Pathways of alien invertebrate transfer to the Antarctic region

Houghton, Melissa; McQuillan, PB; Bergstrom, Dana M.; Frost, Leslie; Hoff, John van den; Shaw, Justine

doi:10.1007/s00300-014-1599-2

Cited by 36 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Chown et al (2012) examined the importation of plant propagules into Antarctica in association with the clothing and personal equipment of tourists and other personnel on ships and aircraft. Cargo and associated packing material are also a major vector for propagule importation into Antarctica (Chwedorzewska, Korczak-Abshire, Olech, Lityńska-Zając, & Augustyniuk-Kram, 2013;Houghton et al, 2016;Hughes, Misiak, Ulaganathan, & Newsham, 2018). The delivery of cargo and building materials for the construction of Halley VI Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf (located to the east of the APR) resulted in the importation of an estimated 5,000 seeds representing 34 taxa (Lee & Chown, 2009b).…”

Section: Human Activity Pathways and Vectorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive non‐native species likely to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems in the Antarctic Peninsula region

Hughes

Pescott

Peyton

et al. 2020

Global Change Biology

131

114

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The Antarctic is considered to be a pristine environment relative to other regions of the Earth, but it is increasingly vulnerable to invasions by marine, freshwater and terrestrial non‐native species. The Antarctic Peninsula region (APR), which encompasses the Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands and South Orkney Islands, is by far the most invaded part of the Antarctica continent. The risk of introduction of invasive non‐native species to the APR is likely to increase with predicted increases in the intensity, diversity and distribution of human activities. Parties that are signatories to the Antarctic Treaty have called for regional assessments of non‐native species risk. In response, taxonomic and Antarctic experts undertook a horizon scanning exercise using expert opinion and consensus approaches to identify the species that are likely to present the highest risk to biodiversity and ecosystems within the APR over the next 10 years. One hundred and three species, currently absent in the APR, were identified as relevant for review, with 13 species identified as presenting a high risk of invading the APR. Marine invertebrates dominated the list of highest risk species, with flowering plants and terrestrial invertebrates also represented; however, vertebrate species were thought unlikely to establish in the APR within the 10 year timeframe. We recommend (a) the further development and application of biosecurity measures by all stakeholders active in the APR, including surveillance for species such as those identified during this horizon scanning exercise, and (b) use of this methodology across the other regions of Antarctica. Without the application of appropriate biosecurity measures, rates of introductions and invasions within the APR are likely to increase, resulting in negative consequences for the biodiversity of the whole continent, as introduced species establish and spread further due to climate change and increasing human activity.

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Section: Human Activity Pathways and Vectorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive non‐native species likely to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems in the Antarctic Peninsula region

Hughes

Pescott

Peyton

et al. 2020

Global Change Biology

131

114

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Moreover, research stations tend to be located in the warmest areas within and across regions (Hughes et al, ), with ice‐free terrestrial habitats in summer, thus diminishing the effect of climatic barriers at high footprint sites. Early detection, preferably undertaken outside the Antarctic, is regarded as the most cost‐effective mechanism for delivering effective biosecurity (Bergstrom et al, ; Houghton et al, ; Hughes & Pertierra, ). The risk of further expansion of E. murphyi distribution within the South Orkney Is.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining correlative and mechanistic niche models with human activity data to elucidate the invasive potential of a sub‐Antarctic insect

Pertierra

Bartlett

Duffy

et al. 2019

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim Correlative species distribution models (SDMs) are subject to substantial spatio‐temporal limitations when historical occurrence records of data‐poor species provide incomplete and outdated information for niche modelling. Complementary mechanistic modelling techniques can, therefore, offer a valuable contribution to underpin more physiologically informed predictions of biological invasions, the risk of which is often exacerbated by climate change. In this study we integrate physiological and human pressure data to address the uncertainties and limitations of correlative SDMs and to better understand, predict and manage biological invasions. Location Western archipelagos of the Southern Ocean and martime Antarctica. Taxon Eretmoptera murphyi (Chironomidae), invertebrates. Methods Mahalanobis Distances were used for correlative SDM construction for a species with few records. A mechanistic SDM was built around different fitness components (larval survival and life stage progression) as a function of temperature. SDM predictions were combined with human activity levels in Antarctica to generate a site vulnerability index to the assess colonization risk of E. murphyi. Future scenarios of ecophysiological suitability were built around the warming trends in the region. Results Both SDMs converge to predict high environmental suitability in the species' native and introduced ranges. However, the mechanistic model indicates a slightly larger invasive potential based on larval performance at different temperatures. Human activity levels across the Antarctic Peninsula play a key role in discerning site vulnerabilities. Niche suitability in Antarctica grows considerably under long‐term climate scenarios, leading to a substantially higher invasive threat to the Antarctic ecosystems. In turn changing conditions result in growing physiological mismatches with the environment in the native range in South Georgia. Main conclusions Long‐term studies of invasion potential under climate benefit from integrating correlative predictions with physiological experiments, as the invasion potential varies depending on the area and the timescale examined. This study also highlights a conservation paradox whereby the accidental introduction of an insect represents a threat to the Antarctic ecoystems that contrasts with its endangered status at the native range.

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“…Few data are available for invertebrates globally, but very recently it has been shown that the establishment of alien insect species has nearly doubled over the last few decades in Europe (Roques et al 2016). Even in Antarctica, strong biosecurity measures have not prevented the unintentional transport of invertebrates and plant propagules to the region (Chown et al 2012;Houghton et al 2014). It is suggested that what has happened on Lord Howe Island is probably not an isolated phenomenon and that many ant species are currently being accidentally dispersed to, and successfully colonising, most islands globally that are habitable by ants and visited by people (Herrera et al 2013;Moreau et al 2014;Morrison 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant species accumulation on Lord Howe Island highlights the increasing need for effective biosecurity on islands

Hoffmann¹,

Graham²,

Smith³

2017

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Islands are particularly noteworthy for global conservation because of the high number of species they host, the high levels of species endemism, and the large number and proportion of species at risk of extinction. Much of the conservation threat on islands is from invasive species. Whilst biosecurity is an increasing focus of attention for authorities globally, species are continuing to establish in new locations outside of their native ranges. Among invasive species, ants are a prominent taxon, especially on islands. Over the past decade, following the detection of one of the world's worst invasive ant species, African big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala, the environmental management authority on world-heritage-listed Lord Howe Island has focused attention on invasive ants. This detection influenced the creation of biosecurity measures to prevent further incursions of exotic species, particularly ants. Despite these efforts, over the following decade numerous ant species were collected on the island for the first time, indicating a serious biosecurity problem. Here, we investigate the chronosequence of ant introductions to Lord Howe Island to quantify the extent and nature of the island's ant biosecurity problem. A total of 45 species have been collected on the island and of these, 12 are considered to be endemic, and a further seven are possibly native. Nineteen of the 26 introduced species (42% of the total fauna and 73% of the introduced fauna) were only found for the first time in the last 15 years. All but two of the species that are not native to Lord Howe Island are native to the Australian mainland, indicating that the biosecurity threat comes from the transport of goods from the Australian mainland. We suggest that the pattern of accelerating ant species accumulation on Lord Howe Island is probably not an isolated phenomenon, and that it is probably occurring on most islands globally that are habitable by ants and visited by people.

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Pathways of alien invertebrate transfer to the Antarctic region

Cited by 36 publications

References 60 publications

Invasive non‐native species likely to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems in the Antarctic Peninsula region

Invasive non‐native species likely to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems in the Antarctic Peninsula region

Combining correlative and mechanistic niche models with human activity data to elucidate the invasive potential of a sub‐Antarctic insect

Ant species accumulation on Lord Howe Island highlights the increasing need for effective biosecurity on islands

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