@article {pmid41454912,
year = {2026},
author = {Eyster, HN and Gould, RK},
title = {How much biotic nativeness matters across human demographic groups.},
journal = {Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology},
volume = {40},
number = {2},
pages = {e70197},
doi = {10.1111/cobi.70197},
pmid = {41454912},
issn = {1523-1739},
support = {GCXE22S079//Environment and Climate Change Canada/ ; //Gund Institute for Environment/ ; },
mesh = {*Conservation of Natural Resources ; Humans ; Animals ; *Birds ; British Columbia ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; *Introduced Species ; Aged ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {Many central concepts of conservation biology-such as nativeness-are structured by ecological and social factors. However, the social consequences of using these concepts to make conservation decisions remain inadequately understood. Some researchers argue that nativeness, rather than acting as an objective proxy for important ecological relationships, may instead mask social and cultural values about which species belong in a given ecosystem. Yet, even as many non-native species decline, experts often prioritize the conservation of native species. We assessed the perceptions of people (n = 600) in Metro Vancouver, Canada, regarding local declines of native and non-native birds. We measured ecological grief (feelings of loss associated with ecological changes) and loss of cultural ecosystem service (nonmaterial benefits people derive from relationships with nature) associated with documented declines in 2 native and 2 non-native birds. We measured variations in perceptions across differences in nature experiences and sociodemographics. We used a 2-treatment experimental design in which we informed only half the participants about species' nativeness. Perceptions of loss differed among respondents based on their familiarity with birds, experiences with birds, and the native status of the bird. However, the effect of nativeness on feelings of loss was not moderated by ecological knowledge, whether a respondent was an urbanite, or experiences with birds. Instead, race was the strongest moderator of the effect of nativeness on feelings of loss. Only White people reported greater grief for declines in native species than non-native species, even when accounting for education, income, and other variables. Although native status may often be a useful heuristic for inference, relying on it for conservation decision-making may have unintended sociodemographic and equity consequences. Our results also demonstrate how pairing ecological grief and cultural ecosystem service questions with documented ecological declines can elucidate human-nature relationships, such as those between people and non-native birds.},
}

*Conservation of Natural Resources
Humans
Animals
*Birds
British Columbia
Female
Male
Middle Aged
Adult
*Introduced Species
Aged
Ecosystem

@article {pmid41912738,
year = {2026},
author = {Sahu, N and Kesharwani, R and Rathore, YS and Kumar, A and Varun, A and Mishra, MM and Das, P and Das, BK and Mallick, SK},
title = {Climate change impacts on vegetation dynamics and transhumant pastoralism in the Western Himalayas.},
journal = {Environmental monitoring and assessment},
volume = {198},
number = {4},
pages = {},
pmid = {41912738},
issn = {1573-2959},
mesh = {*Climate Change ; India ; Introduced Species/statistics & numerical data ; *Environmental Monitoring ; Humans ; Altitude ; Himalayas ; },
abstract = {Mountain pastoral livelihoods in the Western Himalaya face compounded pressures from warming, shifting rainfall, and the spread of invasive alien plant species (IAPS), yet integrated evidence linking climate dynamics, vegetation change, and livelihood outcomes remains limited. This study examines how long-term climate trends, IAPS, and shifting livelihood conditions interact along the elevational migration routes of the Bakkarwal pastoralists (BPs) in Jammu and Kashmir, India. We integrate 42 years of gridded daily climate records (1980-2021) with focus group discussions (FGDs) and a structured questionnaire (n = 80) to assess climate variability, perceived vegetation change, and livelihood impacts. The results show that temperatures have risen (~ 0.85 °C daytime, ~ 0.70 °C nighttime) significantly in low and high-elevation districts, with stronger post-2000 signals and greater high-elevation sensitivity, while rainfall has redistributed seasonally rather than showing a uniform trend. Field and survey evidence point to the upslope spread of IAPS (Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus, and Ageratum conyzoides) displacing the native fodder and increased overbrowsing pressure on remaining shrubs and trees. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of perception data identified latent dimensions of the vegetation and livelihood factors improving the interpretability of the observed dataset. These dimensions reveal how climate-induced vegetation dynamics interact with socio-economic changes such as youth's preference for education and salaried jobs, policies that impact grazing access, and changes in herding and migration routines which are altering social relationships, reducing the intergenerational knowledge transfer, and gradually reshaping the cultural values that have long supported Bakkarwal pastoralism. The overall findings envisage that developing the resilience in their socio-ecological system will be subject to how they cope with the upcoming climatic risk, IAPS preservation, restoration of critical forage sites, and community-based social policies that support ease and conspicuous livelihood transitions for the BPs.},
}

*Climate Change
India
Introduced Species/statistics & numerical data
*Environmental Monitoring
Humans
Altitude
Himalayas

@article {pmid41913691,
year = {2026},
author = {Erens, J and Heine, C and Lötters, S and Krehenwinkel, H and Crawford, AJ and Rueda-Solano, LA and Plewnia, A},
title = {A Field-Deployable eDNA Metabarcoding Workflow Including De Novo Reference Assembly for Characterising Understudied Biodiversity Hotspots.},
journal = {Molecular ecology resources},
volume = {26},
number = {3},
pages = {e70122},
doi = {10.1111/1755-0998.70122},
pmid = {41913691},
issn = {1755-0998},
support = {//Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Verkehr, Landwirtschaft und Weinbau Rheinland-Pfalz/ ; //Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde/ ; //Forschungsfonds of Trier University/ ; //Forschungsinitiative Rheinland-Pfalz through Trier University/ ; },
mesh = {*DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods ; Animals ; *Biodiversity ; *Amphibians/classification/genetics ; *DNA, Environmental/genetics ; Workflow ; *Metagenomics/methods ; },
abstract = {Field-deployable DNA metabarcoding offers a transformative approach to biodiversity research and monitoring, yet its application remains limited due to technical constraints and a lack of reference data in poorly studied ecosystems. Combining isothermal Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) and Oxford Nanopore sequencing, we introduce a two-step approach that uses non-invasive species barcoding to directly generate reference sequences for use in environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, and enables real-time, PCR-free and cost-effective molecular assessment of ecological communities in the field. Using an endemic and understudied tropical amphibian assemblage as a model, we demonstrate the functionality of this novel workflow. De novo generation of a reference sequence library from amphibian skin swab samples significantly improved the accuracy and taxonomic resolution of sequence assignments from eDNA samples, particularly on the species level, in turn allowing a characterisation of fine-scale patterns in community composition. Beyond generating new RPA-compatible amphibian metabarcoding primers, our results show that combining field-based eDNA metabarcoding with the offline assembly of a local reference database can directly bridge existing data gaps in molecular biodiversity monitoring, providing a scalable solution to accelerate biodiversity assessments in data-deficient ecosystems. This workflow paves the way for broader deployment of molecular tools in global biodiversity hotspots-particularly in remote and resource-limited tropical regions-to directly contribute critical baseline data, and support conservation efforts in regions where they are most urgently needed.},
}

*DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic/methods
Animals
*Biodiversity
*Amphibians/classification/genetics
*DNA, Environmental/genetics
Workflow
*Metagenomics/methods

@article {pmid41913976,
year = {2026},
author = {Mochales-Riaño, G and Marques, V and Carretero, MA and Rato, C},
title = {Chromosome-level reference genome for the common wall gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) enables comparative and functional studies in geckos.},
journal = {G3 (Bethesda, Md.)},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/g3journal/jkag072},
pmid = {41913976},
issn = {2160-1836},
abstract = {Reptiles exhibit remarkable ecological and physiological diversity, yet genomic resources for this group remain relatively scarce, limiting research on adaptation, evolution, and invasion biology. The common wall gecko, Tarentola mauritanica (Linnaeus, 1758), is a Mediterranean species complex known for its urban behavior, wide dispersal capacity, and exceptional resistance to dehydration, making it an ideal candidate for genomic studies of ecological adaptation. Here, we present the first high-quality, chromosome-level reference genome for the genus Tarentola. Using a combination of PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing data, we assembled a 2.1 Gbp reference genome (N50 = 135.8 Mbp), of which 96.7% of the genome is contained in 21 pseudochromosomes. Comparative chromosomal analyses revealed largely conserved synteny, however, some fissions and fusions were observed, highlighting lineage-specific karyotype evolution. Analyses of aquaporin genes revealed a duplication of AQP5 in T. mauritanica, suggesting a potential role in water regulation. PSMC-based demographic reconstruction indicated population expansion prior to the Last Interglacial (∼150-120 Kya) and contraction during the Last Glacial Maximum (∼20 Kya), consistent with Mediterranean climatic fluctuations. This genome represents the first reference for the genus Tarentola and provides a comprehensive genomic resource to investigate ecological adaptation, gene family evolution, invasion biology, and conservation genomics. Moreover, this assembly will facilitate comparative genomics across reptiles and support functional and evolutionary studies aimed at linking genome structure to ecological and phenotypic diversity.},
}

@article {pmid41905148,
year = {2026},
author = {Sun, Q and Xing, X and Ma, K},
title = {How does vegetation invasion reshape bird communities? Insights from mangrove and Spartina alterniflora saltmarsh in coastal China.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {404},
number = {},
pages = {129485},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129485},
pmid = {41905148},
issn = {1095-8630},
abstract = {Coastal wetlands are critical hotspots of bird diversity, with vegetation playing a key role in sustaining bird communities by providing both food and habitat. However, the large-scale invasion of Spartina alterniflora has altered the vegetation patterns of these wetlands, and its impacts on bird diversity at the landscape scale remain poorly understood. In this study, we compared the capacity of mangroves and S. alterniflora saltmarshes along the southeastern coast of China to support bird communities, based on citizen-science data and vegetation distribution layers. Our results showed that birds generally preferred mangroves while avoiding S. alterniflora saltmarshes, with significantly higher species richness and abundance observed in mangroves. Larger, less fragmented, and more connected mangrove patches support richer and more abundant bird communities; by contrast, similar structural features in S. alterniflora saltmarshes tend to cause more severe damage to native bird communities. Vegetation area emerged as the most influential landscape factor affecting bird communities. Due to niche differences, waterbirds were less sensitive to landscape structure and primarily influenced by mangrove habitats, while landbirds responded to both vegetation types. Future mangrove restoration should focus on creating large, well-connected, and continuous habitats to maintain bird diversity. In managing S. alterniflora, consideration should be given to bird species already adapted to these habitats to avoid new ecological risks from abrupt habitat loss. Overall, our findings highlight how invasive vegetation affects bird diversity through alterations in landscape structure, providing a scientific basis for coastal wetland restoration and invasive species management.},
}

@article {pmid41906378,
year = {2026},
author = {Li, J and Chen, G and Yue, Y and Wang, J and Liu, Y and Tian, Z and Yang, J and Zhang, B and Zhou, Z},
title = {Synergistic attraction: Development and field evaluation of a multicomponent lure for Zeugodacus cucurbitae based on host-plant volatiles and gut bacterium-derived volatiles.},
journal = {Pest management science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ps.70770},
pmid = {41906378},
issn = {1526-4998},
support = {YBXM2510//Nanfan Special Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ ; YBXM2511//Nanfan Special Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ ; CAAS-ZDRW202307//Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ ; 326QN0846//Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Zeugodacus cucurbitae is a global quarantine pest. Management of this pest relies heavily on chemical insecticides, which impose substantial environmental burdens. Male-specific lures [e.g. cue-lure (CL)] are widely used for monitoring and male-targeted control, but on their own, they often have a limited impact on population suppression. Therefore, efficient attractants targeting both sexes are urgently needed to advance sustainable and integrated pest management (IPM). To address this need, we screened and optimized multicomponent formulations by combining host-plant volatiles, volatiles from the culture supernatant of the gut bacterium Morganella sp. M72, and CL.

RESULTS: In behavioral assays, both the optimized host-plant volatile blend (methyl isovalerate: heptanal: methyl myristate: methyl laurate = 10:10:1:0.1) and the volatile blend from the culture supernatant of the gut bacterium Morganella sp. M72 (indole: benzyl alcohol: 3-methyl-1-butanol: 1-undecanol = 0.01:10:10:1) significantly attracted both female and male Z. cucurbitae. When CL was incorporated, the resulting ternary formulation produced significantly higher attraction than any individual blend or single-source formulation. Field trials further supported this improvement, confirming that the ternary blend effectively attracted adults of both sexes under practical conditions.

CONCLUSION: This multicomponent formulation helps overcome the male-only attraction of conventional lures and showed stable field performance across early-season, peak-season and late-season periods. These results support the development of more effective monitoring and integrated management strategies for Z. cucurbitae. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.},
}

@article {pmid41906423,
year = {2026},
author = {Dakduk, D and Yoder, JB},
title = {Temporal analysis of reproduction distributed in space illuminates the climate-change resiliency of toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia).},
journal = {American journal of botany},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e70182},
doi = {10.1002/ajb2.70182},
pmid = {41906423},
issn = {1537-2197},
abstract = {PREMISE: Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia (Rosaceae), is an iconic and ecologically important member of California chaparral and oak woodland communities. Its habitat faces changing wildfire regimes, widening variation in annual rainfall, and competition by introduced species. We used a new modeling method, temporal analysis of reproduction distributed in space (TARDIS), to examine how recent climate change alters habitat suitability for toyon.

METHODS: As data for TARDIS, we annotated flowering and fruiting in images from 4105 observations of toyon contributed to the iNaturalist crowdsourcing platform. From these records, we trained Bayesian additive regression tree models relating weather to toyon flowering. We used a trained model to hindcast flowering each year back to 1900, and examined trends in the hindcast flowering. For comparison, we also modeled changing habitat suitability using a conventional species distribution model (SDM) relating toyon presence to 30-year climate averages.

RESULTS: Toyon flowering was associated with greater winter precipitation and warmer fall and winter temperatures. Our hindcast showed that mean flowering intensity has been stable to slightly increasing since 1900, with greater increases at higher elevations, but also at lower latitudes. Variation in flowering intensity also increased, especially at lower latitudes. Trends in flowering were positively correlated with changes in SDM-predicted suitability.

CONCLUSIONS: TARDIS recovers biologically realistic predictors of toyon flowering, and hindcast changes in flowering intensity indicate the species' range remains suitable after 125 years of changing climate. Overall, our results indicate toyon populations remain healthy, but may have limited opportunity to migrate northward as climate change continues.},
}

@article {pmid41907736,
year = {2026},
author = {Chen, Q and Zhao, H and Yan, P and Li, L and He, R and Chen, X and Yang, F},
title = {The dual role of native plant diversity in shaping plant invasions: scale and habitat dependence in urban-rural ecotones.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {17},
number = {},
pages = {1786551},
pmid = {41907736},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Urban-rural ecotones are characterized by high habitat heterogeneity and intense anthropogenic disturbance, are recognized as high-risk areas for alien plant invasions. To explore the differences in diversity patterns between native and invasive herbaceous plants, as well as their relationships, across various habitat types, and to determine the major environmental factors facilitating invasion, we conducted a comprehensive field survey in Jiangdong New District, Haikou City, Hainan Province, a rapidly urbanising ecotone in southern China.

METHODS: A total of 537 herbaceous plant quadrats were established across six representative habitat types selected according to in situ habitat heterogeneity at 220 sampling sites. We recorded a total of 229 herbaceous plant species, including 155 native and 74 invasive species.

RESULTS: Analyses revealed significant differences in diversity indices and total cover between native and invasive assemblages among habitats. Invasive herbaceous plant diversity was highest in roadside habitat, whereas native herbaceous plants were dominant in landscape green space. Native species diversity was positively associated with invasive species richness, but negatively associated with their total cover and invasion intensity. Suppressive effects of native diversity were strongest in abandoned land and depression wetland habitats. Trampling intensity promoted invasive species richness, whereas proximity to buildings, proximity to water bodies, and higher relative humidity facilitated the formation of high invasive plant cover. In contrast, active management, such as artificial removal, consistently suppressed invasion across all metrics.

DISCUSSION: This study clarifies the scale and habitat-dependent dual role of native herbaceous diversity in regulating invasions, providing scientific support for the development of habitat-targeted management approaches in urban-rural ecotones.},
}

@article {pmid41907829,
year = {2026},
author = {Woinarski, JCZ and Legge, SM and Moseby, K and Burbidge, AA and Carthey, AJR and Dickman, CR and Doherty, TS and Ferris, J and Fisher, DO and Hollanders, M and Hradsky, BA and Johnson, CN and Jolly, CJ and Kanowski, J and Letnic, M and Mason, RT and McGregor, H and Murphy, BP and Pedler, R and Read, JL and Rendall, AR and Stobo-Wilson, A and Webb, J and Webber, BL and West, R and Ritchie, EG},
title = {Investigating the Causes of an Extinction Catastrophe: Controlling Introduced Predators Remains Essential for Conserving Australia's Mammals.},
journal = {Bioscience},
volume = {76},
number = {3},
pages = {294-307},
pmid = {41907829},
issn = {0006-3568},
abstract = {At least 40 Australian mammal spcies have been driven to extinction since European colonization in 1788. For conservation management to be effective, it is vital that the reasons for historical extinctions and ongoing declines are understood and remedied. A recent article (Wallach and Lundgren 2025) concluded that there was no compelling evidence that two introduced predators (domestic cats and red foxes) were primary causes of these mammal losses. We refute that article, finding substantial flaws in its premises, analyses, data, interpretations, and conclusions. Using multiple lines of evidence, we show that these two predators are strongly implicated in most Australian mammal extinctions and in the ongoing imperilment of numerous extant species. The devastating impact of cats and foxes on Australia's mammals has been widely recognized by conservation managers who have, in response, implemented national programs to control these predators, producing widely recognized benefits for one of the world's most remarkable native mammal faunas.},
}

@article {pmid41908914,
year = {2026},
author = {Doré, G and Barloy, D and Barloy-Hubler, F},
title = {First draft genome of the decaploid species, Ludwigia grandiflora subsp. hexapetala, validated through gene expression.},
journal = {GigaByte (Hong Kong, China)},
volume = {2026},
number = {},
pages = {gigabyte176},
pmid = {41908914},
issn = {2709-4715},
abstract = {Invasive species are one of the biggest drivers of species extinction. Ludwigia grandiflora subsp. hexapetala (Lgh) is widely invasive in aquatic ecosystems of Europe, North America, and Japan, and also colonizes emergent freshwater soils, but limited genomic data constrain studies of its invasiveness. Here, we report a draft genome assembly of Lgh, with a total length of 1.487 Gb, in agreement with the genome size estimated by flow cytometry, despite high fragmentation (111,219 contigs; N50 = 13.5 kb) and low sequencing depth (6.5× Illumina, 1.6× Nanopore). In addition, an analysis combining homology and expression data identified 139,095 protein-coding genes. Moreover, several indicators suggest that the observed fragmentation is largely attributable to unassembled repetitive regions. Thus, despite these limitations, this assembly represents the first genome in the Ludwigioideae subfamily and constitutes a valuable resource for gene discovery, functional genomics, phylogenetic reconstruction, and evolutionary analyses across the Onagraceae family.},
}

@article {pmid41912508,
year = {2026},
author = {Zheng, Y and Golledge, NR and Gossart, A and Shu, S},
title = {Expansion of Antarctic surface melt through the 21st century.},
journal = {Nature communications},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-71114-7},
pmid = {41912508},
issn = {2041-1723},
support = {ANTA1801//Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)/ ; RTVU2206//Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)/ ; },
abstract = {Climate models show that Antarctic surface melt will increase through the current century. Surface melting changes ice sheet albedo, the availability of liquid water for endemic and invasive species, and may even accelerate ice shelf collapse and global sea level rise. Here we show, using 1 km downscaled projections of potential Antarctic surface melt, that the total area experiencing surface melt will expand by more than 10% by 2100 under a Shared Socio-economic Pathway 3-7.0 scenario, with increased potential melt totals likely to threaten the viability of ice shelves mostly in the West Antarctic Peninsula and Amundsen Sea Embayment, through an elevated risk of hydrofracture. By calculating the latitudinal rate of melt migration we also find that Shared Socio-economic Pathway 1-2.6 is the only emissions scenario under which the rate of future Antarctic surface melt expansion will stabilize at present levels.},
}

@article {pmid41721380,
year = {2026},
author = {Juozaitytė-Ngugu, E and Maziliauskaitė, E and Vaitkevičiūtė-Koklevičienė, R and Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž and Servienė, E and Butkauskas, D and Prakas, P},
title = {First report of Atriotaenia tapeworms and Sarcocystis protists in invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) from Lithuania.},
journal = {BMC veterinary research},
volume = {22},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {41721380},
issn = {1746-6148},
support = {No. 101059985, No. 10-042-P-0002.//Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON), called Teaming for Excellence (HORIZON-WIDERA-2022-ACCESS-01-two-stage)/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The raccoon (Procyon lotor), an introduced species in Europe, has exhibited significant population growth and successful adaptation to synanthropic environments over recent decades. In newly colonised areas, knowledge gaps remain regarding various aspects of raccoon ecology, including its behaviour, as well as associated parasites. The majority of pathogens identified in European raccoon populations to date possess documented epizootic and zoonotic potential. The objective of this study was to detect muscle parasites (Alaria spp., Sarcocystis spp., and Trichinella spp.) and to characterize Sarcocystis protists in intestinal scrapings of raccoons, as well as to visually inspect helminth species in six fecal samples.

METHODS: During the 2018–2022 period, muscle, fecal and intestinal samples of 13 animals were examined. Sarcocysts of Sarcocystis protists and Cyclophyllidea tapeworms were morphologically characterized using light microscope (LM). Sarcocystis species were identified by means of 28 S rRNA, ITS1, and cox1 sequence analysis. Cyclophyllidea tapeworms were confirmed by 12 S rRNA sequence analysis.

RESULTS: Microscopic analysis revealed the presence of Sarcocystis parasites and Cyclophyllidea tapeworms in seven (53.8%) of the raccoons examined. No Trichinella nematodes or Alaria trematodes were detected in the muscle samples by using an active artificial digestion method. In the small intestine, oocysts and/or sporocysts of Sarcocystis spp. were observed by LM in five of the samples. One species of Atriotaenia cestode was detected in fecal samples of two raccoons. Based on DNA sequence results, Sarcocystis lutrae was identified in the muscles of a single raccoon from Lithuania. The present study provides the first report of seven distinct Sarcocystis taxa identified in raccoon intestines by molecular analyses, including Sarcocystis rileyi, which forms macroscopic sarcocysts in ducks, and Sarcocystis bovifelis, which infects cattle muscles. Based on 12 S rRNA sequencing, Atriotaenia incisa was identified in two of the examined animals.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings expand current knowledge on the Sarcocystis species richness in carnivores. This study also reports the first identification of A. incisa in the feces of raccoons from Lithuania. This study demonstrates that broader sampling and detailed parasitological investigations are essential for a more complete characterization of raccoon parasite diversity.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12917-026-05345-7.},
}

@article {pmid41901473,
year = {2026},
author = {Medeiros, WJF and Lacerda, CF and Bezerra, BGMDC and Sales, JRDS and Alves, FGDS and Vasconcelos, ECG and Cândido, MJD and Machado, PIM and Bonilla, OH and Araújo, ICDS and Sousa, CHC and Bezerra, AME},
title = {Contrasting Responses of a Native Palm and an Invasive Vine to Flooding Stress: Implications for Orchard Regeneration in Caatinga Ecosystems.},
journal = {Plants (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {15},
number = {6},
pages = {},
pmid = {41901473},
issn = {2223-7747},
support = {35960-62747.65.95/51//National Institute of Science and Technology in Sustainable Agriculture in Tropical Semi-arid-INCTAgriS (CNPq/FUNCAP/CAPES)/ ; Financial code 001//Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Level Personnel Agency (CAPES)/ ; },
abstract = {The carnauba palm trees in the Caatinga ecosystem, in Northeast Brazil, have been impacted by invasive species, particularly in areas subject to flooding. This study aimed to evaluate morphological, physiological, and nutritional responses of Copernicia prunifera (native) and Cryptostegia madagascariensis (invasive) seedlings exposed to flooding stress. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design, with a split-plot arrangement and five replicates. The treatments were formed by two species and five periods of flood stress (0, 8, 12, 16, and 20 days). Flooding significantly reduced shoot dry mass in both species; however, the reduction was more pronounced in the invasive species (27%) compared to the native palm (20%). The invasive species showed strong use of resources, with higher values for leaf mineral nutrient, net photosynthesis, growth rate, and leaf area, regardless of the water regime. Under flooding, the invasive species produced adventitious roots, and the net photosynthetic rate was less impacted, despite greater sodium accumulation in the leaves. The results indicate that the characteristics of C. prunifera, such as slow growth rate, low specific leaf area, and morphological adaptations of the root system, may ensure greater stability in net carbon assimilation in the whole plant under flooding. However, the rapid growth and high absorption of soil resources of C. madagascariensis pose a significant threat to the establishment of C. prunifera seedlings, directly jeopardizing the long-term renewal of carnauba palm groves in the Caatinga ecosystem.},
}

@article {pmid41902850,
year = {2026},
author = {Esser, EA and Ervin, GN and Lucardi, RD and Severns, PM and Womack-Peoples, ED and Bullard, SH and Schulz, AN},
title = {Harnessing Allelopathic Autotoxicity for Invasive Plant Management: Knowledge Gaps and Future Research Directions.},
journal = {Journal of chemical ecology},
volume = {52},
number = {2},
pages = {},
pmid = {41902850},
issn = {1573-1561},
support = {23JV11330160055//Southern Research Station/ ; MISZ-069550//McIntire-Stennis/ ; },
}

@article {pmid41904221,
year = {2026},
author = {Moyneur, T and Giloni, K and Choe, DH},
title = {Vapor-phase (S)-methoprene alters cuticular hydrocarbons in the Argentine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-44089-0},
pmid = {41904221},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {18-PML-R001//California Department of Pesticide Regulation/ ; Hatch project accession number: 7003981//National Institute of Food and Agriculture/ ; },
}

@article {pmid41905046,
year = {2026},
author = {Lages, B and Sousa, R and Cunha, SC and Souza-Kasprzyk, J and Fernandes, JO and Gámez, AN and Nóvoa, MF and Guedes, A and Alves, P and Niedzielski, P and Cortez, P and Sargo, R and Garcês, A and Loureiro, F and Teixeira, A and Padilha, J},
title = {First multi-contaminant assessment of the non-native American mink (Neogale vison) in Iberian freshwater ecosystems.},
journal = {Journal of hazardous materials},
volume = {508},
number = {},
pages = {141895},
doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141895},
pmid = {41905046},
issn = {1873-3336},
abstract = {Non-native predators can act simultaneously as stressors and sentinels of environmental quality. This study aimed to quantify multi-contaminant burdens, characterize tissue-specific accumulation patterns, and evaluate the influence of biological factors (sex and body size) and trophic ecology (δ[13]C, δ[15]N) on contaminant exposure in 49 American mink (Neogale vison) collected during control campaigns (2023-2024) from two freshwater ecosystems in northern Portugal Angueira and Maçãs. We quantified legacy contaminants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-BDEs) in liver, together with essential (EEs), potentially toxic (PTEs), and emerging technology-critical (TCEs) elements in kidney, muscle, and fur. Thirteen PBDE and MeO-BDE congeners and 63 elements were determined to characterize multi-contaminant burdens and tissue-specific accumulation patterns, and stable isotopes (δ[13]C, δ[15]N) to assess trophic position and contaminant-diet relationships. Liver ∑PBDE (0.0712 ng g[-1] w.w.) and ∑MeO-BDE (0.0645 ng g[-1] w.w.) concentrations were low compared with other regions or controlled exposure studies, suggesting limited regional inputs of these contaminants in the study area. No sex-related differences were detected. Fur accumulated most EEs and several PTEs (e.g., As, Sr), supporting its value as a non-invasive matrix. Stable isotopes indicated similar trophic positions between sexes (δ[13]C ≈ -25‰; δ[15]N ≈ 12‰) with moderate trophic niche overlap (38%). Weak-to-moderate positive correlations between δ[1] [5]N and some PBDE congeners suggest a potential trophic dietary contribution to exposure. Overall, American mink accumulated multiple contaminant classes at relatively low levels, with exposure mainly influenced by local environmental conditions and diet. Given that American mink individuals are routinely culled during management programs, our findings support their use as a multi-contaminant sentinel and highlight fur and liver as practical matrices for freshwater monitoring.},
}

@article {pmid41725015,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, R and Wang, Z and Liao, W and Wang, T and Su, Y},
title = {Mikania micrantha invasion restructures rhizosphere nitrogen cycling through enzyme activation, microbial recruitment, and allelopathic regulation.},
journal = {Microbiome},
volume = {14},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {41725015},
issn = {2049-2618},
support = {31872670//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2021A1515010911//Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation/ ; 202206010107//Science and Technology Projects in Guangzhou/ ; JCYJ20210324141000001//Project of Department of Science and Technology of Shenzhen City, Guangdong, China/ ; },
mesh = {*Rhizosphere ; *Mikania/microbiology/growth & development/metabolism ; *Soil Microbiology ; Nitrogen/metabolism ; *Nitrogen Cycle ; *Introduced Species ; Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase/metabolism/genetics ; Metagenomics ; Soil/chemistry ; Allelopathy ; Nitrogen Fixation ; Metabolomics ; Glutamate Dehydrogenase/metabolism/genetics ; *Bacteria/classification/genetics/metabolism/isolation & purification/enzymology ; Nitrate Reductase/genetics/metabolism ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Plant invasions profoundly influence terrestrial ecosystems by reshaping nutrient cycling processes. However, the mechanisms through which invasive plants such as Mikania micrantha modulate soil nitrogen (N) cycling and microbial communities remain insufficiently explored. Moreover, comparative studies with indigenous congener are scarce, limiting insights into whether such effects reflect species-specific strategies or genus-wide traits. This study investigates how M. micrantha modulates nitrogen metabolic pathways and rhizosphere microecology using combined metagenomic and metabolomic analyses.

RESULTS: Integrated analyses revealed that M. micrantha established a distinctive "high total nitrogen-low mineral nitrogen" profile in the rhizosphere soil. Metagenomic profiling showed consistent enrichment of key ammonium assimilation enzymes, including glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase, promoting enhanced incorporation of NH₄⁺ into organic nitrogen pools. In contrast, genes encoding nitrate reductase and nitrate transporters were significantly lower in relative abundance, limiting nitrate assimilation. Mikania micrantha also selectively enriched nitrogen-fixing microbes (notably rhizobia genera) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), thereby enhancing biological nitrogen fixation capacity. Metabolomic analysis further identified several allelopathic compounds in invaded soils at higher relative abundance, particularly epicatechin, which exhibited inhibitory effects on nitrifying bacteria. Compared with the congener Mikania cordata, which exerted weaker impacts on soil nitrogen cycling and microbial assembly, M. micrantha deployed a more comprehensive strategy integrating biochemical, microbial, and metabolic regulation.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that under greenhouse-controlled conditions, M. micrantha reconfigures rhizosphere nitrogen cycling through a multi-dimensional strategy that couples biochemical regulation, microbial recruitment, and metabolite-mediated interference, thereby suggesting a potential mechanism that may contribute to its ecological advantage in natural settings. Video Abstract.},
}

*Rhizosphere
*Mikania/microbiology/growth & development/metabolism
*Soil Microbiology
Nitrogen/metabolism
*Nitrogen Cycle
*Introduced Species
Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase/metabolism/genetics
Metagenomics
Soil/chemistry
Allelopathy
Nitrogen Fixation
Metabolomics
Glutamate Dehydrogenase/metabolism/genetics
*Bacteria/classification/genetics/metabolism/isolation & purification/enzymology
Nitrate Reductase/genetics/metabolism

@article {pmid41889439,
year = {2026},
author = {Carval, D and Jacquelin, F and Soti, V and Paulin, L and Parnaudeau, R and Fisher, BL and Ramage, T},
title = {New ant records from La Réunion Island (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).},
journal = {Biodiversity data journal},
volume = {14},
number = {},
pages = {e188364},
pmid = {41889439},
issn = {1314-2828},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: La Réunion Island (Mascarene Archipelago, south-western Indian Ocean) hosts a largely introduced ant fauna, shaped by historical and ongoing human-mediated introductions. Despite previous inventories, the ant fauna of the Island remains incompletely documented and updated faunistic records are needed to refine species checklists and improve knowledge of regional biodiversity. Documenting new occurrences contributes to a better understanding of species distributions, biogeographic patterns and invasion dynamics on oceanic islands, which are particularly vulnerable to biological invasions.

NEW INFORMATION: Following recent fieldwork, we report eight new species for La Réunion Island: Brachymymex australis Forel, 1901; Cardiocondyla obscurior Wheeler, 1929; Monomorium exiguum Forel, 1894; Pheidole parva Mayr, 1865; Solenopsis globularia Smith, 1858; Solenopsis gr. pygmaea, Stigmatomma cf. zwaluwenburgi Williams, 1946; and Strumigenys membranifera Emery, 1869. All are introduced species with varying invasiveness status. This work brings the total number of ants known from La Réunion Island to 62, although the presence and identification of some species cited in literature and databases needs verification. Further collections may uncover additional introduced species in urbanised and anthropogenised habitats and native species specific to La Réunion Island or the Mascarene Islands in natural ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid41898933,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, K},
title = {AI-LyD: An AI-Driven System Approach to Combatting Spotted Lanternfly Proliferation Through Behavioral Analysis.},
journal = {Insects},
volume = {17},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/insects17030272},
pmid = {41898933},
issn = {2075-4450},
abstract = {The spotted lanternfly (SLF, Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive planthopper causing severe agricultural and environmental damage in 20 U.S. states. SLF control remains constrained by (1) overreliance on broad-spectrum pesticides that harm nearby ecosystems, (2) inefficiency and ecological risk of alternative methods, and (3) underutilization of SLF behavioral traits and artificial intelligence (AI) in IPM. This study introduces AI-LyD, an AI-driven IPM framework integrating behavioral ecology, predictive modeling, image-based detection, and low-cost physical controls. Incorporating SLF behavioral constraints, including cold-exposure requirements for egg hatching, into ecological models improved prediction accuracy (AUC = 0.821, Sensitivity = 0.888, Kappa = 0.642) and reconstructed SLF distributions consistent with current proliferation trends. A YOLO-based detection model leveraging SLF clustering behavior improved identification accuracy from 84% to 96% and reduced false positives from 42% to 8% in real-world drone-collected imagery. Exploiting SLF crawling, jumping, and hydrophobic behaviors, the novel Aquabex water-moat device with an optimized 60° opening trapped 85% of Stage I-IV nymphs and reduced adult invasions by 67%, at an estimated cost below USD $0.50 per unit. Field deployments across four locations in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, achieved a 91% population reduction (95% CI: 90.1-92.0%). Together, these results establish AI-LyD as the first operational, scalable SLF IPM system, and this paradigm can be applied to controlling other invasive species.},
}

@article {pmid41898975,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhao, C and Balkcom, KS},
title = {First Molecular Verification of the Two-Spot Cotton Leafhopper Amrasca biguttula (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in the United States.},
journal = {Insects},
volume = {17},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/insects17030313},
pmid = {41898975},
issn = {2075-4450},
abstract = {This report contains the first molecular record of the two-spot cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula (Ishida) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), in the United States. Nymphs of multiple instars and adult specimens were collected from a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) field in Macon County, Alabama, in August 2025. While distinct paired dark spots were observed on the forewings of adult specimens, this trait was inconsistently present on nymphal wing pads. Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) DNA barcoding confirmed the specimen identity. The United States sequence shared > 99% identity with Asian A. biguttula references, and phylogenetic analysis placed it within the A. biguttula clade with 100% posterior probability support. Although this pest was previously reported in 2023 from Puerto Rico based solely on morphological traits, our findings provide the first DNA-confirmed evidence of its presence in the United States. Given its well-documented role in damaging cotton across Asia and Africa, this report underscores the urgent need for monitoring and development of management strategies in United States cotton-growing regions.},
}

@article {pmid41900369,
year = {2026},
author = {Han, J and Chen, Y and Sheng, Q and Lu, W and Luo, M and Fu, B and Ma, D},
title = {Enhanced Biocontrol of Cotton Verticillium Wilt Through Optimized Solid-State Fermentation of Myxococcus fulvus KS01 Using Insect Frass as a Matrix.},
journal = {Microorganisms},
volume = {14},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/microorganisms14030610},
pmid = {41900369},
issn = {2076-2607},
support = {2023TSYCLJ0011//Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region"Tianshan Talent"Training Program/ ; 32560033//Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2023SNGGGCC032//Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region "Tianshan Talent" Program for Key Agricultural and Rural Professionals/ ; XJARS-03//Specialist of the Pest and Disease Control Position within the Xinjiang Cotton Industry Technology System, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/ ; },
abstract = {Cotton Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, is a devastating soil-borne disease that severely limits global cotton production. While Myxococcus fulvus KS01 has demonstrated potent antagonistic activity and multi-functional biocontrol effects against V. dahliae, its practical application has been hindered by low myxospore yields and inconsistent efficacy in initial solid-state fermentation (SSF). This study aimed to optimize the SSF process for strain KS01 to maximize myxospore production and systematically evaluate its biocontrol efficacy against Verticillium wilt. Using a mixture of wheat straw and Protaetia brevitarsis frass (an agricultural byproduct) as the base substrate, we utilized single factor experiments and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to optimize nutritional supplements and fermentation parameters. The optimized SSF process was determined as follows: a 3:1 (w/w) frass-to-straw ratio, supplemented with 3.08% potato starch and 1.05% yeast powder, with a 15.03% inoculum size, 65.05% moisture content, and an initial pH of 7.0, fermented at 30 °C for 6 days. Under these conditions, the myxospore concentration reached 6.61 × 10[7] CFU/g, representing a 131.2-fold increase compared to unoptimized conditions (5.0 × 10[5] CFU/g). Greenhouse pot trials showed that the optimized KS01 solid agent achieved a control efficacy of 71.9%. In field trials conducted in heavily infested soil, the agent maintained control efficacies of 71.2% at the budding stage and 54.5% at the bolling stage, significantly outperforming the commercial fungicide Benziothiazolinone (51.4% and 41.4%, respectively) and the sterile substrate control. Furthermore, application of the KS01 agent significantly promoted cotton growth, with seed cotton yield reaching 5380.0 kg/ha, equating to a 50.4% reduction in yield loss compared to the untreated control. Our results demonstrate that the valorization of P. brevitarsis frass through optimized SSF significantly enhances the production and field performance of M. fulvus KS01. This study provides a novel technical framework and a robust microbial resource for the sustainable management of Verticillium wilt in saline alkali cotton production systems.},
}

@article {pmid41901417,
year = {2026},
author = {Liu, B and Lin, M and Liu, S and Ye, X and Chen, S},
title = {National-Scale Conservation Gaps and Priority Areas for Invasive Plant Control in China: An Integrated MaxEnt-InVEST Framework.},
journal = {Plants (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {15},
number = {6},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/plants15060898},
pmid = {41901417},
issn = {2223-7747},
abstract = {Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a severe and escalating threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services in China. However, a systematic nationwide assessment that identifies invasion hotspots, quantifies their overlap with protected area networks, and pinpoints critical conservation gaps is still lacking. This hinders the development of spatially targeted management strategies. To address this, we developed an integrated analytical framework coupling the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model with the InVEST habitat quality model. Using a high-resolution, county-level distribution database of 293 IAPs, we mapped potential species richness and habitat degradation across China. The geo-detector model was further employed to identify the primary environmental factors and their interactions. Spatial overlay analysis was conducted to delineate core invasion habitats (areas of high invasion suitability and high degradation) and assess their coverage within China's national nature reserves. Nighttime light intensity (DMSP, 34.39%), annual precipitation (Bio12, 14.16%), and mean diurnal range (Bio2, 11.82%) were the factors with the highest contribution in the model, highlighting the statistical interaction between anthropogenic pressure and climatic conditions. The core invasion habitat spanned 20.10 × 10[4] km[2], predominantly (66.04%) concentrated in high-intensity human disturbance zones. Notably, only 11.18% of this core habitat falls within existing national nature reserves, revealing a vast conservation gap of 17.85 × 10[4] km[2]. Our results indicate a profound spatial mismatch between invasion hotspots and the current protected area network in China. We prioritize southeastern coastal urban agglomerations-characterized by high anthropogenic pressure (DMSP), high precipitation (Bio12), and low diurnal temperature range (Bio2)-for immediate monitoring and intervention. This integrated assessment provides a national-scale, spatially explicit prediction of invasion risk for 293 plant species in China, and offers an evidence-based decision-support tool for optimizing invasive species management and biodiversity conservation.},
}

@article {pmid41689824,
year = {2026},
author = {de Oliveira Soares, N and Donato, LMS and Oliveira, VAV and de Oliveira, JÂM and Ruas, MAO and Santos, EJR and Guimarães, YSS and Afonso, GM and Souza, RF and Tuffi Santos, LD},
title = {Management of Tithonia diversifolia (hemsl.) A. gray with herbicides as a strategy to reduce biological invasion of the species.},
journal = {Journal of environmental science and health. Part. B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes},
volume = {61},
number = {4},
pages = {164-175},
doi = {10.1080/03601234.2026.2630570},
pmid = {41689824},
issn = {1532-4109},
mesh = {*Herbicides/pharmacology ; *Introduced Species ; *Weed Control/methods ; *Plant Weeds/drug effects/growth & development ; Glycine/analogs & derivatives ; *Asteraceae/drug effects/growth & development ; Glyphosate ; },
abstract = {This study evaluated the efficiency of herbicides used in pre and post-emergence to control Tithonia diversifolia. The first study tested atrazine, oxyfluorfen, fomesafen, and nicosulfuron in pre and initial post-emergence applications. Post-emergence applications of glyphosate, glufosinate ammonium, 2,4-D, and picloram targeted young plants of seminiferous and vegetative origin. In the field, glyphosate, 2,4-D, and picloram were tested for adult plants. A control treatment without herbicide application was included for comparison. Atrazine, oxyfluorfen, and fomesafen achieved 100% control in pre and initial post-emergence, whereas nicosulfuron was ineffective against the species. Picloram provided excellent post-emergence control (>99%) of adult plants in the field and young plants from seeds and cuttings, even at doses lower than those recommended for other species. Glyphosate effectively controlled young plants, but doses above 2400 g a.e. ha[-1] were necessary for adult plants. Ammonium glufosinate at a dose of 800 g a.e. ha[-1] promoted control of over 80% in seedlings from seeds and cuttings. Higher doses of 2,4-D effectively controlled both adult and young plants. Glyphosate, 2,4-D, and picloram effectively controlled both young and adult plants. The study provides an alternative to control T. diversifolia, this important invader of natural and agricultural systems in tropical and subtropical regions.},
}

*Herbicides/pharmacology
*Introduced Species
*Weed Control/methods
*Plant Weeds/drug effects/growth & development
Glycine/analogs & derivatives
*Asteraceae/drug effects/growth & development
Glyphosate

@article {pmid41886928,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhou, J and Cricchio, J and Sylvester, F and Posthuma, L and Wilkes, MA and Di Minin, A and Hollert, H and Brack, W and Orsini, L},
title = {Towards a unified framework for biodiversity action in the Triple Planetary Crisis.},
journal = {Environment international},
volume = {210},
number = {},
pages = {110205},
doi = {10.1016/j.envint.2026.110205},
pmid = {41886928},
issn = {1873-6750},
abstract = {Climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss constitute the Triple Planetary Crisis, eroding the ecological foundations of economies, public health, and human wellbeing. Yet among these threats, biodiversity remains the least understood and least integrated into policy and decision-making. Monitoring efforts are fragmented and often fail to capture how multiple pressures-chemical pollution, invasive species, habitat degradation, eutrophication, and climate extremes-interact to drive non-linear ecosystem decline. This gap leaves societies poorly equipped to anticipate and mitigate ecological risks. We outline an interdisciplinary framework that combines deep-time ecological and environmental records with emerging forecasting tools to reconstruct long-term baselines and predict complex biodiversity responses to interacting stressors. We further identify pathways to embed these diagnostics into economic and governance systems, linking biodiversity directly to risk assessment, investment decisions, and regulatory frameworks. Together, these advances point toward a decision-support platform that enables governments, businesses, and communities to anticipate risks, evaluate interventions, and design strategies that align biodiversity protection with resilience in economies and societies.},
}

@article {pmid41888537,
year = {2026},
author = {Pattanayak, A and Maiti, P},
title = {Evaluation of allelopathic potentialities of an invasive taxon, Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze, and bio-assay-guided identification of the involved allelochemicals.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-43350-w},
pmid = {41888537},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {Weeds in crop fields pose a serious threat and devastate the overall agro-economy. Popular weed management techniques include manual and mechanical tillage, as well as the application of synthetic herbicides. These are used worldwide but have tremendous harmful side effects on both human health and environmental sustainability. So, alternative techniques are in great demand. The use of invasive alien species, with allelopathic potentialities against obnoxious weeds, has emerged as an alternative strategy for the formulation of environmentally safe bioherbicides. In the present investigation, extracts of an invasive species, Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze was evaluated for their allelopathic effects on three test species Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek., Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, and Parthenium hysterophorus L. Hexane-ethyl acetate fraction (1:1 and 1:2) of the methanolic leaf extract of M. suaveolens exhibits maximum inhibition. Allelochemicals affected the T50 (time required for 50% germination of the total seeds) value of the bioassay materials in reference to the control. Biochemical analysis of the seeds treated with allelochemicals elucidated the reduction in insoluble carbohydrates, nucleic acids, protein-amino acid contents, and amylase action. The standard physical parameters also get affected. An increase in the stress-related antioxidant defence enzymes- catalase (166.81%), superoxide dismutase (242.02%), peroxidase (80.19%), as well as soluble carbohydrate (131.53%) was observed in both the treated seeds and seedlings. The pigment profiles, i.e., chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids, changed. Proline contents get altered (102.43%). There was a significant change in the levels of indole acetic acid (47.77%), gibberellin (52.23%), and nitrites (182.62%) in the allelochemical-treated seedlings. Bioassay-guided fractionation with GC-MS analysis identified the major allelochemicals as 3, 4, 5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, transferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, sabinene monohydrate, and p-coumaric acid. In-silico analysis showed that the reported allelochemicals exhibit strong binding affinities. Chlorogenic acid (- 6.24 and - 6.32 kcal/mol) interacted prominently with tryptophan synthase β-subunit (PDB: 5DW3) and auxin-binding protein 1 (PDB: 1LRH), while caryophyllene oxide (-6.91 kcal/mol) modulated the activity of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (PDB: 6J63). The present findings firmly establish the allelopathic potential of the invasive herb M. suaveolens as a robust, eco-friendly bioherbicide and provide clear direction for the sustainable management of the alien species.},
}

@article {pmid41708906,
year = {2026},
author = {Zielinski, DP},
title = {Analyzing leaping and movement potential at a migratory barrier.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {41708906},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {Evaluating passage performance at migratory barriers is essential for managing connectivity within a watershed and is essential for improvements to fish passage and, in some cases, with invasive species control. To quantify upstream passage opportunities at barriers with complex geometry, a 3-D stochastic leaping model that couples species-specific behavior with hydraulics derived from Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations is developed. The model expands on traditional ballistic-trajectory models to evaluate attempts from any location downstream of a barrier and integrates stochastic variation in fish characteristics—including body length, launch speed, and leap origin—while maintaining computationally-derived local velocity and depth inputs in three dimensions. The revised model provides a spatially detailed assessment of conditions most conducive to successful leaping attempts, offering a more comprehensive evaluation of conditional passage probability at migratory barriers. Applied to two case studies (Union Street Dam—calibration; FishPass arc–labyrinth and low-flow weir—design), the model predicted conditional passage probabilities ranged from < 1% at base flow to ~ 10% at a 200-year flood. Results highlight how barrier geometry, tailwater depth, and flow cues shape leaping success, providing actionable guidance for either facilitating desirable passage or strengthening migration barriers.},
}

@article {pmid41772462,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, Z and Shi, X and Liu, L and Guo, W},
title = {Invasion of old world Tamarix chinensis and T. ramosissima in the new world: ecological niche shifts during the invasion process.},
journal = {BMC plant biology},
volume = {26},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {41772462},
issn = {1471-2229},
support = {32360084//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; U22A20558//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; ZR2024MC091//Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province/ ; },
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Biological invasions under global climate change can profoundly affect ecosystem functions and biodiversity. Understanding how invasive species adjust their ecological niches in novel environments is essential for predicting invasion risks and informing management strategies. This study focuses on two rapidly expanding Tamarix species in North America, T. chinensis and T. ramosissima, aiming to determine whether niche shifts occurred during invasion and to identify their potential drivers. We initially considered 19 bioclimatic variables for analysis, but retained eight after correlation filtering. These variables were then used to compare populations between the native range (Eurasia) and the invaded range (North America) to identify the key climatic determinants of distribution patterns. Niche overlap analyses revealed low niche similarity between Eurasian and North American populations, while niche centroid shifts indicated a tendency of the invaded populations toward drier and warmer environments, accompanied by a slight contraction trend. Using the MaxEnt model with current climate data (1970–2000) and future projections for 2070 under SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5, we found that suitable habitats for both species are expected to expand further across the Northern Hemisphere and shift markedly toward higher latitudes. These findings provide a novel empirical perspective for exploring the ecological niche adaptation of invasive species and their responses to environmental changes.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-026-08415-y.},
}

@article {pmid41876966,
year = {2026},
author = {Eshetu, FB and Barnes, I and Nahrung, HF and Fitza, KNE and Slippers, B},
title = {A Century of Invasion: How Biosecurity Influenced Populations of Sirex noctilio and Its Fungal Symbiont in Australasia.},
journal = {Molecular ecology},
volume = {35},
number = {6},
pages = {e70311},
pmid = {41876966},
issn = {1365-294X},
support = {//Australian National Sirex Co-ordinate Committee/ ; //Tree Protection Co-operative Programme/ ; //University of Pretoria/ ; //University of Tasmania/ ; //Forest Research Institute/ ; },
mesh = {*Symbiosis/genetics ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Animals ; *Introduced Species ; Australasia ; *Genetics, Population ; Genetic Variation ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics ; Australia ; *Basidiomycota/genetics ; New Zealand ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; },
abstract = {The woodwasp, Sirex noctilio, and its mutualistic fungal symbiont, Amylostereum areolatum, are native to Eurasia and northern Africa. Sirex noctilio was first reported outside its native range in New Zealand in 1900, Tasmania in 1952 and mainland Australia in 1961. In this study, we consider the invasion history of these organisms across Australasia through population genetic analysis using mitochondrial sequence data and microsatellite markers and compared them with a previously published dataset from global collections. The study included contemporary (n = 461) and historical (n = 41) samples of S. noctilio dating back to 1952 and fungal (n = 176) samples from across the range. No population structure was found in Australian and New Zealand populations of S. noctilio or the fungal symbiont A. areolatum, reflecting both the natural (within the countries) and human-assisted (between the countries) spread of these symbionts. The S. noctilio populations in these countries had lower genetic diversity than other populations sampled globally. Amylostereum areolatum populations from Australia and New Zealand clustered separately from all other countries and were highly clonal. While the results suggested multiple early introductions in these two countries, it also reflected an efficient recent quarantine system that isolated these populations and reduced their complexity compared to other parts of the world. The findings also have relevance to the application of biological control for the pest complex.},
}

*Symbiosis/genetics
Microsatellite Repeats
Animals
*Introduced Species
Australasia
*Genetics, Population
Genetic Variation
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
Australia
*Basidiomycota/genetics
New Zealand
Sequence Analysis, DNA

@article {pmid41882361,
year = {2026},
author = {Snelling, EP and Lensink, AV and Clusella-Trullas, S and Weldon, C and Lehmann, P and Terblanche, JS and Payne, NL and Harrison, JF and Hickey, AJR and Donaldson, A and Deschodt, CM and Seymour, RS},
title = {Oxygen supply through the tracheolar-muscle system does not constrain insect gigantism.},
journal = {Nature},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {41882361},
issn = {1476-4687},
abstract = {The idea that atmospheric oxygen has dictated the maximum body size of insects across their evolutionary history is ingrained in popular and scientific literature[1-3]. In Nature 30 years ago, the hypothesis was put forward that a limitation on oxygen diffusion at the level of the tracheoles constrains the maximum body size of insects and that increased atmospheric oxygen concentration in the late Palaeozoic permitted insect gigantism[4]. Here we contest this hypothesis by showing that the relative space occupied by tracheoles in the flight muscle of insects (1) increases by only 1.8-fold over a 10,000-fold body mass range (1,320 micrographs, 44 species, 10 orders), (2) is typically 1% or less in most species, and (3) that this observation holds when we extend our relationship to the long-extinct gigantic dragonfly-like Meganeuropsis permiana (approximately 100 g). The small space requirement and the lack of a strong increase in tracheolar investment with body size, despite clear evolutionary potential to do so, provide convincing evidence that diffusive oxygen transport through the tracheolar-muscle system does not constrain the maximum body size of extant or gigantic prehistoric insects.},
}

@article {pmid41886844,
year = {2026},
author = {Byun, C and Singh, K},
title = {Independent and hierarchical effects of ecological factors on invasion resistance to Rumex acetosella: Priority effects dominate.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {404},
number = {},
pages = {129486},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129486},
pmid = {41886844},
issn = {1095-8630},
abstract = {Biotic resistance-the ability of native communities to suppress the establishment and spread of invasive species-is influenced by multiple ecological mechanisms. However, their relative importance when operating simultaneously remains poorly understood. We conducted a factorial greenhouse experiment to evaluate six factors hypothesized to confer invasion resistance: functional similarity, species diversity, priority effects, native seed density, propagule pressure, and soil carbon enrichment. Using Rumex acetosella L. as a model invader and 12 native species representing three functional groups, we quantified biotic resistance through the relative competition index across 270 experimental units. Structural equation modeling revealed a clear hierarchy among mechanisms. Priority effects exerted the strongest influence on invasion resistance (β = +0.434, P < 0.0001), followed by native seed density (β = +0.186, P = 0.001). Early establishment of natives three weeks before the invader approximately doubled resistance compared to simultaneous sowing. In contrast, diversity, functional similarity, propagule pressure, and soil carbon enrichment showed no significant effects. Critically, we detected no significant interactions among factors, indicating that these mechanisms operate largely independently rather than synergistically. Native plant cover and light interception were positively correlated with invasion resistance, indicating that rapid canopy development and light pre-emption represent proximate pathways linking early arrival and higher seeding rates to invader suppression. These results establish a management hierarchy: early native establishment provides the strongest defense against invasion, with seed density offering secondary reinforcement. These findings challenge the conventional emphasis on diversity and trait-matching in restoration design.},
}

@article {pmid41874663,
year = {2026},
author = {Hu, C and Lin, M and Hu, T and Zeng, Y and Zeng, R and Wang, C},
title = {Linking Bacterial r/k Ecological Shifts to Spatiotemporal Nitrogen Removal Dynamics in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1007/s00248-026-02742-1},
pmid = {41874663},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {NO.2024SJRC4//the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund, CAFS/ ; NO.LTO2326//State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences/ ; NO.2023A04J0897//Guangzhou Science and Technology Program Project/ ; NO.SL2023E04J00185//Demonstration and Promotion of Key Technologies for Land-based Factory Farming of Hybrid Eleotris oxycephala/ ; },
}

@article {pmid41871814,
year = {2026},
author = {Shimamoto, T and Furusho, K},
title = {Hair progesterone reflects past reproductive activity in the invasive Pallas's squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus.},
journal = {General and comparative endocrinology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {114915},
doi = {10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.114915},
pmid = {41871814},
issn = {1095-6840},
abstract = {Integrated approaches to physiology and ecology offer powerful tools to assess individual- and population-level health. Although hair glucocorticoid analysis is widely used as a physiological indicator, hair progesterone has recently attracted attention as a potential measure of reproductive health that may integrate information on past reproductive activity. Here, we examined the assay validation and biological utility of hair progesterone analysis as an indicator of long-term reproductive activity in Pallas's squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus. A hair progesterone enzyme immunoassay was validated and used to compare hair progesterone concentrations (HPC) between sexes and age classes. The effects of current and past reproductive activity (pregnancy and number of placental scars), body condition, age, and season (hair non-growth vs. growth season) on adult female HPC were investigated. The analytical assay validation was successful. Adult females had significantly higher HPC than juvenile males, adult males, and juvenile females. Although there was no effect of current reproductive activity, past reproductive activity (as indexed by the number of placental scars) significantly influenced adult female HPC, such that female Pallas's squirrels with more placental scars had higher HPC. There was also a significant positive impact of season on HPC, and females with better body condition tended to have higher HPC. Hair progesterone is therefore an integrative physiological indicator of past reproductive activity in Pallas's squirrels, with potential applications in the prediction of population dynamics to inform the management of this invasive squirrel.},
}

@article {pmid41873177,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhao, Y and Chen, D and Xing, Z and He, H and Cai, Z and Zhao, Y and Guénard, B and Xu, Y},
title = {Co-invasion of multiple invasive ants exacerbates the impacts on native ant communities.},
journal = {Insect science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/1744-7917.70274},
pmid = {41873177},
issn = {1744-7917},
support = {32261160374//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; N_HKU792/22//National Natural Science Foundation of China/RGC Joint Research Scheme/ ; },
abstract = {The structure and function of native ant communities are increasingly threatened by the growing number of biological invaders spread around the world. Although the detrimental impacts of single-species invasions on native ant communities have been well-documented, the ecological consequences of co-invasion events are poorly understood. We hypothesize that co-invasion impacts native ant communities more than single-species invasions. This effect is attributed to reduced discovery and recruitment times of invasive ants during co-invasion, ultimately bolstering their competitive advantage for food resources. We surveyed the taxonomic (TD), phylogenetic (PD), and functional (FD) diversity of native ant communities under varying levels of invasive ant presence and documented discovery and recruitment times of invasive and native ants at different baits. Results show that the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of native ant communities is significantly reduced in the presence of invasive ants compared to non-invaded communities. Moreover, the number of invasive ant species, or magnitude of co-invasion, exhibits a greater negative impact on native ant communities. Foraging competition assays demonstrate that the impacts of invasive ants are not immediately evident in metrics such as bait discovery and recruitment intensity, but are manifest in bait domination. The presence of invasive ants substantially reduced the proportion of bait occupied by native ants, and this effect intensified with more invasive species. In conclusion, co-invasion exacerbates impacts on native ant communities, with potential repercussions for broader ecosystems, warranting further attention.},
}

@article {pmid41865435,
year = {2026},
author = {Yue, C and Tao, Z and Chai, Z and Li, T and Feng, Z and Wu, Y and Hu, Z and Liu, Y and Shi, S and Yang, W and Tian, W and Tang, YZ},
title = {An integrated morpho-molecular approach revealed dinoflagellate cysts diversity in ballast tank sediments of foreign ships.},
journal = {Marine pollution bulletin},
volume = {228},
number = {},
pages = {119568},
doi = {10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119568},
pmid = {41865435},
issn = {1879-3363},
abstract = {Ships' ballast water has become a major vector for the global dispersal of marine organisms since 1990s. Dinoflagellate resting cysts in ballast tank sediments (BTS) pose significant ecological risks because they can survive for decades and may provide "seedlings" via germination to initiate harmful algal blooms. Despite advances in molecular technologies, diversity assessment of dinoflagellate cysts in BTS has not been firmly based on a convincing morpho-molecular approach. We combined light microscopy and single-cyst PCR sequencing (LM-ScPCR sequencing) together with laboratory germination to identify dinoflagellate cysts in BTS from five international vessels arriving in China. Key findings include: 1) LM-ScPCR sequencing identified 59 dinoflagellate resting cysts (40 fully identified to species level and 19 to genus level), belonging to 35 dinoflagellate species. Of these, 26 (74.3%) were fully identified as well-described species, including 5 new records for China and 9 toxic and/or HABs-causing species (e.g. Gymnodinium catenatum, Alexandrium ostenfeldii, A. insuetum). Notably, the diversity of dinoflagellate species varied among ships from different route; 2) Cyst germination experiments identified 4 dinoflagellate species (2 to species level, 2 potentially novel species), 3 of which may be harmful because other members of their con-generic species are proven toxic/harmful; and 3) Phylogenetic analyses revealed multiple unclassified taxa likely representing novel species, and novel ribo-types of species that may pose a new type of alien "species" invasion risk. Our findings further necessitate more intensive assessment and strengthened management practice in order to more effectively monitor and mitigate invasion threats.},
}

@article {pmid41866706,
year = {2026},
author = {Gao, FQ and Zhang, XY and Kyerematen, R and Hu, G and Early, R and Chapman, JW},
title = {Potential patterns of fall armyworm seasonal migration in West Africa modeled with atmospheric trajectory analyses.},
journal = {Pest management science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ps.70732},
pmid = {41866706},
issn = {1526-4998},
support = {//University of Exeter/ ; //China Scholarship Council/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The migratory invasive species fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW) has established year-round populations in several West African countries following its initial invasion of Africa in early 2016. However, its seasonal migratory dynamics within West Africa remain poorly understood. If FAW populations in West Africa were able to successfully cross the Sahara Desert and serve as a major source population in North Africa, this could increase the risk of further invasion into southern Europe. In this study, we used atmospheric data to perform trajectory simulations, predicting the seasonal migratory pathways of short-distance migratory FAW individuals within West African breeding habitats and assessing the monthly probabilities of long-distance migrants departing from West Africa successfully crossing the Sahara Desert.

RESULTS: The results indicate that from May to September, the vast majority of short-distance migrants (>70%) remained within West African breeding habitats, whereas in other months, a larger proportion of individuals were blown into the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover, short-distance migrants exhibited clear seasonal movement patterns within West Africa: shifting southwestward from January to May, turning northeastward in June and July, and returning southwestward from August to December. Long-distance migrants had an extremely low success rate (≤0.3%) of crossing the Sahara Desert, which occurred only between February and April each year.

CONCLUSION: This study revealed the seasonal migration patterns of FAW within West Africa, providing important insights for predicting regional outbreak risks and optimizing management strategies in the region. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.},
}

@article {pmid41871363,
year = {2026},
author = {Kouba, A and Das, K and Guo, W and Marková, K and Veselý, L and Oficialdegui, FJ and Lipták, B and Kubec, J and Koubová, A and Bláha, M and Niksirat, H and Patoka, J and Weiperth, A and Haubrock, PJ and Buřič, M},
title = {Life history responses of four invasive crayfish species under prolonged suboptimal temperatures.},
journal = {Integrative and comparative biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/icb/icag014},
pmid = {41871363},
issn = {1557-7023},
abstract = {Biological invasions are strongly shaped by temperature, especially in poikilothermic organisms, where thermal regimes influence life-history traits, thereby determining both their competitive potential and geographic distribution. However, comparative evidence on how suboptimal thermal conditions modulate interactions among co-occurring invasive species remains scarce. We experimentally compared the growth, survival, and reproductive performance of the invasive parthenogenetic marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis with three widespread North American crayfish invaders in Europe: the spiny-cheek crayfish Faxonius limosus, the signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus, and the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii. Experiments were conducted under prolonged suboptimal conditions (~16°C over 45 weeks), followed by a short-term temperature increase (~20°C). Across three independent laboratory trials, we assessed species performance in single-species and mixed-species stocks. Despite reduced absolute growth rates at low temperature, marbled crayfish rapidly compensated for their initially smaller size and outperformed spiny-cheek crayfish in growth and survival. In contrast, marbled crayfish were consistently suppressed when co-occurring with the larger and more aggressive red swamp crayfish, whereas interactions with signal crayfish resulted in temporary growth advantages but ultimately size convergence. Survival patterns reflected a combination of size asymmetries, behavioural dominance, and intraspecific aggression, with marbled crayfish exhibiting notably high survival in single-species stocks across all trials. Reproductive development was strongly temperature-constrained. While marbled crayfish readily formed glair glands and ovulated eggs at 16°C, successful hatching occurred only after the temperature was raised. Our results demonstrate that suboptimal thermal conditions do not eliminate competitive asymmetries among invasive crayfish but instead reshape invasion outcomes in species-specific ways. These findings highlight the marbled crayfish's capacity to persist and interact competitively even in colder environments, with important implications for invasion dynamics under ongoing climate change.},
}

@article {pmid41862543,
year = {2026},
author = {Tölgyesi, C and Hábenczyus, AA and Molnár, F and Bán, KA and Lőrincz, Á and Frei, K and Bátori, Z and Erdős, L and Czékus, Z and Ördög, A and Kovács, KT and Török, P and Poór, P},
title = {Promising biocontrol effects of a native hemiparasitic plant against a non-native C4 grass.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-44801-0},
pmid = {41862543},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {Hemiparasitic plants are known to be able to diversify degraded grasslands by lowering the competitive power of dominant grasses. Recent research indicates that hemiparasites may also be used against invasive alien plants. Here, we tested the effects of Odontites luteus, a native European hemiparasite, on Sporobolus cryptandrus, a recently established and rapidly spreading C4 grass of North-American origin. We found that Odontites considers Sporobolus a suitable host and reduces its biomass production (and potentially its competitive ability) by approx. 50%, equaling the effect on its major native host, Festuca vaginata. However, Festuca showed severe metabolic impairment (reduced photosynthetic capacity and increased physiological stress) under hemiparasite pressure. So, the application of hemiparasites is a promising biocontrol tool against Sporobolus (and potentially other invasive C4 grasses), but it is not a silver bullet. We cannot expect a full eradication of the invasive species and a recovery of the native community but thinning monodominant Sporobolus stands to allow certain populations of native species, particularly those resistant to Odontites, to come back is a more realistic goal. This could lead to a partial recovery of the former species composition and an improvement of ecosystem functions, such as providing food for pollinators.},
}

@article {pmid41863943,
year = {2026},
author = {Mao, X and Zheng, H and Luo, G and Liao, S and Liu, Y and Tang, M and Chen, H},
title = {Invasion dynamics of Corythucha ciliata (Say, 1832) in China: evidence of niche shifts and assessment of potential risk to urban and forest areas.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {404},
number = {},
pages = {129394},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129394},
pmid = {41863943},
issn = {1095-8630},
abstract = {Corythucha ciliata (Say, 1832) is a highly invasive species originating from North America that has expanded across the Northern Hemisphere since the 1960s. While broadly problematic, this pest poses particularly significant ecological and economic threats to Platanus spp. in China. To evaluate the invasion potential of C. ciliata in China under global change, we analyzed ecological niche dynamics and projected its future distribution by integrating occurrence data from both native and invasive ranges with bioclimatic, topographic, and land-use variables. Niche shifts between the native (North America) and invasive (China) ranges were quantified using the centroid shift, overlap, unfilling, and expansion framework. An ensemble species distribution modeling approach was applied to predict current and future habitat suitability across China under scenarios that jointly consider climate and land use change. Results revealed low niche overlap and substantial expansion in China, indicating a shift toward novel climatic conditions. Isothermality, mean temperature of the wettest quarter, and precipitation of the coldest quarter were key predictors of habitat suitability. The current potential distribution is concentrated in eastern and central China. Future projections suggest a general contraction in suitable habitat, particularly under high-emission scenarios, but with a marked increase in invasion risk to urban areas. Subtropical forest regions are expected to remain highly vulnerable. These findings highlight the climatic adaptability of C. ciliata. We recommend strict quarantine in high-risk subtropical zones and diversifying urban street trees to mitigate future invasion risks.},
}

@article {pmid41865076,
year = {2026},
author = {Meikle, WG and Weiss, M and Adjaye, D and Ricigliano, VA},
title = {Honey bee genetic resistance outperforms a cold-storage induced halt in brood production to control mites and viruses.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-44701-3},
pmid = {41865076},
issn = {2045-2322},
}

@article {pmid41861986,
year = {2026},
author = {Sasaki, M and Ishikawa, T},
title = {First record of the invasive American tapeworm Ophiotaenia saphena (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae) in the Tokyo daruma pond frog Pelophylax porosus porosus in Japan.},
journal = {Parasitology international},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {103270},
doi = {10.1016/j.parint.2026.103270},
pmid = {41861986},
issn = {1873-0329},
abstract = {Adult proteocephalid tapeworms of the genus Ophiotaenia (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae) were recovered from the endemic Japanese amphibian species, Pelophylax porosus porosus (Amphibia: Ranidae) from Tochigi, Japan. As a result of molecular analyses based on the 28S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I genes, these worms were identified as Ophiotaenia saphena, a species native to North America. Their morphological features were also consistent with those of O. saphena. This species is presumed to have been introduced into Japan with the American bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus (Ranidae). This study presents the first record of O. saphena in Japan and documents a new host record for this species.},
}

@article {pmid41787697,
year = {2026},
author = {Fryer, ER and O'Dell, R and Grossenbacher, DL and Shon, A and McKinnon, S and Rajakaruna, N},
title = {Soil, competition, and niche shifts shape the floral mosaic of an annual plant diversity hotspot.},
journal = {American journal of botany},
volume = {113},
number = {3},
pages = {e70171},
doi = {10.1002/ajb2.70171},
pmid = {41787697},
issn = {1537-2197},
support = {//Torrey Botanical Society/ ; //Garden Club of America/ ; //U.S. Bureau of Land Management/ ; //Frost Summer Undergraduate Research Program/ ; //Northern California Botanists/ ; //Southern California Botanists/ ; //California Botanical Society/ ; //California Native Plant Society/ ; //California Native Plant Society Marin Chapter/ ; //California Native Plant Society Alta Peak Chapter/ ; //California Native Plant Society Santa Clara Valley Chapter/ ; //California Native Plant Society San Luis Obispo Chapter/ ; //College of Science and Mathematics, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo/ ; },
mesh = {*Soil/chemistry ; *Biodiversity ; *Ecosystem ; *Flowers/physiology ; California ; Desert Climate ; *Bromus/physiology ; Introduced Species ; },
abstract = {PREMISE: Plant species with affinity for harsh substrates often have well-defined edaphic (soil) niches and are ideal for exploring questions of community assembly. Vertic clay soils are chemically and physically challenging to plant establishment and productivity, and annual plant communities associated with these soils of the San Joaquin Desert (California, USA) form a distinctive mosaic pattern of species that reflects differences in soil properties across the landscape.

METHODS: We analyzed soil properties to determine how heterogeneous soils at two field sites in the San Joaquin Desert differed among the realized niches of 12 native annual forb species with an affinity for vertic clay soils. We then conducted a pot study with the same species to test if species differed in their realized and fundamental edaphic niches, and to examine the competition effects of an invasive annual grass (Bromus rubens) on these species' edaphic niches.

RESULTS: From our field study, we found some differences in the vertic clay soils between the realized niches of species at both sites. In our pot study, we found species had similar fundamental edaphic niche optima in our treatment soils and that several species' competitive ability varied with the edaphic stress in our treatment soils. For some species, differences in competitive ability led to shifts in edaphic niche optima, likely contributing to more divergent realized niches.

CONCLUSIONS: The combination of competitive pressure and abiotic stress drove differences between the realized niche and fundamental niche for species in a novel, heterogeneous study system.},
}

*Soil/chemistry
*Biodiversity
*Ecosystem
*Flowers/physiology
California
Desert Climate
*Bromus/physiology
Introduced Species

@article {pmid41855935,
year = {2026},
author = {Hyams-Kaphzan, O and Almogi-Labin, A and Rilov, G and Panov, J and Kitin, M and Herut, B and Golomb, D and Guy-Haim, T},
title = {Macroalgal dynamics shape epiphytic foraminiferal assemblages in the eastern Mediterranean rocky reef.},
journal = {Marine environmental research},
volume = {217},
number = {},
pages = {107976},
doi = {10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107976},
pmid = {41855935},
issn = {1879-0291},
abstract = {Epiphytism of macroalgae by benthic foraminifera is a common commensal association in rocky intertidal and subtidal reefs. This interaction may be directly and indirectly influenced by climate change and bioinvasions. We investigated this association on rocky reefs of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, a recognized hotspot of biological invasions and rapid warming, with the aim of establishing a recent baseline of epiphytic foraminiferal dynamics for future monitoring. Epiphytic benthic foraminifera (EBF) attached to macroalgal hosts representing diverse species were collected across seasons and along a very shallow-to-intermediate depth gradient at several rocky reef sites between 2013 and 2017. Macroalgae from all surveyed reefs hosted diverse EBF assemblages composed of both native and alien species. Assemblages were largely dominated by the invasive, endosymbiont-bearing larger benthic foraminifer Amphistegina lobifera, together with native taxa including Pararotalia calcariformata, Textularia agglutinans, and Tretomphalus bulloides. The alien miliolids Sigmamiliolinella australis and Borelis schlumbergeri were recorded alive for the first time in this region, although the latter occurred at low abundances. Algal type and complexity, site, depth, season, and year significantly structured EBF assemblages, whereas no significant differences were detected between sites located inside and outside a marine protected area (MPA). The richest EBF communities occurred on Halopteris scoparia and Laurenciella marilzae, while Dictyota dichotoma and Liagora ceranoides supported the lowest diversity. Spring and summer exhibited the highest richness of larger benthic foraminifera. This study provides a dynamic baseline for epiphytic benthic foraminiferal communities associated with Levantine macroalgae, highlighting increasing invasion dominance and potential responses to ongoing warming.},
}

@article {pmid41857322,
year = {2026},
author = {Casabella-Herrero, G and Martín-Torrijos, L and Pérez-Ortega, S and Diéguez-Uribeondo, J},
title = {Host preference and specialization in the genus Aphanomyces (Oomycetes) from molecular and interaction network insights.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-44513-5},
pmid = {41857322},
issn = {2045-2322},
}

@article {pmid41859993,
year = {2026},
author = {Piekara-Stępińska, A and Lachowicz-Wolak, A and Piekarska, J and Gorczykowski, M},
title = {Presence of nematodes in giant African land snails kept as pets in Poland.},
journal = {Polish journal of veterinary sciences},
volume = {29},
number = {1},
pages = {63-69},
doi = {10.24425/pjvs.2026.158502},
pmid = {41859993},
issn = {2300-2557},
mesh = {Animals ; Poland/epidemiology ; *Snails/parasitology ; *Nematoda/isolation & purification/classification ; *Pets/parasitology ; Feces/parasitology ; },
abstract = {The aim of this study was to assess the presence and identity of nematodes in pet giant African land snails (Lissachatina fulica) in Poland using microscopic and molecular techniques. Lissachatina fulica, syn. Achatina fulica, a giant African land snail is not only considered a free-living invasive species and an intermediate host of some parasites, but is also gaining importance as a pet animal living in close contact with humans. In this research, pooled fecal samples and mucus swabs were obtained from 49 pet giant land snails (11 private collections) living in different regions of Poland. The samples were examined using microscopic techniques (Lugol staining, Baermann larvoscopy) and PCR to investigate the presence of nematodes. The microscopic examinations of fecal samples revealed the presence of nematodes in 63.6% (7/11) of the snail groups. Rhabditid nematodes were found in 27.3% (3/11) of the examined groups. Sequencing of PCR products revealed the presence of gastropod nematodes Phasmarhabditis sp. (KEN1), Poikilolaimus oxycercus and Caenorhabditis nigoni. The genetic material of mammalian parasites, including Crenosoma, was not detected. Given the increasing popularity of L. fulica as pets, understanding their parasitological status is essential for both animal and public health. It also helps meet the expectations of owners who wish to provide proper care for their pet snails.},
}

Animals
Poland/epidemiology
*Snails/parasitology
*Nematoda/isolation & purification/classification
*Pets/parasitology
Feces/parasitology

@article {pmid41860114,
year = {2026},
author = {Xiang, T and Arranz, I and Kuczynski, L and Zeng, Q and Mao, Z and Gu, X and Grenouillet, G},
title = {Increasing Functional or Phylogenetic Distance From Native Fish Communities Promotes Non-Native Fish Invasions in Global Rivers.},
journal = {Global change biology},
volume = {32},
number = {3},
pages = {e70814},
doi = {10.1111/gcb.70814},
pmid = {41860114},
issn = {1365-2486},
support = {BK20241696//Basic Research Program of Jiangsu Province/ ; GZC20241787//Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF/ ; 2024ZB592//Jiangsu Funding Program for Excellent Postdoctoral Talent/ ; 32501560//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32071575//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32471649//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; NKL2023-KP02//Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security/ ; 848/26-1//German Science Foundation funded research unit DynaCom/ ; 2022T1/AMB-24100//Programa Atracción del Talento/ ; ANR-10-LABX-0025//Investissement d'Avenir/ ; ANR-10-LABX-41//Investissement d'Avenir/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Introduced Species ; *Fishes/physiology/classification ; *Rivers ; *Phylogeny ; *Biodiversity ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {Biological invasions severely threaten ecosystems and their underlying drivers remain a subject of ongoing inquiry in ecology. Four mutually exclusive invasion hypotheses, biotic acceptance and resistance hypotheses and Darwin's preadaptation and naturalization hypotheses, have long drawn extensive attention. Furthermore, human activities and environmental factors are also widely recognized as key drivers of biological invasions. While integrative analyses of the aforementioned biotic and abiotic factors influencing biological invasions have been conducted previously, systematic global-scale analyses for freshwater fishes remain limited, constraining our understanding of large-scale invasion patterns in this taxon. Here, we leveraged a comprehensive database with taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic data for 5245 freshwater fish species across 1411 global river basins to explore ecological correlates of non-native fish establishment. Specifically, we used taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic facets of biodiversity to comprehensively quantify native communities (testing biotic acceptance and resistance hypotheses) and relatedness between native and non-native communities (testing Darwin's preadaptation and naturalization hypotheses). We further extracted environmental and anthropogenic variables across global rivers to assess external predictors of non-native fish establishment. Our results primarily supported Darwin's naturalization hypothesis: at the global level, native fish community invasibility peaked when non-native species exhibited great functional or phylogenetic distance from native communities, suggesting distantly related non-natives likely had unique traits or strategies to exploit vacant niches. Meanwhile, climatic factors also emerged as key drivers of global fish invasion patterns. At the biogeographic realm level, the determinants of fish invasions varied among the six realms, highlighting the complexity and regional specificity of biological invasions. However, our findings were based on correlational patterns of established non-native species at the basin scale and thus cannot establish definitive causal relationships between the identified drivers and establishment success. Future experimental manipulations at finer spatial and temporal scales are therefore required to validate the correlations observed in this study.},
}

Animals
*Introduced Species
*Fishes/physiology/classification
*Rivers
*Phylogeny
*Biodiversity
Ecosystem

@article {pmid41860462,
year = {2026},
author = {Biancolini, D and Broennimann, O and Guisan, A and Rondinini, C},
title = {Global Patterns of Niche Changes in Alien Mammals: Potential Drivers and Significance for Invasion Projections.},
journal = {Global change biology},
volume = {32},
number = {3},
pages = {e70755},
doi = {10.1111/gcb.70755},
pmid = {41860462},
issn = {1365-2486},
support = {//Sapienza Università di Roma/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Introduced Species ; *Mammals/physiology ; *Ecosystem ; *Animal Distribution ; Climate Change ; Models, Biological ; },
abstract = {Biological invasions are a major driver of global change, and prevention is the most effective mitigation strategy. Bioclimatic species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used to estimate invasion risk, assuming that species retain their realized native climatic niches after introduction. We tested this assumption for 194 alien mammal species established across 11 zoogeographic realms, examining realized niche changes, their drivers, and significance for invasion projections. We used a robust ordination framework to compare native and alien niches in 337 species-by-realm niche comparisons and quantify niche expansion, the proportion of the alien niche not overlapping with the native niche, and niche unfilling, the proportion of the native niche not overlapping with the alien niche. We then applied Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) with multi-model inference to test how species attributes, invasion history, and environmental context are associated with expansion and unfilling. Additionally, we evaluated the transferability of SDMs built on native presences to receiving regions using multiple metrics and used GLMMs to assess how niche changes may affect it. Niche expansion was rare and modest, whereas niche unfilling was common and pronounced. Niche expansion declined with increasing human disturbance, larger native range size, and introductions within similar communities, but increased with higher introduction effort. Niche unfilling decreased with greater introduction effort and longer residence time, but increased with alien insularity, human disturbance, and native range loss. SDM transferability was generally good, but it declined with niche expansion, as alien presences fell outside native-like suitable areas, and with unfilling, because suitable areas remained unoccupied under colonization lags. Proactive management can rely on SDMs to anticipate future spread and should prioritize species showing high niche unfilling, indicating substantial spread potential, and any evidence of niche expansion, which makes spread harder to anticipate.},
}

Animals
*Introduced Species
*Mammals/physiology
*Ecosystem
*Animal Distribution
Climate Change
Models, Biological

@article {pmid41845177,
year = {2026},
author = {Altomare, M and Bruna, EM and Ferreira Neves, KC and Borges, ER and Menor, IO and Afonso do Prado Júnior, J and Vasconcelos, HL},
title = {The phylogenetic diversity of plant communities in response to anthropogenic disturbances in a Neotropical savanna.},
journal = {Annals of botany},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/aob/mcag058},
pmid = {41845177},
issn = {1095-8290},
abstract = {Traditional assessments of human impact on ecological communities often focus on species richness and abundance, without considering the evolutionary relationship between species. This study evaluated how anthropogenic disturbances, notably those favoring invasive species, alter the phylogenetic diversity and structure of plant communities in the Cerrado, a global biodiversity hotspot. We compared alpha and beta phylogenetic diversity and structure (using PD, SES PD, SES MPD and SES MNTD) in plant communities from 11 roadside sites, characterized by high densities of exotic species, with 10 conservation areas (reserves), where exotic species occur at much lower densities. Phylogenetic metrics were calculated using data from the entire community or from native species only. Phylogenetic richness (PD) was consistently lower in roadside communities than in reserves, reflecting reduced species richness under chronic disturbance. In contrast, standardized phylogenetic richness (SES-PD) did not differ between habitats, indicating that roadside communities retain a broad representation of native evolutionary lineages. Differences in phylogenetic structure emerged only when exotic species were included in the analysis and, in this case, roadside communities exhibited phylogenetic clustering at both deep and terminal evolutionary levels, whereas reserve communities showed a random phylogenetic structure. Similarly, differences in phylogenetic dissimilarity between roadside and reserve communities were detected only when data from exotic species were included in the analysis. In this case, evidence of phylogenetic homogenization in roadside communities was detected, and this was probably associated with the much greater abundance of invasive grasses in this than in the protected habitats. Overall, our findings indicate that chronic disturbance is associated with phylogenetic homogenization in Cerrado plant communities, particularly in habitats dominated by invasive grasses. We suggest that protected areas play a crucial role in preserving phylogenetic diversity, especially for disturbance-sensitive clades. Accordingly, maintaining and expanding reserves, safeguarding remnant habitats, and managing biological invasions within disturbed landscapes are key strategies for conserving the evolutionary heritage and biodiversity of the Cerrado savanna biome.},
}

@article {pmid41852397,
year = {2025},
author = {Mueller, RC and Gehring, CA},
title = {Editorial: Women in environmental microbiomes.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiomes},
volume = {4},
number = {},
pages = {1537069},
pmid = {41852397},
issn = {2813-4338},
}

@article {pmid41853458,
year = {2026},
author = {Sanguila, MB and Labaja, ACO and Bernstein, JM and Brown, RM},
title = {An updated herpetological inventory of the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, eastern Mindanao Island, Philippines.},
journal = {ZooKeys},
volume = {1272},
number = {},
pages = {203-251},
pmid = {41853458},
issn = {1313-2989},
abstract = {A formal synthesis of the occurrence of herpetofauna species in Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary remained scant since the documentation of historical records by E.H. Taylor in the early 20[th] century. Here, an updated checklist of the Agusan Marsh herpetofauna is provided. 49 species (16 amphibians and 33 reptiles) are recorded from the Agusan Marsh's peat and freshwater swamp forests, specifically, amphibians in the families Bufonidae, Ceratobatrachidae, Dicroglossidae, Microhylidae, Megophryidae, Ranidae, and Rhacophoridae; lizards in the families Agamidae, Gekkonidae, Dibamidae, Scincidae, and Varanidae; snakes in the families Colubridae, Cyclocoridae, Psammodynastidae, Pareidae, Pythonidae, Typhlopidae, and Viperidae; and a turtle in the family Geoemydidae. Our Shannon Diversity Indices calculations suggest that diversity might be declining, but more surveys are needed to sample the total species richness of the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary. Our checklist highlights 14 new records (6 amphibians, 8 reptiles) and the presence of four invasive alien species in Agusan Marsh. Given the tremendous historical significance of the region, Agusan Marsh may represent one of the most significant focal study sites for assessing the impacts of historical land use and climate change in the Philippines. This work also demonstrates the importance of temporally sequential survey-resurveys for updating baseline biodiversity data to inform management decisions and conservation actions for this unique wetland ecosystem in Southeast Asia.},
}

@article {pmid41853536,
year = {2024},
author = {Markovchick, LM and Belgara-Andrew, A and Richard, D and Deringer, T and Grady, KC and Hultine, KR and Allan, GJ and Whitham, TG and Querejeta, JI and Gehring, CA},
title = {Utilizing symbiotic relationships and assisted migration in restoration to cope with multiple stressors, and the legacy of invasive species.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiomes},
volume = {3},
number = {},
pages = {1331341},
pmid = {41853536},
issn = {2813-4338},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Climate change has increased the need for forest restoration, but low planting success and limited availability of planting materials hamper these efforts. Invasive plants and their soil legacies can further reduce restoration success. Thus, strategies that optimize restoration are crucial. Assisted migration and inoculation with native microbial symbiont communities have great potential to increase restoration success. However, assisted migrants can still show reduced survival compared to local provenances depending on transfer distance. Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi, effective if well-matched to plants and site conditions, can have neutral to negative results with poor pairings. Few studies have examined the interaction between these two strategies in realistic field environments where native plants experience the combined effects of soil legacies left by invasive plants and the drought conditions that result from a warming, drying climate.

METHODS: We planted two ecotypes (local climate and warmer climate) of Populus fremontii (Fremont cottonwoods), in soils with and without legacies of invasion by Tamarix spp. (tamarisk), and with and without addition of native mycorrhizal fungi and other soil biota from the warmer climate.

RESULTS: Four main results emerged. 1) First year survival in soil legacies left behind after tamarisk invasion and removal was less than one tenth of survival in soil without a tamarisk legacy. 2) Actively restoring soil communities after tamarisk removal tripled first year cottonwood survival for both ecotypes, but only improved survival of the warmer, assisted migrant ecotype trees in year two. 3) Actively restoring soil communities in areas without a tamarisk history reduced first year survival for both ecotypes, but improved survival of the warmer, assisted migrant ecotype trees in year two. 4) By the second year, inoculated assisted migrants survived at five times the rate of inoculated trees from the local ecotype.

DISCUSSION: Results emphasize the detrimental effects of soil legacies left after tamarisk invasion and removal, the efficacy of assisted migration and restoring soil communities alongside plants, and the need to thoughtfully optimize pairings between plants, fungi, and site conditions.},
}

@article {pmid41854024,
year = {2026},
author = {Dumith, MT and Dos Santos, AFGN},
title = {Reproductive plasticity and environmental tolerance of invasive African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in a tropical Brazilian river.},
journal = {Journal of fish biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/jfb.70389},
pmid = {41854024},
issn = {1095-8649},
support = {//Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior/ ; 405984/2016-2//Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico/ ; },
abstract = {Invasive alien species (IAS) pose a significant threat to biodiversity, particularly when endowed with high ecological and reproductive plasticity. The African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, is one such species, widely recognized for its ability to colonize and establish in diverse tropical ecosystems. This study evaluated the reproductive success of C. gariepinus in a tropical environment by examining gonadal maturation stages, reproductive indices and water physicochemical variables associated with reproduction. The analysis revealed a population predominantly composed of adult individuals at various reproductive stages, with a higher concentration upstream during the dry season. The species exhibited continuous reproduction throughout the year, irrespective of body size, demonstrating both high fecundity and notable environmental flexibility. Dobriyal's Reproductivity Index (DI) proved effective in identifying gonadal maturation patterns independently of somatic size and is particularly useful under conditions of limited sampling. Statistical analyses revealed a strong association between DI and key physicochemical parameters (i.e., particularly elevated dissolved oxygen concentrations and pH values within optimal ranges) which collectively influence species distribution and reproductive success. These findings underscore reproductive plasticity and environmental tolerance as pivotal strategies underpinning the invasive potential of African catfish in tropical systems. We conclude that ongoing monitoring and targeted management interventions are crucial for mitigating the ecological impacts of C. gariepinus and alleviating pressure on native fish communities.},
}

@article {pmid41855217,
year = {2026},
author = {Fulton, L and Lyu, P},
title = {Integrating biological and machine learning models for rainbow trout growth: Balancing accuracy and interpretability.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {21},
number = {3},
pages = {e0336890},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0336890},
pmid = {41855217},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Oncorhynchus mykiss/growth & development ; *Machine Learning ; Bayes Theorem ; *Models, Biological ; Rivers ; Introduced Species ; },
abstract = {Invasive species management demands predictive models that balance accuracy with ecological interpretability, yet traditional approaches often fail to capture complex environmental interactions. We evaluated hybrid frameworks integrating biological and machine learning models for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) growth in the Lower Colorado River using ten years of tag-recapture data and environmental covariates, comparing traditional and Bayesian von Bertalanffy (VBGM) and Gompertz models with Random Forests, XGBoost, LightGBM, Support Vector Regression, Neural Networks, and ensemble methods through probabilistic performance analysis. Incorporating environmental context and advanced modeling produced substantial gains, with top methods achieving 70-80 percent error reductions relative to baseline models, equivalent to 45-70 mm or 20-32 percent of mean fish length. A stacked ensemble of XGBoost and the VBGM achieved the best performance (RMSE = 15.96 mm, [Formula: see text]) and exhibited stochastic dominance across the posterior, while gradient boosting models formed a strong second tier, led by LightGBM and XGBoost. Bayesian Model Averaging reached comparable accuracy while explicitly quantifying uncertainty. Even traditional mechanistic models improved by up to 80 percent when enhanced with covariates and Bayesian estimation, preserving biological interpretability through parameters such as asymptotic size and growth rate. Feature importance analysis identified initial length, time at large, and weight at release as dominant predictors, and the stacked ensemble outperformed baseline models in over 99 percent of posterior samples. These results establish hybrid ensemble frameworks as powerful tools for ecological forecasting that unite predictive performance with mechanistic insight, providing a generalizable template for systems where both accuracy and interpretability are required.},
}

Animals
*Oncorhynchus mykiss/growth & development
*Machine Learning
Bayes Theorem
*Models, Biological
Rivers
Introduced Species

@article {pmid41855518,
year = {2026},
author = {Haines, GE and Sanderson, S and Morin-Nadeau, R and Hendry, AP},
title = {Evolution of Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) Defensive Traits following the Stocking of Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis).},
journal = {The American naturalist},
volume = {207},
number = {4},
pages = {590-597},
doi = {10.1086/739174},
pmid = {41855518},
issn = {1537-5323},
mesh = {Animals ; *Trout/physiology ; *Smegmamorpha/anatomy & histology/physiology/genetics ; *Biological Evolution ; Quebec ; Introduced Species ; Lakes ; Phenotype ; Female ; },
abstract = {AbstractIn recent decades, numerous observations have been made of evolution induced by anthropogenic change in natural populations. Evolution in response to harvest, climate change, pollution, landscape change, and introduced invasive species are common. Here, we provide evidence for evolution in a new context by documenting a large increase in the frequency of defensive pelvic spines in two unusual threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) populations previously shown to mostly lack such structures. These populations, in Parc national du Lac-Témiscouata, Québec, Canada, were historically free of predatory fish and consisted nearly entirely of pelvic-spineless stickleback. This phenotypic change coincided with the stocking of the lakes with brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), a stickleback predator, and the introductions of other species used by anglers as live bait. The rapid evolutionary change toward a more defensive morph in the populations should prompt increased caution regarding the effects of management practices on native species.},
}

Animals
*Trout/physiology
*Smegmamorpha/anatomy & histology/physiology/genetics
*Biological Evolution
Quebec
Introduced Species
Lakes
Phenotype
Female

@article {pmid41840120,
year = {2026},
author = {da S Belanha, L and Paz, OLS and Padial, AA and de Azevedo, JCR and Hughes, RM and Ruaro, R},
title = {Water pollution drives environmental degradation in a seasonally influenced Neotropical coastal river.},
journal = {Environmental monitoring and assessment},
volume = {198},
number = {4},
pages = {},
pmid = {41840120},
issn = {1573-2959},
mesh = {*Rivers/chemistry ; *Environmental Monitoring ; Brazil ; *Water Pollution/statistics & numerical data ; Ecosystem ; Seasons ; Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis ; },
abstract = {Aquatic and coastal ecosystems are increasingly altered by human activities, particularly through the removal of riparian vegetation, pollution, urbanization, and biological invasions. This study aimed to assess environmental conditions and identify a gradient of human disturbance in the Guaraguaçu River, located on the coastal plain of southern Brazil and subjected to multiple stressors. To achieve this, we evaluated land use, water and sediment quality, and the dominance of invasive macrophytes, and applied a rapid physical habitat assessment protocol quarterly throughout 2024 at 22 sites along the main channel of the Guaraguaçu River and its two tributaries, the Pery and Pombas Rivers. Data were summarized using principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), and the axis scores were used to define the environmental gradient. The results revealed a clear gradient in environmental conditions, likely driven by anthropogenic pressures across the watershed. Among the various stressors analyzed, water pollution emerged as the primary driver of environmental degradation in the Guaraguaçu River Basin. Conductivity, salinity, ammonia, and orthophosphate contributed most significantly to the observed gradient. The highest values for these parameters were recorded in the Pery River and downstream from its confluence with the Guaraguaçu River, indicating a decline in environmental quality in this tributary and, consequently, in the lower basin sector. The results showed that environmental conditions varied along a gradient significantly influenced by both seasonality and river zone, suggesting that seasonal dynamics are a key driver of this pattern. This influence of seasonality was also supported by the PCoA results, which reflected clear temporal patterns in environmental variability. Furthermore, human-induced changes to the Pery River, particularly water pollution and hydrological modifications, have impaired ecological conditions and intensified environmental degradation in downstream areas of the Guaraguaçu River basin. These findings highlight the need for targeted management strategies, including improved wastewater treatment, to mitigate cumulative stressors and enhance the resilience of this coastal river ecosystem.},
}

*Rivers/chemistry
*Environmental Monitoring
Brazil
*Water Pollution/statistics & numerical data
Ecosystem
Seasons
Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis

@article {pmid41340246,
year = {2026},
author = {Dołkin-Lewko, A and Baj, P and Giedrowicz, A and Jaroszewicz, J and Zajączkowska, U},
title = {Wild cucumber invasiveness: impact of seasonal changes on biometric seed traits and dispersal strategy.},
journal = {Journal of experimental botany},
volume = {77},
number = {6},
pages = {1874-1887},
doi = {10.1093/jxb/eraf526},
pmid = {41340246},
issn = {1460-2431},
support = {2022/45/N/NZ9/02690//National Science Centre, Poland/ ; },
mesh = {Seasons ; *Seeds/physiology/anatomy & histology ; *Seed Dispersal ; *Introduced Species ; X-Ray Microtomography ; Hydrodynamics ; *Cuscuta/physiology ; },
abstract = {Wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) is an invasive annual vine rapidly spreading across Central European riparian zones. Its success is linked to seed dispersal, with hydrochory expected to play a major role, but the specific mechanisms are not fully understood. This study examines whether E. lobata uses a dual dispersal strategy by seed morphological differences and hydrodynamic behavior, supporting both short-distance and long-distance dispersal. Seeds were collected in autumn and early spring, and analysed for morphology, buoyancy, and hydrodynamic properties. Over 150 seeds underwent biometric measurements: digital image correlation for swelling deformation, micro-computed tomography for internal structure, and hydrodynamic properties. Approximately 23% of seeds were buoyant, with buoyant ones present in both autumn and spring seed groups. Buoyant seeds had larger surface areas and internal air cavities, contributing to lower drag and enhanced passive transport in water. Using digital image correlation and micro-computed tomography imaging, we visualized seed coat swelling patterns and quantified internal structures. Hydrodynamic experiments revealed that buoyant seeds experienced lower drag and slower acceleration. Under oscillatory flow, buoyant seeds exhibited passive propulsion at 1 Hz, indicating a resonance effect facilitating dispersal during fluctuating water flow. These findings support a dual dispersal strategy: temporal seed release and buoyancy enable both local recruitment and long-distance dispersal, likely contributing to invasive success in riparian habitats.},
}

Seasons
*Seeds/physiology/anatomy & histology
*Seed Dispersal
*Introduced Species
X-Ray Microtomography
Hydrodynamics
*Cuscuta/physiology

@article {pmid41762510,
year = {2026},
author = {Cuthbert, RN and Baso, N and Chikodza, T and Coombes, C and Doherty, J and Githae, M and Griffith, TC and Hernandez, MR and Jaschke, KM and Jukes, MD and Kinsler, D and MacIsaac, HJ and Mantshi, HT and Muskett, P and Mutamiswa, R and Ricciardi, A and Sutton, GF and Tanka, DV and van Dyk, J and van Steenderen, C and Dick, JTA and Coetzee, J},
title = {Parallel concepts and future opportunities across the biological control and invasion sciences.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {402},
number = {},
pages = {128931},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.128931},
pmid = {41762510},
issn = {1095-8630},
mesh = {*Introduced Species ; Ecology ; Climate Change ; Ecosystem ; *Conservation of Natural Resources ; Humans ; },
abstract = {The biological control and invasion sciences are long-standing research fields that have accrued enormous fundamental and applied interest. However, their theoretical and practical integration remains in its infancy. Utilizing an expert elicitation process with participants spanning these sciences, we identify conceptual parallels and future opportunities to strengthen links and address future challenges in both fields. We found that the biological control and invasion sciences face pervasive context-dependencies that must be understood to improve outcome predictions, including climatic changes, spatiotemporal scales, and 'ecological surprises'. Both sciences would further benefit from terminological streamlining to improve communication, sharing of emerging technologies, and mitigation of the taxonomic decline. The two fields are strongly affected by social perceptions and awareness by decision makers, requiring more effective engagement and translation efforts. Our exercise promotes cross-cutting interdisciplinary advances to improve understanding of fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes, socio-ecological challenges, and management efficacy across the biological control and invasion sciences.},
}

*Introduced Species
Ecology
Climate Change
Ecosystem
*Conservation of Natural Resources
Humans

@article {pmid41839725,
year = {2026},
author = {Ribas, LGDS and Villar, N and Zipparro, V and Nazareth, S and Souza, Y and Brocardo, CR and Schmaedecke, G and Hortenci, L and Alves, RSC and Galetti, M},
title = {Mammal defaunation leads to biotic homogenization of plant communities in tropical rainforests.},
journal = {Ecology},
volume = {107},
number = {3},
pages = {e70341},
doi = {10.1002/ecy.70341},
pmid = {41839725},
issn = {1939-9170},
support = {//São Paulo State University (UNESP)/ ; 2022/09561-4//São Paulo Research Foundation/ ; 2014/01986-0//São Paulo Research Foundation/ ; 43.104/2007//Fundação Florestal do Estado de São Paulo/ ; 15333/2022//Fundação Florestal do Estado de São Paulo/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Rainforest ; *Mammals/physiology ; Tropical Climate ; *Plants/classification ; Brazil ; *Biodiversity ; },
abstract = {Biotic homogenization is the process in which species communities become increasingly similar across different regions over time. This phenomenon has substantial ecological, evolutionary, and economic implications, primarily driven by human activities such as habitat destruction, invasive species introduction, and climate change. An underexplored driver of biotic homogenization is defaunation, particularly the loss or population decline of large herbivorous mammals and its consequences on plant communities. In this study, we examined how defaunation of medium- to large-sized mammals, such as tapirs and peccaries, affects taxonomic biotic homogenization in seedling and sapling communities in tropical rainforests of South America. Using data from a 13-year mammal-exclosure experiment across four forest sites in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, we investigated the effects of defaunation on both alpha and beta diversity to understand how it might contribute to biotic homogenization. Our results indicate that defaunation significantly increased alpha diversity in exclusion plots over time, contrary to expectations, with more pronounced effects at forest sites hosting more complete mammal assemblies, that is, with greater mammal abundance and diversity. In contrast, beta diversity decreased as exclusion treatments led to more spatially homogeneous plant communities, particularly at the site where exclusion treatment prevents access to the plant community by the most complete mammal assembly. This homogenization was driven by reduced species turnover and the dominance of a few plant species that thrive in the absence of mammal herbivores, including a palm Euterpe edulis, a bamboo Merostachys neesii, and a fern Polybotrya cylindrica. These findings suggest that the removal of medium- to large-sized mammal herbivores can lead to both increased local species richness and decreased spatial heterogeneity, reshaping plant community structure across tropical forest landscapes. Our study highlights the critical role of large-bodied herbivores in maintaining biodiversity at multiple scales and underscores the ecological consequences of their functional loss. This work provides essential insights for conservation efforts aimed at mitigating the impacts of defaunation and preserving the resilience of tropical forest ecosystems, positioning defaunation as a significant anthropogenic driver of biotic homogenization.},
}

Animals
*Rainforest
*Mammals/physiology
Tropical Climate
*Plants/classification
Brazil
*Biodiversity

@article {pmid41833552,
year = {2026},
author = {Ludwig, TD and Borgato, EA and de Avila, LA and Roncaglia, LM and Zucchi, MI},
title = {Climate change-driven expansion of goosegrass highlights risks to global food production.},
journal = {Pest management science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ps.70731},
pmid = {41833552},
issn = {1526-4998},
support = {//Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Climate change and the spread of herbicide-resistant weeds pose increasing risks to global food security. Eleusine indica (goosegrass) is a globally invasive species characterized by broad geographic distribution, high ecological plasticity, and multiple resistance mechanisms. This study evaluated the current and future climatic suitability of E. indica at a global scale under climate change scenarios.

RESULTS: Ensemble ecological niche models calibrated with georeferenced occurrence records and climatic predictors showed excellent performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.999; true skill statistic (TSS)/kappa = 0.980), with low omission rates and high spatial agreement among algorithms (Bioclim, Random Forest, Support Vector Machines, and Maxent). Current projections indicate widespread suitability across tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Future projections under SSP245 and SSP585 for 2050 and 2090 suggest a gradual expansion toward higher latitudes, with increased suitability in temperate regions such as the US Corn Belt, the Mediterranean Basin, and East Asia, especially under SSP585 by 2090. Overlap analyses identified substantial vulnerability in major soybean-producing regions, including Brazil, Argentina, the United States, and Southeast Asia.

CONCLUSION: Climate change is expected to facilitate the poleward expansion of E. indica, increasing invasion risk in key agricultural regions while maintaining broad climatic stability across its current range. These findings emphasize the need for early detection, continuous monitoring, and integrated weed management strategies to mitigate long-term agronomic and food security risks posed by this globally invasive species. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.},
}

@article {pmid41834686,
year = {2026},
author = {Yang, L and Gao, Y and Chen, Y and Ren, S and Lu, H and Guo, Y and Liu, P and Batool, K and Chen, XG and Tang, J and Gu, J},
title = {An ovary-enriched piRNA controls ovarian development via Gadd45a-JNK-mediated nurse-cell apoptosis in the arbovirus vector Aedes albopictus.},
journal = {Insect science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/1744-7917.70262},
pmid = {41834686},
issn = {1744-7917},
support = {//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; //Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province/ ; //National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention/ ; },
abstract = {The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is a rapidly expanding invasive species and a global vector of arboviruses. Its transmission depends on the female's blood meal-driven reproductive cycle. Although mosquito PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) research has predominantly focused on antiviral immunity, their roles in reproduction remain poorly understood. Here we profiled sex-biased piRNA expression in Ae. albopictus and identified a female-enriched piRNA, AalpiRNA-18529. This piRNA accumulates in pre-vitellogenic ovaries and is rapidly downregulated after a blood meal. Gain-of-function experiments showed that AalpiRNA-18529 mimics impair follicle development, reduces fecundity and egg hatching, and disrupts nurse-cell apoptosis required for oocyte maturation. Mechanistically, AalpiRNA-18529 represses Gadd45a, a conserved stress-response regulator. Gadd45a knockdown phenocopies AalpiRNA-18529 gain-of-function, leading to reduced phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and thus indicating defective activation of the Gadd45a-JNK apoptotic axis. Collectively, our findings reveal a piRNA-mediated pathway that controls ovarian development in Ae. albopictus during vitellogenesis and highlight the AalpiRNA-18529-Gadd45a-JNK cascade as a potential molecular target for genetic strategies to disrupt mosquito reproduction.},
}

@article {pmid41834842,
year = {2026},
author = {Cai, C and Yuan, Y and Wu, D and Li, J},
title = {Species-specific responses of invasive plants to parasitism are modified by climate warming.},
journal = {AoB PLANTS},
volume = {18},
number = {2},
pages = {plag015},
pmid = {41834842},
issn = {2041-2851},
abstract = {Parasitic plants can inflict significant damage to invasive plants and are considered biocontrol agents. Climate warming can affect the fitness of invasive plants and the efficacy of their biocontrol agents. However, the impact of climate warming on the responses of invasive plants to parasitism remains inadequately explored. To investigate this critical issue, we conducted a controlled warming experiment to assess the impact of a constant, continuous +2 °C temperature increase, consistent with projected global warming scenarios reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, on the responses of two common invasive plants in China, Solidago canadensis and Bidens pilosa to the parasitic plant Cuscuta gronovii. Our findings indicate that parasitism significantly reduces the growth of both invasive species irrespective of temperature increases. A significant interaction was observed between Cuscuta parasitism and the different host species, particularly affecting stem diameter, plant height, and root-to-shoot ratio of the host plants. Interestingly, while increased temperature independently did not significantly impact total biomass, aboveground biomass, or leaf number of the host plants, it exhibited marginal interactions with parasitism and the different hosts regarding belowground biomass of the hosts. Moreover, C. gronovii biomass was significantly influenced by host type; however, increased temperatures did not significantly affect the biomass of C. gronovii or its deleterious effects on host plants. Overall, these findings highlight the complex interplay among parasitism, host species, and environmental factors, which are crucial for comprehensively understanding invasive species dynamics and their ecological implications.},
}

@article {pmid41835274,
year = {2026},
author = {Yuan, Z and Fu, W and Song, Z and Wang, Z and Sun, C and Zhang, Y and Zhang, G},
title = {A Weibull distribution-based method for estimating seed longevity in Solanum rostratum.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {17},
number = {},
pages = {1700839},
pmid = {41835274},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Seed longevity is a key determinant of population persistence, spread, and outbreak potential in annual invasive plant species. Understanding longevity of invasive seed bank is crucial for determining colonization timing and assessing invasion potential, thereby supporting sustainable weed management strategies. While soil seed bank fluctuations have become a focus in invasion biology area, efficient and accurate methods for evaluating seed bank longevity in annual invasive plants remain scarce so far. In this study, we focus on a representative annual globally malignant invasive plant Solanum rostratum, investigating seed longevity by accelerated aging test (60°C and 85% relative humidity) across multiple regions and collection years.

METHODS: We used a three-parameter Weibull distribution model to characterize seed aging and applied it to assess S. rostratum seed bank longevity in both grassland and abandoned farmland habitats.

RESULTS: The results showed that S. rostratum seeds lost viability rapidly within 3 d under accelerated aging condition. Seeds from different regions in the same year exhibited similar aging patterns, while interannual variation led to significantly divergent aging curves. Based on polynomial regression of viability data and germination tests, the upper limit of seed longevity under natural field conditions was estimated to be approximately 8-9.79 years.

DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates that combining accelerated aging assays with the three-parameter Weibull distribution provides an effective approach for assessing seed longevity and soil seed bank persistence. The method offers a practical, efficient, and reproducible framework for estimating seed bank persistence in annual invasive plants. Our findings highlight the critical role of persistent seed banks in facilitating the invasion success of S. rostratum, thereby offering a robust analytical basis for evaluating invasion risks. Moreover, the modeling framework developed here can be extended to other annual plant species for seed viability assessment, providing valuable theoretical support for the development of ecologically sustainable weed management strategies.},
}

@article {pmid41837865,
year = {2026},
author = {Yang, C and Komagata, O and Kasai, S and Higa, Y},
title = {Impact of niche shift on the spread of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) to and within Japan.},
journal = {Journal of medical entomology},
volume = {63},
number = {2},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jme/tjag032},
pmid = {41837865},
issn = {1938-2928},
support = {JP23wm0225030//Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development/ ; JP24wm0225030//Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development/ ; JP23fk0108613//Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development/ ; JP24fk0108693//Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Aedes/physiology ; Japan ; *Animal Distribution ; *Mosquito Vectors/physiology ; *Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {Arbovirus transmission is a global public health concern. The mosquito Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) is a primary vector of some of these viruses, and its distribution has been a long-term concern because of its vector competence and invasiveness. The invasion and establishment of Ae. aegypti in temperate regions has been extensively discussed, with recent studies reporting phenotypic and evolutionary changes in populations attempting to breed in temperate regions. We used occurrence data from regions with environmental conditions similar to those in Japan to model the potential distribution of Ae. aegypti in Japan, as site-related environmental conditions represent selection pressure for phenotypic and/or evolutionary changes. A random forest model was used for prediction utilizing 3,062 selected occurrence data with a similarity mask. To screen out the drivers affecting adaptability and niche shifts in temperate regions, the above model and a global model using both native and invasive occurrence data were compared. The model predicts that urban areas are the main breeding sites for Ae. aegypti in Japan. Due to competition with the dominant local species, Aedes albopictus Skuse, Ae. aegypti cannot occupy the entire range of urban settings. A niche shift was observed compared to the global model. Niche-shifted populations underwent more rigorous selection for temperature and precipitation, shifting toward human-dwelling environments. These divergences, which warrant further exploration, may be attributed to phenotypic changes or adaptive evolution as mosquito populations persist in temperate regions. The generated prediction maps provide useful insights to understand the expansion of this species.},
}

Animals
*Aedes/physiology
Japan
*Animal Distribution
*Mosquito Vectors/physiology
*Ecosystem

@article {pmid41838734,
year = {2026},
author = {Bozorg-Omid, F and Abbasi, M and Yaghoobi-Ershadi, MR and Hanafi-Bojd, AA},
title = {Suitable ecological niches of invasive malaria vector under present and projected climatic conditions in South of Iran.},
journal = {PLoS neglected tropical diseases},
volume = {20},
number = {3},
pages = {e0014054},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0014054},
pmid = {41838734},
issn = {1935-2735},
mesh = {Iran/epidemiology ; *Anopheles/physiology/growth & development ; *Mosquito Vectors/physiology ; *Malaria/transmission/epidemiology ; Animals ; Climate Change ; *Ecosystem ; Climate ; *Introduced Species ; Humans ; Animal Distribution ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The invasive mosquito species Anopheles stephensi plays a critical role in malaria transmission, particularly in urban environments. Its ability to thrive in such settings has raised public health concerns, especially as it expands its geographical range. The resurgence of malaria in Iran underscores the challenges posed by this vector, which is further complicated by factors such as climate change and the movement of populations. Understanding the ecological niches of An. stephensi is essential for developing targeted malaria control strategies. This study aims to assess the current and projected distribution of An. stephensi in Hormozgan Province, Iran, under varying climatic conditions.

METHOD: The study was conducted in Hormozgan Province, Iran, characterized by a hot, arid climate. A database of 96 occurrence points for An. stephensi was compiled through literature searches, which were refined to 72 points to ensure data quality. Environmental and bioclimatic data were sourced from the WorldClim v2.1 database, with a focus on various Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). The MaxEnt modeling technique was employed to assess the impact of climate change on the species' distribution, with model performance evaluated using the two metrics, Area Under the Curve (AUC) and True Skill Statistic (TSS). The analysis aimed to map shifts in suitable habitats under different climate scenarios.

RESULTS: The MaxEnt model predicts a significant decline in environmental suitability for An. stephensi under future climate scenarios, particularly in western and central Hormozgan Province. Habitat loss is prevalent, with stable areas primarily located in Bashagard County. Factors such as altitude and precipitation patterns significantly influence species distribution, with altitude showing the highest impact. The model's performance, indicated by an average AUC of 0.765 and a TSS of 0.519, demonstrates moderate predictive accuracy for identifying suitable habitats.

DISCUSSION: Despite advancements in malaria control, An. stephensi remains a significant threat in Iran, particularly due to its invasive nature and adaptability to climate change. The study indicates a projected decline in suitable habitats, especially in coastal areas, highlighting the need for adaptive vector control strategies. Bashagard County may serve as a stable refuge, warranting further investigation. The findings emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring and integrating climate projections into public health interventions to effectively combat malaria transmission. Overall, ongoing research is crucial to refining understanding and enhancing malaria control efforts in response to shifting environmental conditions.},
}

Iran/epidemiology
*Anopheles/physiology/growth & development
*Mosquito Vectors/physiology
*Malaria/transmission/epidemiology
Animals
Climate Change
*Ecosystem
Climate
*Introduced Species
Humans
Animal Distribution

@article {pmid41829847,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, Y and Ma, W and Zhou, Q and Cao, W and Qu, B and Guo, J and Zhou, L and Deng, J and Zhang, Y and Li, Y and Dai, L},
title = {Analysis of the Potential Distribution of Solanum rostratum in China Based on the Biomod2 Ensemble Model.},
journal = {Plants (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {15},
number = {5},
pages = {},
pmid = {41829847},
issn = {2223-7747},
support = {2021YFD1400303//NNational Key Research and Development Program of China/ ; },
abstract = {Solanum rostratum is a globally regulated invasive species, known for its detrimental impacts on local biodiversity, human and livestock health, and agricultural productivity. This study employed the Biomod2 ensemble modeling framework to analyze the geographic distribution of S. rostratum in China, identify key environmental factors limiting its spread, and provide a scientific basis for its management and control. By integrating species distribution data with multiple environmental variables, we predicted the potential geographic distribution of this species. Pearson correlation analysis and variance inflation factor (VIF) testing were applied to identify significant environmental variables constraining its spread, including precipitation seasonality (bio15), mean temperature of the wettest quarter (bio8), precipitation of the warmest quarter (bio18), isothermality (bio3), precipitation of the driest month (bio14), and human footprint. Three Biomod2-based ensemble models (EMmean, EMca and EMwmean) were based on the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), true skill statistic (TSS), and Kappa coefficient. Of these, EMca demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy. The model identified highly suitable habitats for S. rostratum primarily in semi-arid and semi-humid regions with high human activity, including the Northeast Plain, bounded by the Greater Khingan, Lesser Khingan, and Changbai Mountains; the northern North China Plain extending to the Shandong Hills and Yellow River basin; and the Junggar Basin extending to the Altai Mountains. These regions should be prioritized for future monitoring and control efforts. This study provides both empirical data and theoretical insights to accurately delineate potential invasion zones of S. rostratum, enhancing surveillance and guiding effective prevention and control strategies.},
}

@article {pmid41830990,
year = {2026},
author = {Pasini-Martins, M and Kuhne, RDT and de Oliveira, CM and Binder, LC and Silito, IS and Pinter, A and Nunes, FBP and Martins, TF and de Hildebrand E Grisi Filho, JH and Dawson, W and Stephens, PA and da Silva Matos, DM and Labruna, MB},
title = {Assessment of tick populations associated with capybaras in natural reserves and human-modified environments with or without invasive plants in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.},
journal = {Experimental & applied acarology},
volume = {96},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {41830990},
issn = {1572-9702},
mesh = {Animals ; Brazil ; *Introduced Species ; *Rodentia/parasitology ; *Amblyomma/physiology/growth & development ; Population Density ; Ecosystem ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Nymph/physiology/growth & development ; },
abstract = {In southeastern Brazil, capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are main hosts of the ticks Amblyomma dubitatum and Amblyomma sculptum; the latter has great medical importance for being the main vector of Rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF). This study aimed to quantify ticks in areas invaded and not invaded by exotic plants (Hedychium coronarium, Cenchrus purpureus or Megathyrsus maximus) within capybaras' living areas in São Paulo state. Tick populations were quantified in 24 capybara habitats, eight in natural reserves and 16 human-modified landscapes; the latter were composed of eight BSF-endemic areas and eight BSF-nonendemic areas. In the 24 areas, ticks were sampled in plots of natural forests and plots with at least one of the three invasive plants. Both presence and density of A. sculptum were higher in human-modified landscapes, while the presence and density of A. dubitatum tended to be similar among human-modified landscapes and natural reserve areas. The two tick species were collected both in areas colonized by invasive plants (H. coronarium, M. maximus, and/or C. purpureus) and in areas of non-invaded vegetation. However, a higher density of A. dubitatum was observed in areas of H. coronarium and a lower density of A. sculptum in this type of vegetation. Within human-modified landscapes, there was a higher density of A. sculptum in BSF-endemic areas when compared to non-endemic areas, unlike A. dubitatum, which remained at an almost constant density and presence among BSF-endemic and non-endemic areas. Plant invasions may have some role in the ecology of capybara-associated ticks.},
}

Animals
Brazil
*Introduced Species
*Rodentia/parasitology
*Amblyomma/physiology/growth & development
Population Density
Ecosystem
Conservation of Natural Resources
Nymph/physiology/growth & development

@article {pmid41831708,
year = {2026},
author = {Sánchez, O and González, IC and Poyo, JG and Ureña, M and Arias, A},
title = {The hidden passengers: On the role of exotic crayfish in the spread of symbiotic and pathogenic organisms in northern Iberian Peninsula.},
journal = {Journal of invertebrate pathology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {108598},
doi = {10.1016/j.jip.2026.108598},
pmid = {41831708},
issn = {1096-0805},
abstract = {The spread of invasive crayfish species poses a growing threat to freshwater ecosystems and public health, not only through direct ecological impacts but also by facilitating the transmission of symbionts and potential zoonotic pathogens. This study characterizes the symbiont diversity associated with the crayfish species that occur in northern Spain. In addition, the first comprehensive and comparative compilation of reported symbiont and parasite species of crayfish species reported in Iberia is provided. A combination of scanning electron and optical microscopy analysis and a review of the literature was employed to identify the symbionts and evaluate their spatial distribution on the host, their taxonomy, and their zoonotic potential. A total of five crayfish species were analyzed, with symbionts recorded across multiple body regions, particularly the chelipeds, gills, and pleopods. The most prevalent taxa belonged to the phyla Ciliophora, Annelida, and Platyhelminthes. Some symbionts, such as Xironogiton victoriensis and Uncinocythere occidentalis, were identified as obligate ectosymbionts that could have a negative impact on protected species such as Austropotamobius fulcisianus. Furthermore, several symbiont taxa (e.g., Fusarium sp., and Paragonimus spp.) are known to be zoonotic and are associated with conditions such as keratitis, onychomycosis, and paragonimiasis. The results highlight the dual ecological and epidemiological risk posed by crayfish invasions. As vectors of both invasive symbionts and zoonotic agents, these crustaceans may facilitate the emergence of new infectious diseases in freshwater environments. This underscores the need for integrated monitoring strategies that consider symbiont-host dynamics in invasive species management and public health surveillance and highlights the importance of implementing targeted management actions to mitigate ecological impacts and reduce associated health risks.},
}

@article {pmid41832389,
year = {2026},
author = {Deletre, E and Latapie, C and Migeon, A and Auger, P and Larpin, N and Laboisse, S and Martin, T},
title = {Tetranychus evansi (Tetranychidae) spider mites now a major solanaceous crop pest in Côte d'Ivoire.},
journal = {Experimental & applied acarology},
volume = {96},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {41832389},
issn = {1572-9702},
mesh = {Animals ; *Tetranychidae/physiology ; Cote d'Ivoire ; *Introduced Species ; Crops, Agricultural/growth & development ; Pest Control, Biological ; *Solanaceae/growth & development ; Population Density ; },
abstract = {The West African market gardening sector has been plagued in recent decades by phytophagous mite damage to solanaceous crops. Recent studies in Benin and Burkina Faso have confirmed West African outbreaks of red spider mites (Tetranychus evansi), a novel mite species native to South America, which has now virtually replaced local species. This study aimed to identify the different mite species infesting solanaceous crops in Côte d'Ivoire, while assessing their abundance and mapping their distributions. Tomato, eggplant and African eggplant crops were sampled along a north-south transect. Structured interviews were conducted to gather information on the crop protection practices. We confirmed the presence of the invasive species, Tetranychus evansi, with higher densities noted in the north, where the hot dry climatic conditions were suitable for its development. Local Tetranychus urticae and Polyphagotarsonemus latus species were not very abundant. The highest spider mite diversity was observed in the Abidjan area, where two new species of the T. urticae group were found. Very few Phytoseiidae predatory mites were present, even in plots that had barely been treated or not at all. Five species were identified: Neoseiulus barkeri, Neoseiulus teke, Amblyseius swirskii, Amblyseius tamatavensis, and Paraphytoseius horrifer. These predatory phytoseiid species seemed unable to control T. evansi populations. According to farmers, abamectin was the only pesticide effective for controlling these pests. To reduce the chemical control intensity, biological control based on the introduction and dissemination of a specific predatory mite such as Phytoseiulus longipes could be considered on a national and regional scale.},
}

Animals
*Tetranychidae/physiology
Cote d'Ivoire
*Introduced Species
Crops, Agricultural/growth & development
Pest Control, Biological
*Solanaceae/growth & development
Population Density

@article {pmid41832861,
year = {2026},
author = {Rocca, C and Diaz de Astarloa, C and Montemayor, DI and Daleo, P and Pascual, J and Bruschetti, CM and Iribarne, O and Alberti, J},
title = {Exotic wild boars consistently reduce superficial organic matter in Argentinean coastal herbaceous systems.},
journal = {The Science of the total environment},
volume = {1025},
number = {},
pages = {181683},
doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.181683},
pmid = {41832861},
issn = {1879-1026},
abstract = {Soils are major carbon reservoirs whose dynamics are regulated by the interaction of abiotic factors, soil properties, vegetation, and herbivores that control input and losses of soil organic matter (SOM), jointly determining if they act as carbon reservoirs (sinks) or carbon sources. Invasive species can disrupt that balance, potentially changing the system from sink to source. Within this framework, wild boars (Sus scrofa) act as ecosystem engineers that modify vegetation and soil properties through their rooting activity. Yet, their effects on carbon dynamics show contrasting patterns across ecosystems and remain unexplored in the coastal herbaceous systems of Argentina. Here, we evaluated the relationship between wild boar rooting and multiple ecosystem functions associated with carbon dynamics at three different herbaceous systems (a salt marsh, a grassland, and a coastal dune grassland). Using field surveys (comparing rooted and non-rooted areas) and experiments (with exclosures and control plots), we assessed the relationship between wild boar rooting and SOM. We also examined the association between wild boar activity and: (a) bare ground cover, (b) soil respiration, and (c) detritus decomposition rates across the three coastal herbaceous systems. Our results show that wild boar rooting consistently increased bare ground while reducing SOM content and soil respiration, but had no detectable effect on detritus decomposition. These consistent responses across ecosystems indicate an overall negative effect of rooting, suggesting that wild boars may reduce the capacity of coastal herbaceous systems to store soil carbon, with potential long-term consequences for carbon balance and ecosystem resilience.},
}

@article {pmid41829837,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhu, E and Samat, A and Li, W and Luo, K},
title = {Monitoring the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Invasive Pedicularis kansuensis in Bayinbuluke Alpine Wetlands: A Novel Spectral Index Framework Using PlanetScope Time Series (2021-2025).},
journal = {Plants (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {15},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/plants15050806},
pmid = {41829837},
issn = {2223-7747},
support = {2022TSYCCX0006//Tianshan Talent Development Program/ ; 42371389//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2022-XBQNXZ-001//Western Young Scholars Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/ ; },
abstract = {The expansion of the invasive species Pedicularis kansuensis threatens the ecological integrity of alpine wetlands, particularly in the Bayinbuluke, northwestern China. However, operational monitoring remains challenging. Conventional indices often lack specificity in heterogeneous alpine backgrounds, while deep learning models are typically too data-intensive to support consistent, multi-year mapping. To develop a rapid, reliable, and operational method for monitoring this invader, we proposed a novel, species-specific spectral index, the Pedicularis kansuensis Index (PKI), using the blue, green, and red-edge bands of high-resolution (3 m) PlanetScope imagery. The PKI constructs a robust target signal by integrating distinct spectral features derived from in situ hyperspectral measurement with a grayscale morphological opening (GrMO) refinement to suppress background noise. A comprehensive validation against seven established benchmarks indices (e.g., NDVI, RI, and ARI) demonstrated the superior performance of PKI across the central alpine wetlands of Bayinbuluke (2841 km[2]). It achieved the highest separability with an M-statistic of 1.36. Furthermore, the index attained an overall accuracy of 93.52% (95% CI: 92.3-94.7%), and an F1-score of 93.28% (95% CI: 92.0-94.5%), effectively minimizing confusion with co-occurring native vegetation and background. Applying this framework to a five-year time series (2021-2025) revealed a distinct cycle of outbreaks and relaxation. Specifically, the invaded area increased to 2168 ha in 2022, then decreased to 160 ha in 2025. Spatial analysis further identified stable invasion hotspots of 161.6 ha, highlighting key targets for long-term containment. Meanwhile, 94.4% of the invaded area was transient, lasting only one year (4824.7 ha). These results confirm that the PKI is a physically interpretable, accurate, and computationally efficient tool for monitoring invasive species in heterogeneous alpine environments. It facilitates timely and targeted ecosystem management.},
}

@article {pmid41829746,
year = {2026},
author = {Di Lernia, D and Zuccarello, V and Pinzani, L and Ceschin, S},
title = {Temporal Floristic Changes (2005-2025) Along the Lower Stretch of the Tiber River (Central Italy).},
journal = {Plants (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {15},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/plants15050716},
pmid = {41829746},
issn = {2223-7747},
abstract = {A multitemporal floristic study was conducted on the aquatic and riparian plant communities of the lower stretch of the Tiber River (central Italy) to identify any floristic changes in response to possible environmental pressures that have occurred locally over time. This investigation was carried out by comparing α- and temporal β-diversity, as well as biological, chorological, and ecological traits of plant assemblages present in permanent plots (n = 24) and sampled at two different time points (2005, 2025). Although both aquatic and riparian plant communities showed an increase in α-diversity over time (+94.1% and +56.5%, respectively), they generally exhibited different temporal patterns. The aquatic community showed a more stable floristic structure compared to the riparian one, with a persistent dominance of eutrophic and pollution-tolerant species, although local disappearance/rarefaction of some species was recorded. On the contrary, the riparian community showed greater species turnover, mainly due to an increase in generalist, ruderal and alien species, which over time have partially replaced those typically associated with riparian habitats. Ecological trait-based analyses indicated an increase over time in the percentage of thermophilous, heliophilous and nitrophilous species in both plant communities; the riparian community also showed an increase in xerophilous ones. Overall, the results indicate that aquatic and riparian communities exhibit distinct temporal dynamics within the same river system and highlight how long-term, permanent plot-based floristic monitoring is a useful tool in environmental studies.},
}

@article {pmid41829034,
year = {2026},
author = {Burnett, JW and Ohnstad, H and Jones, AM and Hardege, JD and Bartels-Hardege, HD},
title = {Olfactory Cues in the Odour Plume of Predatory Fish Reduce Foraging and Elicit Anti-Predator Behaviour in the European Green Crab Carcinus maenas.},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
volume = {16},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/ani16050828},
pmid = {41829034},
issn = {2076-2615},
abstract = {The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is an intertidal crustacean that has extended its invasive range globally and is regarded as a major pest species for bivalves, impacting coastal food chains and aquacultures. Crabs primarily use chemosensory cues to sense their environment for feeding to avoid predation and to locate mates and induce mating. Consequently, known attractants including food baits are frequently employed in trapping and control efforts. Here, we investigate the effects of introducing a predatory fish odour to the environment and show that it elicits anti-predator behaviour in C. maenas. A 45% reduction in crab foraging and feeding behaviour was observed when predator odour was introduced compared with food control experiments. A further 23% reduction (68% reduction overall) in feeding behaviour was observed after crabs were exposed to (though housed separately from) the same seawater as the live predator for several days. This highlights the increased awareness or continuous stress of these habituated crabs towards predator odour. This study also presents potential for application as a deterrent in integrated pest management strategies for this global invader.},
}

@article {pmid41828983,
year = {2026},
author = {Kobayashi, M and Iwata, E and Sorensen, PW},
title = {Environmental and Physiological Regulation of Reproduction in the Goldfish: Gonadal Development, Maturation, and Spawning Behavior: A Review.},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
volume = {16},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/ani16050775},
pmid = {41828983},
issn = {2076-2615},
abstract = {The goldfish, a member of the Cyprinidae (minnow family) is an important and relevant model for understanding how fish function and reproduce and can be better managed. Here, we review recent studies of this species and its strengths as a model system. First, we review current understanding of how its neuroendocrine system regulates gonadotropin release, and then steroidogenesis and finally gonadal maturation in both males and females. Endocrine determinants of gender and sexual plasticity are described. Effects of the fish androgen, 11-ketotestosterone, on sexual and spawning behavior of males and females are reviewed. We also describe how several hormones (androstenedione, 17,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregen-3-one, prostaglandin F2α) and their metabolites function as "hormonal pheromones" to synchronize male-female spawning behavior and physiology. Insight provided by the goldfish has enhanced understanding of the neurobiology, toxicology, and comparative physiology of other fishes and provided lessons applicable to the culture of commercial carp and the control of invasive species, as well as conservation.},
}

@article {pmid41828222,
year = {2026},
author = {Naghizadeh, M and Niemand, ME and Langner, EHG and Sivanda, AS and Eschwege, KGV},
title = {Densification and Mechanical Enhancement of Invasive South African Hardwoods: Prosopis glandulosa and Acacia mearnsii.},
journal = {Materials (Basel, Switzerland)},
volume = {19},
number = {5},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/ma19050954},
pmid = {41828222},
issn = {1996-1944},
support = {N/A//University of the Free State/ ; },
abstract = {Wood used in construction varies in density, leading to differences in strength and rigidity. Wood densification has recently emerged as a promising technique to address these limitations and enhance material performance. This study explores the potential of two abundant and low-cost invasive hardwood species in South Africa-Prosopis glandulosa (Honey Mesquite) and Acacia mearnsii (Black Wattle)-as sources for producing densified wood. A range of strengthening methods, including chemical, pressure, and heat treatments, were applied and compared. After partial delignification and hot pressing, sample thicknesses were reduced by 40% for Prosopis and 50% for Acacia, yielding substantial increases in flexural strength of 216% (22.61 MPa) for Prosopis and 334% (24.65 MPa) for Acacia. In addition to anatomical imaging, analyses of lignosulphonate content, and thermogravimetric profiling, the study also evaluated several practical, carpentry-relevant mechanical properties. These included comparative tests for flexural and compressive strength, nailing and sanding performance, as well as assessments of water absorption, electrical resistivity, and flame-holding capacity.},
}

@article {pmid41824780,
year = {2026},
author = {Herrera, C and Leza, M},
title = {No evidence of increased mortality associated with Vespa velutina (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) spread in Spain.},
journal = {Journal of medical entomology},
volume = {63},
number = {2},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jme/tjag039},
pmid = {41824780},
issn = {1938-2928},
support = {POSTDOC2024_4//Margalida Comas/ ; PID2023-149487OA-I00//Margalida Comas/ ; MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033//Margalida Comas/ ; ERDF/EU//Margalida Comas/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Spain ; *Wasps/physiology ; *Introduced Species ; Retrospective Studies ; Bees ; },
abstract = {Subject Editor: Kristen Healy Global environmental change is reshaping species distributions worldwide, with direct implications for public health through altered patterns of arthropod exposure. Among Hymenoptera, the expansion of the yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax du Buysson, 1905 has generated substantial concern, particularly in regions where the species is recently established. In Spain, this arrival has coincided with increased media attention and heightened public perception of danger, often accompanied by assumptions of rising mortality and escalating health risk. However, the true epidemiological impact of this invasion remains poorly quantified at the national scale. We conducted a retrospective analysis of officially certified deaths attributed to contact with hornets, wasps, and bees in Spain over a multi-decadal period spanning the establishment and spread of V. velutina. Overall, mortality associated with Hymenoptera exposure appeared stable over time and not altered during the period in which V. velutina became established. These findings suggest that invasion alone may not directly translate into measurable population-level lethality, highlighting the need to distinguish between increased encounter probability and the progression to fatal anaphylaxis. Continued surveillance, integration of clinical and ecological data, and accurate public communication will be essential for anticipating and responding to future shifts in risk under ongoing environmental change.},
}

Animals
Spain
*Wasps/physiology
*Introduced Species
Retrospective Studies
Bees

@article {pmid41824159,
year = {2026},
author = {da Silveira, LCL and Marchioro, CA},
title = {Global Suitable Habitats for Spodoptera litura and the Implications for Brazilian Agriculture.},
journal = {Neotropical entomology},
volume = {55},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {41824159},
issn = {1678-8052},
mesh = {Brazil ; Animals ; *Spodoptera ; *Agriculture ; *Ecosystem ; *Crops, Agricultural ; *Introduced Species ; },
abstract = {Invasive alien species can significantly impact the environment, public health, and food production. Identifying high-risk areas is essential for implementing preventive measures, especially for species with several traits linked to invasive behavior, such as Spodoptera litura (F.). This study aimed to predict the potential global distribution of S. litura and assess its implications for five major crops in Brazil. Climatic suitability was estimated using the MaxEnt correlative algorithm, with fifty models generated by varying feature classes and regularization multiplier values. The best model selected based on the corrected Akaike Information Criterion demonstrated strong predictive performance, with high Area Under the Curve (AUCtrain = 0.92, AUCtest = 0.86) and Continuous Boyce Index (CBItrain = 0.95, CBItest = 0.75) values. Predictions identified highly and moderately suitable areas for S. litura across all continents, including regions where the species has not yet been recorded, such as the Neotropics. In Brazil, highly suitable areas include the mid-west, northeastern coast, and the southeastern and southern regions. Among the assessed crops, citrus (97.2%) had the greatest overlap with the suitable range for S. litura, followed by rice (94.2%), coffee (90.3%), and soybean (72.8%). These findings suggest that S. litura could cause significant economic damage if introduced and spread in Brazil. The results of this study can inform the development of preventive measures against the introduction and spread of this important agricultural pest, especially on high-risk areas near airports and seaports with intense international trade and in proximity to host crops.},
}

Brazil
Animals
*Spodoptera
*Agriculture
*Ecosystem
*Crops, Agricultural
*Introduced Species

@article {pmid41824124,
year = {2026},
author = {Rana, D and Singh, N and Thapliyal, M and Thapliyal, A},
title = {Integrated assessment of aquatic biota reveals ecological shifts and invasive trout reappearance in a post-flood Himalayan stream.},
journal = {Environmental monitoring and assessment},
volume = {198},
number = {4},
pages = {},
pmid = {41824124},
issn = {1573-2959},
mesh = {Animals ; Rivers/chemistry ; *Introduced Species/statistics & numerical data ; *Environmental Monitoring ; *Trout ; Floods ; Ecosystem ; Climate Change ; India ; *Biota ; },
abstract = {Freshwater ecosystems in the Himalayas are increasingly threatened by climate change, hydrological instability, and invasive species, yet the long-term ecological trajectories after major disturbance events remain poorly understood. This study examines post-flood environmental changes in the Assi Ganga River, a glacial tributary of the Bhagirathi, more than a decade after the catastrophic 2012-2013 flood that wiped out native and invasive fish populations, including Salmo trutta fario. From 2023 to 2024, we carried out integrated monitoring of macroinvertebrate communities, fish populations, and physicochemical parameters across three altitudinal sites (S1-S3). Water temperature increased downstream by about 1.2 °C, dissolved oxygen levels dropped accordingly, and turbidity peaked during the monsoon season. Macroinvertebrates showed signs of partial recovery, with 42 taxa recorded and a 7.3% increase in total abundance. Fish communities included seven cold-water species, with native Schizothorax spp. displaying strong numerical recovery, and invasive Salmo trutta fario reappearing across sites, likely due to recolonization from upstream refuges. Multivariate analyses revealed that temperature, DO, turbidity, and alkalinity collectively influenced both macroinvertebrate and fish communities, indicating shared environmental filters. The resurgence of S. trutta fario, potentially aided by recovering macroinvertebrate prey, raises concerns about renewed competitive pressure on native snow trout. This research highlights the importance of integrated, multi-trophic biomonitoring to understand resilience, restructuring, and invasion pathways in Himalayan river ecosystems.},
}

Animals
Rivers/chemistry
*Introduced Species/statistics & numerical data
*Environmental Monitoring
*Trout
Floods
Ecosystem
Climate Change
India
*Biota

@article {pmid41824010,
year = {2026},
author = {Seymour, CL and Tolley, KA and Zengeya, T and Spear, D and Cloete, JA and Dayaram, A and da Silva, JM and Alexander, GJ and Handley, K and Joseph, GS and Simba, LD and Snaddon, K and von Maltitz, GP and Carrick, PJ},
title = {A 2026 horizon scan for biodiversity conservation in South Africa.},
journal = {Ambio},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {41824010},
issn = {1654-7209},
abstract = {Horizon scans identify potential changes, enabling proactive rather than reactive conservation strategies. Here, in a follow up to the 2020 horizon scan, 14 biodiversity professionals from different sectors identify ten emerging issues potentially relevant to biodiversity conservation in South Africa over the next 5-10 years. The issues identified highlight three critical needs: adaptive governance systems, cross-sectoral collaboration capacity, and vigilance around new technologies that may simultaneously offer solutions and create new environmental pressures. We plotted these issues along axes of social agreement and scientific certainty, to ascertain whether issues might be "simple" (amenable to solutions from science alone), "complicated" (socially agreed upon but technically complicated), "complex" (scientifically challenging and condisderable levels of social disagreement) or "chaotic" (high social disagreement and highly scientifically challenging). Only one issue was likely to be addressed with improved science alone, but the remainder were all "complex", requiring social, economic and political engagement.},
}

@article {pmid41821188,
year = {2026},
author = {Srivastava, V and Van Lanen, NJ and Parshad, RD},
title = {Modeling species co-occurrence effects to inform invasive barred owl management and recovery of the northern spotted owl.},
journal = {Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America},
volume = {36},
number = {2},
pages = {e70195},
doi = {10.1002/eap.70195},
pmid = {41821188},
issn = {1051-0761},
support = {//U.S. Geological Survey/ ; //Robert J. Lambert Graduate Assistantship/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Strigiformes/physiology ; *Introduced Species ; *Models, Biological ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/methods ; Population Dynamics ; },
abstract = {Robust estimation of wildlife populations represents a cornerstone of wildlife research and provides critical information to guide management, including identifying at-risk species, setting harvest rates, and evaluating predator and invasive species control programs. Efforts to enhance population estimation have long included influences one species may have on another, beginning with direct effects of predation on prey populations. More recently, researchers have incorporated co-occurrence effects, such as fear of a competitor, into Lotka-Volterra competition models to generate more robust wildlife population estimates. Here, we introduce two modified Lotka-Volterra competition models, which incorporate one- and two-way co-occurrence effects, to estimate populations of two competing species. Using the test case of northern spotted (Strix occidentalis caurina) and barred owl (Strix varia) populations in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, we evaluate if these new co-occurrence models can generate more robust population estimates than previous models. We then evaluate if potential co-occurrence effects among barred and northern spotted owls are uni- or bidirectional. Lastly, we leverage the best-performing model to evaluate the degree to which a recently proposed barred owl culling program may help recover northern spotted owl populations. Our model results suggest that incorporating co-occurrence effects improves model fit compared to classical Lotka-Volterra competition models. We found strong evidence for unidirectional co-occurrence effects of barred owls on northern spotted owls, but not vice versa. Our simulations of barred owl culling suggest that barred owls would need to be culled from approximately 40% of all occupied barred owl territories each year to reverse ongoing northern spotted owl population declines.},
}

Animals
*Strigiformes/physiology
*Introduced Species
*Models, Biological
*Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
Population Dynamics

@article {pmid41820262,
year = {2026},
author = {Jochems, L and Requena-Mullor, JM and Brandt, J and Caughlin, TT and Monks, A and Hopping, K and Williamson, MA and Lishawa, SC},
title = {Assessing the environmental and dispersal-related drivers of an invasive aquatic plant in Great Lakes coastal wetlands.},
journal = {Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America},
volume = {36},
number = {2},
pages = {e70206},
doi = {10.1002/eap.70206},
pmid = {41820262},
issn = {1051-0761},
support = {IS21-0307//Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program/ ; },
mesh = {*Wetlands ; *Introduced Species ; Michigan ; *Hydrocharitaceae/physiology ; Models, Biological ; Lakes ; *Plant Dispersal ; Bayes Theorem ; Seashore ; },
abstract = {Invasive plant species pose a major threat to wetland ecosystems. One effective way to control the spread of invasive plants is to intercept them early in the invasion process. Species distribution models (SDMs), fit with covariates related to habitat suitability, can predict where new invasions are likely to occur. For species that have not yet filled their niches during early invasions, dispersal dynamics such as proximity to known presences and/or human vectors may control spread as much as habitat suitability. Yet, many SDMs assume that the species has filled its niche, incorporate only biophysical predictors, and do not consider spatial processes. Including dispersal dynamics can account for nonequilibrium processes, thereby improving the utility of invasive SDMs. We quantified the importance of environmental (abiotic and biotic) and dispersal-related drivers (anthropogenic and endogenous) on the occurrence and abundance of Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (European frogbit; EFB), a floating aquatic plant. We fit Bayesian hurdle models with integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLAs) to 2487 quadrat observations recorded across coastal wetlands in Michigan, USA from 2011 to 2021. We found that EFB occurrence was most strongly associated with distance to the nearest known population (m), a proxy of local dispersal. EFB occurrence also exhibited a nonlinear relationship with water depth (cm), demonstrating an optimal range of water depth for EFB. Occurrence was negatively associated with wave energy and positively associated with cattail (Typha spp.) abundance, which we attribute to protection from waves. Surprisingly, none of our predictors had any meaningful associations with EFB abundance, suggesting that it may be too early in EFB's invasion stage to quantify important drivers of abundance once at a site, or we did not include important factors that operate at the scale at which these growth processes occur. Moreover, the dispersal model yielded slightly better predictive capacity of EFB across Michigan. Overall, our results indicate that local dispersal is the primary driver of occurrence for an invasive species that has not yet filled its niche, whereas additional data or SDMs may be necessary to (a) better predict its abundance once established in coastal wetlands and (b) identify susceptible areas to future invasions.},
}

*Wetlands
*Introduced Species
Michigan
*Hydrocharitaceae/physiology
Models, Biological
Lakes
*Plant Dispersal
Bayes Theorem
Seashore

@article {pmid41820179,
year = {2026},
author = {Chen, P and Siemann, E},
title = {Introduced species: positive participants in contemporary ecosystems.},
journal = {Trends in ecology & evolution},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.tree.2026.02.001},
pmid = {41820179},
issn = {1872-8383},
abstract = {Introduced species are usually viewed as major threats to biodiversity, yet growing evidence shows that their ecological roles are far more dynamic and complex. Recognizing introduced species as positive participants in contemporary ecosystems may help reconcile the long-standing paradox of biodiversity loss and shifts in ecosystem functioning under global change.},
}

@article {pmid41819697,
year = {2026},
author = {Ciaralli, L and Valente, T and Monfardini, E and Berto, D and Rampazzo, F and Libralato, G and Manfra, L and Piermarini, R and Silvestri, C and Radicioli, M and Gioacchini, G and Chemello, G and Trotta, E and Capó, JD and Tomassetti, P and Matiddi, M},
title = {Callinectes sapidus - coast to coast: Integrating stable isotope analysis and shotgun metagenomics to unravel trophic dynamics and microlitter ingestion across two Mediterranean sites.},
journal = {Marine pollution bulletin},
volume = {227},
number = {},
pages = {119532},
doi = {10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119532},
pmid = {41819697},
issn = {1879-3363},
abstract = {The increasing presence of microlitter in the marine environment poses a growing threat to aquatic organisms. This study investigates microlitter ingestion and trophic ecology of Callinectes sapidus from two populations of the Mediterranean basin: the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas. To disentangle potential differences in feeding strategies between the populations, we adopted an integrated framework combining stable isotope analysis with shotgun metagenomic analysis of gastrointestinal contents, thus providing a complementary view of long-term trophic position and short-term dietary composition. Gastrointestinal analysis revealed microlitter ingestion in 39% of Adriatic and 50% of Tyrrhenian individuals, with 123 particles retrieved. Fibres dominated (94.3%), though composition varied regionally: Adriatic individuals ingested mainly cellulose-based microlitter (62.5%), whereas Tyrrhenian ones mostly synthetic polymers (61.4%). Eight chemical types were identified, with cellulose, polyethylene terephthalate, and resin-based polymers most abundant. Stable isotope analysis (δ[15]N and δ[13]C) indicated distinct trophic patterns: Adriatic population had higher δ[15]N (mean ± sd: 11.50 ± 2.27‰) and less depleted δ[13]C (-16.20 ± 1.52‰) compared to the Tyrrhenian one (δ[15]N: 9.01 ± 2.27‰; δ[13]C: -18.57 ± 0.88‰), suggesting region-specific feeding strategies. Shotgun metagenomics provided complementary information on prey composition, helping to characterise the opportunistic diet of C. sapidus. Overall, these findings highlight spatial differences in microlitter exposure and trophic dynamics, likely shaped by environmental availability and feeding behaviour. By integrating microlitter ingestion, stable isotope analysis, and metagenomics, this study provides insight into how C. sapidus interacts with anthropogenic and natural resources, emphasizing the feeding flexibility underlying its invasive success in Mediterranean Sea.},
}

@article {pmid41818812,
year = {2026},
author = {Weiler, DE and Alonzo, SH and Palkovacs, EP},
title = {Intraspecific variation in mating behaviour modulates the effects of mosquitofish introduction on prey communities.},
journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
volume = {293},
number = {2066},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2025.2918},
pmid = {41818812},
issn = {1471-2954},
support = {//National Science Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Male ; *Cyprinodontiformes/physiology ; Female ; *Sexual Behavior, Animal ; Zooplankton/physiology ; *Food Chain ; *Introduced Species ; *Predatory Behavior ; },
abstract = {Intraspecific variation is recognized as a driver of ecological processes, yet prior studies have overwhelmingly focused on the ecological effects of intraspecific trait variation driven by natural selection. Far less is known about how variation in sexually selected traits influences ecological outcomes. In this study, we tested whether intraspecific differences in reproductive behaviours affect the ecosystem- and community-level impact of western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) introductions. Male mosquitofish frequently harass females through persistent mating attempts. We manipulated the intensity of male harassment and then used a mesocosm experiment to measure the ecological consequences of these differences in harassment. Although this behaviour manipulation was short-lived, our results suggest that differences in harassment intensity affected zooplankton communities. Compared to fish-absent controls, mesocosms with high-harassment males had smaller zooplankton body size and reduced abundance in several dominant taxa. These effects were not observed in low-harassment treatments, suggesting a threshold response in which only high-harassment males elicited community changes. The presence of mosquitofish also caused a trophic cascade to impact phytoplankton biomass; however, the strength of this cascade was not altered by harassment intensity. Our findings demonstrate that sexual selection can shape community composition and shows that reproductive behaviour can modulate the impact of species introduction.},
}

Animals
Male
*Cyprinodontiformes/physiology
Female
*Sexual Behavior, Animal
Zooplankton/physiology
*Food Chain
*Introduced Species
*Predatory Behavior

@article {pmid41815923,
year = {2026},
author = {Muñoz, IJ and Alvarez Costa, A and Schilman, PE and Calcaterra, LA},
title = {Spatial coexistence of invasive ants in fragmented urban habitats of their native range.},
journal = {Frontiers in insect science},
volume = {6},
number = {},
pages = {1776153},
pmid = {41815923},
issn = {2673-8600},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Urban landscapes are increasingly recognized as key arenas for biological invasions, yet the mechanisms enabling the local coexistence of multiple highly invasive species remain poorly understood. Urban habitat fragmentation generates mosaics of habitat patches that differ in size, isolation, and microhabitat complexity, shaping ant community structure and competitive interactions.

METHODS: Here, we investigated ant assemblages across a mosaic of urban habitat patches within a university campus in Buenos Aires, Argentina, focusing on four globally invasive ant species (Wasmannia auropunctata, Linepithema humile, Nylanderia fulva, and Solenopsis invicta) near the southern limit of their native ranges. We quantified species richness, abundance and composition using pitfall traps and evaluated species-specific indicators of food discovery, recruitment, and dominance using standardized bait experiments.

RESULTS: Ant assemblages differed significantly among habitat patches, with marked spatial variation in richness, diversity, and species composition. Contrary to expectations of rigid dominance hierarchies, no single species consistently dominated across patches. Nylanderia fulva showed the highest numerical abundance and discovery efficiency, L. humile exhibited the strongest recruitment ability, and W. auropunctata displayed localized dominance near nesting areas, while S. invicta was rare and competitively subordinate. Ordination and multivariate analyses indicated strong spatial structuring of assemblages, consistent with the influence of urban fragmentation and patch-level heterogeneity.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Overall, our results support a metacommunity perspective in which invasive ant coexistence in urban systems is mediated by context-dependent competitive interactions rather than fixed dominance hierarchies. By emphasizing the role of fine-scale spatial structure, this study provides a nuanced, system-specific contribution to understanding invasive ant dynamics in urban environments.},
}

@article {pmid41815798,
year = {2026},
author = {Geronca, J and Egana, JMC and Cleofe, MAS and Bautista, MAM},
title = {The first dataset of de novo assembled transcriptome of Aspidiotus destructor Signoret (Hemiptera: Diaspididae).},
journal = {Data in brief},
volume = {65},
number = {},
pages = {112619},
pmid = {41815798},
issn = {2352-3409},
abstract = {Coconut, Cocos nucifera L., is the top agricultural export of the Philippines with about 1.2 billion pesos in value. The Philippine coconut industry, however, has been under major threat from an outbreak of the armored coconut scale insects. There are two species believed to cause an outbreak: Aspidiotus destructor Signoret and Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne. These are sibling species and are hard to differentiate using morphological identification. In fact, A. rigidus was once thought to be a subspecies of A. destructor and was misidentified as A. destructor during the early phases of the coconut scale insect outbreak because it is the only known species native to the Philippines. Aspidiotus rigidus has recently been identified as an invasive species and found to be the cause of the outbreak. The native species A. destructor should not be overlooked as a subject of research since it is still present alongside the A. rigidus, and it continues to infest several perennial crops. The need for a research approach of these insects at the molecular level has required the use of transcriptomics. Transcriptome datasets offer a way at investigating how genes are expressed, how species differ from each other, and how phenotypes came to be, among others. Transcriptomics offers such deeper understanding and can be used to develop methods for pest management. Because A. rigidus transcriptome has recently become available, it is imperative to have the dataset for its sibling species, A. destructor. This serves as a foundational resource; the first publicly available transcriptome assembly for the species. This will provide additional knowledge on how the two sibling species differ and assess their capacity to cause outbreak. The data here represents the first transcriptome profile of the A. destructor using Illumina HiSeq 4000 paired- end sequencing. Pair-end reads were assembled de novo with Trinity. Raw fastq reads have been deposited in NCBI-SRA (SRR17085744 and SRR17085743). The Trinity-based transcriptome assembly have also been deposited in the NCBI-SRA (SUB10341747). Two additional assemblies were also generated and have been deposited in NCBI-SRA: an assembly clustered using CD-HIT-EST (SUB10341752) and an assembly sorted according to its longest assembly via a custom script (SUB10341753).},
}

@article {pmid41815292,
year = {2026},
author = {Collier, BL and Leonard, D and Lyons, K and Dunbar, JP and Lawton, C and Dugon, MM},
title = {Survey of Synanthropic Spiders in Ireland Reveals Expansion and Dominance of the Invasive Noble False Widow Steatoda nobilis in Urban Habitats (Araneae: Theridiidae).},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
volume = {16},
number = {3},
pages = {e73193},
pmid = {41815292},
issn = {2045-7758},
abstract = {Rapid urbanisation has led several spider species to adapt to synanthropic microhabitats and establish large populations outside of their native ranges. In Ireland, the establishment and widespread distribution of the Noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis (Araneae: Theridiidae) (Thorell, 1875) has raised questions about its impact on native spider populations across the country. Through an extensive field survey of six urban centres over an 11-month period, we sought to establish population demographics for S. nobilis and other synanthropic spiders in Ireland for the first time. We surveyed fence microhabitats for both spider abundance and diversity to determine the influence of variables such as prey availability and climate. Of the 20 identifiable species observed, S. nobilis and the missing sector orb weaver Zygiella x-notata (Clerck, 1757) typically made up more than 80% of the spider abundance regardless of location surveyed, including two new Irish counties where S. nobilis had previously not been recorded but is now well established (Co. Mayo and Co. Sligo). Our results also indicated that the diversity of synanthropic spiders is significantly affected by seasonality and prey availability, but largely unaffected by daily weather conditions.},
}

@article {pmid41815290,
year = {2026},
author = {Kouri, JD and Rust, E and Souza, L},
title = {Intra- and Inter-Specific Ecological Impacts Vary Across a Gradient of Abundance of an Invasive Species, Bothriochloa ischaemum, in a Mixed-Grass Prairie.},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
volume = {16},
number = {3},
pages = {e73212},
pmid = {41815290},
issn = {2045-7758},
abstract = {Managing biological invasions is one of the top priorities of biodiversity conservation. Invasive plants are a well-known threat to native plant and animal communities, and understanding their ecological impacts is critical to developing individualized management strategies. While much is known about the impacts of invasive plants, there are still questions about the per capita effects along invasion abundance gradients across levels of biological organization. In this study we investigate how the ecological impacts of the invasive grass Bothriochloa ischaemum vary across a gradient of invasion and whether effects are consistent across population (abundance and functional traits of a dominant native grass, Schizachyrium scoparium) and community (species richness and composition) levels. We found that most of the ecological impacts of B. ischaemum scale linearly with its abundance across population and community levels. Increasing invasion reduces the height and abundance of the dominant native S. scoparium individuals and shifts their functional trait composition. Increasing invasion also reduces cover of native C3 and C4 grasses, total foliar cover, subdominant foliar cover, species richness, and leads to shifts in species and functional group composition. However, the impact on legume abundance saturated at low invader abundance (1%-15% cover) and remained constant as invader abundance increased. We show that the direct ecological impacts of invasive species may be compounded by shifts in the functional traits of dominant native species toward more conservative traits and shifts in species and functional group composition, leading toward a shift in population and community structure and function.},
}

@article {pmid41815179,
year = {2026},
author = {Coffer, MM and Trinh, R and Mitchell, M and Angstadt, K and Stanhope, D and Lv, Z and Nunez, K and Bartlett, ND and Wiltsie, D and Sullivan, S and Schaeffer, BA},
title = {Tidal marsh species mapping using commercial satellite imagery for enhanced coastal management in Chesapeake Bay.},
journal = {Remote sensing applications : society and environment},
volume = {41},
number = {},
pages = {101902},
pmid = {41815179},
issn = {2352-9385},
abstract = {Tidal marshes offer numerous ecological and economic benefits but are threatened by human development, sea-level rise, and invasive species. Routine mapping of their species composition is crucial for coastal management, yet current efforts are spatially and temporally limited and lack species identification. To address this, we used 3-m PlanetScope satellite imagery to classify four common marsh plants across Virginia's Middle Peninsula in Chesapeake Bay, a region targeted for restoration given its ecological and economic significance. We developed a random forest classifier using May 2021 reference data from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, delineating Spartina alterniflora, Phragmites australis, Spartina patens, and Juncus roemerianus at eight marshes. Balanced agreement was strong at 93%, ranging from 63% to 98% across individual marshes. We then expanded to the broader Middle Peninsula, using the Mann-Whitney U test to compare satellite- and reference-derived coverage of P. australis, finding moderate agreement despite a large temporal offset (r rb = 0.45; N = 152). Following suitable model performance, we generated annual assessments for May 2021-2024. S. alterniflora was most extensively distributed, covering half of our study area. We also analyzed random forest class probabilities to inform data collection and model interpretation. Probabilities were generally above 0.6, although those accompanying J. roemerianus were notably lower. We present methods for large-scale species mapping to inform resource prioritization and coastal management, including a framework for communicating classification certainty, which is adaptable to stakeholder needs. Our framework can be used to retrain our classification model for application elsewhere, where local field data is available.},
}

@article {pmid41813674,
year = {2026},
author = {Verhoeven, MR and Bartodziej, WL and Berg, MS and Blood, S and Crabb, R and Fieldseth, E and Johnson, JA and Marty, J and McComas, S and Newman, RM and Rattei, M and Sweet, JB and Townsend, J and Vlach, B and Valenty, J and Spetzman, JP and Witkowski, SW and Prichard, A and Glisson, WJ and Larkin, DJ},
title = {Occurrence and environmental data for aquatic plants of Minnesota from 1999-2018.},
journal = {Scientific data},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41597-026-07027-3},
pmid = {41813674},
issn = {2052-4463},
support = {CON-75851, project 00074041//National Science Foundation (NSF)/ ; },
abstract = {The aquatic flora of Minnesota's freshwater lakes have been extensively surveyed for purposes of resource assessment, research, and ecosystem management. Despite widespread use of a common method for vegetation sampling ("point-intercept surveys"), these records have existed to-date in disparate locations without unification. Here we present a first-of-its-kind dataset of point-level occurrences, relative abundances, and associated environmental data for macrophytes (freshwater plants) across Minnesota. The data encompass 3,194 surveys of 1,520 lakes and ponds performed over a 19-year timespan. A total of 367,382 points were sampled, across which 231 taxa were recorded. Macrophyte occurrence data and depth, as well as point-level relative-plant-abundance measures for a subset of surveys, were collated, cleaned, and joined to geospatial data and Secchi-depth measurements of water clarity, enabling light availability, a primary control on aquatic plant growth, to be estimated. The data are well-suited for ecological analyses across multiple spatial scales and can be used to address both fundamental and applied ecological questions.},
}

@article {pmid41812963,
year = {2026},
author = {Luiz, M and Banha, F and Brito, G and Cambiaghi E Silva, B and Anastácio, P and Gesto, M and Soares, MC},
title = {Behavioral and physiological dynamics of a native minnow exposed to invasive fish species.},
journal = {Physiology & behavior},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {115298},
doi = {10.1016/j.physbeh.2026.115298},
pmid = {41812963},
issn = {1873-507X},
abstract = {The introduction of invasive alien species is a major threat to freshwater biodiversity, particularly in Mediterranean ecosystems where seasonal droughts increase population density and social stress. This study investigated the effects of the presence and of variables densities of two widespread invasive fish species Gambusia holbrooki (Girard, 1859) and Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758), on the behaviour and physiology of the Iberian endemic Squalius alburnoides (Steindachner, 1866). Under baseline density, exposure to G. holbrooki significantly altered the behaviour of S. alburnoides, leading to increased aggression towards conspecifics, enhanced evasion, and a rise in the number of attacks suffered. These behavioral changes were accompanied by a reduction in forebrain dopamine levels, suggesting that dopaminergic influence in stress-related responses. In contrast, interactions with L. gibbosus under the same conditions did not produce significant behavioral or physiological effects, although conspecific aggression showed temporal fluctuations. Under high-density conditions, both invaders intensified antagonistic interactions with S. alburnoides. Significant neurochemical alterations occurred solely in fish exposed to G. holbrooki, which showed elevated 5-HIAA concentrations and increased DOPAC/DA and 5-HIAA/5-HT ratios, indicating activation of serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways. Unexpectedly, plasma cortisol levels in S. alburnoides decreased in the presence of both invader species, suggesting a possible downregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal axis under putative social stress. Overall, our results demonstrate that invasives differentially modulate behavioral and physiological stress responses in S. alburnoides, with G. holbrooki exerting stronger effects than L. gibbosus, and that higher densities amplify these species-specific interactions.},
}

@article {pmid41811978,
year = {2026},
author = {Meagher, RL and Adamczyk, JJ and Renkema, J and Lance, D and Brambila, J},
title = {Cross attraction to various Spodoptera species using pheromone lures for native and exotic species.},
journal = {Environmental entomology},
volume = {55},
number = {2},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ee/nvag006},
pmid = {41811978},
issn = {1938-2936},
support = {6615-22000-021-00D//U. S. Department of Agriculture CRIS/ ; 6036-22000-030-00//U. S. Department of Agriculture CRIS/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Spodoptera/drug effects/physiology ; *Pheromones/pharmacology ; *Insect Control/methods ; Introduced Species ; Species Specificity ; Florida ; Texas ; Female ; Male ; },
abstract = {Previous research showed that the pheromone lure commercially formulated and produced for the exotic species Spodoptera exempta (Walker) also captured 2 native species, Spodoptera albula (Walker) and Spodoptera latifascia (Walker). This study expanded that work to identify the Spodoptera species that were attracted to lures specifically formulated for S. albula, Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker), Spodoptera eridania (Stoll in Cramer), Spodoptera exempta (Walker), Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), S. latifascia, Spodoptera litura (F.), and Spodoptera mauritia (Boisduval). In all trapping sites in Texas and Florida, S. exempta lures attracted S. latifascia and S. albula moths, sometimes at densities of over 80 moths per night. These lures, along with those designed for S. latifascia and S. albula, provided seasonal information for other Spodoptera species that are not routinely monitored. Lures for the South American species S. cosmioides consistently attracted the native non-pest Spodoptera dolichos (F.). Lures formulated for Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) from the Old World and S. litura from Asia also attracted native species. Trapping in a strawberry production area highlighted the possibility that S. latifascia and S. albula are potential pest species. Trials comparing different plastic-colored traps suggest that all white and green traps attracted fewer Spodoptera species moths than standard-colored Unitraps, which are green, yellow, and white.},
}

Animals
*Spodoptera/drug effects/physiology
*Pheromones/pharmacology
*Insect Control/methods
Introduced Species
Species Specificity
Florida
Texas
Female
Male

@article {pmid41780452,
year = {2026},
author = {Su, F and He, X and Jin, Z and Xiao, K and Tian, P and Xiao, D},
title = {Cordgrass invasion amplifies microplastic hazard through polymer-selective retention in coastal wetlands.},
journal = {Water research},
volume = {296},
number = {},
pages = {125667},
doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2026.125667},
pmid = {41780452},
issn = {1879-2448},
mesh = {*Wetlands ; *Microplastics ; *Poaceae ; Introduced Species ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; China ; Polymers ; Environmental Monitoring ; Geologic Sediments ; Seashore ; },
abstract = {Coastal wetlands are key repositories and pathways for microplastics (MPs), a role modulated by vegetation. The global spread of the nonnative cordgrass Spartina alterniflora is thus likely to alter MP deposition and fate, yet its effects on MP accumulation and related ecological risks are not well quantified. Integrating field surveys along an 18,000-km latitudinal transect (∼20°) of China's coastline with an ensemble of three machine-learning models, we produced a 500 m-resolution map of the MP polymer hazard index (PHI) in sediments (0-40 cm depth) and compared MP stocks and risks among native marshes, S. alterniflora-invaded marshes, and unvegetated mudflats. While MP abundance did not differ significantly between native and invaded marshes, PHI in invaded marshes was 20.0 % higher than in native marshes and 57.1 % higher than in mudflats, indicating a shift toward more hazardous polymers. This shift led to a marked expansion of high-risk coverage (increasing by 26.8 % compared with native marshes and 386.1 % relative to mudflats). Climatic variables (mean annual temperature and precipitation) emerged as dominant predictors of PHI across habitats, while plant invasion further accentuated habitat-specific effects mediated via microbial mediation. These results demonstrate that plant invasion amplifies coastal plastic pollution risk through both enhanced retention and selective accumulation of more hazardous polymers, underscoring the need to incorporate invasion control into coastal MP management strategies.},
}

*Wetlands
*Microplastics
*Poaceae
Introduced Species
Water Pollutants, Chemical
China
Polymers
Environmental Monitoring
Geologic Sediments
Seashore

@article {pmid41808257,
year = {2026},
author = {Chen, Y and Chen, Y and Du, E and Chen, X and Liu, W and Li, Y and Zeng, N and Zi, X and He, Q and Li, Z and Su, R and Gui, F},
title = {Role of Gut Bacteria in Tomato Leaf Miner Tuta absoluta Gaining Resistance to α-Tomatine by Converting It to Cholesterol.},
journal = {Journal of agricultural and food chemistry},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1021/acs.jafc.5c16815},
pmid = {41808257},
issn = {1520-5118},
abstract = {Tuta absoluta is a worldwide invasive pest that causes severe losses in tomato industry in China, while its resistance mechanism to tomato's protective alkaloid of α-tomatine remains unclear. This study explores the role of its gut microbiota, and results showed that the abundance of the gut symbiont Enterococcus mundtii was significantly higher in T. absoluta feeding on wild-type tomatoes than that in those feeding on α-tomatine-deficient GAME2 mutant tomatoes. Isolated E. mundtii strain E14 degraded 72.2 ± 1.3% of α-tomatine in vitro; reinoculating it into antibiotic-treated T. absoluta restored the degradation ability. Inoculating E14 into five other lepidopteran pests (except noncolonized Plutella xylostella) enhanced their α-tomatine tolerance. Multiomics and in vitro pure-culture experiments showed that α-tomatine degrades into cholesterol via deglycosylation, reduction, and hydrolysis. This study reveals α-tomatine's dual role (toxin/cholesterol precursor) and E. mundtii as a key adaptation mediator, advancing our understanding of insect-plant coevolution and invasive pest control.},
}

@article {pmid41805746,
year = {2026},
author = {Carneiro, L and Pincheira-Donoso, D and Leroy, B and Bertolino, S and Camacho-Cervantes, M and Cuthbert, RN and Bang, A and Catford, JA and South, J and Cooke, SJ and Angulo, E and Courchamp, F},
title = {Expanding invasive species impact assessments to the ecosystem level with EEICAT.},
journal = {PLoS biology},
volume = {24},
number = {3},
pages = {e3003665},
pmid = {41805746},
issn = {1545-7885},
mesh = {*Introduced Species ; *Ecosystem ; Animals ; },
abstract = {The ecological impacts of biological invasions vary widely in type, scale, and severity, highlighting the need for consistent assessment tools. The Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) provides a standardized framework for assessing their effects, but focuses mainly on population-level impacts. We introduce the Extended EICAT (EEICAT), which incorporates impacts across three ecological dimensions, from individuals to ecosystems, with an impact-based approach. EEICAT enables classification of 19 impact types at the invasion-event level, making it suitable for primary research, synthesis, and management. This framework aims to improve the detection, comparison, and communication of complex ecological impacts caused by biological invasions.},
}

*Introduced Species
*Ecosystem
Animals

@article {pmid41410089,
year = {2026},
author = {Chen, H and Xie, D and Pan, Z and Jia, N and Zhou, J and Yang, Q and Yu, J and Chi, D},
title = {Behavior-based stratified management: population suppression and invasion front control of Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius) in coastal shelterbelt ecosystems.},
journal = {Pest management science},
volume = {82},
number = {4},
pages = {3384-3394},
doi = {10.1002/ps.70465},
pmid = {41410089},
issn = {1526-4998},
support = {//National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFD1400300)/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Insect Control/methods ; *Introduced Species ; Pinus/growth & development ; *Weevils/physiology ; Ecosystem ; *Coleoptera/physiology ; Behavior, Animal ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The red-haired bark beetle (RHB), Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius), is a significant invasive pest responsible for widespread mortality in pine forests. Current control methods are largely ineffective and poorly integrated, failing to halt the spread of RHB. This study aimed to develop and validate an integrated management system that leverages the beetle's behavioral patterns and implements stratified management strategies based on the severity of infestation levels.

RESULTS: We first enhanced trapping efficiency by optimizing key technologies, including trap design, deployment methods, and lure formulations. Building on this foundation, we developed a stratified management plan with the following key measures: in newly colonized stands, a strategy combining benzyl alcohol repellents and optimized lure attractants, along with flight-interception traps, significantly reduced spread, decreasing the proportion of dead trees from 12.5% to 2.6%. In outbreak stands, intensive measures such as stump removal and mass trapping reduced the RHB population density by 99.05%. Additionally, replanting alters stand volatiles, reducing their attractiveness to the beetles.

CONCLUSION: The stratified management strategy, applied to both newly colonized and outbreak stands of RHB, proved highly effective in suppressing population growth and preventing further dispersal. This approach offers a key technical solution for restoring damaged coastal ecosystems and provides a valuable reference for managing similar invasive pests worldwide. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.},
}

Animals
*Insect Control/methods
*Introduced Species
Pinus/growth & development
*Weevils/physiology
Ecosystem
*Coleoptera/physiology
Behavior, Animal

@article {pmid37739130,
year = {2023},
author = {Wei, H and Cheng, H and Yao, N and Li, G and Du, Z and Luo, R and Zheng, Z},
title = {Invasive alien plant biomass-derived hard carbon anode for sodium-ion batteries.},
journal = {Chemosphere},
volume = {343},
number = {},
pages = {140220},
doi = {10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140220},
pmid = {37739130},
issn = {1879-1298},
mesh = {Biomass ; Electrodes ; *Carbon/chemistry ; *Electric Power Supplies ; *Sodium/chemistry ; *Introduced Species ; },
abstract = {In the context of rampant growth of invasive plants, finding suitable ways for resource utilization has become the optimal choice for invasive plant management. In the field of energy storage, sodium-ion batteries have been limited by the lack of appropriate anode materials, and hard carbon stands out as the most promising candidate. Therefore, this study focuses on the preparation of biomass-derived carbons from three invasive plant species, namely Spartina alterniflora Loisel., Solidago canadensis L., and Erigeron canadensis L., through high-temperature carbonization. The resulting biomass carbons are then subjected to cleaning and activation processes to prepare sodium-ion anode materials. The internal structure of the materials was characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, and BET. The materials exhibited a significant amount of pore structures, with interlayer spacing around 0.37 nm, which is larger than the original graphite interlayer spacing. The plant anode materials were assembled into full batteries for cyclic charge/discharge tests. The results show that all three anode materials have good multiplicative performance and excellent cyclable charge/discharge. After 100 cycles at a current of 50 mA in the voltage range of 0-3.0 V, the reversible capacities of the three materials reached 245.3, 207.19, and 227.12 mAh/g, respectively. Among them, the material derived from Spartina alterniflora maintained a capacity of 141.63 mAh/g even after 1000 cycles at a current of 200 mA, demonstrating the best capacity performance.},
}

Biomass
Electrodes
*Carbon/chemistry
*Electric Power Supplies
*Sodium/chemistry
*Introduced Species

@article {pmid37733768,
year = {2023},
author = {Chen, J and Lewis, OT},
title = {Experimental heatwaves facilitate invasion and alter species interactions and composition in a tropical host-parasitoid community.},
journal = {Global change biology},
volume = {29},
number = {22},
pages = {6261-6275},
doi = {10.1111/gcb.16937},
pmid = {37733768},
issn = {1365-2486},
support = {201806010328//China Scholarship Council/ ; NE/N010221/1//Natural Environment Research Council/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Introduced Species ; *Host-Parasite Interactions ; *Drosophila/physiology/parasitology ; Queensland ; *Climate Change ; *Hot Temperature ; Tropical Climate ; Ecosystem ; *Wasps/physiology ; },
abstract = {As mean temperatures increase and heatwaves become more frequent, species are expanding their distributions to colonise new habitats. The resulting novel species interactions will simultaneously shape the temperature-driven reorganization of resident communities. The interactive effects of climate change and climate change-facilitated invasion have rarely been studied in multi-trophic communities, and are likely to differ depending on the nature of the climatic driver (i.e., climate extremes or constant warming). We re-created under laboratory conditions a host-parasitoid community typical of high-elevation rainforest sites in Queensland, Australia, comprising four Drosophila species and two associated parasitoid species. We subjected these communities to an equivalent increase in average temperature in the form of periodic heatwaves or constant warming, in combination with an invasion treatment involving a novel host species from lower-elevation habitats. The two parasitoid species were sensitive to both warming and heatwaves, while the demographic responses of Drosophila species were highly idiosyncratic, reflecting the combined effects of thermal tolerance, parasitism, competition, and facilitation. After multiple generations, our heatwave treatment promoted the establishment of low-elevation species in upland communities. Invasion of the low-elevation species correlated negatively with the abundance of one of the parasitoid species, leading to cascading effects on its hosts and their competitors. Our study, therefore, reveals differing, sometimes contrasting, impacts of extreme temperatures and constant warming on community composition. It also highlights how the scale and direction of climate impacts could be further modified by invading species within a bi-trophic community network.},
}

Animals
*Introduced Species
*Host-Parasite Interactions
*Drosophila/physiology/parasitology
Queensland
*Climate Change
*Hot Temperature
Tropical Climate
Ecosystem
*Wasps/physiology

@article {pmid37638537,
year = {2023},
author = {Zhang, L and Li, Z and Peng, Y and Liang, X and Wilson, K and Chipabika, G and Karangwa, P and Uzayisenga, B and Mensah, BA and Kachigamba, DL and Xiao, Y},
title = {Global genomic signature reveals the evolution of fall armyworm in the Eastern hemisphere.},
journal = {Molecular ecology},
volume = {32},
number = {20},
pages = {5463-5478},
doi = {10.1111/mec.17117},
pmid = {37638537},
issn = {1365-294X},
support = {JCYJ20200109150629266//Shenzhen Natural Science Foundation/ ; NIF\R1\191106//The Newton International Fellowship/ ; 2022ZD04021//STI 2030－Major Projects/ ; BB/P023444/1andEP/T024410/1//Global Challenges Research Fund/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Haplotypes ; *Spodoptera/genetics ; *Genetics, Population ; Genetic Variation ; *Genome, Insect ; Africa ; Genomics ; Asia ; Introduced Species ; Americas ; *Biological Evolution ; },
abstract = {The major plant pest fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is native to the Americas and has colonized Africa and Asia within the Eastern hemisphere since 2016, causing severe damage to multiple agricultural crop species. However, the genetic origin of these invasive populations requires more in-depth exploration. We analysed genetic variation across the genomes of 280 FAW individuals from both the Eastern hemisphere and the Americas. The global range-wide genetic structure of FAW shows that the FAW in America has experienced deep differentiation, largely consistent with the Z-chromosomal Tpi haplotypes commonly used to differentiate 'corn-strain' and 'rice-strain' populations. The invasive populations from Africa and Asia are different from the American ones and have a relatively homogeneous population structure, consistent with the common origin and recent spreading from Africa to Asia. Our analyses suggest that north- and central American 'corn-strain' FAW are the most likely sources of the invasion into the Eastern hemisphere. Furthermore, evidence based on genomic, transcriptomic and mitochondrial haplotype network analyses indicates an earlier, independent introduction of FAW into Africa, with subsequent migration into the recent invasive population.},
}

Animals
Haplotypes
*Spodoptera/genetics
*Genetics, Population
Genetic Variation
*Genome, Insect
Africa
Genomics
Asia
Introduced Species
Americas
*Biological Evolution

@article {pmid37608763,
year = {2023},
author = {Holmes, M},
title = {A plague of weasels and ticks: animal introduction, ecological disaster, and the balance of nature in Jamaica, 1870-1900.},
journal = {British journal for the history of science},
volume = {56},
number = {3},
pages = {391-407},
doi = {10.1017/S0007087423000286},
pmid = {37608763},
issn = {1474-001X},
mesh = {Animals ; History, 19th Century ; Jamaica ; *Herpestidae ; *Introduced Species/history ; *Ticks ; Colonialism/history ; },
abstract = {Towards the end of the nineteenth century, British colonists in Jamaica became increasingly exasperated by the damage caused to their sugar plantations by rats. In 1872, a British planter attempted to solve this problem by introducing the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata). The animals, however, turned on Jamaica's insectivorous birds and reptiles, leading to an explosion in the tick population. This paper situates the mongoose catastrophe as a closing chapter in the history of the nineteenth-century acclimatization movement. While foreign observers saw the introduction of the mongoose as a cautionary tale, caricaturing British Jamaica as overrun by a plague of weasels and ticks, British colonists, administrators and naturalists - identifying a gradual decline of both populations - argued that the 'balance of nature' would eventually reassert itself. As this paper argues, through this dubious claim they were attempting to retrospectively rationalize or justify the introductions and their disastrous aftermath. This strategy enabled them to gloss over the lasting ecological damage caused by the mongoose, and allowed its adherents to continue their uncritical support of both the Jamaican plantation economy and animal introductions in the British Empire.},
}

Animals
History, 19th Century
Jamaica
*Herpestidae
*Introduced Species/history
*Ticks
Colonialism/history

@article {pmid37572908,
year = {2023},
author = {Gallé, R and Tölgyesi, C and Szabó, ÁR and Korányi, D and Bátori, Z and Hábenczyus, A and Török, E and Révész, K and Torma, A and Gallé-Szpisjak, N and Lakatos, T and Batáry, P},
title = {Plant invasion and fragmentation indirectly and contrastingly affect native plants and grassland arthropods.},
journal = {The Science of the total environment},
volume = {903},
number = {},
pages = {166199},
doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166199},
pmid = {37572908},
issn = {1879-1026},
mesh = {*Introduced Species ; *Grassland ; *Biodiversity ; Animals ; *Arthropods/physiology ; *Asclepias/physiology ; Ecosystem ; Hungary ; },
abstract = {Plant invasion and habitat fragmentation have a detrimental effect on biodiversity in nearly all types of ecosystems. We compared the direct and indirect effects of the invasion of the common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) on biodiversity patterns in different-sized Hungarian forest-steppe fragments. We assessed vegetation structure, measured temperature and soil moisture, and studied organisms with different ecological roles in invaded and non-invaded sites of fragments: plants, bees, butterflies, flower-visiting wasps, flies, true bugs, and spiders. Temperature and soil moisture were lower in invaded than in non-invaded area. Milkweed had a positive effect on plant species richness and flower abundance. In contrast, we mainly found indirect effects of invasion on arthropods through alteration of physical habitat characteristics and food resources. Pollinators were positively affected by native flowers, thus, milkweed indirectly supported pollinators. Similarly, we found higher species richness of herbivores in invaded sites than control sites, as species richness of true bugs also increased with increasing plant species richness. Predators were positively affected by complex vegetation structure, higher soil moisture and lower temperature. Furthermore, increasing fragment size had a strong negative effect on spider species richness of non-invaded sites, but no effect in invaded sites. Especially, grassland specialist spiders were more sensitive to fragment size than generalists, whereas generalist spider species rather profited from invasion. Although milkweed invades natural areas, we did not identify strong negative effects of its presence on the diversity of the grassland biota. However, the supportive effect of milkweed on a few generalist species homogenises the communities. The rate of invasion might increase with increasing fragmentation, therefore we recommend eliminating invasive plants from small habitat fragments to preserve the native biota. Focusing also on generalist species and revealing the indirect effects of invasions are essential for understanding the invasion mechanisms and would support restoration efforts.},
}

*Introduced Species
*Grassland
*Biodiversity
Animals
*Arthropods/physiology
*Asclepias/physiology
Ecosystem
Hungary

@article {pmid37530696,
year = {2023},
author = {Ismail, M and Siemann, E and Ding, J},
title = {Behavior of higher trophic levels associated with an invasive plant varies among populations.},
journal = {Environmental entomology},
volume = {52},
number = {5},
pages = {870-878},
doi = {10.1093/ee/nvad067},
pmid = {37530696},
issn = {1938-2936},
support = {2016PB030//China National R&D Program/ ; 31370404//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Introduced Species ; *Wasps/physiology ; *Moths/parasitology/physiology/growth & development ; China ; *Food Chain ; *Euphorbiaceae/physiology ; *Aphids/physiology/parasitology ; Host-Parasite Interactions ; Herbivory ; Female ; Larva/growth & development/physiology/parasitology ; },
abstract = {Invasive plants from their native and introduced ranges differ in their interactions with herbivores but it is not known whether they also vary in their interactions with herbivore natural enemies. Here, we used olfactometer bioassays and cage experiments to investigate how foraging behaviors of 2 parasitoid and 1 hyperparasitoid species depended on plant population origin. Triadica sebifera (Euphorbiaceae) is native to China but invasive in the United States. In China, it is fed on by a specialist noctuid Gadirtha fusca (Lepidoptera: Nolidae), which hosts a parasitoid Apanteles sp. (Hymenoptera: Microgastinae) and hyperparasitoid (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) plus a generalist aphid Toxoptera odinae (Homoptera: Aphidiidae) parasitized by Lysiphlebus confusus (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae). Both parasitoids preferred plants infested by their host over herbivore-free plants in olfactometer bioassays. Apanteles sp. and Eurytomid wasps preferred G. fusca infested plants from China populations over those from US populations in olfactometer bioassays but L. confusus wasps did not discriminate between T. odinae infested plants from China vs. US populations. Similarly, G. fusca caterpillars on China population plants were more likely to be parasitized than ones on US population plants when they were in the same cage but odds of parasitism for T. odinae did not differ for those on China vs. US population plants. These results suggest that populations from the native and introduced ranges may differ in traits that impact higher trophic levels. This may have implications for successful control of invasive plants as biocontrol agents are introduced or herbivores begin to feed on them in their introduced ranges.},
}

Animals
*Introduced Species
*Wasps/physiology
*Moths/parasitology/physiology/growth & development
China
*Food Chain
*Euphorbiaceae/physiology
*Aphids/physiology/parasitology
Host-Parasite Interactions
Herbivory
Female
Larva/growth & development/physiology/parasitology