapid way to prepare GUVs in mild conditions (i.e., free of solvents).