Vector analysis: a tool for preventing the introduction of invasive alien species into protected areas

Abstract

Citation: Brancatelli GIE, Zalba SM (2018) Vector analysis: a tool for preventing the introduction of invasive alien species into protected areas. Nature Conservation 24: 43-63. https://doi. AbstractInvasive alien species are the main agent of biodiversity loss in protected natural areas. Prevention is the most appropriate management tool for addressing this challenge, however, virtually all ongoing management efforts are focused on established populations. Although invasion processes include stochastic components, it is possible to compare the different vectors of introduction that operate in a particular area in terms of their potential to transport species of high risk of invasion efficiently and, once identified, to establish strategies of prevention, early detection and rapid action. This study proposes a system of prioritization of vectors of alien plant dispersal for optimizing the efforts for preventing invasion. The system was developed for the Ernesto Tornquist Provincial Park (province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), but it is directly applicable to other areas. Natural and anthropogenic vectors were evaluated and lists of the species potentially transported by each vector were elaborated according to the characteristics of their propagules. The system analyzes the relative importance of each vector according to: 1) the severity of the potential impact of transportable species, 2) the difficulty of controlling these species, and 3) the volume of transportable propagules. In the case under study, the maximum value of risk corresponds to cargo, followed by vehicles, streams, unintentional human transport, intentional human transport, wind and finally, animals. This analysis can lead to prevention strategies, mapping of dispersal routes and actions of early detection and rapid response.

A comparison of wetland characteristics between Agricultural Conservation Easement Program and public lands wetlands in West Virginia, USA

“…Moreover, diligence in recreating historic hydrology likely contributed to producing conditions most conducive to native vegetation. Reference wetlands were publicly accessible and were potentially more susceptible to invasive species establishment due to propagule dispersal through unintentional human transport (Brancatelli & Zalba, ). The lack of invasive plant species on ACEP wetlands as compared to other available wetland habitat indicates that ACEP wetlands are contributing native wetland ecosystems to the wetland matrix in the state.…”

“…Because of this, ACEP sites had more areas of tree stands within the wetland boundary than the reference sites, which were delineated strictly by wetland types and did not in- Previous studies that evaluated plant communities in agricultural landscapes reported a lack of differences in terms of vegetative cover between wetlands located on agricultural land and those that existed within other landscape matrices (Confer & Niering, 1992;Gleason & Rooney, 2017;Gleason et al, 2011;Laubhan & Gleason, 2008;Tapp & Webb, 2015 recreating historic hydrology likely contributed to producing conditions most conducive to native vegetation. Reference wetlands were publicly accessible and were potentially more susceptible to invasive species establishment due to propagule dispersal through unintentional human transport (Brancatelli & Zalba, 2018). The lack of invasive plant species on ACEP wetlands as compared to other available wetland habitat indicates that ACEP wetlands are contributing native wetland ecosystems to the wetland matrix in the state.…”

Potential Risks of Plant Invasions in Protected Areas of Sri Lanka under Climate Change with Special Reference to Threatened Vertebrates

“…Additionally, the vectors of the spread of these 14 IAPS and their relative importance can be different. Different IAPS can perhaps have different vectors of spread, and frequently, some IAPS have several vectors of spread [88]. IAPS having several vectors can acquire an extensive area of suitability [89].…”

Wetland Characteristics and Wintering Passerellidae Occupancy on Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Wetlands in West Virginia

“…wetland plants so invasive herbaceous species may not colonize the ACEP sites. Reference wetlands were publically accessible, and were potentially more susceptible to invasive species establishment due to propagule dispersal through unintentional human transport (Brancatelli and Zalba 2018). Another invasive wetland plant, common reed (Phragmites australis), was more likely to be found in areas close to point source pollution (Long et al 2017), which indicates that invasive wetland plants can tolerate less-pristine conditions that may exist on the publically accessible reference wetlands included in this study.…”