Search Results (61)

European catfish, an invasive alien species (IAS) that inhabits the Tagus River in Extremadura, is a threat to freshwater biodiversity and the local economy. As a freshwater mega-predator, it eats all kinds of fish, impacting local ichthyofauna as well as sport-recreational angling, a major economic driver in Extremadura, with 100,000 angling licenses issued by the Extremadura local government and more than 1000 annual bank fishing competitions. The introduction of Silurus glanis into Tagus basin is recent, dating to the 20th century, but it has rapidly spread. Although this expansion is driven by anglers, boat anglers account for only two per thousand anglers in the region, and even among them European catfish anglers are scarce, as fishing for this species is prohibited in the region and local anglers and anglers associations are against European catfish expansion. Efforts to control catfish in Extremadura have been based on studies of selective capture methods, such as trammel nets, gill nets, long lines, fish traps, and electrofishing combined with nets in areas where barbel congregate during their spawning migration. The most effective and selective methods for European catfish, avoiding bycatch, are trammel nets and electrofishing. Therefore, a combination of these methods and collaboration between local government and anglers are proposed for its control in reservoirs. In cases of recent introductions into standing water, rapid actions have been taken, involving complete drainage of the water body, rescue of native fish and removal of European catfish. These measures are feasible in reservoirs up to 10 hectares and can be combined with sediment management to improve water quality. Deterrence and control measures have been implemented in response to the promotion of catfish angling in regional media and on social media. To control European catfish expansion, collaborative actions involving public agencies, local government, angler associations and public awareness are essential. Full article

Climate change is profoundly altering species’ geographical distributions, with particularly pronounced effects on the richness patterns of invasive alien plants. As China represents a global hotspot for biological invasions, accurately projecting these shifts is imperative for formulating proactive and effective management strategies. This study integrated occurrence records for 321 invasive plant species with seven key environmental predictors within a MaxEnt modeling framework, supplemented by ArcGIS v10.8 spatial analysis, to simulate potential species richness distributions under current climatic conditions and three future periods (2050s, 2070s, and 2090s) across three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585). The optimized models exhibited strong predictive performance (mean AUC = 0.972 ± 0.037; mean TSS = 0.877 ± 0.115), with 92.1% of species achieving AUC > 0.9. Annual precipitation metrics emerged as the predominant drivers, with precipitation of the driest month (Bio14, 37.6%), annual precipitation (Bio12, 15.6%), and minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6, 13.8%) exerting the strongest influence on species distributions. Contemporary invasive plant richness hotspots are concentrated in southern and southwestern China. Under future climate scenarios, substantial range shifts are anticipated: suitable habitats are projected to expand significantly for 58 species (a mean change of +145.8%), while contracting for 24 species (a mean change of −50.4%). Notably, the centroid of maximum species richness is projected to undergo a pronounced north-northwestward displacement, migrating from its current location in Xiangcheng District, Hubei Province, to Lushi County, Henan Province, by the 2090s under the SSP585 scenario. This trajectory coincides with a marked expansion of areas characterized by medium and high species richness, a trend that is particularly accentuated under the high-emission pathway. In conclusion, this study provides a robust, spatially explicit assessment of the future dynamics of invasive plant richness in China, highlighting a significant north-northwestward redistribution under climate change. These findings establish a critical scientific baseline for prioritizing regional monitoring efforts and implementing preemptive control measures in areas facing heightened invasion risk. Full article

Biological invasions are a primary driver of biodiversity loss, with significant socio-economic repercussions. Therefore, understanding the factors influencing the assembly of invasive insect assemblages in Biodiversity Conservation Priority Areas is essential for formulating effective management strategies. This study examined the invasive alien insect fauna across three such regions in Guangxi, China, from April to November 2022, employing a systematic grid-based sampling design that encompassed 84 grids. A total of nineteen invasive alien insects from seven orders were identified, with Coleoptera (26.3%), Hymenoptera (21.1%), and Diptera (15.8%) being the most prevalent. Bactrocera cucurbitae Bezzi, 1913 (57.1% occurrence frequency) and Blattella germanica Linnaeus, 1767 (53.6%) were the most frequently observed species. Species richness exhibited significant variation among the three areas, peaking in the Western Guangxi and Southern Guizhou Limestone Area. The assemblages’ composition displayed high beta diversity, as indicated by a total Sørensen dissimilarity of 0.645, primarily driven by species turnover (0.474) rather than nestedness (0.171), which suggests the presence of distinct species assemblages across the areas. Generalized linear mixed models and Canonical Correspondence Analysis identified precipitation and temperature as the primary factors influencing species richness and assemblages’ composition, respectively. Hierarchical partitioning indicated that climatic variables, specifically precipitation (48.0%) and temperature (32.0%), collectively accounted for the majority of the variation in species richness, significantly surpassing the impact of local land cover (20.0%). In contrast, contemporary anthropogenic land use factors exhibited no significant effect. Our findings illustrate that while human activities serve as the ultimate drivers of species introductions, the subsequent assembly of invasive insect assemblages within these Biodiversity Conservation Priority Areas are predominantly shaped by climatic conditions. This highlights the essential role of climate suitability in determining the success of post-introduction establishment. Therefore, we recommend the incorporation of high-resolution climate-matching models into biosecurity screening and monitoring frameworks for Biodiversity Conservation Priority Areas, with targeted surveillance efforts directed toward regions exhibiting the highest climatic suitability. Full article

The Lhalu Wetland National Nature Reserve, the largest natural urban wetland on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, plays a critical role in maintaining regional ecological balance and biodiversity. However, the baseline biodiversity of this reserve remains unclear because of the extensive temporal span of historical records, shifts in taxonomic systems, and inconsistent survey methodologies, which impedes a robust scientific understanding of its ecological dynamics. This study systematically compiled and taxonomically verified species records from over 50 sources spanning the 1950s to the present. The records cover plants, fish, birds, and amphibians/reptiles, thereby resolving issues of synonyms, homonyms, and misidentifications. Each species record is annotated with its original survey time, allowing users to distinguish historically reported occurrences from those recorded in recent surveys. Species accumulation curves were constructed for major taxa and compared with 45-year climatic trends (1979–2023) and socioeconomic indicators for Lhasa City. A total of 438 vascular plant species (82 families, 251 genera) and 311 animal species (39 orders, 98 families), including 30 fishes, 174 birds, and 11 amphibians/reptiles, were documented. Invasive species comprised 55 alien plants and 13 alien fishes, while 4 plant and 46 animal species are under national protection. Temporal synchrony between increases in alien taxa and anthropogenic pressures (gross domestic product (GDP) and population growth, infrastructure development) suggests that human activities may be a potential driver of biodiversity change, but formal causal inference is precluded by heterogeneity in survey methods and sampling effort. This work provides a structured dataset of the biodiversity baseline of the Lhalu Wetland and offers a descriptive assessment of its temporal patterns in relation to climate and human disturbance, while explicitly acknowledging data limitations. It provides essential data and theoretical support for the scientific management and targeted conservation of plateau urban wetlands. Full article

Alternanthera philoxeroides is a highly invasive alien species in China that causes waterway blockages, agricultural yield loss, biodiversity decline, and ecosystem degradation. This study assessed the invasion risk and environmental drivers of A. philoxeroides in Guizhou Province, a karst mountainous region in Southwest China. Occurrence records were obtained from field surveys and the Chinese Virtual Herbarium. The genetic algorithm for rule-set production (GARP) model and the jackknife method were employed to identify 13 key environmental indicators for predicting invasion risk. The global invasion risk index (GIRI) was applied to quantify the overall invasion risk. Additionally, the Geodetector model was utilized to analyze the spatially differentiated effects of six environmental factors. The results showed that A. philoxeroides poses a high invasion risk in Guizhou Province, and the invasion risk in the Yangtze River Basin within Guizhou is higher than that in the Pearl River Basin. The environmental factors influencing invasion risk, in order of impact, were slope, elevation, land use, river density, rocky desertification, and soil pH. Moreover, interactions among these factors further amplify the invasion risk. These findings provide valuable insights for developing targeted management strategies for A. philoxeroides in karst mountainous regions and support biodiversity preservation and regional ecological sustainability. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have emerged as pervasive contaminants across diverse environments—including soil, water, and the atmosphere—posing substantial risks to resident organisms. Concurrently, alien plant invasion represents a significant driver of environmental change, introducing considerable ecological risks to terrestrial ecosystems. Synthesizing evidence from 26 original research articles, this review examines the bidirectional interactions between micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) and terrestrial invasive plants. A growing body of evidence indicates that MNPs alter the growth and performance of both invasive and native plants. In most documented cases, MNPs appear to enhance the competitive ability of invasive plants, thereby elevating their invasion potential. However, counterexamples exist wherein MNPs strengthen the competitiveness of native plants, consequently mitigating invasion risk. These divergent outcomes are likely attributable to a suite of influencing factors, notably the characteristics of the MNPs (e.g., type, size, concentration), the specific invasive and native plant species involved, and variations in experimental conditions. Key mechanistic pathways involve MNPs-induced disturbances in soil microecology—particularly nutrient dynamics and rhizosphere microbiomes—and allelopathic interactions. Conversely, invasive plants may adsorb/absorb MNPs and subsequently modify their environmental fate and behaviors (e.g., degradation, transport). Finally, we delineate critical knowledge gaps and propose prioritized directions for future research. This review advances our understanding of the ecological risks associated with plant invasions in an era of pervasive MNP pollution and offers a scientific foundation for developing informed management strategies. Full article

Grassland degradation is a critical ecological problem worldwide that threatens ecosystem integrity and functional services. Although previous studies have documented the drivers of climate change, overgrazing, and anthropogenic perturbation, research concerning the impact of invasive alien plants on grassland ecosystems remains limited. The present study, integrating pairwise field investigation of Ageratina adenophora invasion and non-invasion plots across heterogeneous grassland types (tropical grasslands [TG]; tropical shrub-grasslands [TS]; warm-temperate grasslands [WG]; and warm-temperate shrub-grasslands [WS]) and A. adenophora indigenous plants phytotoxicity bioassay, aims to assess the invasibility and resilience of heterogeneous grassland landscapes to A. adenophora invasion. The field investigation demonstrated the greater vulnerability of TG and TS to A. adenophora invasion, whereas WG and WS possessed higher resilience. In addition, regression analysis revealed significant reductions of the Shannon–Wiener index and the Pielou index as the A. adenophora’s important value reached the threshold 0.36. Bioassay showed that A. adenophora aqueous extracts inhibit seed germination and seedling growth of recipient plants, with Saccharum arundinaceum exhibiting the highest tolerance to A. adenophora stress. In summary, our findings not only highlight the flora communities’ dynamics and invasibility of diverse grasslands driven by A. adenophora invasion in subtropical regions but also verify S. arundinaceum’s potential for A. adenophora replacement management. Full article

Alien insect species are increasingly recognized as significant drivers of biodiversity change. This study documents the records of four alien orthopteran species in Romania: Meconema meridionale, Rhacocleis annulata, Yersinella raymondii and Anacridium aegyptium. Specimens were collected from various urban and peri-urban locations. The inferred pathways of introduction include accidental transport via ornamental plants, soil, and vehicles, reflecting broader European trends in anthropochorous dispersal. These findings suggest that such habitats provide suitable conditions for the settlement of non-native Orthoptera, providing a baseline for future monitoring. Our research fills a regional knowledge gap and contributes to the understanding of biological invasions in Eastern Europe, offering the necessary data for early detection and the development of future biosecurity assessments to evaluate potential ecological or economic risks. Full article

Invasive alien species (IAS) can cause the extinction of a taxon. However, debate continues over the significance of IAS as drivers of extinction globally, the level of threat they pose to endangered species, and whether conservation efforts against IAS should take priority over other factors, such as habitat loss or climate change. We provide new insights from the IUCN Red List, focusing on species classified as extinct or extinct in the wild that are linked exclusively to IAS. Many extinction events are also caused by multiple synergistic threats, including IAS, but the relative contributions of these threats remain uncertain. We suggest using Structural Equation Models (SEMs) to tease out the effects of IAS and other interacting factors on threatened species, to better understand the role of IAS in potential extinctions. Full article

Sick leave in physically demanding warehouse logistics poses persistent challenges for employee well-being, operational performance, and sustainable work participation. This study investigates how warehouse employees and supervisors understand drivers of absence and presence, and which workplace resources are perceived as most important for sustaining work happiness and attendance. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, phase 1 comprised in-depth interviews with warehouse leaders and focus groups with employees (N = 20). Qualitative findings highlight physical strain and sustained pace demands, but also emphasized psychosocial drivers such as emotional exhaustion, limited recognition, insufficient relational support, and a “push-through” culture that normalized strain and hindered recovery. At the same time, collegial support, humor, and everyday recognition were described as critical resources for coping and maintaining presence. Building on these insights, we used a cross-sectional survey (N = 99) to assess work happiness and perceived negative workplace conditions. Exploratory factor analysis identified four work happiness dimensions—supervisor support and recognition; self-development, meaning and autonomy; interpersonal relationships; and collaboration to achieve goals and four dimensions of negative workplace conditions: structural alienation, work-related exhaustion, adverse social climate, and work intensity. Multiple regression analyses showed that interpersonal relationships were the most consistent protective resource, negatively associated with exhaustion, adverse social climate, and work intensity, while supervisor support and recognition primarily reduced structural alienation. Overall, the findings suggest that social relationships constitute a central resource for sustainable well-being and attendance in physically demanding work, offering actionable implications for HRM. Full article

The degradation of wetlands and forests is still a threat to the supply and recovery of ecosystem services in the tropics. Studies comparing restoration measures and ecosystem service recoveries are fragmented. This study investigated the spatial extent and drivers of wetland/forest degradation, and assessed the effects of restoration measures on the recovery of ecosystem services and resilient livelihoods. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted targeting households adjacent to restored and unrestored wetland/forest ecosystems. The data was analyzed using a Binary Logistic regression to characterize earlier and recovered ecosystem services between forest and wetland ecosystems. High spatial-resolution optical satellite imagery from the Airbus constellation was obtained and analyzed to examine wetland and forest degradation. Our findings revealed that the spatial extent of degraded land under wetlands and forests decreased between 2023 and 2025. Ecosystem service degradation was primarily driven by chronic poverty, excessive water abstraction, population growth, burning practices, overharvesting of resources, overgrazing, cultivation, infrastructure development, and the invasion of alien species (p < 0.05). The counteractive ecosystem restoration activities undertaken included mobilization and sensitization of communities on wetland restoration, wetland demarcation, revegetation, establishment of flood control measures, and provision of alternative livelihoods (p ≤ 0.05). The multiple direct and indirect ecosystem service recoveries reported were provisioning services (increases in pasture, enhanced livestock production, increased soil productivity, health-related benefits from crops and livestock products) and regulating services (improved water quality/quantity). The ecosystem service recoveries were more significant in the restored wetlands than the forests. The indicators of enhanced ecosystem-based resilient livelihoods included increased household incomes, higher livestock yields, increased crop productivity, improved health from crop/livestock products, improved water quality/quantity, and enhanced scenic beauty and tourism (p < 0.05). The restoration activities in degraded wetland systems had more potential to facilitate full recovery of the wetland ecosystem compared to the absence of interventions. This evidence highlights the need to restore high-ecological-sensitive ecosystems to sustain the delivery of ecosystem services for community and environmental resilience. Full article

The genus Agave L. is a key component of Mediterranean alien flora, yet its inland distribution in the Iberian Peninsula remains poorly understood. This research integrates exhaustive field surveys with Species Distribution Models (SDMs) to characterize the genus diversity and, specifically, the spatial patterns and environmental niche of Agave americana in the southern Iberian Peninsula (Andalusia). Our results reveal a diversity of 23 taxa, yet crucially, the widespread occurrence of A. americana demonstrated that its actual inland distribution is significantly more extensive than previously recorded. Spatial Point Pattern Analysis (SPPA) revealed a strong aggregated distribution pattern (Clark & Evans R = 0.277; p < 0.001). The MaxEnt Spatial Distribution Model demonstrated robust predictive performance (Mean AUC = 0.770 ± 0.007; Mean TSS = 0.420 ± 0.009). The distribution was primarily driven by elevation range (26.9%) and land use (23.1%), with maximum suitability peaking in anthropized, low-to-intermediate elevation areas. Projections to the broader Andalusian region confirmed high suitability in the Guadalquivir valley and coastal zones, validated by low spatial uncertainty (SD < 0.05 in optimal areas). These findings provide new insights into the biogeography of Agave in the region, emphasizing the significance of anthropogenic drivers within a cultural landscape context. Full article

Invasions by alien plants are major global drivers of ecosystem changes and loss of biodiversity. Guangxi is an ecological barrier in southern China that is increasingly being affected by invasive alien plant species. We comprehensively reviewed the literature, compiling and analyzing the long-term changes in species composition, native range, life forms, municipal-scale patterns, and correlates of invasive alien plant richness in Guangxi at three time points (1973, 2010, and 2023). Over the 50-year period, the number of invasive alien plant species markedly increased from 31 species in 1973 to 84 in 2010 and 158 in 2023; the number of families, genera, and species increased 2.05-, 3.75-, and 5.10-fold, respectively. Species native to North America consistently dominated the invasive flora, followed by those native to Africa. The number of species native to South America and Asia increased in the records from 2010 to 2023. Annual herbaceous plants accounted for the largest proportion of invasive species throughout the study period and showed the largest absolute increase in species number. However, no substantial temporal shifts in the overall life-form composition were detected. At the municipal scale, the invasive alien plant richness exhibited pronounced spatial heterogeneity. The invasive alien plant richness was highest in Guilin and Baise in 1973, in Guilin in 2023, followed by Nanning and Baise. Correlation analyses based on 2023 data revealed a significant positive association between invasive alien plant richness and tourism intensity, whereas relationships between population size, gross domestic product, and climatic variables were weak or nonsignificant. Overall, our results document the continued expansion and the spatial differentiation of invasive alien plants in Guangxi over the 50-year period of 1973–2023. These patterns primarily reflect the accumulation in the number of recorded invasive species under a consistent classification framework and should be interpreted with caution given the potential variation in survey effort among periods and cities. The results provide a descriptive baseline for the provincial-scale monitoring, risk assessment, and management of invasive alien plants. Full article

This study analyzed the relationships between land-cover types and the distribution of alien and invasive plant species using data from the 5th National Ecosystem Survey of Korea (2019–2023). A total of 711,557 plant occurrence records were collected across 780 map sheets, resulting in the identification of 3842 vascular plant species, including both alien and invasive taxa. To evaluate spatial patterns and environmental drivers, multiple linear regression and spatial regression models—specifically the Spatial Lag Model (SLM) and Spatial Error Model (SEM)—were applied. The results revealed that alien and invasive species exhibited non-random, spatially clustered distributions influenced by habitat type and disturbance intensity. Alien species were more abundant in agricultural areas and wetlands, whereas forests and grasslands acted as resistant ecosystems. In contrast, invasive species were concentrated in bare lands and urbanized drylands, highlighting the importance of habitat openness and human disturbance in facilitating invasion. Spatial autocorrelation analyses (Moran’s I = 0.0777 for alien species; 0.1933 for invasive species) and the strong spatial dependence in the Spatial Error Model (λ = 0.7405 and 0.6428) confirmed that invasion patterns are shaped by spatial connectivity and environmental continuity. These findings demonstrate that invasion processes in Korea are driven by both anthropogenic disturbance and spatial dependency. Effective management therefore requires habitat-specific, spatially coordinated strategies, emphasizing early detection and rapid control in high-risk areas while reinforcing the ecological buffering capacity of forests to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Full article

The advancement of digital technologies has fostered distinctive behaviour patterns and cultural phenomena in online environments. As digital natives, Chinese Generation Z has gradually developed digital hoarding behaviour under the dual influence of technological convenience and emerging social pressures. Such behaviour functions as a coping mechanism for managing both real-world competitive anxieties and emotional uncertainties. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 35 Generation Z participants, this study employs fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to systematically examine the influence mechanisms of six antecedent conditions—media dependency, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, uncertainty avoidance, emotional attachment, and deletion barriers—on attitudes toward digital hoarding behaviour. The findings reveal two core configurational paths leading to high acceptance of digital hoarding: the first represents strategic knowledge accumulation pursued under the pressures of involution, where digital hoarding becomes a means of seeking competitive advantage; the second reflects a retreat into the digital sphere, where hoarding practices provide emotional security amid experiences of offline relational alienation. This study thus contributes a theoretical lens that moves beyond technological rationality toward social adaptation, explicating the intertwined emotional, psychological, and social drivers of digital hoarding. It also provides empirical insights for the design of supportive digital infrastructures and health education initiatives aimed at enhancing youth digital well-being. Full article