Had a great time sharing some of my #PhD research at #ESA2023 last week!

#Ecology #Conservation #Research #InvasiveSpecies #BiologicalInvasions #PricklyPearProjectKenya

A new study (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2530064423000214) found that the global economic impact of biological invasions is equivalent in magnitude to that of natural disasters such as earthquakes, fires, floods and storms.

The costs of biological invasions have increased more rapidly than those of natural disasters over the past 4 decades.

Societies need to build a culture of safety & resilience against the threat of #BiologicalInvasions - just as we have done for natural hazards.
#InvasiveSpecies #AlienSpecies

#BOTD (March 29, 1900) Charles Elton: One of the most influential ecologists of the 20th century & the father of animal #ecology, who turned natural history into a science.

Elton founded the Journal of Animal Ecology, defined fundamental concepts and proposed hypotheses (niche, population cycles, diversity-stability, enemy release, etc) that continue to fuel research. Several decades ago, he recognized #BiologicalInvasions as a form of global change. And (like Hutchinson) he never had a PhD!

This is great willowherb, Epilobium hirsutum, an invasive wetland weed that arrived in NZ in 2018. I found this plant on Monday on the Worcester bridge in the centre of Otautahi-Christchurch. It likely spread from a fenced off empty section right next to Cathedral Square, that's filled with great willowherb in seed.

While we focus on making NZ "predator-free", our country is filling up with weeds.

https://inaturalist.nz/observations/148286207

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news/media-releases/mpi-confirms-discovery-of-invasive-weed-great-willowherb-in-canterbury/

#BiologicalInvasions #weeds #Aotearoa #NZ

Here's something to look out for in NZ. Today Mike Bowie uploaded photos of a colony of red gum lerp psyllids that he found feeding on a eucalyptus tree in North Canterbury. It's the first time Mike had seen this species.

It's an Australian species that was first seen in New Zealand in 2017 and this is the first NZ observation on #iNaturalist.

The white circular juvenile "lerps" are distinctive.

https://inaturalist.nz/observations/148215074

#psyllid #Aotearoa #NZ #BiologicalInvasions #insects

@NessaUndreza Agave americana is well naturalised in New Zealand too. Here's a wild one in my neighbourhood that I photographed this weekend.
They also show up in NZ dunes, growing vegetatively out from runners.
https://inaturalist.nz/observations/147182735
#botany #weed #BiologicalInvasions #Aotearoa #NZ

@pogomcl Nice! The last time I saw a small tortoiseshell butterfly, it flew into my office window in Lincoln, New Zealand, in the middle of the 2019 winter.

Yes, the Southern Hemisphere is an exceptionally odd place to see a small tortoiseshell.

To my knowledge, it's still the first Australasian record of the species. It's now on a pin in the Lincoln University Entomology Museum.

https://inaturalist.nz/observations/30721349
#butterflies #Lepidoptera #insect #BiologicalInvasions #iNaturalistNZ #iNaturalist

Really excited to see this research featured on the cover of @JEcology! 🥳

A pleasure to play a small part in this research and work with this team of excellent people.

Article link (#OpenAccess): https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2745.14010

#NewPaper #Ecology #Conservation #Research #InvasiveSpecies #BiologicalInvasions #Wildlife #Nature #Elephant #PricklyPearCactus

🎉 What a nice way to start 2023!
Our paper with Ana Farinha on the #invasion pathways of the Western conifer seed bug in the Iberian Peninsula is finally out.
Using mtDNA and microsat, we have shown the effects of human activities in the introduction and dispersal of the bug in the Iberian Peninsula, with likely the occurrence of 3 introductions at different locations.

#IAS #BiologicalInvasions #pest

https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/1/64

Pyšek P, Sádlo J, Chrtek J, Chytrý M, Kaplan Z, Pergl J, Pokorná A, Axmanová I, Čuda J, Doležal J, Dřevojan P, Hejda M, Kočár P, Kortz A, Lososová Z, Lustyk P, Skálová H, Štajerová K, Večeřa M, Vítková M, Wild J, Danihelka J (2022) Catalogue of alien plants of the Czech Republic (3rd edition). Preslia 94: 447-577. doi: 10.23855/preslia.2022.447.

@alienspecies
#AlienSpecies
#BiologicalInvasions

Here is an area which has been heavily invaded by #PricklyPearCactus (Opuntia engelmannii) - #elephants for scale!

#Ecology #Conservation #Research #CameraTrap #TrailCam #Wildlife #Nature #PricklyPearProjectKenya #Zooniverse #Elephant #InvasiveSpecies #BiologicalInvasions @alienspecies

RT @UKLadybirds
Delighted to be celebrating collaborations and partnerships in addressing the threat of #BiologicalInvasions at #COP15 #NaturePositive Pavilion Event tomorrow - thank you @IUCN @IPBES https://www.naturepositive.org/cop15schedule#15-ipbes-assessment-on-invasive-species-the-role-of-iucn-iucn @UK_CEH

#JobOffer Looking for a #PhD?! Want to play with drones and use satellite remote sensing to support catchment scale monitoring of #biocontrol of invasive plant species?! Apply now! @jobsecoevo #Job #phd #ecology #BiologicalInvasions #modelling #UK #EcoEvo
https://iapetus2.ac.uk/studentships/drone-and-satellite-remote-sensing-to-support-catchment-scale-monitoring-of-biocontrol-of-invasive-plant-species/

#joboffer Looking for a #PhD focused on #invasivespecies Do public perceptions of #InvasiveSpecies matter? Does this affect how successful we are at managing particular species? Apply & find out! @jobsecoevo #Job #phd #ecology #BiologicalInvasions #modelling #UK #EcoEvo
https://iapetus2.ac.uk/studentships/understanding-public-awareness-attitudes-and-perceptions-of-invasive-non-native-species-and-their-management-in-the-uk/

"I have saved until last the most terrifying story of all: the story of the fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, ...Bd, that is not just killing individual frogs but wiping out so many kinds of frogs around the world. Almost all scientists working on Bd argue that the epidemic of disease has spread through global industrial shipping, particularly of commercial frog species that carry the fungus but do not die from it." #invasivespecies #biologicalinvasions
https://www.littletoller.co.uk/the-clearing/the-new-wild-by-anna-tsing/

I spent part of today showing Environment Canterbury staff the only known spot in the South Island with long-flowered Veldt grass, Ehrharta longiflora. It's a potential new weed, and it's so far only known from one location in Ōtautahi-Christchurch (at the base of Hackthorne Road). Please keep an eye out for it, and upload a photo to #iNaturalist if you think you've found it.
https://inaturalist.nz/observations/139094019
#weed #InvasiveWeed #BiologicalInvasions

Got to spend 2 weeks on a short-term scientific mission through the #AlienCSI Cost Action at ATU Sligo in Ireland. This #STSM allowed me to learn more about #stakeholderengagement especially around #BiologicalInvasions

The STSM ended on Friday whith a chance to attend a kick-off event for #communityled project on the control of #invasive Rhododendron in 🇮🇪

Incredibly grateful for all the people who allowed me to learn from their experiences. Excited to bring back many new ideas to 🇮🇸

@Ecoinvasions

Here I am, my first Mastodon days ;) on #Biologicalinvasions

A lot of wild species still call #ŌtautahiChristchurch home. Here are the wild species observed so far on #iNaturalistNZ, in my garden, in the suburb of Heathcote Valley, and across Greater Christchurch (including its satellite towns). Native species outnumber the naturalised newcomers overall, but there are now more wild exotic plant species than natives in the area. That's only going to get worse as more garden plants jump into the wild. #nature #BiologicalInvasions #weeds 4/5

Dear #InvasionEcologists, #AlienSpecies, #ExoticSpecies, #BiologicalInvasions researchers,

I created a group @alienspecies

Follow @alienspecies to join that group and get all news posted to that group
Mention @alienspecies to share a post with everyone in the group
Visit @alienspecies group profile to see the group history

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