Evolutionary and physiological adaptations of aquatic invasive animals: r selection versus resistance

2002 ◽  
Vol 59 (7) ◽  
pp. 1235-1244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F McMahon

Invasive species have been characterized as tolerant of environmental extremes. This hypothesis was evaluated for invasive aquatic species in North America, particularly Asian clams, Corbicula fluminea, and zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha. Both species have rapid growth, early maturity, short life spans, and elevated fecundity, allowing rapid population recovery after reductions by rarefractive, environmental extremes. Extensive resistance capacities offer little adaptive value to invasive, r-selected species, because population reductions occur in their unstable habitats regardless of degree of stress tolerance. Thus, both species have relatively poor physiologic resistance, depending instead on elevated growth and fecundity for rapid population recovery. In contrast, native North American bivalve species are often adapted to stable habitats where perturbation is infrequent (i.e., freshwater unionoidean bivalves). They are characterized by slow growth, extended life spans, and low effective fecundities, slowing population recoveries (K-selected), and have evolved extensive resistance adaptations to avoid extirpation during environmental extremes. Review of resistance adaptations in other North American aquatic invaders revealed poorer or equivalent physiological tolerance relative to taxonomically related native species, suggesting that extensive physiological tolerance is not required for invasive success.

1984 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Eckenwalder

Five of six possible hybrid combinations of the two native North American species of Populus sect. Aigeiros Duby with the three native species of sect. Tacamahaca Spach have been found in nature. Putative hybrids occur wherever species of the two sections are sympatric and sometimes even beyond the range of one or both parents. Parents of the sixth possible combination are not, however, sympatric and this explains the apparent absence of the corresponding hybrid. Although the five hybrids can easily be recognized as a group, each parentage yields hybrids of unique morphology, all of which have previously been provided with binomials. Variability within each hybrid reflects variation in its parents. These hybrids are morphologically intermediate between their putative parents and have an additive chromatographic profile combining leaf flavonoids of each pair. Trees of P. × generosa (P. deltoides × P. trichocarpa) and P. × jackii (P. deltoides × P. balsamifera) from natural populations closely resemble artificial hybrids between their presumed parents. Three natural hybrids, P. × acuminata (P. deltoides × P. anguslifolia), P. × jackii, and P. × parryi (P. fremontii × P. trichocarpa), are all cultivated as shade trees. Keys distinguish the five hybrids from each other and from their parents; each hybrid is described; its nomenclature is clarified; and its range is mapped in relation to those of its parents.


2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1815) ◽  
pp. 20151487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark van Kleunen ◽  
Michael Röckle ◽  
Marc Stift

Self-fertilization and admixture of genotypes from different populations can have major fitness consequences in native species. However, few studies have addressed their potential roles in invasive species. Here, we used plants of Mimulus guttatus from seven native North American, three invasive Scottish and four invasive New Zealand populations to address this. We created seeds from self-fertilization, within-population outcrossing, between-population outcrossing within the same range, and outcrossing between the native and invasive ranges. A greenhouse experiment showed that native and invasive plants of M. guttatus suffered to similar degrees from inbreeding depression, in terms of asexual reproduction and biomass production. After outcrossing with plants from other populations, M. guttatus benefited from heterosis, in terms of asexual and sexual reproduction, and biomass production, particularly when plants from native and invasive populations were crossed. This suggests that, when novel genotypes of M. guttatus from the native North American range will be introduced to the invasive ranges, subsequent outcrossing with M. guttatus plants that are already there might further boost invasiveness of this species.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riikka Alakoski ◽  
Kaarina Kauhala ◽  
Vesa Selonen

AbstractDistribution patterns of species are affected by resource availability, dispersal, disturbance and population dynamics. The smaller population size and range of the native Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) compared to the non-native North American beaver (Castor canadensis) in Finland raise questions on reasons for the slower range expansion of the native species. We compared the population growth rates and the spread of both species from their release sites. We also studied the factors possibly affecting the spread of the Eurasian beaver in South western Finland in more detail. We found that the North American beaver has spread longer distances than the Eurasian beaver, but we did not find evidence for movement barriers constraining the expansion rate of the native species. Lack of high-quality habitats does not seem to constrain the expansion to nearby areas either. Despite this, the Eurasian beaver population has grown to a high density close to its reintroduction site, and it has started to spread to novel areas only recently. We conclude that the expansion of the native beaver in Finland seems to be controlled by factors other than those related to barriers for movement: movement behavior and population dynamics, which require further investigation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Parker

Abstract Phragmites australis, the common reed, is an aggressive, vigorous species which, in suitable habitats, will out-compete virtually all other species and form a totally dominant stand. Its invasive character has been particularly apparent in North America where it has become dominant in a range of wetland habitats replacing native species and biotypes including the native North American P. australis subsp. americanus. Bird, fish and insect populations can also be affected.


2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-27
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Kella

This article examines the appropriation and redirection of the Gothic in two contemporary, Native-centered feature films that concern a history that can be said to haunt many Native North American communities today: the history of Indian boarding schools. Georgina Lightning’s Older than America (2008) and Kevin Willmott’s The Only Good Indian (2009) make use of Gothic conventions and the figures of the ghost and the vampire to visually relate the history and horrors of Indian boarding schools. Each of these Native-centered films displays a cinematic desire to decenter Eurocentric histories and to counter mainstream American genres with histories and forms of importance to Native North American peoples. Willmott’s film critiques mythologies of the West and frontier heroism, and Lightning attempts to sensitize non-Native viewers to contemporary Native North American concerns while also asserting visual sovereignty and affirming spiritual values.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua M Milnes ◽  
Elizabeth H Beers

Abstract Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead), an Asian parasitoid of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), was first detected in North America in 2014. Although testing in quarantine facilities as a candidate for classical biological control is ongoing, adventive populations have appeared in multiple sites in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Extensive laboratory testing of T. japonicus against other North American pentatomids and H. halys has revealed a higher rate of parasitism of H. halys, but not complete host specificity. However, laboratory tests are necessarily artificial, in which many host finding and acceptance cues may be circumvented. We offered sentinel egg masses of three native pentatomid (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) pest species (Chinavia hilaris (Say), Euschistus conspersus Uhler, and Chlorochroa ligata (Say)) in a field paired-host assay in an area with a well-established adventive population of T. japonicus near Vancouver, WA. Overall, 67% of the H. halys egg masses were parasitized by T. japonicus during the 2-yr study. Despite the ‘worst case’ scenario for a field test (close proximity of the paired egg masses), the rate of parasitism (% eggs producing adult wasps) on all three native species was significantly less (0.4–8%) than that on H. halys eggs (77%). The levels of successful parasitism of T. japonicus of the three species are C. hilaris > E. conspersus > C. ligata. The potential impact of T. japonicus on these pentatomids is probably minimal.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1563-1576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip J. Haubrock ◽  
Gordon H. Copp ◽  
Iva Johović ◽  
Paride Balzani ◽  
Alberto F. Inghilesi ◽  
...  

AbstractThe North American channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus has been introduced to several locations in Europe but has received little or no scientific study despite its invasive attributes, including prolific reproduction, tolerance to a wide range of conditions, opportunistic feeding, at least partial ‘predator release’, and some evidence of environmental impacts (e.g. disease transmission). To assess the species’ potential invasiveness and the likely risks to native species and ecosystems in Europe, available literature from both North America and Europe was reviewed and used to carry out risk screenings of the species for the risk assessment areas, North and South Italy, using the Aquatic Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK), which was followed by a more detailed evaluation (for both North America and Europe) of the species’ potential impacts using the Environmental Impact Classification of Alien Taxa (EICAT) assessment protocol. The AS-ISK score indicated that channel catfish is likely to pose a high risk of being invasive in both North and South Italy, with EICAT scores indicating “Major” impacts for both North America and Europe, at high and medium confidence levels, respectively. The present results emphasise the urgent need to carry out in-depth studies on introduced populations of this species to understand better its invasive potential so as to inform management decisions on the appropriate control or eradication measures for invaded water bodies.


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