Recent Advances in the Impacts of Biological Invasions on European Biodiversity

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 10207

Special Issue Editors

CNR-IRSA Water Research Institute, 28922 Verbania, Italy
Interests: alien species; freshwater macrobenthos; aquatic ecology; aquatic ecosystems; biodiversity; limnology; rivers; bioindicators; water quality
Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Tuscia University, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: alien species; biomonitoring; biodiversity conservation; evolutionary biology; phylogeography; molecular ecology; animal behaviour; animal hybridization; environmental DNA; genomics and transcriptomics
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
Interests: allergenic plants; alien species; biodiversity conservation; DNA barcoding; experimental ecology; harmful algal blooms; marine algae; marine protected areas; proteomics; seagrasses

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biological invasions are considered one of the greatest threats to the native biodiversity of ecosystems. Invasive alien species (IAS) can act as vectors for new diseases, cause native species’ extinction, alter ecosystem processes and functioning, and reduce the value of land and water for human activities, including productive ones. IAS can severely impact native species via competition, predation, parasitism, and hybridization, as well as due to the production of toxic molecules, boosting the negative effects of climate change and habitat loss on natural populations.

Moreover, according to the European Union, biodiversity is essential for life, and our planet and economy depend on it. When nature is healthy, it protects and provides goods and services.

The implementation of innovative tools and methodologies to detect the main vectors of introduction of IAS, to estimate their invasiveness and to determinate their potential and effective impacts on native ones, as well as the implementation of restoration activities and management of IAS are essential to minimize the vulnerability of ecosystems to biological invasions and to achieve the climate change mitigation needed by 2030.

This Special Issue welcomes the submission of manuscripts that report results of original research addressing problems related to biological invasions, such as the assessment of their impacts on the native biodiversity and the management of alien species in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems.

Subject areas include but are not limited to:

  • Conservation of native biodiversity;
  • Management and risk assessment of IAS;
  • Environmental DNA and molecular tools for monitoring IAS;
  • Population dynamics of invasive species;
  • Perception of alien species and citizen science;
  • Impacts on ecosystems services;
  • Economic cost of invasive species;
  • Rewilding activities in degraded ecosystems;
  • Habitat restoration;
  • Vectors of introduction of IAS;
  • Toxic molecules from IAS;
  • Molecular-related invasiveness.

Dr. Daniele Paganelli
Dr. Adriana Bellati
Dr. Sarah Caronni
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  •  alien species
  •  native biodiversity
  •  impacts
  •  ecosystem services
  •  management
  •  risk assessment
  •  habitat restoration
  •  citizen science
  •  environmental DNA
  •  rewilding
  •  ecosystem vulnerability
  •  invasiveness
  •  vectors of introduction
  •  toxic chemicals

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 6002 KiB  
Article
Bird Feeder Explorers Are Not Attracted by the Seeds of Invasive Weeds in Winter
by Emilia Grzędzicka
Diversity 2024, 16(2), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16020081 - 26 Jan 2024
Viewed by 871
Abstract
Winter feeding of birds is one of the most widespread forms of human influence on animals in the world. Urban areas, however, contain many other food sources apart from the contents of feeders, including contaminated food and seeds of invasive plants. This research [...] Read more.
Winter feeding of birds is one of the most widespread forms of human influence on animals in the world. Urban areas, however, contain many other food sources apart from the contents of feeders, including contaminated food and seeds of invasive plants. This research aimed to investigate whether birds exploring urban food select it, giving up potentially toxic or unknown seeds, or whether they use every available food. In the winter of the year 2022, an experiment was carried out with 18 feeders in two city parks in Kraków, Poland, which was based on feeding birds using sunflower seeds with various admixtures of the invasive Caucasian hogweeds Heracleum sp. seeds. Despite the detection of pecking marks on the hogweed seeds, only a small part of them disappeared from the feeders compared to the intensive feeding of birds on sunflower seeds. This result shows that not every new food source in the city can be used by birds. Urban explorers remain selective when choosing food, which keeps their behaviour close to non-urban populations. Full article
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16 pages, 2805 KiB  
Article
Coping with Stress as a Prelude of Naturalization: Different Responses of Lagarosiphon Species to Water Trophy
by Chiara Montagnani, Sarah Caronni, Lara Assunta Quaglini, Nicole Sebesta, Rodolfo Gentili and Sandra Citterio
Diversity 2023, 15(5), 693; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050693 - 21 May 2023
Viewed by 994
Abstract
Horticulture is a major pathway of introduction of aquatic plants. Among traded aquatic plants, we found two species belonging to the genus Lagarosiphon Harv. (Hydrocharitaceae), native to South and Central Africa, L. major (Ridl.) Moss and L. cordofanus Casp. L. major is the [...] Read more.
Horticulture is a major pathway of introduction of aquatic plants. Among traded aquatic plants, we found two species belonging to the genus Lagarosiphon Harv. (Hydrocharitaceae), native to South and Central Africa, L. major (Ridl.) Moss and L. cordofanus Casp. L. major is the main representative of the genus, having already been introduced via horticulture sale beyond its native range, and often becoming invasive. In contrast, L. cordofanus is a lesser-known congener that could be potentially sold as an alternative to L. major. It is relatively understudied, and has yet to be recorded in the wild outside its native range. Many factors can promote the invasiveness of an alien plant; among them, increased nutrient availability often facilitates opportunistic alien species such as L. major. In a horizon-scanning perspective, a manipulative experiment under controlled conditions was performed to test the response of L. cordofanus to different trophy levels using L. major as the tolerant alternative species. According to our results, the naturalization of L. cordofanus in temperate shallow waters does not seem likely, especially if considered in comparison to L. major. Full article
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11 pages, 1901 KiB  
Article
Caulerpa cylindracea Spread on Deep Rhodolith Beds Can Be Influenced by the Morphostructural Composition of the Bed
by Sarah Caronni, Valentina Alice Bracchi, Fabrizio Atzori, Sandra Citterio, Nicoletta Cadoni, Rodolfo Gentili, Chiara Montagnani, Lara Assunta Quaglini and Daniela Basso
Diversity 2023, 15(3), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030349 - 01 Mar 2023
Viewed by 965
Abstract
The green alga Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder (Chlorophyta; Bryopsidales) is one of the most invasive alien macroalgae in the Mediterranean Sea, where it is also spreading on rhodolith beds, an important biogenic assemblage typical of deep substrates. Despite the importance of rhodoliths, data on [...] Read more.
The green alga Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder (Chlorophyta; Bryopsidales) is one of the most invasive alien macroalgae in the Mediterranean Sea, where it is also spreading on rhodolith beds, an important biogenic assemblage typical of deep substrates. Despite the importance of rhodoliths, data on the competitive interactions with C. cylindracea are still scarce. To deepen the knowledge on the topic, C. cylindracea occurrence on the rhodolith bed of Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area (Italy) was explored. Quantitative analyses of videoframes obtained from Remote Operated Vehicle records in three different MPA sites, Is Piscadeddus, Santa Caterina, and Serpentara, allow for estimates of both the cover of rhodoliths (considering the main morphotypes) and of C. cylindracea, as well as their competition. All sites showed a well-developed rhodolith bed, although some differences were highlighted in their composition in terms of morphotype, shape, and dimension of rhodoliths, as well as in the C. cylindracea cover. In particular, Santa Caterina appeared to be the site with the highest mean total cover of rhodoliths (68%), and of C. cylindracea (25%). The obtained results suggest that different competitive interactions occur between C. cylindracea and rhodolith beds, in relation to the morphostructural composition of the latter and in response to environmental conditions that affect rhodolith bed composition. Full article
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14 pages, 2085 KiB  
Article
Risk Screening and Distribution of the Invasive Amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) in the River Adda (Northern Italy)
by Daniele Paganelli, Maria Angela Cianci and Agnese Marchini
Diversity 2022, 14(10), 838; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100838 - 05 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1264
Abstract
In 2016, Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) (Crustacea, Amphipoda) was recorded for the first time in the River Adda, one of the main tributaries of the major Italian river, river Po. Here we investigate its distribution, population density and size classes distribution in the [...] Read more.
In 2016, Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) (Crustacea, Amphipoda) was recorded for the first time in the River Adda, one of the main tributaries of the major Italian river, river Po. Here we investigate its distribution, population density and size classes distribution in the main course of the river, in the territory of the South Adda Regional Park. Furthermore, we defined its level of invasiveness using two different risk screening methods, in order to obtain a more comprehensive evaluation of its potential impacts: AS-ISK (Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit) and Harmonia+. Finally, we compared the resulting invasiveness level with the output of the GISS (Generic Impact Scoring System) method, also used by IUCN. Our data confirm that the invasive amphipod is well-established in the downstream part of the River Adda, and its distribution seems related to hydrodynamism. Interestingly, its level of invasiveness was evaluated as low by Harmonia+ and high by AS-ISK: this discrepancy is due to different evaluations of environmental and socio-economic impacts of a non-native species carried out by the two methods. Finally, we propose some possible actions to reduce the spreading rate of this invasive amphipod in this area. Full article
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11 pages, 2038 KiB  
Article
The Spread of the Japanese Beetle in a European Human-Dominated Landscape: High Anthropization Favors Colonization of Popillia japonica
by Francesca Della Rocca and Pietro Milanesi
Diversity 2022, 14(8), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14080658 - 15 Aug 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2002
Abstract
The impact of invasive species is not limited to the loss of biodiversity; it also represents significant threats to agriculture on a global scale. The Japanese beetle Popillia japonica (native to Japan but an invasive agricultural pest in North America) recently occurred in [...] Read more.
The impact of invasive species is not limited to the loss of biodiversity; it also represents significant threats to agriculture on a global scale. The Japanese beetle Popillia japonica (native to Japan but an invasive agricultural pest in North America) recently occurred in the Po plain (Italy), one of the most cultivated areas in southern Europe. Thus, our aims were to identify (i) the main landscape predictors related to the occurrence of the Japanese beetle and (ii) the areas of potential invasion of the Japanese beetle in the two Northern Italian regions in which this invasive species currently occurs, Piedmont and Lombardy. Specifically, we combined Japanese beetle occurrences available in the citizen science online platform iNaturalist with high-resolution landscape predictors in an ensemble approach and averaged the results of Bayesian generalized linear and additive models developed with the integrated nested Laplace approximation (with stochastic partial differential equation). We found that the occurrence of the Japanese beetle was negatively related to the percentage of broadleaf forests and pastures, while it was positively related to sparse and dense human settlements as well as intensive crops. Moreover, the occurrence of the Japanese beetle increased in relation to the percentage of rice fields until a peak at around 50%. The Japanese beetle was likely to occur in 32.49% of our study area, corresponding to 16,000.02 km2, mainly located in the Po plain, low hills, and mountain valleys. We stress that the Japanese beetle is a high-risk invasive species in human-dominated landscapes. Thus, we strongly recommend that local administrations quickly enact pest management in order to reduce further spread. Full article
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19 pages, 4028 KiB  
Article
Invasion at the Edge: The Case of Rosa rugosa (Rosaceae) in Italy
by Sara Ribotta, Francesco Liccari, Lucia Muggia, Alberto Pallavicini, Francesco Bagnolini, Enrico Tordoni and Giovanni Bacaro
Diversity 2021, 13(12), 645; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13120645 - 04 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2966
Abstract
The Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa) is a perennial shrub belonging to the family Rosaceae. It was introduced in Europe from East Asia as an ornamental plant in the XIX century and is now considered an invasive species, especially in northern Europe, [...] Read more.
The Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa) is a perennial shrub belonging to the family Rosaceae. It was introduced in Europe from East Asia as an ornamental plant in the XIX century and is now considered an invasive species, especially in northern Europe, colonising the Atlantic and Baltic coastal dune habitats and threatening local biodiversity. However, little is known about its presence and invasion patterns in the Mediterranean area. In Italy, R. rugosa has been classified as naturalised and just a few observations have been recorded in dune habitats in the North Adriatic coast. Here, we review the published data on R. rugosa in Europe and present preliminary data on the invasive pattern of R. rugosa on the Italian North Adriatic coast. We surveyed the coastline in two locations (i.e., Brussa and Bibione, Italy) where we characterised the dimension and structure (i.e., number of ramets and stem height) of the R. rugosa populations and listed the associated floristic composition. No occurrence of R. rugosa was recorded in Bibione, probably due to the success of the restoration project carried out on that site. In contrast, several stands of R. rugosa were found in Brussa, where many other alien species were also found (accounting for 15.28% of the sampled species). Given the strong invasiveness of R. rugosa, it is important to keep data on its distribution up-to-date and investigate its ecology and physiology to promote appropriate management strategies to control its spread and anticipate its future potential distribution. Full article
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