Invasion genetics of alien insect pests in China: Research progress and future prospects

An unwelcome side effect of the globalization of the world's economy and dramatic increase in human mobility and trade has been a marked increase in species invasions that have posed severe threats to the ecological, economic, and/or social stability of the introduced regions. In this review, we analyzed the application of molecular markers in invasion genetics of invasive alien insect pests (IAIPs) in China based on a bibliometric survey. Our report discusses the considerable progress that has been made during the past two decades in understanding the invasion genetics of IAIPs in China. We reviewed the major findings in the main topics including the effects of origin and routes of invasion on genetic structure, spatial and temporal genetic changes, factors contributing to the genetic changes of IAIPs, and genetic mechanisms involved in IAIPs' invasions. On the other hand, some of these research areas remain relatively unexplored in China, especially those pertaining to spatial and temporal genetic changes of IAIPs and genetic mechanisms of IAIPs' invasions. Finally, the future research prospects of IAIPs in China are discussed. We hope this review will stimulate an interest in and provide an increased understanding of the field of invasion genetics of IAIPs in China, and provide a basis for future research in this area.     

Predicting the spread of the American grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in Europe: A call for a co-ordinated European approach

The introduction of the American eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in Europe is causing a dramatic decline of the native European red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), due to competition. We used spatially explicit population dynamics models to illustrate the potential expansion of the grey squirrel from Italy, the only continental country with the species, into neighbouring countries. Simulations started with the known grey squirrel distributions in 1996 and modelled the spread for the next 100 years in two different scenarios. One “best case” in which a random seed crop pattern of poor, good and mast seed crops was simulated with concomitant effects on squirrel fecundity and mortality and one “worst case” scenario in which poor years were not included. In the best case scenario, it will take 30-40 years for grey squirrels to start invading the Alps and about 70-75 years to cross the border between Italy and France. First populations in Switzerland are predicted in 2051-2066. In the worst case scenario, the spread will be significantly faster: the species is predicted to reach France in 2026-2031 and Switzerland in 2031-2041. Removing two of the three populations of grey squirrel will likely postpone the invasion of Switzerland but not of France. Large areas of Europe contain potentially good habitat for grey squirrels, and expansion from Italy, to France, Switzerland and belong to most of Eurasia is simply a matter of time. This will represent a serious risk for the conservation of the native red squirrel and will have implications for national forest operations. However, a European policy towards introduced species is still lacking. There is therefore a need for a co-ordinated European approach to the management of the grey squirrel and other introduced species.     

广西十万大山自然保护区外来植物的初步研究

十万大山地处北热带山地,有着丰富的生物多样性,但定居的外来种在不断增多,有的外来种成了入侵种,如飞机草等,给该自然保护区带来了严重威胁。通过实地调查以及查证文献,全面整理了十万大山国家级自然保护区的外来植物,并分析了外来种的类型、原产地、引种原因及引入途径,确认：①迄今为止共计99种（含亚种）外来植物,隶属于38科83属,其中菊科最多（10种）,占10．1％,其次为禾本科（6种）,占6．1％;②栽培种56种,逸生种20种,入侵种23种,分别占56．6％、20．2％和23．2％;③外来植物的原产地主要是热带美洲（有54种,占54．5％）,其次是印度（10种）、非洲（9种）和地中海地区（7种）;④人为有意引入有87种,占87．9％。最后对保护区内外来植物的危害预测和防治策略做了分析。     

毛竹入侵对落叶阔叶林土壤理化性质和胞外酶活性的影响

【目的】研究毛竹（Phyllostachys edulis）入侵亚热带北缘落叶阔叶林对土壤理化性质和土壤胞外酶活性的影响,为探究毛竹入侵条件下森林生态系统养分循环过程与固碳潜力及森林的毛竹入侵治理提供科学依据。【方法】在毛竹入侵样带上,选择落叶阔叶林（麻栎林Quercus acutissima）、竹阔混交林（混交林）和毛竹林3种林分为研究对象,采集其林下地表0~10 cm土壤,进行土壤理化性质和土壤酶活性的测定,包括土壤pH、含水率和有机碳、全氮、NH⁺₄-N、NO^-₃-N、全磷、有效磷含量,以及β-葡糖苷酶（BG）、β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶（NAG）、亮氨酸氨基肽酶（LAP）、酸性磷酸酶（AcP）、酚氧化物酶（POX）、过氧化物酶（PER）活性和酶计量(V_C/N、V_N/P、V_C/P),比较不同林分的土壤指标。【结果】①随着毛竹入侵,毛竹林土壤pH值和含水率显著增大,且与混交林、麻栎林差异显著（P<0.05）;其土壤有机碳、NO^-₃-N和全氮含量显著下降（P<0.05）,NH⁺₄-N、有效磷和全磷含量与混交林、麻栎林差异不显著。②土壤碳、氮和磷循环相关的水解酶（BG、NAG+LAP、AcP）活性均随毛竹入侵呈下降趋势,氧化酶（POX、PER）活性变化趋势与之相反;酶计量分析表明,毛竹林土壤的V_N/P显著低于混交林和麻栎林（P＜0.05）,而V_C/N、V_C/P在不同林分间差异不显著。③酶活性的矢量分析表明,毛竹林土壤微生物的磷限制程度高于混交林和麻栎林。④土壤水解酶活性与土壤有机碳、NO^-₃-N、全氮、有效磷含量或pH有显著相关关系,氧化酶活性与土壤性质相关性总体不显著。【结论】毛竹林取代落叶阔叶林（麻栎林）后,土壤有机碳和养分含量及相关水解酶活性降低,不利于原有落叶阔叶林土壤碳库与养分库的保存。     

Comparative performance of the highly invasive Mimosa invisa and its less invasive subspecies under different nutrient and light conditions

Invasive plants may be more plastic than non‐invasive plants and maintain high fitness under various environmental conditions. Previous studies mainly focused on the comparisons between invasive and native plants, and comparisons between highly invasive and less invasive exotic species are still relatively rare, especially for comparisons at the subspecies level. This study examined the effects of nutrient addition and shading on the performance of the highly invasive Mimosa invisa and its less invasive subspecies M. invisa var. inermis under either isolated or competitive conditions. Nutrient addition increased biomass and plant height and decreased root‐to‐shoot ratio (R/S). Shading decreased biomass and R/S and increased plant height. Under isolated conditions, the two invaders did not differ in R/S, plant height and plasticity of these traits in response to nutrient addition or shading, and the two invaders also did not differ in biomass production under each of the nutrient and light treatments. When the two invaders competed with each other, M. invisa outcompeted M. invisa var. inermis under high soil nutrient conditions, and the two invaders did not differ in performance under other growth conditions. Thus, only considering competition may we find out the difference between highly invasive species and their closely related, less invasive subspecies. Management of M. invisa should focus on habitats with high soil nutrient availability, in which M. invisa is more likely to dominate.     

Comparative functional responses of native and high‐impacting invasive fishes: impact predictions for native prey populations

Comparative functional responses (FRs) can predict impacts of invasive species, including piscivorous fishes, via quantifying their depletion of native food resources as a function of prey density. The utility of FRs for predicting impacts on prey populations by invasive fishes of different trophic guilds was tested here by comparing the FRs of the invaders Cyprinus carpio and Carassius auratus, with three native, trophically analogous fishes, Barbus barbus, Squalius cephalus and Tinca tinca. Chironomid larvae and Gammarus pulex were used as prey items. Predictions, developed from studies on the foraging of C. carpio and C. auratus in the literature, were that the invaders would have significantly higher consumption rates for chironomids than the native fishes, but not for G. pulex. Mean consumption rates for chironomids were significantly lower for both invaders than B. barbus and S. cephalus, but were similar to T. tinca. Barbus barbus had a significantly lower consumption rate of G. pulex than both invaders, but there were no significant differences between S. cephalus, T. tinca and the invaders. All FRs were type II, with FR curves for the invaders preying upon chironomids never being significantly higher than the native fishes, contrary to predictions. For G. pulex, some significant differences were apparent between the invaders and native fishes, but again were contrary to predictions. These results indicated that when predation impacts of invasive fishes could also be a function of their population density and body sizes, these parameters should be incorporated into FR models to improve impact predictions.     

沙漠蝗生物学特性及防治技术研究进展

历史记载中,沙漠蝗Schistocerca gregaria(Forsk.,1775)主要在北非发生,对当地农作物构成严重威胁。大规模发生时,可向西亚等地继续扩散为害。2020年初沙漠蝗在巴基斯坦、印度大量发生,肆虐为害,对粮食安全和生态安全构成了严重威胁。因其具有迁飞性,周边多个国家面临重大入侵风险。因本次沙漠蝗发生规模与破坏程度堪比1985年非洲蝗灾,2020年2月11日,联合国粮农组织(FAO)向全球发布预警:"高度戒备正在肆虐的蝗灾,防止被入侵国家出现粮食危机"。本文介绍了沙漠蝗分类地位、形态学特征,概述了沙漠蝗生物学特性、监测预警与防治技术研究进展,为科学防控沙漠蝗提供理论支撑。     

Quantifying trophic interactions and niche sizes of juvenile fishes in an invaded riverine cyprinid fish community

Quantifying feeding interactions between nonindigenous and indigenous fishes in invaded fish communities is important for determining how introduced species integrate into native food webs. Here, the trophic interactions of invasive 0+ European barbel Barbus barbus (L.) and the three other principal 0+ fishes in the community, Squalius cephalus (L.), Leuciscus leuciscus (L.) and Phoxinus phoxinus (L.), were investigated in the River Teme, a River Severn tributary in Western England. B. barbus has been present in the River Teme for approximately 40 years. Analyses of stomach contents from samples collected from three sites between June and September 2015 revealed that, overall, fishes displayed a generalist feeding strategy, with most prey having low frequency of selection. Relationships of diet composition versus body length and gape height were species‐specific, with increasing dietary specialisms apparent as the 0+ fishes increased in length and gape height. The trophic niche size of invasive B. barbus was always significantly smaller than S. cephalus and L. leuciscus and was significantly smaller than P. phoxinus at two sites. This was primarily due to differences in the functional morphology of the fishes; 0+ B. barbus were generally restricted to foraging on the benthos, whereas the other fishes were able to forage on prey present throughout the water column. Nevertheless, the invasive B. barbus were exploiting very similar prey items to populations in their native range, suggesting these invaders were strongly pre‐adapted to the River Teme and this arguably facilitated their establishment and invasion.     

Historical change in coastal sage scrub in southern California,USA in relation to fire frequency and air pollution

Invasions resulting in the transformation of one ecosystem to another are an increasingly widespread phenomenon. While it is clear that these conversions, particularly between grassland and shrubland systems, have severe consequences, it is often less clear which factors are associated with these conversions. We resampled plots from the 1930s (Weislander VTMs) to test whether two widely assumed factors, changes in fire frequency and nitrogen deposition, are associated with the conversion of coastal sage scrublands to exotic grasslands in southern California. Over the 76-year period, coastal sage scrub cover declined by 49%, being replaced predominantly by exotic grassland species. Grassland encroachment was positively correlated with increased fire frequency and, in areas with low fire frequencies, air pollution (percent fossil carbon as indicated by ∂¹⁴C, likely correlated with nitrogen deposition). We conclude that increases in fire frequency and air pollution over the last several decades in southern California may have facilitated the conversion of coastal sage shrubland to exotic grassland systems.