福寿螺对水体环境与水体微生物的影响

福寿螺为首批入侵中国的16种危害最大的外来物种之一,它适应性强、食性广泛、繁殖速度快,近年来对稻田等水体生态系统造成了较大危害。本研究通过室内养殖试验,探讨了福寿螺对水体环境,以及福寿螺养殖液对水体放线菌和酵母菌的影响效应。结果发现,与对照处理相比,养殖福寿螺的水体呈弱酸性,水体的浊度、总氮、总磷等含量随着养殖时间的延长而增大。同时,福寿螺养殖液使水体中总细菌的数量显著增加,对酵母菌的生长有促进效应,但不同密度福寿螺的养殖液对酵母菌和放线菌的生长均无显著差异。本研究表明,福寿螺入侵可能会导致水体富营养化和水质恶化等环境问题。这些研究结果可为福寿螺入侵的生态危害及风险评价提供参考依据。     

Preservation of wide-ranging top predators by site-protection: Black and red kites in Doñana National Park

We used data from a long-term study on two medium-sized generalist predators, the black kite (Milvus migrans) and the red kite (Milvus milvus), to illustrate the complexity of managing wide-ranging top predators by site-protection. The study was conducted between 1989 and 2000 in the Reserva Biológica de Doñana, located at the core of Doñana National Park. Both species occurred at high density and showed high productivity. Black kites were slightly increasing, and red kites showed a non-significant trend. The main cause of breeding failure was nest predation, mainly by mammalian predators, most likely Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) or common genet (Genetta genetta). The main cause of mortality was illegal poisoning, which sharply increased in the late 1990s. Nest-site selection models showed that: (1) black kites selected areas near the seasonal marshes, rich in their main prey species and (2) red kites selected areas rich in marshland and far from the park border, possibly in response to illegal poisoning episodes. Productivity was positively related to the availability of marshland and of open terrestrial habitats for black and red kites, respectively, and negatively related for both species to the density of black kites within 200 m of the nest. Our results showed that: (1) intraguild predation and competition among predators make outcomes of interspecific interactions extremely complex, leading to unpredictable side-effects of priority actions targeting one species at a time and (2) though the park was fenced and patrolled by wardens, the wide ranging behaviour of the two species made park borders permeable to negative human pressures, such as poisoning, leading to extreme edge effects and absence of a true, safe core of the park. Park management needs to be better integrated with its regional socio-economic and cultural context. Education programmes against illegal poisoning should be urgently promoted.     

间歇性干旱对福寿螺生长、抗氧化能力和消化酶活性的影响

福寿螺(Pomacea canaliculata)是首批列入我国外来入侵物种黑名单的生物。本文采用干旱后复水方式喂养福寿螺48 d,研究间歇性干旱处理下福寿螺摄食生长、肝胰脏抗氧化能力及胃消化酶活力变化。结果显示:间歇性干旱能够显著降低福寿螺的体重增长率,对存活率影响不明显;福寿螺在恢复摄食期间出现部分补偿生长现象,主要是通过复水后增大摄食量来实现的,当间歇性干旱时间间隔延长到8 d时,则是通过增大摄食量和提高食物转化率的双重作用来实现的;除间隔4 d间歇性干旱下SOD酶活力以外,福寿螺在短间隔(1~4 d)间歇性干旱下SOD和CAT活力均出现不同程度的增加,而MDA含量明显降低;在长间隔(8 d)间歇性干旱下,SOD和CAT活力均低于对照组,且MDA含量与对照组无差别;间歇性干旱降低了福寿螺肝胰脏中GST和GSH-PX活性,对GSH含量无明显影响;除间隔1 d的处理组胃脂肪酶外,间歇性干旱能够不同程度地提高福寿螺胃淀粉酶和胃脂肪酶活力。总体而言,在间歇性干旱胁迫下,福寿螺可通过提高摄食率、食物转化率、抗氧化能力、消化酶活性等,在一定程度上来缓解胁迫带来的影响,但间歇性干旱能够明显抑制福寿螺的正常生长,表明通过农田水位交替性变化可在一定程度上防控福寿螺的暴发与危害。     

外来植物紫茎泽兰入侵对菌根菌群落的影响

为了研究紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora)入侵对土壤菌根真菌(mycorrhizal fungi, MF)群落的影响,采用嵌套PCR 技术分析了外来植物紫茎泽兰入侵生境内土著植物群落、土著植物与紫茎泽兰混生群落、紫茎泽兰单优群落中, 侵染紫茎泽兰及土著植物的MF 群落结构, 及紫茎泽兰与土著植物根围土壤中MF 群落结构。结果表明, 紫茎泽兰不同入侵进程MF 群落结构存在差异, 其中, 从土著植物群落的植物根内检测到内养球囊霉(Glomus intraradices)型克隆; 从土著植物与紫茎泽兰混生群落的紫茎泽兰根内也检测到内养球囊霉型克隆, 而在土著植物根内检测到1 个球囊霉属(Glomus sp 2)型克隆; 从紫茎泽兰单优群落的紫茎泽兰根内未检测到MF, 但从其根围土壤中检测到2 个球囊霉属(Glomus sp 1 和Glomus sp 2)型克隆。在土著植物与紫茎泽兰混生群落中, 从紫茎泽兰根围土壤中检测到4 个克隆型, 分别为毛舌菌阔孢(Trichoglossum hirsutum)、皂味口磨(Tricholoma saponaceum)、亚盖趋本菌(Xylobolus subpileatus)和翘鳞肉齿菌(Sarcodon imbricatus), 从土著植物根围土壤中也检测到4 个克隆型, 分别为小皮伞(Camarophyllopsis hymenocephala)、肉色香蘑(Lepista irina)、皂味口磨及亚侧耳(Panellus serotinus)型克隆; 在土著植物群落中, 从根围土壤只检测到皂味口磨型克隆。紫茎泽兰入侵改变了土著MF 群落结构, 其中在土著植物占据的土壤中以外生菌根真菌为主, 而外来植物紫茎泽兰则更多地积累了丛枝菌根真菌。文中讨论了紫茎泽兰改变入侵地土壤菌根菌群落及其可能对紫茎泽兰入侵的反馈。     

Maximum foraging ranges in solitary bees: only few individuals have the capability to cover long foraging distances

To preserve populations of endangered bee species, sound knowledge of their maximum foraging distance between nest and host plants is crucial. Previous investigations predicted maximum foraging distances of 100-200 m for small bee species and up to 1100 m for very large species based on mainly indirect methods. The present study applied a new and direct approach to experimentally investigate maximum foraging distances in solitary bees. One endangered and two common species of different body sizes, all of which restrict pollen foraging to a single plant genus, were established in a landscape lacking their specific host plants. Females were forced to collect pollen on potted host plants that were successively placed in increasing distance from fixed nesting stands. The maximum foraging distance recorded for the small Hylaeus punctulatissimus was 1100 m, for the medium sized Chelostoma rapunculi 1275 m and for the large Hoplitis adunca 1400 m, indicating that maximum foraging distances at species level have been underestimated. However, the capability to use resources on such a large spatial scale applied only to a small percentage of individuals as 50% of the females of H. punctulatissimus and H. adunca did not forage at distances longer than 100-225 m and 300 m, respectively. This finding suggests that a close neighbourhood of nesting and foraging habitat within few hundred meters is crucial to maintain populations of these species, and that threshold distances at which half of the population discontinues foraging are a more meaningful parameter for conservation practice than the species specific maximum foraging distances.     

Homogenization of ant communities in mediterranean California: The effects of urbanization and invasion

In coastal California, the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) displaces nearly all above ground foraging native ant species. The loss of native ants following invasion by Argentine ants homogenizes these faunas; natural habitats invaded by L. humile have lower beta diversity compared to comparable uninvaded areas. Argentine ant abundance in the seasonally dry mediterranean environments of this region correlates strongly and positively with soil moisture. For this reason, the displacement of native ants across natural and artificial moisture gradients often resembles an edge effect, the magnitude of which is inversely proportional to the suitability of the physical environment from the perspective of L. humile. The direct effects of Argentine ant invasions in natural environments are therefore amplified by inputs of urban and agricultural run off. Indirect ecological effects of these invasions arise from the loss of large-bodied ants, arid adapted ants, and behavioral repertoires unique to particular native ant species. Further research is needed to quantify how these aspects of functional homogenization affect invaded communities. The close association between L. humile and moist soils suggests that, at least in arid regions, control strategies might be aimed at reducing urban run off in order to maintain functionally diverse communities of native ants.     

The effects of land use and climate on red kite distribution in the Iberian peninsula

The main breeding populations of the red kite (Milvus milvus L.), have been declining in the Iberian peninsula during the last decade. However, there is a lack of regional assessments of habitat suitability that identifies limiting ecological factors for the species and areas with conservation problems. In this work we present a regional model for the distribution and abundance of breeding red kites in the Iberian peninsula. The occurrence and estimated abundance in 100 km² UTM squares resulting from road censuses were modelled with broad-scale explanatory variables obtained from satellite imagery, thematic digital cartography, climatic data and spatial coordinates. The occurrence model incorporated mainly climatic variables and had a good discrimination ability, while the abundance model incorporated mainly land-use variables and had a lower explanatory power (r²=0.14). The predictions somewhat overestimated the results of the censuses, and this agrees with the decline of population size and range observed for this species in the Iberian peninsula. These models are relevant in the conservation of the species: first, they suggest the limiting factors for red kite in the Iberian peninsula, and, second, they generate predictive maps pointing out both areas in which conservation problems may be acute (suitable locations that are unoccupied), and areas where no data is available but the red kite is likely to be present (thus guiding further survey and research).     

Copper Release, Speciation, and Toxicity Following Multiple Floodings of Copper Enriched Agriculture Soils: Implications in Everglades Restoration

This study characterizes the effects of water–soil flooding volume ratio and flooding time on copper (Cu) desorption and toxicity following multiple floodings of field-collected soils from agricultural sites acquired under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) in south Florida. Soils from four field sites were flooded with three water–soil ratios (2, 4, and 6 [water] to 1 [soil]) and held for 14 days to characterize the effects of volume ratio and flooding duration on Cu desorption (volume ratio and flooding duration study). Desorption of Cu was also characterized by flooding soils four times from seven field sites with a volume ratio of 2 (water) to 1 (soil) (multiple flooding study). Acute toxicity tests were also conducted using overlying waters from the first flooding event to characterize the effects of Cu on the survival of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), cladocerans (Daphnia magna), amphipods (Hyalella azteca), midges (Chironomus tentans), duckweed (Lemna minor), and Florida apple snails (Pomacea paludosa). Acute tests were also conducted with D. magna exposed to overlying water from the second and third flooding events. Results indicate that dissolved Cu concentrations in overlying water increased with flooding duration and decreased with volume ratio. In the multiple flooding study, initial Cu concentrations in soils ranged from 5 to 223 mg/kg (dw) and were similar to Cu concentration after four flooding events, indicating retention of Cu in soils. Copper desorption was dependent on soil Cu content and soil characteristics. Total Cu concentration in overlying water (Cu_w) was a function of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), alkalinity, and soil Cu concentration (Cu_s): log(Cu_w)?=?1.2909?+?0.0279 (DOC)?+?0.0026 (Cu_s)???0.0038 (alkalinity). The model was validated and highly predictive. Most of the desorbed Cu in the water column complexed with organic matter in the soils and accounted for 99% of the total dissolved Cu. Although total dissolved Cu concentrations in overlying water did not significantly decrease with number of flooding events, concentrations of free Cu²⁺ increased with the number of flooding events, due to a decrease in DOC concentrations. The fraction of bioavailable Cu species (Cu²⁺, CuOH⁺, CuCO₃) was also less than 1% of the total Cu. Overlying water from the first flooding event was only acutely toxic to the Florida apple snail from one site. However, overlying water from the third flooding of six out of seven soils was acutely toxic to D. magna. The decrease in DOC concentrations and increase in bioavailable Cu²⁺ species may explain the changes in acute toxicity to D. magna. Results of this study reveal potential for high Cu bioavailability (Cu²⁺) and toxicity to aquatic biota overtime in inundated agricultural lands acquired under the CERP.     

Exotic plant influences soil nematode communities through litter input

The impact of exotic plant invasions on soil communities and nutrient cycling processes has received an increasing attention in recent years. To test whether the exotic plant invasions affect nematode communities through altering litter quality, we compared mass loss and nematode colonization during the stem litter decomposition of invasive Spartina alterniflora and native Phragmites australis in salt marshes of the Yangtze River estuary, China. Plastic drinking straws were synchronously used as controls. The addition of plant residues was found stimulating the growth of nematodes, particularly bacterial feeders on day 16 after burial. A top-down control of bacterivous nematodes by carnivores existed in nematode succession during the litter decomposition. With higher nitrogen content and lower C:N ratio, stem litter of the invasive S. alterniflora decayed faster and supported more abundant nematodes than the native P. australis. The greater nematode abundance in S. alterniflora was mainly due to two dominant genera of bacterial nematodes, namely Diplolaimelloides and Diplolaimella. Lower values of maturity index and structure index in S. alterniflora than in P. australis litter indicate that a more degraded food web condition resulted from the faster litter decay. A considerable difference in nematode community structures between two litter types only occurred in a certain period of the decomposition (from 8 to 32 days after burial), suggesting that the changes in faunal community structure are time dependent. In summary, this study confirmed the hypothesis that the invasion of S. alterniflora stimulates the growth of bacterial nematodes by producing higher quality of litter than the native P. australis. The results obtained here suggest that the invasion of exotic plant is likely to alter ecosystem functions indirectly through exerting its effect on soil decomposer communities such as nematodes.     

Distribution of non-native trout in Slovenia and their introgression with native trout populations as observed through microsatellite DNA analysis

In Slovenia, the Adriatic basin inhabited by native marble trout (S. marmoratus), and the Danubian basin inhabited by native Danubian lineage of brown trout (S. trutta) have been intensively affected by stocking with non-native trout strains. In order to assess spread of non-native strains and their introgression with native trout, a population study based on five microsatellite loci was applied across ten marble and ten brown trout populations, ranging from allegedly non-introgressed to heavily managed. On the basis of correspondence analysis, which revealed three clear groupings consisting of the Danubian and Atlantic lineages of brown trout and the marble trout, the alleles, characteristic of each grouping were identified and used for estimating genetic composition of each population according to the three possible origins. Among the wild populations, five marble and one brown trout populations were found to be pure; all the others were introgressed with exotic alleles (Atlantic and marmoratus alleles in the Danubian basin and Atlantic and Danubian in the Adriatic basin) that markedly dominate in intensively managed populations. As revealed by non-significant F_IS values, panmixia between native and introduced fishes has for the most part already been reached. Our research showed that it is not only marble trout whose identity is endangered in Slovenia but also the existence of autochthonous Danubian brown trout is critically compromised, which is new information to be taken into account for local trout conservation.     

Herbicides, weeds and endangered species: management of bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. rotundata) with glyphosate and impacts on the endangered shrub, Pimelea spicata

Environmental weed invasion threatens the biodiversity of native species. Unfortunately, managing these weeds may also affect biodiversity adversely. A recent example occurred when glyphosate, a herbicide used to control the highly invasive weed, bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. rotundata), accidentally drifted over a small population of an endangered shrub, Pimelea spicata. Following concerns that the affected population would not recover and, thereby, cause the local extinction of P. spicata, we conducted a series of glasshouse and field experiments to explore the impacts of glyphosate on this endangered species. Seedlings and young plants of P. spicata, in which the tap root was undeveloped, were killed by a single application of glyphosate. Older plants with a well developed tap root also died back initially, but about 50% of individuals re-sprouted. This re-growth was associated with a significant decrease in tap root diameter, implying that further disturbance, including repeated treatment with glyphosate, would kill plants by impairing their potential for recovery. Unlike some sclerophyllous native shrubs, the tolerance of P. spicata to glyphosate was limited, even when its growth was slowed artificially by limiting water availability. Winter applications of glyphosate to manage infestations of bitou bush will impact adversely on populations of P. spicata and may also affect the other rare and endangered species whose survival is threatened by this species, even though some natives are unaffected by the herbicide. Protecting native biodiversity from bitou bush will involve sustainable weed management that minimises impacts on non-target native species.     

Seasonal fluctuation of invasive flatworm predation pressure on land snails: Implications for the range expansion and impacts of invasive species

Introduction of the snail-eating flatworm Platydemus manokwari has caused extinction and decline of native land snails on tropical and subtropical islands. As the factors influencing flatworm predation pressure on land snails remain unclear, I examined the effects of seasonal variation in flatworm predation pressure on land snail survival in the wild on a subtropical island. I also examined the feeding activities of P. manokwari under laboratory conditions. Survival rates of land snails experimentally placed on the forest floor for 7 days ranged from 0% to 100% among seasons on the oceanic island Chichijima [Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands]. More than 90% of snails were killed by P. manokwari within 7 days in the period from July to November, while less than 40% of snails were killed in other months. Snail mortality rate (0-100%) attributable to P. manokwari was positively correlated with mean temperature (17.1-27.3 °C) in the study area. Laboratory experiments showed that low temperature influenced snail survival and regulated feeding activity of P. manokwari. Laboratory experiments also suggested that high densities of P. manokwari may cause a rapid decline in snail survival. Therefore, ambient temperature and density of P. manokwari may regulate seasonal variations in predation pressure on land snails. Recent global warming may increase the probability of invasion and population establishment, and elevate the impacts of P. manokwari in temperate regions.     

剑麻提取物对福寿螺的毒理效应

为探讨剑麻对福寿螺的防治效果及其作用机制,利用浸杀试验法,评价了剑麻鲜叶水浸液、叶干粉正丁醇提取物和乙醇提取物对福寿螺的毒杀效果,并测定了59 mg·L-1、96 mg·L-1的正丁醇提取物和180 mg·L-1、325 mg·L-1的乙醇提取物对福寿螺肝组织超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)、胆碱酯酶(ChE)、腺苷三磷酸酶(ATPase)酶活性的影响。结果表明:剑麻鲜叶水浸液、正丁醇提取物和乙醇提取物对福寿螺均具有一定的毒杀效果,处理72 h后,对福寿螺的半致死浓度(LC50)分别为35.3 g·L-1、93.3 mg·L-1、298.6 mg·L-1,其对应的95%的置信区间为32.9~37.7 g·L-1、87.6~99.7 mg·L-1、272.9~318.7 mg·L-1。剑麻乙醇提取物和正丁醇提取物处理福寿螺12h后,肝组织SOD活性均表现为在低浓度下变化不大,在高浓度下酶活性显著增加;处理48 h后,在高浓度正丁醇提取物作用下,SOD活性仍显著高于清水对照,而在高、低浓度乙醇提取物作用下,其SOD活性与对照之间均无显著差异。剑麻提取物一定程度上诱导了福寿螺肝组织ChE的活性,其中正丁醇提取物对ChE影响较大,96 mg·L-1处理螺48 h后,酶活性显著高于对照(P<0.05)。正丁醇提取物对福寿螺肝组织ATPase活性的影响,总体表现为低浓度促进高浓度抑制,而乙醇提取物对其影响无明显规律。因此,剑麻对福寿螺有一定的防治效果,具有良好的应用前景。     

Plant influences on native and exotic earthworms during secondary succession in old tropical pastures

Land-use changes can drastically alter earthworm communities. Native species are often lost and few exotic species, such as Pontoscolex corethrurus, rapidly prevail when tropical forests are converted to pastures. However, this process can be reversed when forests recover from abandoned pastures through secondary succession. We hypothesized (1) that the formation of forest floor mass during secondary succession in pastures promotes the recovery of native, anecic earthworms and (2) that the shift from grass vegetation in pastures to woody plants in secondary forests decreases the abundance and biomass of the exotic, endogeic P. corethrurus. To test the first hypothesis, we developed a litter manipulation experiment by removing and adding plant litter in plots of mature secondary forests in the Cayey Mountains, Puerto Rico. To test the second hypothesis we performed a greenhouse experiment to examine the influence of a pasture grass species Axonopus compressus and a dominating woody species Miconia prasina of the secondary forests on the number and biomass of the earthworm P. corethrurus. We found in the litter manipulation experiment that earthworm diversity, density and fresh weight were not affected by litter input. However, in the greenhouse experiment, A. compressus increased the number and biomass of P. corethrurus, whereas M. prasina decreased the exotic, endogeic earthworm. Our results suggest that the quantity of litter does not promote rapid changes (<1 year) in native, anecic earthworm diversity, and that the exotic, endogeic P. corethrurus is favored by grass A. compressus compared to the woody plant M. prasina. The shift in vegetation from grass to woody plants promotes the decrease in the density and biomass of the exotic, endogeic P. corethrurus during secondary succession in old tropical pastures.     

Field inoculation effectiveness of native and exotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a Mediterranean agricultural soil

In sustainable agriculture, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal inoculation in agronomical management might be very important, especially when the efficiency of native inocula is poor. Here, we assessed the effect of native and exotic selected AM fungal inocula on plant growth and nutrient uptake in a low input Trifolium alexandrinum-Zea mays crop rotation. We evaluated the effects of four exotic AM fungal isolates on T. alexandrinum physiological traits in greenhouse. Then, the field performances of T. alexandrinum inoculated with the exotic AMF, both single and mixed, were compared to those obtained with a native inoculum, using a multivariate analysis approach. Finally, we tested the residual effect of AM fungal field inoculation on maize as following crop. Multivariate analysis showed that the field AM fungal inoculation increased T. alexandrinum and Z. mays productivity and quality and that the native inoculum was as effective as, or more effective than, exotic AM fungal isolates. Moreover, the beneficial effects of AMF were persistent until the second year after inoculation. The use of native AMF, produced on farm with mycotrophic plants species, may represent a convenient alternative to commercial AM fungal inocula, and may offer economically and ecologically important advantages in sustainable or organic cropping systems.     

Controlled ectomycorrhization of an exotic legume tree species Acacia holosericea affects the structure of root nodule bacteria community and their symbiotic effectiveness on Faidherbia albida, a native Sahelian Acacia

Many fast growing tree species have been introduced to promote biodiversity rehabilitation on degraded tropical lands. Although it has been shown that plant productivity and stability are dependent on the composition and functionalities of soil microbial communities, more particularly on the abundance and diversity of soil symbiotic micro-organisms (mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia), the impact of tree introduction on soil microbiota has been scarcely studied. This research has been carried in a field plantation of Acacia holosericea (Australian Acacia species) inoculated or not with an ectomycorrhizal fungus isolate, Pisolithus albus IR100. After 7 year's plantation, the diversity and the symbiotic properties of Bradyrhizobia isolated from the plantation soil or from the surrounding area (Faidherbia albida (Del.) a. Chev. parkland) and able to nodulate F. albida, a native Sahelian Acacia species, have been studied. Results clearly showed that A. holosericea modified the structure of Bradyrhizobia populations and their effectiveness on F. albida growth. This negative effect was counterbalanced by the introduction of an ectomycorrhizal fungus, P. albus, on A. holosericea root systems.In conclusion, this study shows that exotic plant species can drastically affect genotypic and symbiotic effectiveness of native Bradyrhizobia populations that could limit the natural regeneration of endemic plant species such as F. albida. This effect could be counterbalanced by controlled ectomycorrhization with P. albus. These results have to be considered when exotic tree species are used in afforestation programs that target preservation of native plants and soil ecosystem rehabilitation.     

Control of one invasive plant species allows exotic grasses to become dominant in northern Great Plains grasslands

Decline of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) in the northern Great Plains of the US is generally viewed as a success story for biological control, but quality of the vegetation that survived the infestation is key to recovery of ecosystem function. In addition, effects of other invasive species, notably cool-season exotic grasses, must be taken into account. Objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate direction and significance of changes in biomass of native and exotic grasses, forbs, and leafy spurge and in plant species composition following control of leafy spurge by flea beetles and (2) to evaluate the relative effects of leafy spurge and exotic grasses on biomass of native grasses, biomass of forbs, and richness of native species. We monitored species composition (1998-2003 and 2008) and biomass (2000, 2002, 2003 and 2008) of these groups on spurge-infested and noninfested permanent plots at three sites with unbroken prairie sod in North Dakota, USA. We found little evidence, in terms of species richness or biomass of native grasses or forbs, that leafy spurge was being replaced by desirable native species, although desirable as well as weedy and exotic species were characteristic of 2008 vegetation at all three sites. Structural equation models revealed that leafy spurge had temporally intermittent negative effects on forb biomass and species richness, but no effects on native grasses. In contrast, exotic grass had consistently strong, negative effects on native grass biomass, as well as stronger negative effects than leafy spurge on native species richness. Although substantial native plant diversity remains at these sites, exotic grasses pose an important threat to these crucial building blocks of native prairie ecosystems.     

Reconciling the dichotomy between single species and ecosystem conservation: black kites (Milvus migrans) and eutrophication in pre-Alpine lakes

In recent times there has been a growing dichotomy between preservation of single species and broader, ecosystem-based approaches to conservation. Freshwater habitats are among the most highly human-impacted ecosystems. We used a long-term data set on black kites (Milvus migrans), a threatened raptor dependent on aquatic habitats, to explore ways to reconcile single species and biodiversity-driven approaches to conservation. In the pre-Alpine lakes of northern Italy, black kite populations showed medium-low density, extremely low breeding success and widespread declines. Spatio-temporal variations showed density and breeding success to be positively related to ecosystem productivity (as estimated by phosphorus concentrations in lakes), availability of aquatic habitats and grassland, and to be negatively related to extent of farmland and fish harvest by professional fishermen. Fish species richness, used as a surrogate of biodiversity, was highest in one oligotrophic lake, but on average increased with increasing ecosystem productivity (i.e. lake eutrophication). Given expected future declines in ecosystem productivity, kite conservation will be helped by enhancing populations of alternative prey in terrestrial habitats (e.g. through incentives for grassland), and higher regulation of fish harvest. On the other hand, ecosystem management may profit from the use of black kites or other aerial piscivores as indicators of biodiversity and of diffuse ecosystem stress, such as sustainability of fishing practices.     

Pollination of the invasive exotic shrub Lupinus arboreus (Fabaceae) by introduced bees in Tasmania

Exotic plant invasions threaten ecological communities world-wide. Some species are limited by a lack of suitable pollinators, but the introduction of exotic pollinators can facilitate rapid spread. In Tasmania, where many non-native plants are naturalised, exotic honeybees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) have become established. We determined how these species affect the pollination of Lupinus arboreus, an invasive, nitrogen-fixing shrub, which is rarely visited by native pollinators. The proportion of flowers setting seed and the number of ovules fertilised per flower were positively related to the visitation rates of both exotic bee species. There was no effect of bee visitation rates on the proportion of seeds aborted prior to maturity, possibly due to post-fertilisation environmental constraints. We conclude that the spread of B. terrestris may not alter the fecundity of L. arboreus because of the pollination service provided by A. mellifera, and discuss potential interactions between these two bee species.     

Influence of the proximity and amount of human development and roads on the occurrence of the red imported fire ant in the lower Florida Keys

We examined the influence of both the proximity and extent of human developments and paved roads on the presence of the predatory, non-indigenous, red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). This species was inadvertently introduced into the United States at the port of Mobile, Alabama, around 1930 and rapidly spread to many southeastern states, including Florida. More recently, S. invicta colonized the Florida Keys, an area with a high proportion of rare and endemic vertebrate and invertebrate species. We placed bait transects in transitional salt-marsh, pineland, and hardwood hammocks on 13 of the lower Florida Keys and compared habitat type, the shortest distance of the bait transect to a development or road, and area of development and roads 50, 70, 100, and 150 m around each bait transect for areas with and without red imported fire ants. Red imported fire ants were detected on 21 of the 80 transects and were equally abundant in all habitat types. While all of the development and road variables differed significantly between bait transects with and without red imported fire ants, transects that were closest to roads and that had the largest amount of development within a 150 m radii had the highest probability of presence of red imported fire ants. Recovery efforts for endangered species in areas invaded by red imported fire ants should include analyses of the cumulative impacts of roads and developments in areas near protected lands.