scholarly journals A simple mechanistic model of the invasive species Heracleum sosnowskyi propagule dispersal by wind

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11821
Author(s):  
Ivan Chadin ◽  
Igor Dalke ◽  
Denis Tishin ◽  
Ilya Zakhozhiy ◽  
Ruslan Malyshev

Background Invasive species are one of the key elements of human-mediated ecosystem degradation and ecosystem services impairment worldwide. Dispersal of propagules is the first stage of plant species spread and strongly influences the dynamics of biological invasion. Therefore, distance prediction for invasive species spread is critical for invasion management. Heracleum sosnowskyi is one of the most dangerous invasive species with wind-dispersed propagules (seeds) across Eastern Europe. This study developed a simple mechanistic model for H. sosnowskyi propagule dispersal and their distances with an accuracy comparable to that of empirical measurements. Methods We measured and compared the propagule traits (terminal velocity, mass, area, and wing loading) and release height for H. sosnowskyi populations from two geographically distant regions of European Russia. We tested two simple mechanistic models: a ballistic model and a wind gradient model using identical artificial propagules. The artificial propagules were made of colored paper with a mass, area, wing loading, and terminal velocity close to those of natural H. sosnowskyi mericarps. Results The wind gradient model produced the best results. The first calculations of maximum possible propagule transfer distance by wind using the model and data from weather stations showed that the role of wind as a vector of long-distance dispersal for invasive Heracleum species was strongly underestimated. The published dataset with H. sosnowskyi propagule traits and release heights allows for modeling of the propagules’ dispersal distances by wind at any geographical point within their entire invasion range using data from the closest weather stations. The proposed simple model for the prediction of H. sosnowskyi propagule dispersal by wind may be included in planning processes for managing invasion of this species.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie M. Cornelius ◽  
Thomas P. Hahn ◽  
Ashley R. Robart ◽  
Ben J. Vernasco ◽  
Dorothy L. Zahor ◽  
...  

Physiological preparations for migration generally reflect migratory strategy. Migrant birds fuel long-distance flight primarily with lipids, but carrying excess fuel is costly; thus, the amount of fat deposited prior to departure often reflects the anticipated flight duration or distance between refueling bouts. Seasonal pre-migratory deposition of fat is well documented in regular seasonal migrants, but is less described for more facultative species. We analyze fat deposits of free-living birds across several taxa of facultative migrants in the songbird subfamily Carduelinae, including house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus), American goldfinches (Spinus tristis), pine siskins (Spinus pinus) and four different North American ecotypes of red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra), to evaluate seasonal fat deposition during facultative migratory periods. Our data suggest that the extent of seasonal fat deposits corresponds with migratory tendency in these facultative taxa. Specifically, nomadic red crossbills with a seasonally predictable annual movement demonstrated relatively large seasonal fat deposits coincident with the migratory periods. In contrast, pine siskins, thought to be more variable in timing and initiation of nomadic movements, had smaller peaks in fat deposits during the migratory season, and the partial migrant American goldfinch and the resident house finch showed no peaks coincident with migratory periods. Within the red crossbills, those ecotypes that are closely associated with pine habitats showed larger peaks in fat deposits coincident with autumn migratory periods and had higher wing loading, whereas those ecotypes associated with spruces, Douglas-fir and hemlocks showed larger peaks coincident with spring migratory periods and lower wing loading. We conclude that population averages of fat deposits do reflect facultative migration strategies in these species, as well as the winter thermogenic challenges at the study locations. A difference in seasonal fattening and wing loading among red crossbill ecotypes is consistent with the possibility that they differ in their migratory biology, and we discuss these differences in light of crossbill reproductive schedules and phenologies of different conifer species.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245665
Author(s):  
Patil Jyothi ◽  
Prabhuraj Aralimarad ◽  
Vijaya Wali ◽  
Shivansh Dave ◽  
M. Bheemanna ◽  
...  

Despite its deleterious impact on farming and agriculture, the physiology and energetics of insect migration is poorly understood due to our inability to track their individual movements in the field. Many insects, e.g. monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus (L.), are facultative migrants. Hence, it is important to establish whether specific insect populations in particular areas migrate. The polyphagous insect, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), is especially interesting in this regard due to its impact on a variety of crops. Here, we used a laboratory-based flight mill assay to show that Helicoverpa armigera populations clearly demonstrate facultative migration in South India. Based on various flight parameters, we categorized male and female moths as long, medium or short distance fliers. A significant proportion of moths exhibited long-distance flight behavior covering more than 10 km in a single night, averaging about 8 flight hours constituting 61% flight time in the test period. The maximum and average flight speeds of these long fliers were greater than in the other categories. Flight activity across sexes also varied; male moths exhibited better performance than female moths. Wing morphometric parameters including forewing length, wing loading, and wing aspect ratio were key in influencing long-distance flight. Whereas forewing length positively correlated with flight distance and duration, wing loading was negatively correlated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (14) ◽  
pp. 4298-4307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Liang ◽  
Zhimin Liu ◽  
Minghu Liu ◽  
Xuanping Qin ◽  
Carol C Baskin ◽  
...  

Abstract Lift-off velocity may be the most useful surrogate to measure the secondary dispersal capacity of diaspores. However, the most important diaspore attribute determining diaspore lift-off velocity is unclear. Furthermore, it is not known whether terminal velocity used to characterize the primary dispersal capacity of diaspores can also be used to predict their secondary wind dispersal capacity. Here, we investigate how diaspore attributes are related to lift-off velocity. Thirty-six species with diaspores differing in mass, shape index, projected area, wing loading, and terminal velocity were used in a wind tunnel to determine the relationship between diaspore attributes and lift-off velocity. We found that diaspore attributes largely explained the variation in lift-off velocity, and wing loading, not terminal velocity, was the best parameter for predicting lift-off velocity of diaspores during secondary wind dispersal. The relative importance of diaspore attributes in determining lift-off velocity was modified by both upwind and downwind slope directions and type of diaspore appendage. These findings allow us to predict diaspore dispersal behaviors using readily available diaspore functional attributes, and they indicate that wing loading is the best proxy for estimating the capacity for secondary dispersal by wind.


Weed Science ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracey A. Bodo Slotta ◽  
Michael E. Foley ◽  
Shaioman Chao ◽  
Ruth A. Hufbauer ◽  
David P. Horvath

Invasive species such as Canada thistle pose a significant threat to ecosystems. The risk of introducing invasive species has increased with human activities, and the effects of such events have economic and aesthetic impacts. Native to Europe, Canada thistle is now established throughout temperate North America. Although there is documentation of early occurrences to North America, little is known on how it has become established in diverse habitats or how it continues to spread. We examined genetic diversity within and among nearly 1,700 Canada thistle individuals from 85 North American locations with the use of seven microsatellite markers in order to address these questions. PAUP and STRUCTURE programs were used to assess genetic diversity and relationships within and between populations. Populations exhibited greater within-population diversity (> 60%) than expected for a reported clonally reproducing species. Total diversity of sampled locations in North America (0.183) was less than previously reported for European locations (0.715), but the greater mean difference between North American populations (0.264 relative to 0.246 from England) suggests strong founder effects or restriction of gene flow influencing individual populations. Furthermore, analyses identified numerous instances where individuals from geographically distant regions clustered together, indicating long-distance translocation of propogules. However, isolation by distance analysis showed significant correlation between location and population genetic distances (r = 0.1917, P = 0.006). Within populations, nearly 92% of individuals sampled harbored unique multilocus genotypes, strongly suggesting that sexual reproduction is common. Within populations, analysis of genetic structure indicated significant admixture of genotypes throughout the invasive range in North America. The recurrent distribution of seed throughout North America has led to a highly diverse gene pool and increased the adaptive success Canada thistle to a wide variety of habitats. Future technologies developed for control of Canada thistle should consider this diversity.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Somveille ◽  
Diego Ellis-Soto

Animal migration is a key process underlying active subsidies and species dispersal over long distances, which affects the connectivity and functioning of ecosystems. Despite much research describing patterns of where animals migrate, we still lack a framework for quantifying and predicting how animal migration affects ecosystem processes. In this study, we aim to integrate animal movement behavior and ecosystem functioning by developing a predictive modeling framework that can inform ecosystem management and conservation. Our framework models individual-level migration trajectories between populations' seasonal ranges as well as the resulting dispersal and fate of propagules carried by the migratory animals, and it can be calibrated using empirical data at every step of the modeling process. As a case study, we applied our framework to model the spread of guava seeds, Psidium guajava, by a population of migratory Galapagos tortoises, Chelonoidis porteri, across Santa Cruz Island. Galapagos tortoises are large herbivores that transport seeds and nutrients across the island, while Guava is one of the most problematic invasive species in the Galapagos archipelago. Our model is able to predict the pattern of spread of guava seeds alongside tortoises' downslope migration range, and it identified areas most likely to see germination success and establishment. Our results show that Galapagos tortoises' seed dispersal may particularly contribute to guava range expansion on Santa Cruz Island, due to both long gut retention time and tortoise's long-distance migration across vegetation zones. In particular, we predict that tortoises are dispersing a significant amount of guava seeds into the Galapagos National Park, which has important consequences for the native flora. The flexibility and modularity of our framework allows for the integration of multiple data sources. It also allows for a wide range of applications to investigate how migratory animals affect ecosystem processes, including propagule dispersal but also other processes such as nutrient transport across ecosystems. Our framework is also a valuable tool for predicting how animal-mediated propagule dispersal can be affected by environmental change. These different applications can have important conservation implications for the management of ecosystems that include migratory animals.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solomonida Dmitrievna Borisova

Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden, a transformer specie, is in the list of species with status I. It actively intrudes natural communities, changes the face of ecosystems. It is an edifier and dominant. It forms thickets over a large area. Displaces germination of other species. Impatiens glandulifera Royle has status II. This is an adventive specie. It is actively spreading and naturalizing in natural and semi-natural habitats. It has been established that the introduction of these species into the territory of the region and their dispersal over its territory proceeds from the south to the northwest and northeast.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-399
Author(s):  
A. B. Egorov ◽  
A. M. Postnikov ◽  
L. N. Pavlyuchenkova ◽  
A. N. Partolina ◽  
A. A. Bubnov

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karmadine Hima ◽  
Gualbert Houémenou ◽  
Sylvestre Badou ◽  
Madougou Garba ◽  
Henri-Joel Dossou ◽  
...  

Based on compiled small mammal trapping data collected over 12 years from Benin and Niger (3701 individual records from 66 sampling sites), located in mainland Africa, we here describe the small mammal community assemblage in urban habitats along the commercial axis connecting the two countries, from the seaport of Cotonou to the Sahelian hinterland, with a particular focus on invasive species. In doing so, we document extant species distributions, which highlight the risks of continuing the range expansion of three synanthropic invasive rodent species, namely black rats (Rattus rattus), brown rats (R. norvegicus), and house mice (Mus musculus). Using various diversity estimates and community ecology approaches, we detect a latitudinal gradient of species richness that significantly decreased Northward. We show that shrews (Crocidura) represent a very important component of micro-mammal fauna in West African towns and villages, especially at lower latitudes. We also demonstrate that invasive and native synanthropic rodents do not distribute randomly in West Africa, which suggests that invasive species dynamics and history differ markedly, and that they involve gradual, as well as human-mediated, long distance dispersal. Patterns of segregation are also observed between native Mastomys natalensis and invasive rats R. rattus and R. norvegicus, suggesting potential native-to-invasive species turn over. Consequences of such processes, especially in terms of public health, are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8526
Author(s):  
Wanwan Liang ◽  
Liem Tran ◽  
Jerome Grant ◽  
Vivek Srivastava

Biological invasions are an ongoing threat for sustainability of ecosystems, and estimating the spread of invasive species is critical for making management decisions. Geopolitical unit-level data (GULD) are often used to estimate invasions due to their wide availability, and researchers had evaluated the abilities of multiple methods to estimate invasion with GULD. However, earlier studies were case based and only addressed limited information on the spread, thus making it inadequate to determine which method to choose to estimate invasions with GULD under various spread scenarios. Here, we conducted a simulation study to (1) evaluate performances of eight methods on estimating expansion patterns, spread rates, and spread dynamics of invasive species with GULD; (2) assess the impact of size and homogeneity of size of geopolitical unit on the estimations by studied methods; (3) evaluate the similarities of all studied methods. Additionally, we presented a concave hull boundary displacement method (Ctd_BD) and an area-based regression method (SqrtNA_R) to estimate spread with GULD. Three regions with varying sizes of counties in the United States (U.S.) were selected to conduct the simulations, and three spread scenarios and three expansion patterns were simulated. AIC, and R2 and root mean square error (RMSE) were used to evaluate the accuracy of methods on estimating expansion pattern, and overall spread rate and spread dynamics, respectively. Correlation coefficient and RMSE were used to assess the similarity of eight methods. We found Ctd_BD and area-based regression methods consistently estimated the right expansion patterns. Boundary displacement and area-based regression methods estimated highly correlated spread rates and dynamics. Distance-based regression methods provided a high accuracy on estimating overall spread rate without long-distance jump dispersal but performed poorly on estimating the spread dynamics. We recommend boundary displacement method, especially Ctd_BD, for estimating spread with GULD, whereas for spread without clear infestation boundaries, distance-based regression can be used to estimate overall spread rate and area-based regression can be used to estimate spread dynamics.


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