Early detection and eradication of invasive plants are more cost-effective than managing well-established invasive plant populations and their impacts. However, there is high uncertainty around which taxa are likely to become invasive in a given area. Horizon scanning that combines a data-driven approach with rapid risk assessment and consensus building among experts can help identify invasion threats. We performed a horizon scan of potential invasive plant threats to Florida, USA—a state with a high influx of introduced species, conditions that are generally favorable for plant establishment, and a history of negative impacts from invasive plants. We began with an initial list of 2128 non-native plant taxa that are known invaders or crop pests. We built on previous invasive species horizon scans by developing data-based criteria to prioritize 100 taxa for rapid risk assessment. The semi-automated prioritization process included selecting taxa “on the horizon” (i.e., not yet in the target location and not on a noxious weed list) with climate matching, naturalization history, “weediness” record, and global commonness. We derived overall invasion risk scores with rapid risk assessment by evaluating the likelihood of each of the taxa arriving, establishing, and having an impact in Florida. Then, following a consensus-building discussion, we identified six plant taxa as high risk, with overall risk scores ranging from 75 to 100 out of a possible 125. The six taxa are globally distributed, easily transported to new areas, found in regions with climates similar to Florida’s, and can impact native plant communities, human health, or agriculture. Finally, we evaluated our initial and final lists for potential biases. Assessors tended to assign higher risk scores to taxa that had more available information. In addition, we identified biases towards four plant families and certain geographical regions of origin. Our horizon scan approach identified taxa conforming to metrics of high invasion risk and used a methodology refined for plants that can be applied to other locations.
Plant domestication can increase propagule pressure and alter functional traits that may contribute to invasion risk, such as high productivity. Domesticated biotypes (i.e., any cultivar, variety, or other infraspecific taxa that have been domesticated) have a unique evolutionary history that often involves enhanced propagule pressure, selection of traits for human use, and cultural practices to increase establishment success. These elements can alter the invasion process from that of non-domesticated non-native species. Understanding which traits are consistently selected for, how strongly those traits are altered by selection, and in which cases they influence invasion risk would facilitate actions that reduce impacts of domesticated biotypes on natural and agricultural systems. We identified commonalities in trait selection and management intensity among groups of domesticated biotypes selected for particular purposes (e.g., food, ornamental, and biomass production) that indicate predictable invasion risk and management approaches for biotypes from each group. Broadly, food crops that rely on high intensity management tend to have relatively low invasion risk, while biotypes developed for ornamental purposes are subject to more variable management intensity and may have greater risk of establishment and spread in natural areas without cultural practices (e.g., weeding, Communicated by Scott J Meiners.
Early detection and eradication of invasive plants are more cost-effective than managing well-established invasive plant populations and their impacts. However, there is high uncertainty around which taxa are likely to become invasive in a given area. Horizon scanning, which pairs rapid risk assessment with consensus building among experts, can help identify invasion threats. We performed a horizon scan of potential invasive plant threats to Florida, USA—a state with a high influx of introduced species, conditions that are favorable for plant establishment, and a history of negative impacts from invasive plants. We began with a list of 2128 non-native plant species and subspecies that are crop pests or invasive somewhere in the world and used publicly available data to prioritize 100 taxa for rapid risk assessment. We derived overall invasion risk scores by evaluating the likelihood and certainty of each of the 100 taxa arriving, establishing, and having an impact in Florida. Through the rapid risk assessments and a consensus-building discussion, we identified six plant taxa with high overall risk scores ranging from 75 to 100 out of a possible 125. The six taxa are globally distributed, easily transported to new areas, found in regions with climates similar to Florida’s, and can impact native plant communities, human health, or agriculture. We recommend more thorough risk assessments for each of these six species and, if appropriate, policy and management actions to limit invasive plant introduction and establishment in Florida.
In the spring and fall, carefully prepared trays of young vegetable plants grace garden centers everywhere, signaling the start of garden season. Many times, the varieties available in retail centers are not the best-tasting or best-adapted varieties for our area. Starting your own vegetable transplants is fun and easy. This publication provides considerations and best practices for selecting the best crops to transplant and how to prepare transplants for home and community gardens in Florida. Original version: Stephens, James M. (1994) Starting the Garden with Transplants. Fact Sheet HS-507, April 1994. Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Gainesville, FL
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