@article {pmid41830546,
year = {2026},
author = {Marino, C and Benítez-López, A and Butt, N and Caetano, G and Capdevila, P and Denelle, P and Etard, A and Fernández Palacios, JM and Ferreiro-Arias, I and Leclerc, C and Lenoir, J and Philippe-Lesaffre, M and Rigal, F and Bellard, C},
title = {Contrasting vulnerability profiles for insular assemblages of birds and mammals facing global change.},
journal = {Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology},
volume = {40},
number = {4},
pages = {e70261},
pmid = {41830546},
issn = {1523-1739},
support = {//French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB)/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Birds/physiology ; *Climate Change ; *Mammals/physiology ; *Conservation of Natural Resources ; Islands ; *Biodiversity ; Introduced Species ; Ecosystem ; *Animal Distribution ; },
abstract = {Island biota is currently threatened by global anthropogenic pressures. The limited ability of island species to track suitable conditions and their inherent sensitivity to anthropogenic changes make insular biota highly vulnerable to global threats. Although vulnerability assessments of species to single threats individually have been conducted, the vulnerability of island faunas to multiple global change drivers has not. We evaluated the relative vulnerability of 266 insular bird and mammal species from 45 islands in six well-studied archipelagos to multiple threats. We first quantified the current exposure of islands to climate change, land-use change, and biological invasions. We then calculated insular assemblage sensitivity based on species' ecological characteristics, such as diet and habitat specialization, generation length, and geographical rarity. To assess the adaptive capacity of insular species in response to these threats, we examined biotic and abiotic features, such as species' dispersal ability, terrain heterogeneity, and proportion of protected area. Exposure and adaptive capacity markers varied greatly among the six archipelagos, but the mean sensitivity of assemblages was similar across islands. Hawai'i, the Azores, and the Mascarenes had high vulnerability scores. Climate change and biological invasions were dominant threats in Hawai'i, and land-use change was the dominant threat in the Mascarenes, Azores, and Canaries. Assemblages from the Galapagos and Tristan da Cunha had lower vulnerability to current threats. The differences in vulnerability among island assemblages, mostly arising from differences in exposure and adaptive capacity, mean these islands' conservation needs differ. Our results delineate the mechanisms behind the vulnerability of insular biota under global change, a necessary step to effectively preserve island biodiversity and its associated human benefits.},
}

Animals
*Birds/physiology
*Climate Change
*Mammals/physiology
*Conservation of Natural Resources
Islands
*Biodiversity
Introduced Species
Ecosystem
*Animal Distribution

@article {pmid42462967,
year = {2026},
author = {Ng, WH and Myers, CR and McArt, SH and Ellner, SP},
title = {Adjoint sensitivity analysis of nonstandard objective functions.},
journal = {Mathematical biosciences},
volume = {400},
number = {},
pages = {109770},
doi = {10.1016/j.mbs.2026.109770},
pmid = {42462967},
issn = {1879-3134},
abstract = {Adjoint sensitivity analysis (ASA) is an efficient and popular method to calculate the sensitivity of an objective function to changes in the parameters of a dynamic model. ASA has found many applications including parameter estimation, optimal control, and time-dependent sensitivity analysis (TDSA, the sensitivity of an objective function to a time-limited state or parameter perturbation). However, standard ASA assume that the objective functions has the Bolza form typical in optimal control theory, the sum of running and terminal costs. In this paper, we show that this assumption can be relaxed, so that several classes of non-Bolza objective functions of practical interest can still be handled using ASA. These include extremum objectives (e.g., the peak number of active infections during an epidemic) and first passage times (e.g., when the local population density of an invasive organism first exceeds a threshold). Specifically, we show that these and other nonstandard objectives can be replaced by a Bolza objective having exactly the same sensitivities. We illustrate our results using three examples, focusing on applications of ASA to TDSA: a simple epidemic model, a fishery model following a juvenile mass mortality event, and spatial models of invasive species with pulled or pushed invasion fronts.},
}

@article {pmid42465691,
year = {2026},
author = {Newsome, TM and Cairncross, RJ and Meisuria, NY and Finnerty, PB and Spencer, EE},
title = {Spatiotemporal scavenging dynamics of introduced red foxes across distinct Australian ecosystems.},
journal = {Journal of mammalogy},
volume = {107},
number = {1},
pages = {102-113},
pmid = {42465691},
issn = {0022-2372},
abstract = {Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are one of the most widely distributed carnivores globally and are well known to scavenge in their native range. Less is known about the factors influencing Red Fox scavenging in areas where they have been introduced, which limits our ability to make predictions about the role of carrion in supporting their populations. Here, we explore scavenging data from 119 kangaroo carcasses monitored across 3 separate bioregions in Australia (alpine, temperate, and arid) where red foxes have become well-established since their introduction. Carcasses were monitored for 30 d in different seasons (warm and cool) and habitats (open and closed canopy) in each bioregion using camera traps. We characterized Red Fox scavenging activity (i.e., time to first detection, duration of time spent scavenging, and patterns in scavenging activity within the diel cycle) under different environmental scenarios, including in relation to the presence of the Dingo (Canis dingo), a larger competitor. Red foxes visited 65 (55%) of the monitored carcasses, resulting in 781 independent visitation events. Most visitation events occurred in the cool season (81%), and the arid bioregion (62%). Red foxes spent 1.81-fold more time scavenging in the arid bioregion than the alpine bioregion, with no difference in time spent scavenging between the alpine and temperate bioregions. Red foxes were also detected at carcasses 2.28-times faster in the arid compared to the alpine bioregion, with times to Red Fox detection similar at carcasses in the alpine and temperate bioregions. In contrast, time to detection at carcasses by dingoes were 0.41-times slower in the arid than the alpine bioregion, but 4.87-times faster in the temperate than the alpine bioregion. Red foxes also exhibited differences in their daily peak activity at carcasses across habitats in the temperate and arid bioregions and also in response to the presence of dingoes, with daily peaks in Red Fox scavenging activity before and after daily peak Dingo activity in the arid and temperate bioregions, but to a lesser extent in the alpine bioregion. These results suggest that red foxes make extensive use of carcasses in Australia, especially in cool seasons and in less productive arid bioregions. The results also suggest that red foxes avoid dingoes, indicated by differences in temporal patterns of carcass resource use. These results are useful for determining when and where carcasses may be supporting invasive Red Fox populations in Australia, and more broadly, enhance our understanding of how red foxes may opportunistically exploit carrion worldwide.},
}

@article {pmid42466529,
year = {2026},
author = {Shan, Q and Xu, F and Wu, M and Zhou, H and Mei, H and Lin, J and Ma, L and Li, L and Liu, S and Zhai, X and Yin, Y},
title = {Residue Kinetics and Dietary Risk Assessment of Diazepam and Its Metabolites in Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella): Implications for Aquaculture Safety.},
journal = {Journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/jvp.70097},
pmid = {42466529},
issn = {1365-2885},
support = {2026CXTD18//Modern Agricultural Industrial Technology System of Guangdong Province/ ; },
abstract = {Diazepam (DZP), a benzodiazepine sedative, has been increasingly detected in various aquatic products including fish, shrimp, and crab in recent surveillance studies, raising public health concerns. This study systematically investigates the residue behavior, metabolite profile, and dietary risk of DZP in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) following oral administration at a dose of 500 μg/kg body weight. Concentrations of DZP and its metabolites in plasma and tissues were determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and the drug concentration-time data were fitted using a non-compartmental model embedded in WinNonLin 6.1 pharmacokinetic software. The results indicate that DZP exhibits prolonged elimination kinetics, with tissue elimination half-lives (T1/2λz) ranging from 309.44 to 509.75 h, and residues in skin-on muscle did not fall below the limit of quantification until 98 days. Metabolite analysis identified nordiazepam as the primary metabolite, with its concentration surpassing that of the parent compound by Day 21 post-administration, establishing it as a reliable residue marker for DZP in grass carp. The peak human health risk index (HRI) value was 0.392 on Day 4, remaining above the alert threshold (HRI ≥ 0.1) for 21 days, though all values remained below the safety limit (HRI < 1). These findings provide critical data to support the regulation of aquaculture practices and the assessment of dietary exposure risks associated with DZP-contaminated aquatic products.},
}

@article {pmid42468573,
year = {2026},
author = {Booth, W and Veera Singham, G},
title = {Editorial overview: Integrating Evolutionary, Ecological, and Technological Frontiers in a Rapidly Changing World.},
journal = {Current opinion in insect science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {101580},
doi = {10.1016/j.cois.2026.101580},
pmid = {42468573},
issn = {2214-5753},
abstract = {Resistance in pest species is no longer confined to classical genetic mechanisms or agricultural landscapes; instead, it emerges from a multilayered interplay of ecology, behavior, microbiomes, dispersal networks, and human-built environments. Across the manuscripts in this issue, a unifying picture emerges: urbanization and indoor environments act as powerful evolutionary arenas, shaping how pests invade, persist, and adapt to chemical, biological, and environmental pressures. Recent work on indoor pests, including cockroaches, bed bugs, and rodents, reveals how monitoring technologies, behavioral ecology, and microbe-mediated processes influence early detection and resistance management. Studies of long-distance dispersal in mosquitoes demonstrate how human transport networks accelerate the spread of adaptive alleles, including insecticide resistance, while creating spatial mosaics of selection within cities. Research on invasive termites, social wasps, and ants highlights how bridgehead effects, supercoloniality, and urban adaptation interact with microbial symbionts to shape invasion success and resistance trajectories. Meanwhile, emerging insights into microbiome-mediated detoxification show that resistance can arise not only from host genomes but also from microbial metabolism, epigenetic modulation, and environmentally structured microbial communities. Together, these contributions illustrate that pest resistance is an inherently cross-scale phenomenon, from genes and symbionts to cities and global trade routes. By integrating perspectives from molecular biology, invasion ecology, urban entomology, and microbial symbiosis, this issue reframes resistance as a dynamic, multi-dimensional process shaped by human behavior and built environments. Understanding these shared mechanisms is essential for predicting future resistance threats and designing sustainable, evolution-informed management strategies across indoor, urban, and global contexts.},
}

@article {pmid42470195,
year = {2026},
author = {Pallard, J and Jardine, T and Poesch, MS},
title = {Resource use by threatened, native Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the presence of two non-native salmonids.},
journal = {Journal of fish biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/jfb.70578},
pmid = {42470195},
issn = {1095-8649},
support = {//University of Alberta/ ; },
abstract = {Introduction of non-native species contributes to the global decline of freshwater fishes by disrupting the diet and resources of native species through competition. Despite the potential for non-native trout (Family: Salmonidae) to compete with native trout, non-native trout species have been widely introduced worldwide to support recreational fishing. In this study, we examined resource use by native Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus), a Threatened species, and non-native Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) in headwater streams in Alberta, Canada. Our objective was to investigate potential for competition and its implications for Bull Trout populations. To assess changes in diet, we used stable isotope analysis. Brook Trout and Brown Trout had higher trophic positions (3.49 ± 0.02 and 3.53 ± 0.02) and greater proportions of terrestrial resources in their diets (0.53 ± 0.02, 0.54 ± 0.03) than Bull Trout (TP = 3.38 ± 0.02, proportion terrestrial = 0.36 ± 0.02), suggesting the non-native species may outcompete Bull Trout for preferred resources and larger prey. Moreover, a relatively wide isotopic niche of Bull Trout led to a lack of niche partitioning and substantial overlap in niche utilization between sympatric Brook Trout and Bull Trout, supporting the potential for future niche displacement, particularly in scenarios where resources are scarce. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring and managing the invasion of non-native salmonids in streams where native salmonid populations exist, and the challenges in understanding multi-species interactions in dynamic habitats. It highlights the need for effective fisheries management and conservation efforts in regions where native freshwater fishes are facing population declines.},
}

@article {pmid42472705,
year = {2026},
author = {Worku, A and Anbes, Y and Abere, F and Kefale, T and Tadele, H and Genet, A and Tazebew, E},
title = {Biomass carbon stocks and sequestration potential of remnant forests in the subtropical highlands of Ethiopia.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-62667-0},
pmid = {42472705},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {Forest fragmentation and anthropogenic disturbances adversely affect carbon sequestration by reducing forest structural integrity, biomass accumulation, and ecosystem functioning in tropical landscapes. In the northwestern Ethiopian highlands, forests persist mainly as highly fragmented remnants; however, the extent to which fragmentation alters their carbon sequestration potential remains insufficiently quantified. This study assessed the effects of forest patch size and disturbance intensity on carbon stocks across aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, litter, and soil organic carbon pools. Data were collected using 20 m × 20 m plots for trees, with nested 5 m × 5 m subplots for shrubs and litter. A total of 71 woody species belonging to 33 families were recorded across small, medium, and large forest patches. Large forest patches stored significantly (p < 0.05) higher carbon stocks, with 588.3 Mg CO2e ha[-1] in biomass, 2.72 Mg CO2e ha[-1] in litter, and 580.8 Mg CO2e ha[-1] in soil organic carbon, compared with medium and small patches. Carbon stocks were positively associated with forest patch area and negatively with disturbance intensity. Protecting large forest patches, restoring degraded forest fragments, and improving landscape connectivity will be essential policy measures for enhancing carbon sequestration and maintaining ecosystem integrity in fragmented tropical landscapes.},
}

@article {pmid42475367,
year = {2026},
author = {Anton, A and Paoletti, S and Cucala-Garcia, L and Morell, C and Muñiz-Quintana, S},
title = {Expansion of the exotic macroalga Batophora occidentalis in Posidonia oceanica meadows and other native benthic habitats.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {21},
number = {7},
pages = {e0338173},
pmid = {42475367},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {*Alismatales/growth & development ; *Ecosystem ; *Introduced Species ; Biomass ; *Seaweed/growth & development ; Spain ; *Chlorophyta/growth & development ; Plant Leaves ; },
abstract = {Marine invasive macroalgae can be detrimental to native ecosystems. The exotic green macroalga Batophora occidentalis was first reported in 2020 in Estany des Peix lagoon in Formentera (Spain). In 2023 and 2024, our surveys revealed that it had spread to 100% of the surveyed locations within the lagoon. In 2024, B. occidentalis, reached an average cover of 30% in Cymodocea nodosa meadows and 26% in Caulerpa prolifera meadows, with respective biomasses of 52 g m [-] 2 and 44 g m [-] 2, making it the most abundant macrophyte in these two native benthic habitats. We also found exotic B. occidentalis growing epiphytically on the leaves and rhizomes of Posidonia oceanica within the lagoon, with an average cover of 12% in 2023 and 16% in 2024, and a biomass of 3 g m [-] 2 in 2024. Notably, it covered nearly 25% of the P. oceanica leaf surface and reached up to five times the weight of individual leaves. Alarmingly, we report the presence of a B. occidentalis specimen on a P. oceanica shoot in a nearby meadow outside the lagoon, signalling a potential spread beyond its current range. Additionally, the exotic macroalgae colonized various natural and hard substrates, including boat hulls, as it was growing on nearly 20% of boats anchored in the only marina in the lagoon. With this study, we aim to encourage prompt action from local and regional governments. We may be witnessing the early stages of a broader expansion of this exotic alga, highlighting a critical moment to implement early management measures such as monitoring, and, where possible, containment within the lagoon.},
}

*Alismatales/growth & development
*Ecosystem
*Introduced Species
Biomass
*Seaweed/growth & development
Spain
*Chlorophyta/growth & development
Plant Leaves

@article {pmid42477063,
year = {2026},
author = {Brehm, J and Diller, JGP and Schwarzer, M and Breu, J and Laforsch, C},
title = {Life-stage dependent responses to microplastics and 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone in Daphnia magna.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42477063},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Animals ; *Daphnia magna/drug effects/growth & development ; *Naphthoquinones/toxicity ; *Microplastics/toxicity ; *Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity ; },
abstract = {Multiple stressors threaten freshwater ecosystems, including microplastic pollution and invasive species. The invasive Himalayan balsam, Impatiens glandulifera, releases allelochemicals, such as 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (2-MNQ), that can enter aquatic systems via runoff. While microplastics affect aquatic organisms and can alter the fate of chemical stressors, the effects of co-exposure with plant-derived allelochemicals remain largely unexplored. Using Daphnia magna, we investigated the single and combined effects of well-characterized microplastic fragments (PA 66 and PS; 500 and 1000 particles/mL) and 2-MNQ (0.75 mg/L) under chronic exposure, with kaolinite as a natural particle control. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy indicated that dissolved 2-MNQ concentrations declined over time in particle-free conditions, whereas the presence of particles influenced the detectable dissolved fraction. Biological responses differed across life stages. At primiparity, particle exposure reduced body length, whereas 2-MNQ and co-exposure showed no significant effects. In contrast, after 21 days, effects shifted towards 2-MNQ-containing treatments, which reduced body length and affected reproductive output, particularly during later broods. These findings demonstrate that the effects of microplastics and 2-MNQ are not static but shift over time, with particle-driven effects dominating early responses and combined effects becoming more relevant during prolonged exposure, potentially affecting long-term population dynamics.},
}

Animals
*Daphnia magna/drug effects/growth & development
*Naphthoquinones/toxicity
*Microplastics/toxicity
*Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity

@article {pmid42479113,
year = {2026},
author = {Wright, MG and Au, MG},
title = {Resident Parasitoids and Biotic Resistance to Invasive Species in Hawai'i, and Implications for Biological Control Programs.},
journal = {Neotropical entomology},
volume = {55},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42479113},
issn = {1678-8052},
support = {9041H//National Institute of Food and Agriculture/ ; 2024-70006-43562//National Institute of Food and Agriculture/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Introduced Species ; *Pest Control, Biological ; Hawaii ; *Hymenoptera/physiology ; *Insecta/parasitology ; },
abstract = {Hawai'i is subject to disproportionately high rates of biological invasion, including adventive insects. These alien species have been the targets of numerous biological control efforts. The contribution of native species preventing adventives from becoming invasive has received little attention. We analyzed numbers of invasive species utilized by native parasitoids, showing that resident natural enemies infrequently attack alien species, but in some cases, exert significant population control. Purposefully introduced biological control agents likely also contribute to mitigating new invasions. Certain taxa, such as Coleoptera, should be considered priority targets for importation biological control, as they appear highly unlikely to accumulate resident natural enemies.},
}

Animals
*Introduced Species
*Pest Control, Biological
Hawaii
*Hymenoptera/physiology
*Insecta/parasitology

@article {pmid42480304,
year = {2026},
author = {van Rees, CB and VanBuren, C and Han, LA and Altieri, A and Bilskie, M and Byers, JE and Calabria, J and Chambers, ML and Coleman, DJ and Foster, K and Leit, A and Nelson, A and Streb, C and Suedel, B and Wenger, SJ and Woodson, CB},
title = {Eight recommendations to enhance biodiversity outcomes of nature-based solutions at multiple scales.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {414},
number = {},
pages = {130518},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130518},
pmid = {42480304},
issn = {1095-8630},
abstract = {Ambitions to mainstream Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and achieve global implementation are hampered by the lack of transdisciplinary integration across disciplines and practice. Ecological knowledge, including an understanding of how biodiversity can support, and be supported by, NbS design and implementation remains an under-studied component of the NbS concept despite its critical importance. Starting with a brief primer on the major roles that biodiversity plays in NbS performance, we present eight recommendations for enhancing biodiversity in NbS planning and implementation. This narrative expert synthesis draws from an interdisciplinary literature search and decades of experience across landscape ecology, environmental engineering, urban planning, wildlife management, ecological restoration, and conservation science. Recommendations emphasize the importance of considering the ecological mechanisms that support biodiversity (i.e., viable populations of coexisting species) and understanding the role of organismal life history, species interactions, habitat preferences, and metapopulation dynamics in determining NbS features' ecological resilience and contributions to biodiversity enhancement (i.e., IUCN Global Standard Criterion 3). We also emphasize the importance of assessing biodiversity across spatial scales and dimensions (e.g., functional, phylogenetic) and monitoring and ecological management for anticipating and adapting to unexpected outcomes, invasive species, and ecosystem dis-services. This review is intended to increase connections between ecological science, conservation biology, and NbS implementation to support more biodiverse projects with more robust, resilient, and multifunctional performance and greater contributions to global conservation.},
}

@article {pmid42480503,
year = {2026},
author = {Payet, RD and Kabir, SMT and Morales-Florez, A and Rose, AME and Bilham, LJ and Graham, ME and Owen, C and Knowles, LS and Liu, X and Azizah, M and Pohnert, G and Davy, AJ and Todd, JD and Miller, JB},
title = {The saltmarsh cordgrass Spartina anglica has novel genomic features that contribute to abiotic stress tolerance.},
journal = {Journal of experimental botany},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jxb/erag363},
pmid = {42480503},
issn = {1460-2431},
abstract = {The allododecaploid cordgrass Spartina anglica thrives in saltmarshes, where it grows vigorously despite facing extreme environmental stresses. S. anglica was formed through a genome duplication of an infertile hybrid in ∼1870, and is today listed amongst 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. Here we use long-read sequencing to provide a genomic sequence of S. anglica and undertake a detailed transcriptomic analysis of different S. anglica tissues. We demonstrate that S. anglica has undergone at least two whole genome duplication events and exhibits segmental allopolyploidy. We also show that S. anglica has evolved novel mechanisms to tolerate abiotic stress, including expansion and neofunctionalization of genes involved in sucrose synthesis, detoxification of reactive oxygen species and heavy metals, and calcium signalling associated with salt, ionic and nutrient stress. Furthermore, we demonstrate that S. anglica produces a diverse array of osmolytes, including dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), and reveal that a retrotransposon with a unique 55 bp insertion causes high-level expression of the DMSP-amine oxidase (DOX) gene and contributes to the exceptionally high levels of DMSP production in S. anglica. Together this work highlights the specialised genomic, transcriptomic and biochemical adaptations that S. anglica has evolved to tolerate severe abiotic stresses in saltmarshes.},
}

@article {pmid42481060,
year = {2026},
author = {Ma, C and Xu, B and Patima, W and Zhang, G and Huang, C and Zhang, Y and Wan, F},
title = {Genome-wide characterization and transcriptional responses of Tuta absoluta glutathione S-transferases to chlorantraniliprole and spinetoram.},
journal = {Journal of insect science (Online)},
volume = {26},
number = {4},
pages = {},
pmid = {42481060},
issn = {1536-2442},
support = {110202401016(LS-06//Major Special Projects for Green Pest Control/ ; 2025YFC2609100//National Key Research and Development Program/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *ortho-Aminobenzoates/pharmacology ; *Glutathione Transferase/genetics/metabolism ; *Insecticides/pharmacology ; *Moths/genetics/drug effects/enzymology/metabolism ; *Macrolides/pharmacology ; Phylogeny ; Insecticide Resistance/genetics ; *Insect Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Amino Acid Sequence ; },
abstract = {Tuta absoluta is a major invasive pest of Solanaceous crops, largely managed through chemical interventions. Despite its economic importance, the genomic landscape of its detoxification machinery remains poorly understood. We performed a genome-wide identification of 23 GST genes (TabsGSTs) in T. absoluta, characterized by amino acid lengths of 147-289 aa and a predominantly 1- or 5-exon genomic architecture (∼65%). The identification of four tandemly arranged gene clusters highlights potential evolutionary hotspots for insecticide resistance. Phylogenetic analysis categorized these genes into seven subfamilies, with the lineage-specific expansion of the Epsilon class indicating its key role in xenobiotic metabolism. Transcriptional profiling revealed divergent responses to insecticides: chlorantraniliprole exposure (LC50) largely failed to induce TabsGST expression, whereas spinetoram LC50 treatment triggered significant upregulation of TabsGSTe6 and TabsGSTu1. This study elucidates the molecular characteristics and expression dynamics of the GST family in T. absoluta, offering vital molecular targets for resistance monitoring and the design of targeted control measures.},
}

Animals
*ortho-Aminobenzoates/pharmacology
*Glutathione Transferase/genetics/metabolism
*Insecticides/pharmacology
*Moths/genetics/drug effects/enzymology/metabolism
*Macrolides/pharmacology
Phylogeny
Insecticide Resistance/genetics
*Insect Proteins/genetics/metabolism
Amino Acid Sequence

@article {pmid42483542,
year = {2026},
author = {Rayfield, KM and Cooke, SB and Mychajliw, AM and Turvey, ST and Upham, N and Vaccaro, S and Dávalos, LM},
title = {Interactions between intrinsic and extrinsic factors shape island bat survival and extirpation in a global extinction hotspot.},
journal = {Evolutionary journal of the Linnean Society},
volume = {5},
number = {1},
pages = {kzag014},
pmid = {42483542},
issn = {2752-938X},
abstract = {Caribbean islands are hotspots of mammalian biodiversity and extinction where only a few intermediate-sized non-volant species survived. Despite numerous extirpations and extinctions, how body size (intrinsic trait) or island features (extrinsic environmental variables) contribute to the survival and extirpation of 479 Caribbean bat populations is poorly known. We used phylogenetic hierarchical models to impute missing body mass data for several fossil species and then to model extirpation probability as a function of intrinsic traits and extrinsic variables. We found smaller- and larger-sized bat species had higher rates of survival than intermediate-sized ones; elevation increased, island size decreased this curvilinear survival probability, and deforestation decreased overall survival. We propose that: (i) flight constrains body size such that bats are prey to introduced species but larger bats can better recolonize islands, yielding a pattern of greater survival at larger sizes, (ii) undersampling of bat populations on small islands and the diversity of introduced species on larger islands explains the interaction with island size, and (iii) deforestation reflects centuries of long-standing biotic reconstruction that transformed island landscapes. Our findings highlight the primacy of body mass and its interaction with extrinsic variables in explaining Caribbean bat extirpations with broader implications for island biogeography, evolution, and conservation.},
}

@article {pmid42484553,
year = {2026},
author = {Jeannot, LL and Dunn, RE and Velos, MJP and Williams, GJ and Benkwitt, CE and Graham, NAJ and Brandl, SJ},
title = {Contrasting cryptofaunal responses to seabird nutrient inputs illuminate coral reef productivity pathways.},
journal = {Ecology},
volume = {107},
number = {7},
pages = {e70453},
pmid = {42484553},
issn = {1939-9170},
support = {//Bertarelli Foundation/ ; 2210200//National Science Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Invertebrates/physiology ; *Coral Reefs ; *Fishes/physiology ; *Birds/physiology ; *Nutrients/metabolism ; Food Chain ; },
abstract = {Nutrients moving across ecosystems can propagate through food webs via distinct trophic pathways. Their integration into food webs is often mediated by small, abundant taxa that channel subsidies from primary producers to higher trophic levels. On coral reefs, cryptobenthic fishes and invertebrates can fill these roles, yet their responses to allochthonous nutrients are poorly understood. We compared cryptofaunal communities and associated trophic dynamics across nutrient-rich islands with intact seabird populations and nutrient-poor rat-infested islands in the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean. Specifically, we evaluated how the presence of seabird colonies influenced cryptofaunal nutrient assimilation, biomass, structure, and isotopic niche dynamics, and how these shifts propagated to mesopredators and higher order piscivorous and invertivorous fishes. Most cryptobenthic fishes and some invertebrates showed nutrient enrichment near seabird colonies. Although the isotopic niches of cryptobenthic fishes and invertebrates overlapped, niche widths diverged in nutrient-rich environments, with invertebrates exhibiting broader niches and cryptobenthic fishes remaining comparatively constrained, reflecting differential access to shared resources. Mixing models also reflected a shift toward cryptobenthic fishes in the diet of a mixed carnivore near seabird colonies. Community patterns revealed strong asymmetries: Nutrient-rich reefs supported twice the amount of cryptobenthic fish biomass and a 10-fold increase in larger piscivorous fish productivity, while reefs near rat-infested islands were characterized by relatively greater cryptic invertebrate biomass and higher invertivore productivity. Taken together, these results suggest that cryptobenthic fishes' capacity to capitalize on seabird nutrients may allow them to exert competitive dominance and top-down control over invertebrates in nutrient-rich environments, thereby amplifying piscivorous pathways, while nutrient-poor environments appear to favor invertebrates and their consumers. Rather than reflecting uniform biomass loss under rat invasion, these patterns indicate a shift in trophic routing from fish-mediated to invertebrate-mediated energy channels. Our findings demonstrate that cross-ecosystem nutrient vectors do not simply enhance reef productivity but reorganize trophic structure. Therefore, invasive species that sever these linkages can drive the emergence of alternative food-web configurations with distinct energetic pathways.},
}

Animals
*Invertebrates/physiology
*Coral Reefs
*Fishes/physiology
*Birds/physiology
*Nutrients/metabolism
Food Chain

@article {pmid42485514,
year = {2026},
author = {Cross, PC and Lowrey, B and Kauffman, M and Merrill, E},
title = {Predicting disease spread from host movement data: Chronic wasting disease in North America as a case study.},
journal = {The Journal of animal ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.70310},
pmid = {42485514},
issn = {1365-2656},
support = {//U.S. Geological Survey/ ; },
abstract = {Rare long-distance movements can increase the spatial spread of invasive species and shifts in species ranges. For wildlife disease spread, however, seasonal migrations may only matter if they lead to transmission to individuals using different seasonal ranges, and the importance of juvenile dispersal depends on whether those juveniles are infected before they disperse. High-resolution animal movement data are increasing, but it is unclear how to leverage these data to improve predictions of future disease spread particularly in regions without pre-existing movement data. We predicted the speed of chronic wasting disease (CWD) spread based on movement metrics of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and compared our predictions to observed spreading rates in North America from 2005 to 2022. We hypothesized that CWD should spread faster in regions with long-distance migratory mule deer, but this hypothesis was only partially supported. Observed rates of CWD spread were faster in western epicentres with more mobile mule deer than in epicentres with only white-tailed deer (14-18 km/year compared with 5-7 km/year, respectively). However, the observed speed of CWD spread did not align well with migration distances. Deer movements in the Canadian Prairie Provinces were far shorter than those in Colorado and Wyoming, yet Canadian Prairie Provinces had faster CWD spread, and, much of that spread was in open prairies where deer movements tend to be along riverine corridors rather than the longer elevational migrations in more montane regions. Generally, our predicted rates of CWD spread from three different models were slower than the observed rates regardless of whether the model included dispersal or migration. Understanding these discrepancies is needed before high-resolution animal movement data can be used to predict broad-scale patterns of disease invasion. Anthropogenic movements likely explain longer distance movements of CWD across North America, but it remains unclear whether human-mediated movements or alternative analytical methods and deer movement metrics can explain the faster than predicted local CWD spread.},
}

@article {pmid42450560,
year = {2026},
author = {Castriota, L and Perzia, P},
title = {Spatial Patterns of the Marine Alien Gastropod Rapana venosa Invasion Across the Black Sea, Mediterranean, and Atlantic Europe.},
journal = {Biology},
volume = {15},
number = {13},
pages = {},
pmid = {42450560},
issn = {2079-7737},
abstract = {The invasion of the marine alien gastropod Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) across different basins is investigated through a spatiotemporal analysis of distribution patterns, aggregation processes, and spatial structure. Occurrence data from scientific literature and citizen science were integrated with GIS-based spatial statistics to compare invasion dynamics in the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and Northwest Europe. The Black Sea represents the most advanced invasion stage, characterized by extensive distribution, multiple aggregation zones, and strong associations with brackish, nutrient-rich areas influenced by major river outflows. In the Mediterranean, the invasion has progressed from a prolonged establishment phase to a recent acceleration, with the Adriatic Sea acting as the historical core of expansion. Here, persistent populations are concentrated near the Po River delta and lagoon systems, where reduced salinity and high nutrient loads favor both settlement and long-term persistence. In Northwest Europe, R. venosa remains in the establishment phase, forming a compact and localized nucleus along the French Atlantic coast without evidence of broad spatial expansion. Our analyses suggest that environmental factors, particularly salinity gradients and riverine inputs, are possibly related to the observed invasion patterns. Transitional coastal environments emerge as important areas for establishment and subsequent spread, suggesting that monitoring efforts should prioritize these environments.},
}

@article {pmid42450574,
year = {2026},
author = {Darrigran, G and Damborenea, C and Penchaszadeh, P and Colautti, D and Maroñas, M and Gutiérrez Gregoric, DE},
title = {Same Habitat, Different Responses: Population Dynamics of Two Sympatric Invader Corbicula Species.},
journal = {Biology},
volume = {15},
number = {13},
pages = {},
pmid = {42450574},
issn = {2079-7737},
abstract = {Invasive species require long-term characterization of their shifting population dynamics to understand their environmental impacts and socio-economic effects. The dynamics of freshwater bivalves depend on their biology, which is influenced by the vulnerability of the ecosystems. This study evaluates the coexistence of Corbicula fluminea and C. largillierti in a stream in the Argentine Pampa, integrating density, size, and reproduction. In this stream, characterized by a temperate climate and hydrological fluctuations, live specimens of both species were sampled monthly using a 0.07 m[2] cylinder. The anteroposterior length of each specimen was measured, and size distributions were analyzed by decomposing normal modes using the least-squares method. Gonadal cycles were compared with data from the previous literature. Since 2004, C. fluminea has dominated the system with significantly higher densities. Both species exhibited contrasting reproductive cycles. Hydrological instability in the stream limited both species. C. fluminea dominated due to its greater resilience and longevity under stress. In contrast, C. largillierti prioritized initial rapid growth, making it more sensitive to fluctuations. These results highlight that environmental instability conditions invasive success and interspecific competition in freshwater systems.},
}

@article {pmid42453725,
year = {2026},
author = {Yu, F and Tang, X and Liu, Q and Maimaiti, M and Chen, J},
title = {YOLO-ACBG: an enhanced deep learning model for precision monitoring of wheat stripe rust using different vegetation indices.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {17},
number = {},
pages = {1849651},
pmid = {42453725},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {Wheat stripe rust (WSR) is a fungal disease that significantly impacts wheat yield and quality. Pathogen-induced pigment degradation and cellular structural damage cause specific reflectance variations, notably, an increase in the red band due to reduced chlorophyll absorption and a concurrent decrease in the near-infrared (NIR) band caused by mesophyll tissue collapse. These physiological changes drive nonlinear shifts in spectral vegetation indices, which can serve as effective indicators for precise disease monitoring. These physiological changes drove nonlinear shifts in spectral vegetation indices, which can serve as effective indicators for precise disease monitoring. To enable precise monitoring of wheat stripe rust in the field, this study constructed 13 datasets corresponding to specific vegetation indices and performed a comparative analysis, identifying Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) as the optimal index for detecting wheat stripe rust. The results on different vegetation index datasets demonstrate that the mean Average Precision at IoU threshold 0.5 (mAP@50) of NDVI achieved 92.11%, which is 6.06% higher than RGB. To further improve model performance in identification by fully leveraging information from vegetation indices, this study proposed a model named YOLO-ADown+ConvFormer+BiLevelRoutingAttention+CGLU (YOLO-ACBG), improved from the YOLO-ADown+ConvFormer (YOLO-AC) model, which demonstrates better performance in WSR monitoring and can be deployed on edge device. This model introduced a Bi-Level Routing Attention mechanism and further integrates a convolutional gated linear unit into the C3K2_ConvFormer module. The results on NDVI datasets demonstrate that YOLO-ACBG achieves an mAP@50 of 94.12%, which is 2.01% higher than YOLO-AC; the recall is 88.59%, representing a 3.83% improvement over YOLO-AC. These results suggest that the YOLO-ACBG model can precisely monitor wheat stripe rust in the field, providing guidance for the precise prevention and control of plant disease.},
}

@article {pmid42456810,
year = {2026},
author = {Villadangos, S and Mesa, T and Boyano-Casimiro, L and Munné-Bosch, S},
title = {Improving tomato production while preserving fruit quality with Carpobrotus edulis extract as a biostimulant: A valorization approach for an invasive plant species.},
journal = {Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology},
volume = {371},
number = {},
pages = {113325},
doi = {10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113325},
pmid = {42456810},
issn = {1873-2259},
abstract = {Valorizing invasive plant biomass in the agricultural sector offers a sustainable strategy for environmental mitigation and resource recovery within a circular-economy framework. Carpobrotus edulis, an invasive species currently managed through manual removal in Mediterranean-type ecosystems, represents an underutilized source of bioactive compounds for the development of plant-based biostimulants. This study evaluated the efficacy of an aqueous acetone extract of C. edulis leaves, obtained from invasive biomass cleared from an invaded natural area, to enhance yield and fruit quality in tomato (cv. Moneymaker). Greenhouse-grown plants were sprayed with either the extract or a control application at the fruit set stage, followed by a reinforcement dose one week later. We evaluated fruit production, ripening, and fruit organoleptic traits at harvest. Moreover, the impact of preharvest application on postharvest tomato ripening rate and its quality was also assessed. Results showed that biostimulant application of C. edulis extract, a natural source of salicylic acid and melatonin, increased the number of fruits per plant and significantly accelerated on-vine ripening without compromising fruit quality at harvest or after postharvest ripening. Furthermore, the advantages, limitations, and mitigation strategies for the real-world application of this extract as a biostimulant are discussed. These findings highlight the potential of C. edulis biomass as a valuable resource for developing biostimulants, transforming an environmental management waste into a high-value agricultural input.},
}

@article {pmid42458115,
year = {2026},
author = {Rubio-Godoy, M and Mattiucci, S and Pérez-Ponce de León, G},
title = {Parasites of fish and other aquatic organisms in the Anthropocene.},
journal = {Parasitology research},
volume = {125},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42458115},
issn = {1432-1955},
mesh = {Animals ; *Fishes/parasitology ; Ecosystem ; Climate Change ; *Parasites/isolation & purification ; *Aquatic Organisms/parasitology ; Introduced Species ; *Fish Diseases/parasitology ; },
abstract = {The Anthropocene is the most recent period in Earth's history and is characterized by humankind-driven alterations to all ecosystems. Climate change, pollution, overfishing, invasive species and habitat degradation continue to reshape aquatic ecosystems, and like all living organisms in our changing world, parasites are likely to be affected at different levels. This Collection features research and review papers on some of these topics: parasites co-introduced with their fish hosts illustrate that biological invasions must be studied case-by-case, as some fish hosts lose their parasites upon translocation (enemy release), some pass them on to the invaded ecosystems (overspill) and some acquire -and sometimes amplify- native parasites (spillback), regardless of the time frame, as illustrated in studies of parasites co-introduced from 150 to 15 years ago. Biological information is a powerful tool to predict and prevent the spread of invasive/pathogenic species, and while this Collection provides baseline data for several introduced parasites, it also features practical proposals to control pathogenic/zoonotic species. Climate change and habitat alterations also exert a powerful influence on parasite populations - which likewise, must be studied individually, as some species decline and/or modify their distribution markedly (leading to hybridization and potentially speciation of previously separated taxa), while others benefit from the modified environment, are able to invade new hosts and/or become more infective or pathogenic. Parasites play different ecosystemic roles and are finely-tuned bioindicators of anthropogenic impact in freshwater ecosystems, and this Collection highlights the notion that they should be integrated in public health and conservation initiatives.},
}

Animals
*Fishes/parasitology
Ecosystem
Climate Change
*Parasites/isolation & purification
*Aquatic Organisms/parasitology
Introduced Species
*Fish Diseases/parasitology

@article {pmid42461442,
year = {2026},
author = {Adrian-Kalchhauser, I and Bussmann-Charran, K and N'Guyen, A and Hirsch, PE and Wiegleb, J and Bergmann, L and Burkhardt-Holm, P},
title = {Factors Supporting Translational, Participatory Ecology Projects-Observations from Ten Years of Collaborative Research on Invasive Fish.},
journal = {Environmental management},
volume = {76},
number = {8},
pages = {},
pmid = {42461442},
issn = {1432-1009},
mesh = {Animals ; *Fishes ; *Introduced Species ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/methods ; *Ecology ; },
abstract = {Translational participatory research for environmental management occupies a demanding space at the interface of societal needs and academic research. Projects in this space usually face the challenge of reconciling stakeholder involvement and real-world applicability with academic career requirements such as excellence in fundamental research and the attraction of substantial research funds. Here, we share our experiences from a 12-year translational participatory research initiative on the management of invasive gobies in central Europe. We describe the project, synthesize inputs, outputs, and outcomes, and summarize conditions and practices across political, administrative, societal, institutional, team, and individual levels that we found important and beneficial in our attempts to produce both academic and applied outcomes. Our impression is that an interaction of factors across these levels created windows of opportunity, and that the team constellation and setting allowed us to seize these opportunities for the sake of both scientific progress and societal impact. By reflecting from the perspective of a multidisciplinary group of natural scientists directly engaged in such a project, we aim to contribute a personal account to social science frameworks on translational, participatory, inter- and transdisciplinary research. Our retrospective potentially can inform policy makers, funders, and institutions who seek to create enabling environments for interface research, and is helpful to fellow natural scientists who want to prepare the ground for their own translational participatory research initiatives.},
}

Animals
*Fishes
*Introduced Species
*Conservation of Natural Resources/methods
*Ecology

@article {pmid42448355,
year = {2026},
author = {Feldmann, P and Heleno, RH and Mieles, AE and Andrade, M and Traveset, A and Jäger, H and Donoso, I},
title = {The forest within the forest: restoration of Galapagos host-epiphyte networks.},
journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
volume = {293},
number = {2075},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2025.2538},
pmid = {42448355},
issn = {1471-2954},
support = {//María de Maeztu Excellence Unit/ ; //HORIZON EUROPE European Research Council/ ; //Ikerbasque Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {*Forests ; Introduced Species ; Biodiversity ; Ecuador ; *Conservation of Natural Resources ; *Environmental Restoration and Remediation ; Trees ; },
abstract = {Ecosystem restoration is increasingly implemented to mitigate biodiversity loss. Epiphytes represent up to a third of tropical plant diversity and perform key ecosystem functions. Yet, they are highly vulnerable to deforestation and their recovery under restoration remains understudied. We evaluated the effect of invasive plant removal on host-structurally dependent plant (SDP) interactions in the endemic and endangered Scalesia pedunculata forest on Santa Cruz Island (Galapagos). We considered the full assemblage of SDPs, including obligate, facultative, accidental epiphytes and other phorophyte-associated plants such as vines and lianas. Using 20 paired 10 × 10 m plots (invaded versus 11 years of restoration), we compared interaction network structure, SDP diversity and the main predictors of SDP richness. Network descriptors did not differ between treatments but restored plots supported higher richness. Richness per host increased with moss cover and host tree diameter (DBH) in sites under restoration, indicating improved host suitability. The endemic S. pedunculata was identified as a keystone host, with the highest species strength and degree. However, its lack of regeneration in invaded plots threatens long-term SDP persistence. Our findings demonstrate that restoration enhanced SDP richness by fostering suitable hosts, highlighting the relevance of integrating biotic interactions into restoration planning and monitoring.},
}

*Forests
Introduced Species
Biodiversity
Ecuador
*Conservation of Natural Resources
*Environmental Restoration and Remediation
Trees

@article {pmid42156428,
year = {2026},
author = {Chidege, MY and Ndakidemi, PA and Venkataramana, PB},
title = {Critical thermal thresholds for survival and feeding in the invasive bark beetle Pagiocerus frontalis reveal mechanisms of stored-maize vulnerability.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42156428},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Animals ; *Zea mays/parasitology ; *Coleoptera/physiology ; Temperature ; Introduced Species ; Reproduction ; Feeding Behavior ; *Weevils/physiology ; Hot Temperature ; },
abstract = {Stored grains are highly vulnerable to insect pests, which can cause significant post-harvest losses worldwide. The invasive bark beetle Pagiocerus frontalis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) poses a major threat to maize and avocado seeds, yet the influence of temperature on its biology and damage potential is poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of six constant temperatures (13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33 °C) on survival, development, reproduction, and grain damage. Beetles thrived under moderately warm conditions (21, 25 and 29 °C), with the highest progeny, grain damage, and weight loss at 25 °C, while extreme temperatures (13 or 33 °C) suppressed activity and reproduction. These findings clarify the species' thermal preferences and suggest that controlling storage temperature, either by cooling or heat treatment, could reduce pest-induced losses, providing a sustainable, non-chemical strategy for protecting stored grains. This information can also be incorporated into climate-based predictive models to forecast pest survival, establishment, and potential damage.},
}

Animals
*Zea mays/parasitology
*Coleoptera/physiology
Temperature
Introduced Species
Reproduction
Feeding Behavior
*Weevils/physiology
Hot Temperature

@article {pmid42447081,
year = {2026},
author = {Matas-Granados, L and Trillo, A and Vilà, M},
title = {Non-native plant integration into plant-insect pollinator networks in urban parks.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {21},
number = {7},
pages = {e0353207},
pmid = {42447081},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Pollination/physiology ; *Insecta/physiology ; Biodiversity ; *Introduced Species ; Ecosystem ; *Plants ; *Parks, Recreational ; Cities ; },
abstract = {Pollination sustains biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, yet it is increasingly threatened by biological invasions. Non-native plants frequently integrate into plant-pollinator networks, generating both positive and negative effects on native plants. However, most current knowledge derives from static or short-term studies of communities invaded by a few species, offering limited understanding of plant-pollinator dynamics in systems where many non-native species coexist under favorable environmental conditions. Here, we examined plant-insect pollinator networks in urban green areas of a Mediterranean city as a model system to evaluate the role of non-native plants in structuring plant-pollinator networks over the course of one year. We compared native and non-native plants in terms of (i) species-level parameters (normalized degree, strength, specialization, contribution to nestedness, and module roles), (ii) modularity and co-flowering patterns, (iii) persistence of interactions, and (iv) beta-diversity metrics. Non-native plants showed greater specialization and among-module connectivity, whereas native species exhibited greater species strength and within-module connectivity. Native-non-native pairs within modules co-flowered more often, suggesting simultaneous interactions that may foster both competition and facilitation. In contrast, non-native-non-native pairs displayed asynchronous flowering, potentially sustaining shared pollinators over longer periods and mitigating competition. Despite these differences, both groups contributed similarly to temporal network connectivity, and interaction turnover was unaffected by the proportion of non-native species. Overall, these findings reveal that while native and non-native plants play distinct roles in structuring plant-pollinator networks, they do not differ in their contribution to maintaining temporal connectivity. Our study underscores the importance of incorporating temporal and multispecies approaches when assessing the ecological consequences of biological invasions.},
}

Animals
*Pollination/physiology
*Insecta/physiology
Biodiversity
*Introduced Species
Ecosystem
*Plants
*Parks, Recreational
Cities

@article {pmid42448022,
year = {2026},
author = {Pacioni, C and Danneels, H and Dutrieux, L and Sentís, M and Lens, L and Strubbe, D},
title = {Metabolic responses at sub-thermoneutral temperatures in captive common waxbills (Estrilda astrild).},
journal = {Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {112047},
doi = {10.1016/j.cbpa.2026.112047},
pmid = {42448022},
issn = {1531-4332},
abstract = {Understanding how invasive species cope with novel thermal environments can help clarify the physiological mechanisms supporting establishment and range expansion. Here, we measured resting metabolic rate in captive-bred common waxbills (Estrilda astrild), a successful Afrotropical invader, across ambient temperatures ranging from 11 to 35 °C. We also assessed individual metabolic reaction norms, repeatability, core body temperature and thermal conductance to determine whether birds followed classical thermoregulatory expectations or showed evidence of reduced energetic costs at low temperatures. Metabolic rate showed a non-linear relationship with ambient temperature, with a lower critical temperature at ~28.9 °C and a second inflection at ~18.8 °C. Below this second threshold, metabolic rate levelled off rather than increasing linearly as predicted by the Scholander-Irving model. This pattern coincided with lower thermal conductance at colder temperatures and modest reductions in body temperature, suggesting that the deviation cannot be attributed to metabolic downregulation alone. Individuals differed consistently in overall metabolic level, but showed little evidence of consistent differences in reaction-norm slopes. Together, these results suggest that common waxbills may reduce thermoregulatory costs under mild cold exposure through coordinated physiological adjustments, a flexibility that may contribute to their persistence in cooler invaded environments.},
}

@article {pmid42446146,
year = {2026},
author = {Malfa, KL and Martini, X and Strzyzewski, I and Mc Donnell, R and Esquivel, IL},
title = {Investigation of Bulimulus bonariensis visual preferences to increase trap attraction.},
journal = {Pest management science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ps.71107},
pmid = {42446146},
issn = {1526-4998},
support = {GSGS24-300//Southern SARE/ ; no. 5500-230//Citrus Research Board/ ; FLA-NFC-006275//USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Research Capacity Fund (Hatch)/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Bulimulus bonariensis (Rafinesque, 1833) (Stylommatophora: Bulimulidae) is an invasive terrestrial snail first reported in Florida in 2009 and reached pest status in 2015. The species has significantly impacted multiple agricultural systems, including citrus, cotton and peanuts, disrupting farming practices and reducing yields. The primary control method often involves molluscicides. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop low-cost alternative control mechanisms that reduce risk to nontarget organisms. To develop a novel management system for this snail, we investigated the visual preferences of B. bonariensis.

RESULTS: Data showed that B. bonariensis was attracted to tall, wide and dark supports. This finding led to the design of a new vertical trapping system, which we hypothesized would capture more snails than currently available commercial ground traps. We tested our new Vertical trap in two trials in citrus and cotton-peanut fields. Furthermore, we evaluated a low-impact attractant, bread dough, to increase trap efficiency, and a natural repellent, caffeine, to assess its potential use in an integrated pest management plan. We found that the Vertical trap prompted a strong response from B. bonariensis, resulting in higher capture rates than the commercial trap. However, neither bread dough nor caffeine affected the number of snails captured in traps.

CONCLUSION: We developed a novel trapping system for the invasive ghost snail, relying only on visual cues. This trap could be used for monitoring invasive snails in different cropping systems. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.},
}

@article {pmid42443300,
year = {2026},
author = {Mulu, T and Chala, B and Kassa, Y and N Bhaskarwar, A and Amare, A and Nega, T and Adugna, M and Gedefaw, M and Alem, T and Adgo, T and Waldman, B and Freyer, B and Mustofa, S and Moges, Z and Zewdu, Z and Mulugeta, M and Tibebe, D},
title = {Water hyacinth bio slurry: characterization and application for enhancing soil fertility and teff crop yield.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-61168-4},
pmid = {42443300},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {Organic fertilizers play a crucial role in increasing the amount of soil nutrients and improving crop productivity. They enrich soil health by improving microbial activity and maximizing nutrient release. This study assessed the potential of water hyacinth bioslurry (WHB) as an organic soil enhancement for improving soil fertility and crop productivity. The bioslurry was produced through anaerobic digestion under mesophilic conditions and examined for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), total sulphur (TS), and organic matter (OM) in order to identify the appropriate application rates for each treatment. The six treatments included were control (Teff plot without BS, MF, or mixed), bioslurry one (Teff plot 1000 kg/ha BS added), bioslurry two (Teff plot 2500 kg/ha BS added), bioslurry three (Teff plot 5000 kg/ha BS added), bioslurry four (Teff plot 10000 kg/ha BS added) and mixed fertilizer (Teff plot mineral fertilizer 100 kg MF added) application with different proportion, respectively. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was employed to evaluate the fertilizer potential of Water hyacinth bioslurry (WHB).The study findings show that the yield with medium application (2500 kg/ha BS) added organic fertilizer plots increased 66.6 %, 26.4%-45.33 %, 20.1% yield for Teff (Eragrostis tef) compared to control, high application of bioslurry (BS4) and mixed chemical fertilizer (MF).Compared with the control treatment plots, the organic fertilizer (BS2) treatment significantly increases Organic matter (OM) by 28.42% from the control treatment plots (p ≤ 0.05).The bioslurry's effectiveness as an organic fertilizer is confirmed by the combined XRD, FTIR, and SEM results, which show efficient biodegradation and mineral retention. The water hyacinth bislurry two (BS2) treatment (2,500 kg ha[-][1]) substantially enhanced the fresh biomass (1,240 ± 455.08 g), dry biomass (580 ± 129.95 g), and grain yield (101.67 ± 59.65 g) of teff (Eragrostis tef) at a 95% confidence level (p ≤ 0.05), These results show that water hyacinth bioslurry can serve as a sustainable organic fertilizer, increasing crop yield, improving soil fertility, and contributing in the reduction of an invasive aquatic species.},
}

@article {pmid42069505,
year = {2026},
author = {Skokanová, K and Šingliarová, B and Pulišová, K and Šlenker, M and Španiel, S and Svitok, M and Zozomová-Lihová, J},
title = {Overlooked giants: post-invasion interploidy dynamics of a cryptic cytotype of alien invasive Solidago gigantea (Asteraceae).},
journal = {BMC plant biology},
volume = {26},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42069505},
issn = {1471-2229},
support = {VEGA 2/0024/23//Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences/ ; e-INFRA CZ project (ID:90254)//Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic/ ; },
mesh = {*Introduced Species ; *Polyploidy ; *Solidago/genetics/physiology ; Hybridization, Genetic ; Genetic Variation ; Reproduction ; Genotype ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Novel invasive genotypes can arise through polyploidisation, hybridisation, or gene flow between populations of distinct origins or related species. Solidago gigantea, a notorious European invader, has long been reported exclusively as tetraploid in its invasive range. Recently, mixed-ploidy populations, including tetraploid and pentaploid plants, were discovered; yet the potential role of the novel pentaploid cytotype (and its progeny) in S. gigantea invasions remains poorly understood. This study aims to elucidate the origin of pentaploids and the cytotype and genetic structure of mixed-ploidy populations, characterise the reproductive mode and mating interactions of pentaploid plants, and assess their fitness and potential contribution to invasiveness using relative DNA content screening, ddRADseq population genetics, and reproductive potential and fitness assessments.

RESULTS: Molecular analyses revealed that pentaploids constitute a genetically distinct lineage within S. gigantea. Our results rule out both an autopolyploid origin from the common tetraploid cytotype and an allopolyploid origin via hybridisation with co-occurring native or invasive Solidago species. The pentaploid cytotype reproduces exclusively through clonal propagation; its low genetic variability suggests that the two studied populations may belong to a single extensive clonal genet. Pentaploids produce viable gametes but appear to exhibit strict self-incompatibility, preventing the formation of offspring within the same genotype. However, pentaploid S. gigantea engages in bidirectional mating with co-occurring tetraploid plants, yielding well-developed seeds with offspring ploidy ranging from 4x to 5x (predominantly aneuploid). Despite this cytological variability, progeny from mixed-ploidy populations displayed germination rates and early growth comparable to those from pure tetraploid populations. Notably, at least some tetraploid offspring from 4x-5x crosses successfully established, flowered, and backcrossed with pentaploid plants to produce viable seeds of subsequent introgressed generations.

CONCLUSIONS: The pentaploid cytotype of S. gigantea introduces a new post-invasion dynamic to its invasive populations. Rather than being an evolutionary dead-end, this cytotype may potentially enhance the species' invasiveness through three evolutionary pathways: (1) a highly successful clonal life strategy enabling both local and long-distance spread; (2) genetic enrichment of tetraploid populations via ongoing interploidy crosses; and (3) establishment of novel aneuploid genotypes due to the remarkable tolerance of chromosomal instability observed in S. gigantea.},
}

*Introduced Species
*Polyploidy
*Solidago/genetics/physiology
Hybridization, Genetic
Genetic Variation
Reproduction
Genotype

@article {pmid42144407,
year = {2026},
author = {Lee, M and Kanturski, M and Favret, C and Lee, S},
title = {Integrative study of two invasive North American pine aphids (Cinara atlantica and C. watsoni) in South Korea.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42144407},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {NRF-RS-2025-00561722//National Research Foundation of Korea/ ; NIBR202502202//National Institute of Biological Resources/ ; No. RS-2024-00405751//the Korea government (MSIT)/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Aphids/genetics/physiology/classification ; Republic of Korea ; *Pinus/parasitology ; *Introduced Species ; Haplotypes ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; Seasons ; },
abstract = {This study investigates the seasonal ecology, morphology, and invasion history of the aphids Cinara atlantica and C. watsoni (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae) in South Korea and assesses their potential ecological impacts. Historically, C. atlantica was recorded only on non-native pines, but we provide the first evidence of host expansion to the native pine Pinus densiflora. C. watsoni is recorded for the first time in South Korea on imported pines, indicating a potential risk of spread to native hosts. Field surveys conducted between 2020 and 2025, including monthly monitoring, showed that both species reproduce anholocyclically, with colony densities peaking in June and October-November. Honeydew accumulation promoted sooty mold development, and heavy infestations caused needle yellowing. Morphological redescriptions, DNA barcoding, and haplotype analyses confirmed species identities and revealed minimal genetic divergence between South Korean and Nearctic populations. Shared haplotypes with North American material suggest a recent introduction possibly mediated by international plant trade, although the precise source remains uncertain. These findings highlight the high invasion potential of Cinara species and emphasize the need for strengthened phytosanitary measures and continuous monitoring of conifer-associated aphids in East Asia.},
}

Animals
*Aphids/genetics/physiology/classification
Republic of Korea
*Pinus/parasitology
*Introduced Species
Haplotypes
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
Seasons

@article {pmid42144773,
year = {2026},
author = {Romero, E and Sesé, J and Benito, M and González, R and Soto, A},
title = {Unraveling key biological aspects of Delottococcus aberiae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) to enhance pest management.},
journal = {Journal of insect science (Online)},
volume = {26},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {42144773},
issn = {1536-2442},
support = {//Universitat Politècnica de València/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Female ; *Hemiptera/growth & development/physiology ; Temperature ; Spain ; Male ; Fertility ; Reproduction ; Seasons ; Introduced Species ; },
abstract = {Effective pest management relies on understanding how environmental factors, particularly temperature, influence insect development and population dynamics. The invasive mealybug Delottococcus aberiae (De Lotto) has caused significant damage to citrus crops since its detection in 2009 in eastern Spain; despite this, knowledge of its biology remains limited. To address this gap, we examined key biological traits of D. aberiae across a range of temperatures from 15 to 30 °C. The developmental thresholds of D. aberiae were estimated at 9.4 and 30 °C, with the species performing best under moderate conditions but declining at higher temperatures. D. aberiae required a thermal constant of 730 degree-days to complete 1 generation, corresponding to 4 to 5 generations per year under the climatic conditions of eastern Spain, where the species is established. D. aberiae reproduces exclusively sexually, with peak fertility occurring at 22.5 °C, when females laid an average of 500 eggs and exhibited the largest body sizes. Overall, D. aberiae thrives within the temperature range typical of the Mediterranean basin. Although it shows low tolerance to high temperatures, the developmental thresholds and thermal constant determined in this study indicate that D. aberiae can withstand both winter and summer conditions, allowing populations to persist throughout the year. These findings can be used to predict population peaks, prevent spread to other citrus-producing regions with similar climates, and identify critical developmental stages for intervention, thereby supporting more targeted and effective control strategies.},
}

Animals
Female
*Hemiptera/growth & development/physiology
Temperature
Spain
Male
Fertility
Reproduction
Seasons
Introduced Species

@article {pmid42167720,
year = {2026},
author = {Lin, Y},
title = {Pathogen-Mediated and Emerging Biotechnological strategies for biological control of the invasive giant African snail Lissachatina fulica.},
journal = {Journal of invertebrate pathology},
volume = {218},
number = {},
pages = {108653},
doi = {10.1016/j.jip.2026.108653},
pmid = {42167720},
issn = {1096-0805},
mesh = {Animals ; *Pest Control, Biological/methods ; *Snails/microbiology/parasitology ; *Introduced Species ; *Biotechnology/methods ; },
abstract = {The giant African snail, Lissachatina fulica (Gastropoda: Achatinidae), is one of the world's most destructive invasive mollusks, causing severe agricultural losses and public health risks across tropical and subtropical regions. Chemical molluscicides remain the dominant control method despite well-documented environmental risks, driving demand for sustainable biological alternatives. This review synthesizes research published between 2010 and 2026 on biological control strategies targeting L. fulica, encompassing predatory invertebrates, vertebrate predators, parasitic nematodes, trematode parasites, entomopathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses, and RNAi-based approaches. Host specificity requirements, ecological risks, regulatory constraints, and field implementation challenges are critically evaluated. Priority research gaps are identified to advance integrated, environmentally sound management of this globally significant pest.},
}

Animals
*Pest Control, Biological/methods
*Snails/microbiology/parasitology
*Introduced Species
*Biotechnology/methods

@article {pmid42391713,
year = {2026},
author = {Li, W and Zheng, Y and van Kleunen, M},
title = {Railway station habitats are associated with altered soil-fungal communities and higher alien plant dominance along the China-Laos Railway.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {413},
number = {},
pages = {130380},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130380},
pmid = {42391713},
issn = {1095-8630},
mesh = {China ; *Soil Microbiology ; *Ecosystem ; Soil/chemistry ; *Railroads ; Mycorrhizae ; Introduced Species ; *Fungi ; *Plants ; Biodiversity ; },
abstract = {Linear infrastructures are rapidly expanding worldwide, however, their ecological impacts remain poorly understood. Here we integrate vegetation, soil, and microbial surveys along a 495-km north-south transect of the recently opened China-Laos Railway to assess how railway construction influences above-belowground interactions and plant invasion dynamics, and how this depends on latitude and climate. Station habitats were characterized by lower soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and moisture, as well as higher pH and altered C:N:P stoichiometry. These abiotic changes were accompanied by a pronounced reorganization of soil fungal communities, manifested as reduced beta diversity and increased richness of inferred plant pathogenic and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal guilds. Disturbed vegetation near railway stations supported significantly greater alien plant richness, cover, and biomass compared to adjacent undisturbed vegetation. Moreover, the mean phylogenetic distance between alien and native species decreased with increasing latitude and remained higher in less disturbed sites, suggesting a transition from species interaction-driven exclusion in the tropics to environment-driven filtering in temperate regions. Structural equation modeling suggested that railway construction was associated with higher alien plant richness through multiple pathways, including shifts in soil nutrient stoichiometry, reduced native plant richness, and increased abundance of potential plant pathogenic fungi. Native plant richness exhibited the strongest negative relationship with alien plant richness. These findings suggest that railway-associated changes in environmental conditions and native community structure may influence patterns of plant invasion along railway corridors.},
}

China
*Soil Microbiology
*Ecosystem
Soil/chemistry
*Railroads
Mycorrhizae
Introduced Species
*Fungi
*Plants
Biodiversity

@article {pmid42401184,
year = {2026},
author = {Yang, W and Cui, Y and Cen, Y and Liu, Y and Lu, X},
title = {Qualification rates and post-treatment spring regrowth reveal divergent efficacy of ten Spartina alterniflora control methods: evidence from 848 field-managed patches.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {413},
number = {},
pages = {130422},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130422},
pmid = {42401184},
issn = {1095-8630},
mesh = {*Poaceae/growth & development ; Wetlands ; Seasons ; Introduced Species ; },
abstract = {Invasive plant management programmes are commonly evaluated using qualification rate-the proportion of treated patches that pass post-treatment inspection-as the primary measure of control effectiveness. In this study, the term refers to an administrative inspection metric rather than sustained ecological suppression. However, this metric captures only a single inspection window and may fail to reflect the subsequent spring regrowth intensity (plants ha[-1]), arising from in-situ regrowth from surviving rhizomes or seeds as well as recolonization from adjacent sources. Here, we conducted a large-scale assessment of ten control methods for Spartina alterniflora, a globally important invader of coastal wetlands, using data from 848 patches in a government-led eradication programme. For each patch, we quantified both autumn qualification outcome and spring regrowth intensity (plants ha[-1]) among patches that had passed inspection. Qualification rates differed significantly among methods (χ[2] = 62.17, p < 0.001), ranging from 41.2% for uprooting & deep burial + manual follow-up to 97.7% for rotary tillage combined with waterlogging and manual removal. However, high qualification rates did not necessarily translate into lower spring regrowth. For example, mowing combined with rotary tillage and deep ploughing achieved a high qualification rate (93.9%) but showed a spring regrowth rate of 49.4% and a significantly higher probability of spring regrowth than herbicide treatment (Hurdle model odds ratio = 2.23, p = 0.022). By contrast, waterlogging-based methods achieved similarly high qualification rates (78.9%-96.1%) while maintaining the lowest spring regrowth rates (6.7%-10.2%) and spring regrowth intensities (median = 0 plants ha[-1]; mean = 6-29 plants ha[-1]). These findings show that qualification outcome does not necessarily indicate sustained cross-season control success. We therefore propose a dual-metric evaluation framework that combines initial qualification with post-treatment spring regrowth. Incorporating cross-season monitoring into official assessment protocols would provide a more robust basis for evaluating long-term eradication effectiveness.},
}

*Poaceae/growth & development
Wetlands
Seasons
Introduced Species

@article {pmid42440933,
year = {2026},
author = {Plaeyao, K and Aonnetr, W and Kowsiriwattana, N and Srisamer, S and Thepwata, P and Saenchoopa, A and Wongnakorn, T and Saithong, T and Jeamjumnunja, K and Siriwatcharapiboon, W and Kosolwattana, S},
title = {Sustainable valorization of water hyacinth into multifunctional silver nanoparticles and nanoporous activated carbon for energy storage, sensing, and antibacterial applications.},
journal = {RSC advances},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {42440933},
issn = {2046-2069},
abstract = {Water hyacinth, or Eichhornia crassipes, is a widespread aquatic plant that causes numerous environmental and economic problems worldwide. Due to the abundance of this alien species, in this study, the researchers aim to use water hyacinth as a value-added resource. Dried water hyacinth was used for the preparation of activated carbon, lignin and cellulose nitrate as the reducing agent for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Lignin-stabilized silver nanoparticles (Lig-AgNPs) and cellulose nitrate-stabilized silver nanoparticles (CN-AgNPs) were prepared by green synthesis. The silver nanoparticles and activated carbon in this work were characterized by several techniques, including FT-IR, XRD, SEM, UV-vis spectroscopy, and BET, to confirm their successful synthesis. KOH-activated carbon (WPC1:2) showed a high specific surface area (1980.5 m[2] g[-1]) with a highly advanced hierarchical micro-mesoporous structure, which led to increased adsorption and electrochemical efficiency. WPC1:2 showed outstanding capacitive performance, high-rate capability, low resistivity, and excellent cycling stability (∼100% retention after 2500 cycles), demonstrating its potential for energy storage applications. In this study, CN-AgNPs were in the solid state, exhibiting optimal solubility in a 90 : 10 mixture of acetone and water. Lig-AgNPs demonstrated significant sensitivity for the detection of Hg[2+] with a limit of detection (LOD) of 8.75 µM and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 29.18 µM. Moreover, CN-AgNPs exhibited both Gram-positive and -negative antibacterial properties that could be applied in medical applications in the future.},
}

@article {pmid42441993,
year = {2026},
author = {Preston, CE and Shively, T and Whitmore, MC and Grant, JF and Mayfield, A and Tomon, T and Havill, NP and Zembrzuski, Z and Seiler, J and Salom, SM},
title = {Effect of Laricobius spp. (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) and Leucotaraxis piniperda (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae) predation on hemlock woolly adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) and on eastern hemlock (Pinales: Pinaceae) health in the eastern United States.},
journal = {Journal of economic entomology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jee/toag202},
pmid = {42441993},
issn = {1938-291X},
support = {19DG11083150009//USDA Forest Service/ ; },
abstract = {In the eastern United States, feeding by introduced predators Laricobius nigrinus Fender and Laricobius osakensis Shiyake and Montgomery are likely insufficient to sustainably regulate the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand, due to adelgid population rebound postpredation. This suggests that additional predators may be needed in eastern North America to achieve effective biological control. In the Pacific Northwest, there is evidence that multiple specialist predators, including La. nigrinus, Leucotaraxis piniperda (Malloch), and Le. argenticollis (Zetterstedt) contribute to maintaining HWA populations below damaging levels on western hemlock. We report on a 2-yr, 5-location study to evaluate the combined effect of predators, La. nigrinus, La. osakensis, and Le. piniperda on HWA populations and eastern hemlock health in the eastern United States. Three assessments targeting different stages of predator-prey activity were conducted annually by installing mesh cages on HWA-infested branches where La. nigrinus was established. Predation by Laricobius spp. caused measurable spring HWA ovisac disturbance, and Le. piniperda predation caused measurable summer HWA ovisac disturbance during both years. Proportion of new shoot growth and mean length of new shoot growth did not differ among treatments for both years. This suggests that a longer-term study may be needed to better understand the combined effects these predators may have on eastern hemlock health, or that additional predators such as Le. argenticollis should also be evaluated.},
}

@article {pmid42442763,
year = {2026},
author = {Magaletta, OR and Flores, IS and Lee, Y and Thongsripong, P and Allen, B and Giordano, BV and Killingsworth, DF and Gray, EW and Riegel, C and Riles, MT and Campbell, LP},
title = {EVALUATION OF EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES DELIVERED BY THE BEACONS INVASIVE MOSQUITO WORKSHOPS.},
journal = {Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.2987/25-7277},
pmid = {42442763},
issn = {1943-6270},
abstract = {Nonnative and invasive mosquito species threaten public and veterinary health in the southern USA by introducing pathogens into new regions, making early detection of these species essential. To address this need, the Mosquito Biodiversity Enhancement and Control of Non-native Species (Mosquito BEACONS) Working Group provided training to mosquito surveillance professionals between 2021 and 2024. More than 190 individuals from public health, pest control, and research sectors participated. A 12-question online survey evaluated participant engagement, awareness, and application of skills learned. Twenty-two participants completed the survey, and results indicated that the training led to measurable behavioral changes, with participants applying the learned skills when returning to their home institutions. This study represents the first evaluation of an integrated pest management (IPM) training program focused on invasive species and offers a framework for improving future IPM training evaluations.},
}

@article {pmid42174386,
year = {2026},
author = {Liu, JN and van Kleunen, M and Bever, JD and Adomako, MO and Wu, FR and Xue, W and Yu, FH},
title = {Invasive plants have stronger root recognition capabilities than native plants.},
journal = {The New phytologist},
volume = {251},
number = {4},
pages = {2124-2134},
pmid = {42174386},
issn = {1469-8137},
support = {W2433081//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2023YFE0124900//National Key Research and Development Program of China/ ; },
mesh = {*Plant Roots/physiology/microbiology ; *Introduced Species ; Soil Microbiology ; Soil ; Species Specificity ; },
abstract = {Root-mediated conspecific recognition and avoidance could alleviate intraspecific competition and promote interspecific competitive abilities. This could result in communities dominated by few species. However, it remains unclear whether invasive plants, which frequently become dominant, possess higher capabilities of root recognition and segregation than natives. We compared root-recognition and segregation capabilities between five congeneric pairs of invasive and native plants using a split-root assay and an intraspecific root-distribution experiment. We also assessed the roles of soil microbial legacies in root-segregation capabilities. The split-root assay showed that invasive plants exhibited stronger root-recognition capacities than natives by reducing root allocation toward conspecifics. The intraspecific root-distribution experiment showed that both invasives and natives exhibited root segregation when grown on unconditioned soils. However, when grown on soils conditioned by either invasive or native plants, root segregation of natives disappeared, whereas invasives remained unaffected. Changes in root segregation of natives were associated with changes in the composition of soil fungal and bacterial communities. Invasive plants possess mechanisms of avoiding intensive intraspecific competition irrespective of soil microbial legacies, whereas for native plants, these mechanisms can be disrupted by soil microbial legacies. This could contribute to the competitive superiority of invasive plants.},
}

*Plant Roots/physiology/microbiology
*Introduced Species
Soil Microbiology
Soil
Species Specificity

@article {pmid42428661,
year = {2026},
author = {Brito, FF and Güller, M and López-Gappa, J},
title = {Biodiversity of Terrestrial Gastropods in Two Urban Ecological Reserves in Argentina.},
journal = {Zoological studies},
volume = {65},
number = {},
pages = {e28},
pmid = {42428661},
issn = {1810-522X},
abstract = {Urban ecological reserves in Buenos Aires city (Argentina) were intended as spaces for outdoor recreation, preservation of natural environments and protection of native species. Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (RECS) and Reserva Ecológica Ciudad Universitaria Costanera Norte (RECUCN) are located on the right bank of the Río de la Plata estuary. In view of the repeated appearance of non-native land snails and slugs in Argentina during the last four decades, we wanted to know to what extent the terrestrial gastropod faunas of these two reserves were composed of native or non-native species. As RECS is larger than RECUCN, we also tested the hypothesis that abundance, species richness and diversity would be higher in the former than in the latter. Fifty-two and 25 sites were sampled for terrestrial snails and slugs in RECS and RECUCN, respectively. Land gastropod species richness was similar in RECS (14 species) and RECUCN (12 species). Non-native gastropods were much more diverse and overwhelmingly more abundant than native ones. The terrestrial gastropod fauna is dominated by non-native snails and slugs (98.4% non-native individuals vs. 1.6% native in RECS, 97.5% vs. 2.5% in RECUCN), most of them never previously reported from these reserves. More than 78% of the individuals found in RECUCN belonged to the non-native snail Vallonia pulchella, which was the species that most contributed to the dissimilarity between reserves. This study shows that so far, urban ecological reserves in Buenos Aires city are sites where mainly exotic rather than native terrestrial molluscs are being preserved. The dominance of nonnative species in these urban ecological reserves endorses the pervasive advance of synanthropic species in urban land snail assemblages already documented for other biogeographic regions.},
}

@article {pmid42430440,
year = {2026},
author = {Williams, MJ and Riley, JL and Baxter-Gilbert, J},
title = {In the belly of the beast: How dietary changes and preexisting invasive prey may have promoted the success of a novel invasive amphibian.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {21},
number = {7},
pages = {e0352970},
pmid = {42430440},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Introduced Species ; *Predatory Behavior/physiology ; *Caudata/physiology ; Newfoundland and Labrador ; *Diet ; Ecosystem ; Gastrointestinal Contents ; },
abstract = {Biological invasions provide unique opportunities to examine how populations cope with rapid ecological change, as well as the influence of human activity on our natural world. The island of Newfoundland, Canada, has no native amphibians; however, five species have established non-native populations, including one caudatan, the Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus). We posit that this salamander's successful colonisation may have been mediated by dietary shifts that allowed them to capitalize on a greater variety of prey, as well as by exploiting pre-existing invasive prey communities - both these mechanisms could limit the likelihood of competitive exclusion and promote establishment in a novel environment. To examine this, we identified stomach contents of Newfoundland Eastern Red-backed salamanders, characterised the prey as native or invasive, and compared the dietary composition of the invasive population to that of conspecifics in the native range through a systematic literature review. As predicted, the invasive salamander population's diet is more generalised (i.e., a broader dietary niche) than the native salamanders, and invasive invertebrates comprised two thirds of the volume of prey eaten by invasive salamanders. Our research provides insight into the Niche Breadth Invasion Hypothesis as well as the Invasional Meltdown Hypothesis, which are mechanisms that may have allowed this species to establish a population in an island ecosystem. Furthermore, our research suggests that prior invasions of a diverse invertebrate community to Newfoundland may have bolstered the invasive potential of this novel, non-native salamander.},
}

Animals
*Introduced Species
*Predatory Behavior/physiology
*Caudata/physiology
Newfoundland and Labrador
*Diet
Ecosystem
Gastrointestinal Contents

@article {pmid42438275,
year = {2026},
author = {Tapia-Ramírez, G and Lorenzo, C},
title = {Morphological and Cranial Variation and Reproductive Data of Invasive Rodents in Southeastern Mexico.},
journal = {Journal of morphology},
volume = {287},
number = {7},
pages = {e70149},
pmid = {42438275},
issn = {1097-4687},
support = {I1200/311/2023//CONAHCYT/ ; 34742-1//Rufford Foundation/ ; TAPIMEXI0920//Idea Wild/ ; 251053//SEP-CONACYT/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; Male ; Mexico ; Female ; *Skull/anatomy & histology ; Rats/anatomy & histology ; *Reproduction/physiology ; Sex Characteristics ; Sex Ratio ; *Introduced Species ; Body Size ; },
abstract = {This study reports the first comprehensive analysis of body variation and cranial morphology (using traditional morphometrics) in Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus in San Cristobal de Las Casas (SCLC), in the Mexican state of Chiapas in southeastern Mexico. Our results provide a valuable tool for identifying these species in the region and shed light on their variability. A total of 125 specimens were collected, 78 R. norvegicus and 47 R. rattus, with sex ratios of 1Female:0.75Male and 1Female:0.51Male, respectively. Of the collected individuals, 47% of R. norvegicus and 44% of R. rattus were in the reproductive stage. Notably, 60% of R. norvegicus and 42% of R. rattus weighed < 100 g. Reproductive R. norvegicus averaged 131 g in body mass and 175.70 mm in body length. We found sexual dimorphism in R. norvegicus: males exhibited significantly larger ears (p = 0.044). Reproductive R. rattus specimens had an average body mass of 103.64 g and a body length of 166.21 mm. Cranial morphology differed substantially between species: R. norvegicus showed a robust skull with wider interorbital constriction and foramen magnum, whereas R. rattus showed a reduced rostral depth and a shorter mandibular ramus. SCLC R. norvegicus specimens were smaller by approximately 400 g (body mass) and 249.1 mm (mean length) than specimens from Baltimore, US (the largest recorded American population). Conversely, R. rattus specimens from SCLC (mean weight = 103.64 g; mean length = 166.21 mm) were larger than Yucatan populations (~70 g body mass).},
}

Animals
Male
Mexico
Female
*Skull/anatomy & histology
Rats/anatomy & histology
*Reproduction/physiology
Sex Characteristics
Sex Ratio
*Introduced Species
Body Size

@article {pmid42422040,
year = {2026},
author = {Husseneder, C and Jin, T and Chen, J and Sun, Q and Ziesmann, J},
title = {Longitudinal comparison of 16S rRNA gene amplicon datasets of the Formosan subterranean termite gut microbiome: Variation across primers, colonies, time and rearing conditions.},
journal = {Data in brief},
volume = {67},
number = {},
pages = {113030},
pmid = {42422040},
issn = {2352-3409},
abstract = {The Formosan subterranean termite (FST), Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Blattodea: Heterotermitidae) is an aggressive and economically important invasive wood-destroying pest of national and international concern. Its efficiency in destroying lignocellulose is largely attributed to the diverse symbiotic community of microorganisms in the hind gut of the worker caste, consisting of bacteria, archaea and protists. As a global invasive species subjected to changing climate and habitat the FST has become a model for investigating the influence of environmental changes on symbiotic gut microbiota. This dataset represents a pilot analysis detecting colony variation in the gut bacteria community of FST workers from Louisiana, USA, and changes over time when termites were reared under different atmospheric conditions using 16S rRNA gene Illumina NovaSeq 6000 (2 × 250) amplicon sequencing with two different primer sets. The dataset contains 24,499,161 forward and an equal number of reverse sequence reads of the V3-4 (341F-785R) and V4-5 (515F-926R) hypervariable regions. The sequences represent the gut bacteria communities of FST workers from three different colonies, each split into two treatment groups reared in ambient air (ca. 0.04% CO2) vs. 5% CO2 and sampled at 10 time points over the course of two months. The dataset was made public through NCBI's Sequence Read Archive under BioProject ID # PRJNA1446068 [1]. Validation of the dataset is presented in form of denoising statistics (Table 1) and alpha-rarefaction curves (Fig. 1). Rarefaction was performed to show sufficient sequencing depth to capture bacterial richness and diversity and normalize for unequal number of sequences among samples. Sequences were taxonomically assigned in QIIME2 using SILVA 138 as reference database. Lists of all detected phyla and the 10 most abundant Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) are included as Tables 2 and 3. The dataset will be used in follow-up publications to assess how primer bias affects the detection of certain core bacterial taxa in the guts of FST workers and how CO2 concentration in the atmosphere impacts bacterial Alpha- and Beta-diversity. In addition, the longitudinal nature of the data collected over two months enables analyses to assess the extent to which gut microbiota will change over time after termite colonies are brought to the lab and how much microbiota differ between termite colonies collected from the same region. Therefore, this dataset is expected to inform the experimental designs for future studies.},
}

@article {pmid42423833,
year = {2026},
author = {Arslan, A and Arslan, E and Özçay Ekşi, B and Alpaslan, Z and Sember, A},
title = {Molecular cytogenetic analysis in Pseudorasbora parva (Cypriniformes: Gobionidae)-important invasive fish species in Türkiye.},
journal = {Genetica},
volume = {154},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42423833},
issn = {1573-6857},
support = {25401080//Selçuk University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; *Introduced Species ; Karyotype ; *Cypriniformes/genetics ; Karyotyping ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; },
abstract = {Topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva is a small invasive cyprinid fish widely distributed across Eurasia, including Türkiye. Although extensive, the available cytogenetic data from Asian populations is confined to standard karyotyping. Here we present the first molecular cytogenetic characterization of P. parva by analyzing the population from the Sakarya spring (Eskişehir Province, Türkiye). The aim was to examine the chromosomal organization and distribution of selected repetitive DNA sequences and this way to provide novel insights into karyotype evolution within Gobionidae and evaluate the utility of cytogenetic markers for freshwater management of this invasive species. To that end, we combined conventional karyotyping, C-banding, fluorescent and silver-nitrate staining with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using probes for tandemly repeated genes for ribosomal RNA (18S and 5S rDNA), small nuclear RNA (U1 and U2 snDNA), and telomeric (TTAGGG)n sequences. Analyzed individuals (N = 10) showed a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 50 with the karyotype being composed of 18 metacentric, 26 submetacentric, and 6 subtelocentric chromosomes (FN = 94), and with constitutive heterochromatin confined to pericentromeric regions. Silver staining as well as Chromomycin A3 and 18S rDNA FISH probe revealed invariably a single pair of major 45S rDNA cluster on the short arms of the subtelocentric pair 23, with notable size heteromorphism between the homologs. 5S rDNA occupied (peri)centromeric regions of the submetacentric pair 10 and short arms of the subtelocentric pair 25, whereas the U1 and U2 snDNA clusters were co-localized on the short arms of subtelocentric pair 24. The telomeric probe marked chromosomal ends only. The Turkish P. parva population exhibits a conserved karyotype but the heterochromatin and repetitive DNA patterns allow to infer its closer relationship to European lineages. These findings provide new insights into Gobionidae genome organization and the chromosomal evolution and reveal the possible utility of cytogenetics in monitoring the dispersal of populations of invasive freshwater fishes.},
}

Animals
In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
*Introduced Species
Karyotype
*Cypriniformes/genetics
Karyotyping
Cytogenetic Analysis

@article {pmid42425928,
year = {2026},
author = {Tercel, MPTG and Symondson, WOC and Cuff, JP and Cole, NC and Goder, M and Ruhomaun, K and Tatayah, V and Vaughan, IP},
title = {Intraguild Interactions Drive the Dynamics of a Complex Community of Globally Invasive Ant Species.},
journal = {Molecular ecology},
volume = {35},
number = {13},
pages = {e70464},
pmid = {42425928},
issn = {1365-294X},
support = {NE/L002434/1//Natural Environment Research Council/ ; MR/S502455/1//Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Ants/genetics/physiology ; *Introduced Species ; *Predatory Behavior ; Biodiversity ; Food Chain ; Ecosystem ; Population Dynamics ; Competitive Behavior ; },
abstract = {Invasive species adversely affect biodiversity, but little is known about how ecologically similar invaders interact. Such intraguild interactions may drive non-native community dynamics and their broader impacts on biodiversity. In native systems, intraguild interactions are widespread strong eco-evolutionary pressures; understanding whether similar patterns occur among invaders is key to predicting invasion outcomes. We investigated the role of intraguild predation in a community of non-native ant species inhabiting a tropical island with no native ants. Using dietary metabarcoding, we quantified intraguild predation, applied null models to test dietary and spatial preferences, conducted food bait experiments to assess competition for resources, and quantified potential competition strength using a hypergraph network approach. Metabarcoding 755 ants across 12 species revealed that ~50% of prey detections represented ant-ant consumption. Ants preferentially consumed other ants over native arthropods but only once the globally invasive big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala, was removed from the null model analysis due to its hyperabundance. Additionally, 35% of food resources were identified as foci for potential interspecific exploitation where ant species spatially co-occurred. Pheidole megacephala occupied a key structural role in the community: it frequently competed with others for prey, was consumed less often than expected given its abundance, and was spatially avoided by other ants. Overall, interference competition was dominated by P. megacephala, but exploitation competition was high across the community. These findings suggest that intraguild interactions strongly structure invaded communities, influencing the ecological impact of multiple invaders within the same guild.},
}

Animals
*Ants/genetics/physiology
*Introduced Species
*Predatory Behavior
Biodiversity
Food Chain
Ecosystem
Population Dynamics
Competitive Behavior

@article {pmid42427250,
year = {2026},
author = {Huang, J and Li, L and Zhang, H and Du, R},
title = {Egg capsule mineralization via vaterite transportation in the invasive apple snail Pomacea canaliculata.},
journal = {Molecular biology and evolution},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/molbev/msag164},
pmid = {42427250},
issn = {1537-1719},
abstract = {The invasive apple snail Pomacea canaliculata utilizes calcified egg capsules as a key adaptation for terrestrial reproduction; however, the biomineralization mechanisms underlying capsule formation remain poorly understood. In this study, we found that vaterite, a rare calcium carbonate polymorph, was deposited in the egg capsule through a unique transport and assembly process. We demonstrated that calcium carbonate nanoparticles (several hundreds of nanometers in diameter) were initially stored in the egg yolk and subsequently transported to the capsule surface, where they formed a protective vaterite layer (around 10 microns). Proteomic and transcriptomic analyses identified a specialized organic matrix. This matrix is with chitin-binding proteins (CBPs), sulfatases, and calcium-binding proteins that collectively stabilize vaterite and inhibit calcite formation. Phylogenetic analysis suggested CBPs represent a group of evolutionarily conserved yet functionally versatile secretory proteins, distinct from shell-specific proteins like Pif, highlighting the snail's ability to repurpose existing genes for novel mineralization. Furthermore, gland-specific transcriptomics revealed upregulated pathways in mineral absorption and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis, underscoring the coordinated roles of the albumen and capsule glands in matrix production. These findings not only elucidate a unique biomineralization strategy in the apple snail but also identify potential molecular targets for disrupting capsule formation, offering new avenues for controlling this globally invasive species.},
}

@article {pmid42427970,
year = {2026},
author = {Chiyoda, S and Hisasue, Y and Yoshino, H and Kuwahara, R and Miura, T},
title = {New records of five polydesmidan millipedes (Diplopoda, Polydesmida) from the Ogasawara Islands, Japan, with notes on the postembryonic development of Prosopodesmus spp. (Haplodesmidae).},
journal = {Biodiversity data journal},
volume = {14},
number = {},
pages = {e194219},
pmid = {42427970},
issn = {1314-2828},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The Ogasawara Islands are remote oceanic islands located approximately 1,000 km south of mainland Japan and investigations of their fauna are essential for understanding the processes underlying the assembly of oceanic island biotas. Despite this importance, knowledge of several terrestrial invertebrate groups remains remarkably limited, including millipedes, which constitute a major component of soil macrofauna. Previous studies on the millipede fauna of the Ogasawara Islands have been sporadic and, to date, only ten identified species had been recorded from the archipelago.

NEW INFORMATION: Field surveys conducted between 2023 and 2026 on Ototo-jima, Ani-jima, Chichi-jima and Haha-jima Islands revealed five species of polydesmid millipedes: Prosopodesmus jacobsoni Silvestri, 1910; P. panporus Blower & Rundle, 1980 (Haplodesmidae); Cryptocorypha ornata (Attems, 1938); Dyskolonius uniramus (Attems, 1938) (Pyrgodesmidae); and Solaenaulus butteli (Carl, 1922) (Opisotretidae). All five species represent new records for both Japan and the Ogasawara Islands. Reexamination of specimens previously reported as Prosopodesmus sinuatus from the Ogasawara Islands revealed that they were misidentified and actually belong to Cryptocorypha ornata. Furthermore, the previous record of Solaenaulus sp. from Chichi-jima Island was identified as S. butteli, based on detailed sketches of the gonopods. In addition, we partially examined and compared the postembryonic development of Prosopodesmus species, a genus known for intrageneric polymorphism in the number of body rings in adult males. Based on these observations, we discuss potential heterochronic shifts in sexual maturation amongst species and between sexes.},
}

@article {pmid42092322,
year = {2026},
author = {Hoeksema, BW and Bakker, PAJ},
title = {Crinoids found as non-native rafters on beached fishing gear in the Netherlands (1936-1951) before the Plasticene.},
journal = {Marine pollution bulletin},
volume = {230},
number = {},
pages = {119834},
doi = {10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119834},
pmid = {42092322},
issn = {1879-3363},
mesh = {Animals ; Netherlands ; Plastics ; *Echinodermata ; *Environmental Monitoring ; Fisheries ; *Introduced Species ; },
abstract = {Seven samples of juvenile Antedon bifida (Pennant, 1777) were collected at five localities along the North Sea beach of the Netherlands from January 1936 to December 1951. This crinoid echinoderm is not native to the Netherlands and naturally occurs on rocky substrates ranging from the Shetland Islands to the Canary Islands and the western Mediterranean. The samples were found on bunches of cork fishing floats that had washed ashore. The specimens were deposited in the echinoderm collections of two museum, where they were rediscovered recently. They represent the first records of rafting crinoids on marine anthropogenic litter and predate the Plasticene, which started in the 1950s when plastic started to replace many other materials. Museum collections may still contain undiscovered specimens of non-native species found before their first recorded introduction, potentially shifting baselines back in time.},
}

Animals
Netherlands
Plastics
*Echinodermata
*Environmental Monitoring
Fisheries
*Introduced Species

@article {pmid42129449,
year = {2026},
author = {Pruvot, M and Salazar, LG and Mainali, C and Snow, N and McKenzie, H},
title = {Population structure and reproductive ecology of wild pigs at the northern edge of the North American invasive range.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42129449},
issn = {2045-2322},
support = {2022F060R//Results Driven Agriculture Research/ ; 2885//Alberta Conservation Association/ ; MSLA2024-MA12//Alberta Professional Outfitter Society/ ; IT33201//Mitacs/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Reproduction/physiology ; Female ; Population Dynamics ; *Animals, Wild/physiology ; *Sus scrofa/physiology ; Male ; *Introduced Species ; Alberta ; Litter Size ; Swine ; },
abstract = {Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have been expanding their range in Canada during recent decades. While high reproductive output is typically reported in wild pigs, reproductive performance at the northern edge of the North American invasive range is not well characterized. In this study, we describe the population structure and reproductive parameters of wild pigs in Alberta, Canada, estimate age of juvenile and sub-adults based on a Gompertz growth model fitted on wild pigs of known age from Texas, and test hypotheses regarding their reproductive ecology in this northern context. With a high proportion of reproductively active females (68%), and litter sizes comparable to other regions (median 5, IQR [4-8]), wild pigs in Alberta maintained a high reproductive potential. However, age estimates suggested low survival within the first year which may limit population growth in this region, potentially working in favor of on-going control program. Continued monitoring of wild pig population structure and reproductive parameters is essential to understanding population dynamics and planning control efforts in relation to changing environmental conditions.},
}

Animals
*Reproduction/physiology
Female
Population Dynamics
*Animals, Wild/physiology
*Sus scrofa/physiology
Male
*Introduced Species
Alberta
Litter Size
Swine

@article {pmid42417942,
year = {2026},
author = {Li, Y and Zha, L and Liu, W and Luo, F and Xu, C},
title = {From detection to action: artificial intelligence in integrated pest and invasive plant management.},
journal = {Advanced biotechnology},
volume = {4},
number = {3},
pages = {},
pmid = {42417942},
issn = {2948-2801},
support = {2024A1515010909//Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation/ ; 2025A1515010935//Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation/ ; },
abstract = {Global agriculture faces growing threats from pests, pathogens, and invasive species, intensified by climate change and biodiversity losses. Conventional approaches are limited in both precision and scale, and artificial intelligence (AI) is now reshaping integrated pest management (IPM). Modern agricultural monitoring leverages high-resolution observations, hyperspectral sensors, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to facilitate early detection for diseases. Hybrid AI systems can integrate multi-source data to enhance the accuracy of real-time monitoring of pest and disease dynamics, including the detection and tracking of sparse invasive populations and their biomass even under shifting climate scenarios. They further enable predictive forecasting and the optimization of management strategies. When AI-driven diagnostics are integrated with autonomous robotics, they form a robust framework for epidemic mitigation. Here, we provide a systematic macro-perspective review, bridging foundational AI mechanisms with actionable IPM intelligence. We analyze the evolution of agricultural AI from cross-modal architectures to multi-scale diagnostics and full-lifecycle interventions. Finally, we propose a framework for the global agroecological network, offering a sustainable path toward maximizing productivity while ensuring ecological resilience.},
}

@article {pmid42420376,
year = {2026},
author = {Harris, DJ and Roesch, MA and Vasconcelos, DS and Bernet, C and Rato, C},
title = {Metabarcoding assessment of the diet of an introduced continental lizard to an oceanic island reveals dietary niche conservatism.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-59067-9},
pmid = {42420376},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {Invasive species can have devastating effects when introduced into remote island ecosystems, and a fundamental aspect of this concerns the diet of these exotic taxa. Here, we employed a DNA metabarcoding approach to determine the diet of the lizard Agama picticauda on Réunion Island, where it was introduced in 1995. Two separate markers were used to identify dietary components: COI for animals and trnL for plants. The arthropod aspect was notably conservative, with the agama continuing to predominantly consume ants, as they do in their native range. A variety of other invertebrates were also preyed upon, the vast majority being introduced species. For plants, again a wide variety was detected, and while most could not be identified fully, it seems that agamas are deliberately consuming many species, rather than accidentally ingesting them along with targeted invertebrates. Agamas may play a role in seed dispersal of invasive plant species. We also detected some nematode groups, although with limited comparative sequences, these could not be identified to the species level. Several invertebrate records appear to be new for Réunion Island, highlighting how reptiles can be considered as excellent biodiversity samplers, with barcoding diet studies providing novel data on poorly known invertebrate groups. The minimal identification of endemic prey items may reflect the fact that agamas are still predominantly occupying anthropogenically disturbed parts of the island. Our study therefore provides baseline data that can be used to determine the impact of this introduced lizard as it spreads through the ecosystem.},
}

@article {pmid42421101,
year = {2026},
author = {Rao, S and Samake, JN and Rafferty, C and Mumba, P and Chibsa, S and Balkew, M and Khaireh, BA and Guelleh, SK and Ibrahim, MM and Abdi, AA and Zohdy, S},
title = {Evidence of Anopheles stephensi involvement in the transmission of Plasmodium vivax in Djibouti City using highly sensitive sporozoite detection assay.},
journal = {Parasites & vectors},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1186/s13071-026-07532-9},
pmid = {42421101},
issn = {1756-3305},
abstract = {BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Anopheles stephensi is a malaria mosquito vector that has been raising international concern due to its invasive nature in Africa, including the nation of Djibouti. Since its initial detection in Djibouti in 2012, malaria morbidity and mortality have increased exponentially in the country. With the observed increases in human malaria cases and previously reported An. stephensi involvement in outbreaks, high-quality evidence of Plasmodium sporozoite-carrying An. stephensi is essential to confirm and monitor the role of the invasive vector in malaria transmission dynamics in Djibouti. This study aims to detect Plasmodium sporozoites in An. stephensi collected in Djibouti using a multiplex circumsporozoite ELISA bead assay and assess the genetic relatedness of these populations to An. stephensi across the Horn of Africa.

METHODS: One hundred and ninety-six wild caught adult An. stephensi mosquitoes from Djibouti City were collected, morphologically identified, and molecularly confirmed using a portion of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 marker. All samples were then tested for infective sporozoites Plasmodium vivax 210, P. vivax 247 and P. falciparum using a multiplex circumsporozoite enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay bead assay. One hundred and fourteen COI sequences that passed further sequence analysis quality control for comparative population genetic analysis were used to characterize the genetic diversity of the sampled An. stephensi and its genetic relatedness to other An. stephensi populations across the Horn of Africa.

RESULTS: All 196 samples were morphologically and molecularly confirmed to be An. stephensi. Plasmodium vivax 210 sporozoites were detected in two specimens with a positivity rate of 1.0%. No Pv247 or Pf sporozoites were detected. An analysis of the COI region showed that the Pv210-infected An. stephensi belonged to the dominant invasive haplotypes circulating in the Horn of Africa.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study confirm the involvement of An. stephensi in P. vivax transmission in Djibouti and the genetic relatedness of Djiboutian An. stephensi populations to other populations across the Horn of Africa. This highlights the threat of An. stephensi invasion and supports a rapid and comprehensive response, particularly through surveillance and control.},
}

@article {pmid42157475,
year = {2026},
author = {Pérez-Barrales, R and Taylor, LM and Horn, G and Ben-Menni Schuler, S},
title = {Rapid disruption of pollination function by the invasive plant Impatiens glandulifera.},
journal = {Plant biology (Stuttgart, Germany)},
volume = {28},
number = {5},
pages = {1481-1490},
doi = {10.1111/plb.70224},
pmid = {42157475},
issn = {1438-8677},
mesh = {*Pollination/physiology ; Animals ; *Introduced Species ; Bees/physiology ; *Impatiens/physiology ; Pollen/physiology ; Ecosystem ; Flowers/physiology ; },
abstract = {Biological invasions can disrupt plant-pollinator interactions by altering pollinator behaviour and pollen transfer dynamics, yet the mechanisms and timing of these effects remain poorly understood. Most studies rely on observational comparisons or removal experiments in long-established invasions, but little is known about changes in pollination function at the onset of invasion. We investigated the pollination of Stachys sylvatica by combining field comparisons between pristine and invaded sites with an experimental introduction of Impatiens glandulifera into a previously uninvaded site. We quantified pollinator visitation, pollen loads carried by bumblebees, and conspecific and invasive pollen deposition on S. sylvatica stigmas. Across multiple field sites, stigmas of S. sylvatica in pristine habitats received approximately three times more conspecific pollen than those in invaded sites. Bumblebees dominated the pollinator assemblage across all sites, and in invaded habitats, they carried pollen loads strongly dominated by I. glandulifera. During the experimental introduction, bumblebees rapidly incorporated I. glandulifera into their foraging, while conspecific pollen deposition on S. sylvatica stigmas declined sharply, with 81.5% reduction within 4 days. Our results demonstrate that invasion by I. glandulifera can rapidly impair pollination function of a co-flowering native species through changes in pollen transport and transfer efficiency, even before strong shifts in visitation patterns become apparent. By capturing early invasion dynamics through experimental introduction, this study highlights the importance of direct pollen-based metrics for understanding how plant invasions disrupt pollination processes.},
}

*Pollination/physiology
Animals
*Introduced Species
Bees/physiology
*Impatiens/physiology
Pollen/physiology
Ecosystem
Flowers/physiology

@article {pmid42408629,
year = {2026},
author = {Carvajal-Vallejos, FM and Maldonado, M and Montellano-Abasto, SV},
title = {fish-inBOLIVIA: An integrative and updated checklist of the introduced and native ichthyofauna.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5839},
number = {2},
pages = {290-312},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5839.2.3},
pmid = {42408629},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animals ; Bolivia ; Checklist ; *Fishes/classification ; Animal Distribution ; Biodiversity ; Ecosystem ; *Introduced Species ; },
abstract = {This study presents the most comprehensive and updated checklist of fish species in Bolivia, integrating nearly two centuries of systematic literature (1855-2025) with physical records from the UMSS-Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d'Orbigny Fish Collection. The study identifies a total richness of 1,095 taxa, comprising 1,079 native and 16 introduced species, marking a significant advancement in the documentation of South American ichthyofauna. Taxonomically, the fauna spans 17 orders, 57 families, and 379 genera. The diversity is dominated by the orders Characiformes (431 spp.) and Siluriformes (407 spp.), with Loricariidae and Acestrorhamphidae emerging as the most species-rich families. Hydrographically, the Amazon basin exhibits the highest diversity with 943 species (including 15 introduced), followed by the De La Plata basin with 363 species (five introduced) and the endorheic Altiplano basin with 31 species (two introduced). A significant finding is the high degree of native faunal exclusivity in the Amazon, which contains 690 species recorded only in that basin; a number notably higher than the 120 recorded only for De La Plata. Conversely, the Altiplano, while lower in total richness, is characterized by an important number of restricted-range species corresponding to the genera Orestias and Trichomycterus. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) validates these findings, confirming three well-defined primary clusters that mirror Bolivia's major hydrological systems and their historical biogeographic isolation. The study also tracks 16 established non-native species introduced for aquaculture, fisheries, and the aquarium trade. Conservation assessments highlight that 43 species are currently listed in the Bolivian Red Book and 52 in the IUCN Red List. This synthesis addresses critical knowledge gaps and provides a vital baseline for ecological research, biogeographic modeling, and the sustainable management of Bolivia's megadiverse but increasingly threatened aquatic ecosystems.},
}

Animals
Bolivia
Checklist
*Fishes/classification
Animal Distribution
Biodiversity
Ecosystem
*Introduced Species

@article {pmid42408663,
year = {2026},
author = {Williams, JL and Puckett, C and Herrera, HW and Lapolla, JS and Fiorentino, G and Tocora-Protz, MC and Fernández, F and Dekoninck, W and Lucky, A},
title = {Taxonomic revision of the Nylanderia guatemalensis species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Neotropics, with implications for conservation and invasion biology.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5837},
number = {2},
pages = {201-239},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5837.2.1},
pmid = {42408663},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animals ; Female ; *Ants/classification/anatomy & histology/growth & development/genetics ; Animal Distribution ; Male ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Ecuador ; Body Size ; Introduced Species ; Organ Size ; Animal Structures/growth & development/anatomy & histology ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {The ant genus Nylanderia Emery comprises 138 known species and is common across most terrestrial regions worldwide. At least 15 species have spread beyond their native ranges, some becoming ecologically and economically destructive. Subtle morphology, unresolved taxonomy, and widespread distributions make these species difficult to identify, complicating conservation efforts in biodiversity hotspots like the Galápagos Islands. Here, based on a comprehensive examination of Neotropical Nylanderia, we revise the taxonomy of the N. guatemalensis complex, recognizing seven described species: N. ambulator Williams et al.; N. coveri LaPolla & Kallal; N. docilis (Forel); N. guatemalensis (Forel); N. insularis Williams sp. nov.; N. nesiotis (Wheeler) stat. nov.; and N. silvestrii (Emery); plus an undescribed eighth, N. sp. JKW1 (singleton). Among these, we confirm two in the Galápagos: the non-native N. guatemalensis and the endemic N. nesiotis. While eight other ant species in the Galápagos are considered probable endemics, N. nesiotis is the first confirmed as such. We synonymize N. lietzi (Forel), N. steinheili (Forel), N. guatemalensiscocoensis (Forel), N. guatemalensis itinerans (Forel), and N. silvestrii kuenzleri (Forel) with N. guatemalensis, and N. guatemalensis edenensis (Linsley & Usinger) with N. nesiotis. Species boundaries are supported by combined evidence from Ultraconserved Element (UCE) phylogenomics and morphology. We provide distributions, a worker-based key, and high-resolution images of available castes to facilitate species recognition, support biodiversity monitoring, and improve detection and management of invasive Nylanderia.},
}

Animals
Female
*Ants/classification/anatomy & histology/growth & development/genetics
Animal Distribution
Male
Conservation of Natural Resources
Ecuador
Body Size
Introduced Species
Organ Size
Animal Structures/growth & development/anatomy & histology
Ecosystem

@article {pmid42408751,
year = {2026},
author = {Kovačić, M and Tiralongo, F and Wagner, M},
title = {Checklist and identification key for clingfishes (Actinopterygii: Gobiesocidae) from the Mediterranean Sea.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5757},
number = {5},
pages = {401-437},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5757.5.1},
pmid = {42408751},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animals ; Mediterranean Sea ; Checklist ; Animal Distribution ; Female ; *Fishes/classification/anatomy & histology ; Male ; Ecosystem ; Body Size ; },
abstract = {We provide a comprehensive checklist and identification key of the 13 known species of clingfishes (Actinopterygii: Gobiesocidae) occurring in the Mediterranean Sea, including five species described within the last decade. The species included in this checklist are confirmed based on rigorous evidence-based records. To date, all clingfishes in the Mediterranean are native and no alien species have been recorded.},
}

Animals
Mediterranean Sea
Checklist
Animal Distribution
Female
*Fishes/classification/anatomy & histology
Male
Ecosystem
Body Size

@article {pmid42416174,
year = {2026},
author = {Meerts, P and Ballings, P and Barberá, P and Bauters, K and Beentje, H and Cheek, M and Couvreur, TLP and Damen, THJ and de Almeida, RF and De Block, P and de la Estrella, M and Dessein, S and Engledow, H and Fischer, E and Gautier, L and Haigh, A and Harris, DJ and Hetterscheid, W and Jongkind, CCH and Lachenaud, O and Larridon, I and Ley, A and Maurin, O and Mayo, SJ and Mbandu Luzolawo, P and Moafo Tchioffo, C and Morel, J and Mwanga Mwanga, I and Pellegrini, MOO and Quintanar, A and Reynders, M and Robbrecht, E and Rusaati, BIW and Simões, ARG and Sosef, MSM and Stévart, T and Stone, RD and Sukhorukov, AP and van der Zon, T and Verstraete, B and Wiland-Szymańska, J and Xanthos, M and Zuloaga, F},
title = {A checklist of the vascular plants of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.},
journal = {PhytoKeys},
volume = {277},
number = {},
pages = {1-23},
pmid = {42416174},
issn = {1314-2011},
abstract = {A checklist of the vascular flora of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been assembled, based on literature, online databases, and herbarium collections. It includes 10,260 species (38 lycophytes, 347 monilophytes, 16 gymnosperms, and 9,859 angiosperms), belonging to 246 families. The five largest families are Fabaceae (11.8% of specific richness), followed by Rubiaceae (6.7%), Asteraceae (6.6%), Poaceae (6.1%), and Orchidaceae (5.6%). Strict endemics of the DRC amount to 1,099 species, i.e., 10.7%. Families represented by > 120 species and comprising a high proportion of endemics include Commelinaceae (endemism rate: 24%), Euphorbiaceae (21%), Asteraceae (16%), and Fabaceae (16%). A total of 461 introduced species are recorded outside cultivation in the country, i.e., 4.5% of the total flora. Solanaceae, Brassicaceae, and Amaranthaceae stand out with their higher-than-average proportions of introduced species. Herbs represent the most frequent life form (54%), followed by (sub)shrubs (17%), trees (14.5%), climbers (10%), and epiphytes (4%). The IUCN conservation status was retrieved for 2,633 species (25.7%), of which two species are extinct and 448 (17%) are assigned to a threat category (CR [Critically Endangered]: 36; EN [Endangered]: 184; VU [Vulnerable]: 228). IUCN status was retrieved for 184 (17%) of the endemic species, of which 135 (73%) are considered extinct or threatened.},
}

@article {pmid42417070,
year = {2026},
author = {Segovia, LN and Kiemnec-Tyburczy, KM},
title = {Characterization of an MHC class II b gene reveals high heterogeneity and polymorphism among populations of non-native bullfrogs with complex invasion histories.},
journal = {Journal of genetics},
volume = {105},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {42417070},
issn = {0973-7731},
mesh = {Animals ; *Polymorphism, Genetic ; *Genes, MHC Class II/genetics ; *Rana catesbeiana/genetics ; Exons ; Genetic Variation ; Alleles ; *Introduced Species ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Selection, Genetic ; },
abstract = {We characterized the genetic diversity of exon 2 of one major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Class II b chain gene in five non-native populations of the American bullfrog (Aquarana (Rana) catesbeiana)-a highly invasive amphibian. We discovered higher levels of genetic diversity and more signatures of positive selection in the MHC exon relative to a putatively neutral protein coding gene (Cytochrome b). Populations (even those in close geographic proximity) harboured highly varying levels of diversity at both loci, including alleles that have been previously shown to be associated with disease resistance in this species.},
}

Animals
*Polymorphism, Genetic
*Genes, MHC Class II/genetics
*Rana catesbeiana/genetics
Exons
Genetic Variation
Alleles
*Introduced Species
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
Selection, Genetic

@article {pmid42087062,
year = {2026},
author = {Liu, S and Sepp, SK and Ah-Peng, C and Paganeli, B and Püssa, K and Junaedi, DI and Rodríguez-Alarcón, S and Olson, ME and Vasar, M and Martínez, OZ and Koorem, K},
title = {Functional Diversity of Plant Communities Explains the Response of Soil Microbes to Plant Invasion Along a Successional Gradient.},
journal = {Plant, cell & environment},
volume = {49},
number = {8},
pages = {5904-5918},
doi = {10.1111/pce.70585},
pmid = {42087062},
issn = {1365-3040},
support = {PRG1836//Estonian Research Council/ ; PUTJD1273//Estonian Research Council/ ; TK200//Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (Centre of Excellence AgroCropFuture 'Agroecology and new crops in future climates)/ ; //Doctoral School of Earth Sciences and Ecology (ASTRA)/ ; 32501568//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2026PVB0077//Chinese Academy of Sciences President's International Fellowship Initiative (CAS-PIFI)/ ; 2024/22997-1//São Paulo Research Foundation/ ; },
mesh = {*Soil Microbiology ; *Biodiversity ; *Introduced Species ; *Plants ; Bacteria ; Fungi/physiology ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {Ecosystems worldwide face growing impacts from non-native species invasions. However, little is known about how soil microbial communities respond to the addition of non-native plants, and whether these responses differ along a successional gradient. To address these knowledge gaps, we collected soil samples, recorded plant species cover and measured the traits of the plant species in lava flow vegetation and lowland rainforest (representing early and late successional stages) on La Réunion Island. Our results show that non-native plant cover drives variation in plant species diversity, community composition, functional composition (community-weighted means of vegetative height and leaf area) and functional diversity (mean pairwise trait distance among species), with these effects being stronger in early than in late successional stage. Non-native plant cover did not affect the diversity or community composition of soil fungi and bacteria. Instead, the functional diversity of plant communities associated with non-native plant addition explained the variation in soil microbial community composition and co-occurrence network structure. These results suggest that while non-native plant cover is a good indicator of variation in plant community composition, the functional diversity of the plant community is more useful for describing shifts in soil microbial communities of invaded habitats along primary succession.},
}

*Soil Microbiology
*Biodiversity
*Introduced Species
*Plants
Bacteria
Fungi/physiology
Ecosystem

@article {pmid42407653,
year = {2025},
author = {Hadiby, R and Boukheroufa, M and Vitali, F and Sakraoui, F and Frih, A and Benhacene, R and Benotmane, KH and Adjami, Y},
title = {First report of the invasive Australian tortoise beetle Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn, 1897) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Algeria.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5725},
number = {3},
pages = {438-444},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5725.3.7},
pmid = {42407653},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animals ; *Coleoptera/anatomy & histology/classification/growth & development/physiology ; Algeria ; Female ; Male ; Eucalyptus/parasitology ; Animal Distribution ; Introduced Species ; Animal Structures/anatomy & histology/growth & development ; Body Size ; Organ Size ; Ecosystem ; },
abstract = {Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn, 1897) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae), a leaf beetle native to Australia and recognized as a defoliator of Eucalyptus spp. (Myrtaceae), is reported for the first time from Algeria and the African continent. In May 2025, 20 adults were collected from Eucalyptus camaldulensis in the urban area of Sidi Amar (Annaba, northeastern Algeria), where characteristic foliar damage and feeding traces were observed. Identification was confirmed using diagnostic morphological characters. Field evidence indicates a reproducing population actively feeding on ornamental Eucalyptus trees. Considering its invasive history elsewhere, this detection highlights the risk of further spread and potential impacts on Eucalyptus plantations and urban greenery in North Africa. The present record expands the known distribution of T. sloanei and underscores the need for continued surveillance of Eucalyptus-associated pests in the Mediterranean region.},
}

Animals
*Coleoptera/anatomy & histology/classification/growth & development/physiology
Algeria
Female
Male
Eucalyptus/parasitology
Animal Distribution
Introduced Species
Animal Structures/anatomy & histology/growth & development
Body Size
Organ Size
Ecosystem

@article {pmid42407966,
year = {2026},
author = {Uehara, Y and Ohara, N and Okudera, S},
title = {New records of four typhlocybine leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from Japan.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5814},
number = {1},
pages = {139-146},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5814.1.9},
pmid = {42407966},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animals ; *Hemiptera/classification/anatomy & histology/growth & development/physiology ; Japan ; Female ; Male ; Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures/anatomy & histology/growth & development ; Body Size ; Organ Size ; },
abstract = {The following four species of typhlocybine leafhoppers are recorded from Japan for the first time: Hebata (Signatasca) fissurata (Dworakowska), Nikkotettixcuspidata Qin et Zhang, Tautoneurapolymitusa Oh et Jung, Aguriahana sichotana (Anufriev). Among these species, N. cuspidata and T. polymitusa are considered likely alien species, based on their host association with non-native plants and their occurrence primarily in urban environments. Biological notes, host plant information, and taxonomic remarks are provided for each species.},
}

Animals
*Hemiptera/classification/anatomy & histology/growth & development/physiology
Japan
Female
Male
Animal Distribution
Animal Structures/anatomy & histology/growth & development
Body Size
Organ Size

@article {pmid42408176,
year = {2026},
author = {Andersen, MN and Daly, M and Robinson, TB},
title = {Corrected identity of the alien sea anemone Cereus pedunculatus (Pennant, 1777) (Actiniaria: Sagartiidae) in South Africa.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5821},
number = {4},
pages = {451-468},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5821.4.1},
pmid = {42408176},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animals ; South Africa ; *Sea Anemones/classification/anatomy & histology/genetics/growth & development ; Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures/anatomy & histology/growth & development ; Phylogeny ; },
abstract = {Inconspicuous and cryptic invertebrates are often overlooked due to taxonomic challenges associated with identifying them. This is true of an alien sea anemone known from South Africa. Originally identified as Sagartia (now Cylista) ornata (Holdsworth, 1855), the anemone was first documented in Langebaan Lagoon Marine Protected Area in 2001 and has since spread within the lagoon. In recent years, questions have been raised about the validity of the species determination. We used a combination of histology, cnidom assays, specimen dissections, and molecular analyses to evaluate the identity of specimens previously identified as C. ornata and determined that they represent a population of the European daisy anemone, Cereus pedunculatus (Pennant, 1777). This marks the first documented occurrence of C. pedunculatus outside its native range.},
}

Animals
South Africa
*Sea Anemones/classification/anatomy & histology/genetics/growth & development
Animal Distribution
Animal Structures/anatomy & histology/growth & development
Phylogeny

@article {pmid42408466,
year = {2026},
author = {Kim, MS and Park, DY and Choi, S and Lee, S and Kim, IK},
title = {Review of fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Agaonidae & Pteromalidae) associated with Ficus (Moraceae) in South Korea, with descriptions of two new species.},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5799},
number = {2},
pages = {239-258},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5799.2.2},
pmid = {42408466},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animals ; *Wasps/classification/anatomy & histology/growth & development/genetics ; *Ficus/parasitology ; Female ; Republic of Korea ; Male ; Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures/anatomy & histology/growth & development ; Body Size ; Organ Size ; },
abstract = {This study presents the first comprehensive review of South Korean fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Agaonidae, Pteromalidae) associated with Ficus. Two new species, Wiebesia confusa Park & Kim, sp. nov. (Agaonidae) and Philotrypesis bicolor Park & Kim, sp. nov. (Pteromalidae), were reared from the figs of Ficus oxyphylla (=F. sarmentosa var. nipponica, Moraceae). Furthermore, two additional agaonid species, Blastophaga nipponica Grandi, 1922 and Wiebesia pumilae (Hill, 1967), and a pteromalid species, Sycoscapter inubiae (Ishii, 1934), are formally recorded from South Korea for the first time. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b genes were used to corroborate the morphological identification of the wasps. A key to Korean species, descriptions, diagnoses and host plant records are provided, along with detailed images of morphological characters for each species.},
}

Animals
*Wasps/classification/anatomy & histology/growth & development/genetics
*Ficus/parasitology
Female
Republic of Korea
Male
Animal Distribution
Animal Structures/anatomy & histology/growth & development
Body Size
Organ Size

@article {pmid42348676,
year = {2026},
author = {Dennis, TPW and Sulieman, JE and Nouredayem, M and Ashine, T and Ebstie, Y and Eyasu, A and Simma, EA and Zemene, E and Negash, N and Yigeremu, A and Assefa, M and Elzack, H and Dagne, A and Lukas, B and Bulto, MG and Fontaine, MC and Talignani, L and Enayati, A and Nikpoor, F and Al-Nazawi, AM and Al-Zahrani, MH and Khaireh, BA and Guelleh, S and Abdi, AA and Allan, R and Omondi, S and Abong'o, B and Milanoi, S and Ochomo, E and Ahmed, A and Samake, JN and Gimnig, JE and Rafferty, C and Ashraf, F and Pignatelli, P and Morris, M and Nagi, SC and Lucas, ER and Hernandez-Koutoucheva, A and Clarkson, CS and Doumbe-Belisse, P and Epstein, A and Brown, R and Wilson, AL and Reynolds, AM and Sherrard-Smith, E and Yewhalaw, D and Gadisa, E and Malik, E and Kafy, HT and Donnelly, MJ and Weetman, D},
title = {The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {393},
number = {6807},
pages = {eadx6925},
doi = {10.1126/science.adx6925},
pmid = {42348676},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Anopheles/genetics/drug effects ; *Insecticide Resistance/genetics ; *Malaria/transmission ; Africa ; *Introduced Species ; *Mosquito Vectors/genetics/drug effects ; Genome, Insect ; Haplotypes ; Insecticides/pharmacology ; Asia, Southern ; Middle East ; },
abstract = {The invasive urban malaria vector Anopheles stephensi threatens 126 million city dwellers in Africa. Controlling An. stephensi requires greater understanding of its origin, invasion dynamics, and insecticide resistance mechanisms. Analysis of 645 whole genomes sampled across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia supports an invasion scenario in which an initial South Asian introduction established a bridgehead population in Djibouti, which seeded distinct invasion fronts in Sudan, Ethiopia/Kenya, and Yemen. These incursions show contrasting rates and routes of spread shaped by landscape topology. Insecticide resistance is predominantly mediated by metabolic detoxification genes, with resistance haplotypes and copy-number amplifications introduced from South Asia. These findings, alongside a companion genomic resource, enable genomic surveillance of An. stephensi spread and resistance to aid control strategies.},
}

Animals
*Anopheles/genetics/drug effects
*Insecticide Resistance/genetics
*Malaria/transmission
Africa
*Introduced Species
*Mosquito Vectors/genetics/drug effects
Genome, Insect
Haplotypes
Insecticides/pharmacology
Asia, Southern
Middle East

@article {pmid42405600,
year = {2026},
author = {Grant-Guillén, Y and Vences-Blanco, MO and Martínez-Grant, DM and Martínez-Ibarra, JA},
title = {Biological parameters of Triatoma longipennis recently introduced into Central Mexico.},
journal = {Journal of vector ecology : journal of the Society for Vector Ecology},
volume = {51},
number = {1},
pages = {39-47},
doi = {10.52707/1081-1710-51.1-39},
pmid = {42405600},
issn = {1948-7134},
mesh = {Animals ; *Triatoma/physiology/parasitology ; Mexico ; Female ; *Insect Vectors/parasitology/physiology ; Chagas Disease/transmission ; Trypanosoma cruzi/pathogenicity ; Fertility ; Introduced Species ; Humans ; Male ; },
abstract = {There are many invasive alien insect species, several of these species can affect human health by causing disease. These include vectors of vector-borne diseases, such as the triatomines that transmit Chagas disease. Triatoma longipennis Usinger (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is one of the most epidemiologically important vector species of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas (Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae) in Mexico. This study reports the third collection of T. longipennis from the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, where the prevalence of T. cruzi infection in humans has historically exceeded 3.38%. This study evaluates several biological parameters of T. longipennis related to the egg-to-adult development time, number of blood meals to molt, and mortality for each instar, of two populations of the invasive species T. longipennis, recently detected in Hidalgo, as well as fecundity and fertility of females at the end of the cycle. Similar results were observed in the two populations for parameters studied, such as median egg-to-adult development time (162, 174 days), number of blood meals at each nymphal instar (7, 8 meals), total mortality (56%, 61%), fecundity (2.8 eggs/female/day) and fertility (83.3, 84.2%). These observed parameters suggest that both populations of the invasive T. longipennis detected in Hidalgo could be important transmitters of T. cruzi and could replace key triatomine species within their new distribution area.},
}

Animals
*Triatoma/physiology/parasitology
Mexico
Female
*Insect Vectors/parasitology/physiology
Chagas Disease/transmission
Trypanosoma cruzi/pathogenicity
Fertility
Introduced Species
Humans
Male

@article {pmid42406087,
year = {2026},
author = {Saha, N and Singh, N and Samuel, M},
title = {Environmental DNA (eDNA) from humans: Review of recent advancements and forensic implications.},
journal = {International journal of legal medicine},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {42406087},
issn = {1437-1596},
abstract = {The collection and analysis of biological samples for DNA profiling have become indispensable tools in forensic investigations, facilitating both the incrimination and exoneration of individuals implicated in criminal activities. Every individual constantly release traces of their DNA into their surroundings, depositing genetic material in the environment. Recent advancements in DNA technology have enabled the detection and profiling of these trace samples containing minimal cellular material. These evidences expand the scope of forensic analysis to a new concept of environmental DNA (eDNA) which refers to genetic material recovered from environmental matrices such as water, soil, and air. While eDNA has traditionally been utilized in ecological contexts-such as non-invasive species monitoring and population genetics-its forensic applications are now garnering significant attention. Between 2005 and 14th February, 2026 different keyword searches in Google Scholar, Scopus and PubMed revealed that about 25% of eDNA studies focused on biodiversity, 27% on conservation, and only 10% on forensic applications-with a mere 0.08% dedicated to human eDNA. This review, therefore, concentrates on human eDNA analysis from environmental sources such as water, air, and soil, along with their downstream applications. The approach offers a promising, non-invasive avenue for collecting biological evidence, potentially transforming forensic investigation methods. At the same time where eDNA research grows, it must also address key legal and ethical issues such as consent, data ownership, and privacy. This review summarizes recent advances and future directions in forensic eDNA, emphasizing the need for strong ethical and regulatory frameworks for its responsible use.},
}

@article {pmid42406144,
year = {2026},
author = {Garrigós, M and Veiga, J and Garrido, M and García-López, MJ and Morales-Yuste, M and Marín, C and Recuero, J and Rosales, MJ and Moreno-Indias, I and Martínez-de la Puente, J},
title = {Drivers of Mosquito Microbiome Composition: Effects of Species, Locality, Season, and Plasmodium Infection.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1007/s00248-026-02801-7},
pmid = {42406144},
issn = {1432-184X},
abstract = {Mosquito microbiota influences mosquito physiology and pathogen development, finally affecting their vectorial capacity. Identifying the factors that affect the composition of mosquito microbial communities in nature is essential for designing effective strategies to control vector-borne pathogens. Here, we used a 16 S rRNA metabarcoding approach to analyse the microbiome of 196 mosquito pools (four females per pool) of three common species: Culex pipiens, Aedes albopictus, and Culiseta longiareolata. Mosquitoes were collected from spring to autumn 2022 in five sampling localities of southern Spain. Mosquito bacterial alpha diversity was higher in Cs. longiareolata compared to Cx. pipiens and Ae. albopictus. In addition, beta diversity and the relative abundance of different bacterial taxa differed among mosquito species. Wolbachia dominated the bacterial community of Cx. pipiens and Ae. albopictus, but were virtually absent in Cs. longiareolata. Furthermore, using Cx. pipiens -the most extensively sampled species here- we further investigated differences in the microbiome composition according to sampling localities, seasons, and avian Plasmodium infection status. Locality and season affected the bacterial alpha and beta diversity, with mosquitoes collected in autumn from the Fuengirola locality showing a higher observed richness. Differences in beta diversity among localities and seasons could be, at least in part, influenced by differences in beta dispersion. The relative abundance of different taxa in Cx. pipiens varied by locality, season, and avian Plasmodium infection status. In sum, both intrinsic and environmental factors influence mosquito microbiome, yet the potential consequences for pathogen transmission should be further addressed. This study provides a comprehensive framework to understand the ecological drivers of wild mosquito microbiome, a key step for predicting vector-pathogen interactions and improving strategies for vector-borne disease control.},
}

@article {pmid42407495,
year = {2025},
author = {Brown, SDJ and Leschen, RAB and Groenteman, R},
title = {A new species of the New Zealand endemic weevil genus Clypeolus Broun (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cryptorhynchinae), found attacking an invasive weed, white horehound (Marrubium vulgare L. Lamiales: Lamiaceae).},
journal = {Zootaxa},
volume = {5717},
number = {4},
pages = {544-570},
doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.5717.4.4},
pmid = {42407495},
issn = {1175-5334},
mesh = {Animals ; New Zealand ; *Weevils/classification/anatomy & histology/growth & development/physiology ; Male ; Female ; Introduced Species ; *Lamiaceae/parasitology ; Body Size ; Animal Distribution ; Animal Structures/growth & development/anatomy & histology ; Organ Size ; Ecosystem ; Plant Weeds/parasitology ; },
abstract = {Clypeolus hallae Brown, Leschen and Groenteman new species is described from specimens reared from the roots of the invasive weed white horehound (Marrubium vulgare L., Lamiales: Lamiaceae) at a site in the Lowry Peaks Range, North Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. Additional specimens from Kaitorete Spit, Kaikoura and Nelson in the South Island, Stephens Island and Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay and East Cape in the North Island have also been examined. We provide a synopsis of the genus Clypeolus Broun, and propose the following actions: Tychanus complexus Broun, 1921, Tychanus simulans Broun, 1921, Tychanus squamosus Broun, 1914, Tychanus terricola Broun, 1921, Acalles fuscidorsis Broun, 1909, and Acalles notoporhinus Broun, 1914 are new synonyms of Clypeolus cineraceus Broun, 1909; and Tychanus dux Broun, 1893 is a new synonym of Clypeolus lachrymosus (Broun, 1881). We include a key to the known species of Clypeolus, and images of the type specimens for available names, as well as diagnoses and the distribution for each species. Clypeolus hallae is an interesting example of an indigenous herbivore in a novel host association with an adventive invasive plant species, and we recommend further study into the biology and evolution of this weevil and its potential impacts upon horehound populations.},
}

Animals
New Zealand
*Weevils/classification/anatomy & histology/growth & development/physiology
Male
Female
Introduced Species
*Lamiaceae/parasitology
Body Size
Animal Distribution
Animal Structures/growth & development/anatomy & histology
Organ Size
Ecosystem
Plant Weeds/parasitology

@article {pmid42403068,
year = {2026},
author = {Ahmed, DA and Bradshaw, CJA and Tahat, N and Hudgins, EJ and Courtois, P and Hulme, PE and Watari, Y and Tarkan, AS and Soto, I and Haubrock, PJ and Balzani, P and Cuthbert, RN},
title = {Projecting future damage costs of non-native species using combined dynamical and cost-density equations.},
journal = {Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America},
volume = {36},
number = {5},
pages = {e70252},
pmid = {42403068},
issn = {1939-5582},
support = {//Gulf University for Science and Technology/ ; JPMEERF20254M01//Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency/ ; //Research Center CAMB/ ; //INRAE MP Biosefair/ ; //DIMI-DRI/ ; 101203662//Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01/ ; //European Union's Horizon 2024 research and innovation programme/ ; CEX2024-001498-S//Excelencia Severo Ochoa/ ; //MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Introduced Species/economics ; Japan ; Models, Biological ; *Conservation of Natural Resources/economics ; *Mammals/physiology ; Population Density ; Population Dynamics ; },
abstract = {Biological invasions threaten biodiversity, economic stability, and public health, exacerbated by intensive global trade and transport. The economic costs of these invasions have exceeded US$2 trillion globally and continue to increase. Although past invasion costs have been described across various contexts, there are few robust projections of future costs, limiting effective management planning. We developed a mathematical framework to project future economic damage caused by biological invasions, combining cost-density relationships with a density-time function based on logistic population growth. We tested the model on five well-documented non-native mammal species in Japan, a country with long-term, high-resolution invasion cost records and a well-characterized history of mammal introductions: Pallas' squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus, small Indian mongoose Herpestes javanicus, nutria Myocastor coypus, masked palm civet Paguma larvata, and raccoon Procyon lotor. Species-level cost-density relationships were characterized by two distinct forms: a high-density curve for M. coypus and P. lotor, where costs increase progressively with density but the rate of escalation slows at higher densities, and a high-threshold curve for C. erythraeus, H. javanicus, and P. larvata, where costs remain minimal until populations exceed a density threshold, after which they rise steeply. Our model projected accumulated costs to 2050 varying over several orders of magnitude, from US$0.43 million (H. javanicus) to US$88 million (P. larvata), with proportional increases ranging from ~15% (M. coypus) to ~78% (H. javanicus). Under business-as-usual management, we explicitly model damage-only costs, assuming a historically observed management trend. These projections should therefore be interpreted as maximum estimates. Our approach identifies thresholds beyond which damages escalate rapidly-costs begin to surge 40-80 years after the first record, with 90% of expected long-term damages incurred typically within 10-20 years. For managers, these results highlight the importance of timely interventions, underscoring the need for tailored management strategies considering species-specific dynamics, socioeconomic contexts, and the speed of cost escalation. Early-stage cost dynamics can project future trajectories of existing and emerging invasions, helping guide proactive management prioritization. Our projections equip policymakers and resource managers with improved foresight to anticipate and mitigate future economic burdens of non-native species across spatial scales and for different taxa.},
}

Animals
*Introduced Species/economics
Japan
Models, Biological
*Conservation of Natural Resources/economics
*Mammals/physiology
Population Density
Population Dynamics

@article {pmid42404068,
year = {2026},
author = {Kamburska, L and Zaupa, S and Orlandi, M and Garzoli, L and Boggero, A},
title = {First database of invasive crayfish in north-western Italian lakes.},
journal = {Biodiversity data journal},
volume = {14},
number = {},
pages = {e189983},
pmid = {42404068},
issn = {1314-2828},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: This data paper presents 367 georeferenced occurrence records of invasive crayfish collected from 17 lakes in north-western Italy between 2017 and 2025. The database comprises four datasets in the standardised Darwin Core Archive format (DwC-A) and is openly accessible through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). We document the datasets, associated metadata, and the projects supporting data acquisition, rather than presenting research findings. All records derive from sampling conducted in submontane lakes in two Italian regions (Piedmont and Lombardy). The lakes represent different origins (fluvial, glacial and tectonic) and typologies, ranging from large, deep systems to small, shallow waterbodies. Two study lakes (Maggiore and Orta) are part of the national Long-Term Ecological Research network (LTER Italy), while the remaining lakes are designated as Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas or belong to the European Union's Natura 2000 network under the Birds Directive. By making these data publicly available, this work supports global efforts to mobilise FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) biodiversity data on invasive species, facilitating regional-scale monitoring and management.

NEW INFORMATION: Newly georeferenced records of three invasive crayfish species - Faxonius limosus, Pacifastacus leniusculus and Procambarus clarkii - from 17 lakes in Piedmont and Lombardy (north-western Italy) have been published in GBIF. The data reveal the spatial distribution and relative abundance of these species, supporting ecological research, regional monitoring and the management of freshwater invasions.},
}

@article {pmid42404071,
year = {2026},
author = {Vounatsi, M and Lhoumeau, S and Dal Lago, A and Wallon, S and Crespo, LCF and Picanço, CFS and Raposo, PML and Borges, PAV},
title = {SLAM Project - Long-Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores: VII - Long-term arthropod monitoring in Graciosa Island.},
journal = {Biodiversity data journal},
volume = {14},
number = {},
pages = {e194216},
pmid = {42404071},
issn = {1314-2828},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The data we present are part of the long-term project SLAM - Long Term Ecological Study of the Impacts of Climate Change in the natural forest of Azores, which was established in 2012 to monitor arthropod communities in Azorean forest habitats using standardised long-term ecological sampling. The main aim of this project is to understand how major biodiversity erosion drivers, including habitat degradation, biological invasions and climate-related pressures, affect the distribution, abundance and diversity of Azorean arthropods through time. Long-term monitoring is particularly relevant on oceanic islands, where biodiversity change may be expressed more strongly through species turnover, shifts in community composition and increases in introduced taxa than through immediate declines in total species richness. The SLAM framework also contributes to the early detection and documentation of new species occurrences, thereby improving baseline knowledge for conservation planning, biodiversity assessment and biosecurity. Sampling relies on passive flight-interception SLAM (Sea, Land and Air Malaise) traps, which are operated continuously and serviced at regular intervals to provide comparable seasonal and interannual samples.

NEW INFORMATION: We sampled 17,064 specimens from samples from the years 2015-2021 out of which 16,491 were identified to the level of species (96.6%) or even subspecies (326 individuals) and 247 were identified to the order, family or genus level. The identified specimens belong to 17 unique orders, 82 families, 156 genera and 165 species and eight subspecies. Of these species and subspecies, 14 were endemic, 49 were native non-endemic, 86 were introduced and 24 have uncertain colonisation status.A total of 26 species were recorded for the first time on Graciosa Island, but none represents a new record for the Azores Archipelago. Amongst these newly-recorded species, two are Azorean endemics, five are native non-endemics, 16 are introduced and three have uncertain colonisation status, with most detected at very low abundance.New island records on Graciosa Island comprise nine spiders (Order Araneae), including two Azorean endemic spiders recorded for the first time on Graciosa, Neon acoreensis (jumping spider; Salticidae) and Savigniorrhipis acoreensis (dwarf sheet spider; Linyphiidae). The remaining newly-recorded spiders are: Agyneta decora (dwarf sheet spider; Linyphiidae), Enoplognatha mandibularis (cobweb spider; Theridiidae), Haplodrassus signifier (ground spider; Gnaphosidae), Neriene clathrata (sheetweb spider; Linyphiidae), Orchestina furcillata (goblin spider; Oonopidae), Theridion melanostictum (cobweb spider; Theridiidae) and Zelotes aeneus (ground spider; Gnaphosidae).New records also include eight beetles (Coleoptera): Amischa forcipata (rove beetle; Staphylinidae), Brassicogethes aeneus (pollen beetle; Nitidulidae), Carpelimus troglodytes troglodytes (rove beetle; Staphylinidae), Cathormiocerus curvipes (weevil; Curculionidae), Omosita discoidea (sap beetle; Nitudulidae), Phyllotreta procera (flea beetle; Chrysomelidae), Ptenidium pusillum (featherwing beetle; Ptiliidae) and Quedius curtipennis (rove beetle; Staphylinidae).Additional new records comprise one millipede (Diplopoda), Cylindroiulus latestriatus (julid millipede; Diplopoda, Julida) and three true bugs (Hemiptera): Buchananiella continua (minute pirate bug; Anthocoridae), Empicoris rubromaculatus (thread-legged bug; Reduviidae) and Pilophorus confusus (plant bug; Miridae).Further additions are one ant (Hymenoptera), Hypoponera eduardi (ant; Formicidae), one booklouse (Psocodea), Lepinotus reticulatus (booklouse; Trogiidae), two thrips (Thysanoptera), Anisopilothrips venustulus (thrips; Thripidae) and Ceratothrips ericae (thrips; Thripidae) and one bush-cricket (Orthoptera), Phaneroptera nana (katydid/bush-cricket; Tettigoniidae).},
}

@article {pmid42405217,
year = {2026},
author = {Hodson, J and Harwood, M and Choy, K and Cadley, E and Newman, AJ and South, J},
title = {Comparable temperature-dependent predatory impacts of two invasive crayfish, Pontastacus leptodactylus and Pacifastacus leniusculus.},
journal = {Biological invasions},
volume = {28},
number = {7},
pages = {161},
pmid = {42405217},
issn = {1387-3547},
abstract = {UNLABELLED: Narrow-clawed crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus) are an emergent invasive species in the UK and Europe, with limited data regarding their potential ecological impacts. Predicting ecological impact in current and future climate conditions is essential to inform policy and management actions. Therefore, we determined temperature-dependent predation of P. leptodactylus compared to the well-studied Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) on native prey Gammarus pulex, along a seasonal gradient (9℃, 12℃, 17℃, and 22℃) using functional response. P. leniusculus are wide-spread global invaders and are included as a well-known damaging invader reference species. Both species exerted strong predatory impact on G. pulex at all temperatures, however, when field abundance was considered P. leptodactylus have a higher relative impact driven by higher field abundance for our sampled populations. P. leptodactylus relative impact potential will increase with temperature up to ~ 17℃ and was exacerbated when prey (G. pulex) response to temperature change was incorporated, due to decreased prey abundance at higher temperatures. Our findings indicate P. leptodactylus overlooked potential as a damaging invader, both currently and in the future, and highlight the importance of considering resource and consumer response to changing climate in impact assessments. We recommend that stakeholders consider renewed management appraisals for populations of P. leptodactylus to reduce spread and population size to minimise ecological harm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10530-026-03864-w.},
}

@article {pmid42315558,
year = {2026},
author = {Saç, G and Arabacı, G and Çağan, A and Ağdamar, S and Özuluğ, M and Doğaç, Yİ},
title = {Sustainable biodiesel from an invasive fish using immobilized lipase on magnetic nanogels as a novel management approach.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42315558},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Animals ; *Lipase/chemistry/metabolism ; *Biofuels ; *Enzymes, Immobilized/chemistry/metabolism ; *Introduced Species ; *Nanogels/chemistry ; *Fishes/metabolism ; Temperature ; Biocatalysis ; },
abstract = {An alternative strategy to mitigate the ecological and economic challenges posed by invasive fish species is to transform these organisms into valuable resources, generating economic benefits while simultaneously addressing ecosystem-related concerns. However, while the search for sustainable feedstocks continues, the specific potential of highly resilient invasive fish species for high-yield biodiesel production has not yet been evaluated. The aim of this study was to address this research gap by producing high-yield biodiesel using the invasive fish Carassius gibelio as an oil source. In this context, lipase immobilized MnFe2O4- polyhydroxymethyl methacrylate magnetic nanogels were prepared and the production system conditions (lipase amount, methanol/oil molar ratio, and temperature) were optimized. Optimal conditions were obtained using a 4000 U lipase amount, a 5:1 methanol/oil molar ratio and a temperature of 55 °C. A 97.45% biodiesel yield was achieved with this system prepared under optimum conditions, and this prepared biocatalysis system was able to produce biodiesel with at least 50% yield 13 times. This study is the first to use the highly invasive C. gibelio as a sustainable raw material for biodiesel production. It introduces a novel biocatalytic approach by integrating invasive fish species utilization with a reusable MnFe2O4-pHEMA nanogel system, achieving both high efficiency and operational stability.},
}

Animals
*Lipase/chemistry/metabolism
*Biofuels
*Enzymes, Immobilized/chemistry/metabolism
*Introduced Species
*Nanogels/chemistry
*Fishes/metabolism
Temperature
Biocatalysis

@article {pmid42400849,
year = {2026},
author = {Kucherov, NB and Hetherington, MC and Gerken, AR and Morrison, WR and Kim, TN},
title = {Investigating a Semiochemical-Based Mechanism for the Beneficial Activity of Sorghum Intercropped with Soybeans on Management of Popillia Japonica.},
journal = {Journal of chemical ecology},
volume = {52},
number = {4},
pages = {},
pmid = {42400849},
issn = {1573-1561},
support = {CRIS Project#3020-30400-001-000D//Agricultural Research Service/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Sorghum/chemistry/metabolism ; *Glycine max/chemistry/metabolism ; *Pheromones/metabolism/chemistry/pharmacology/analysis/isolation & purification ; *Coleoptera/physiology ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Solid Phase Microextraction ; Behavior, Animal/drug effects ; Plant Extracts/chemistry/pharmacology ; },
abstract = {Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, is an invasive species that attacks many field and ornamental crops. Intercropping soybean with sorghum is suggested as a strategy to reduce the abundance of P. japonica throughout soybean fields. The mechanism by which this affects P. japonica is unknown but may arise from a difference in the host plant compounds emitted by the intercropped plants because P. japonica responds to olfactory cues. In this study, we investigated a semiochemical-based mechanism for the behavioral response of P. japonica to intercropping soybean with sorghum by (1) evaluating P. japonica behavioral responses to solvent extracts from monocropped soy, intercropped soy, and a mixture of soy and sorghum extracts in no-choice video-tracking and preference in a release-recapture dual-choice assay to host stimuli from plants; and (2) applying solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in conjunction with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to characterize the semiochemical profiles of each extract. We found unique semiochemical profiles among our treatments, with 1-octen-3-ol and 1-octanol characteristic of monocropped soybean and dodecane-1-iodo primarily in sorghum extracts. Nevertheless, our treatments did not significantly affect movement or orientation by P. japonica compared to controls, nor did conspecifics exhibit a significant preference for any of the treatments in a dual-choice assay at a local scale. Therefore, if intercropping soybean with sorghum significantly affects the behavior of P. japonica in the field, it may occur at a different scale, or in response to non-olfactory stimuli (e.g., visual, habitat, or landscape cues) rather than semiochemical cues.},
}

Animals
*Sorghum/chemistry/metabolism
*Glycine max/chemistry/metabolism
*Pheromones/metabolism/chemistry/pharmacology/analysis/isolation & purification
*Coleoptera/physiology
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Solid Phase Microextraction
Behavior, Animal/drug effects
Plant Extracts/chemistry/pharmacology

@article {pmid42400947,
year = {2026},
author = {Wang, Y and Jin, C and Shao, S and Shi, S and He, Z},
title = {Chromosome-scale genome of Myriophyllum spicatum unveils the role of allohexaploidy in driving aquatic adaptation and widespread invasion.},
journal = {The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology},
volume = {127},
number = {1},
pages = {e71027},
doi = {10.1111/tpj.71027},
pmid = {42400947},
issn = {1365-313X},
support = {32170230//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 32470233//National Natural Science Foundation of China/ ; 2023B1515020083//Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province/ ; },
mesh = {*Polyploidy ; *Genome, Plant/genetics ; *Magnoliopsida/genetics/physiology ; *Adaptation, Physiological/genetics ; Introduced Species ; *Chromosomes, Plant/genetics ; },
abstract = {Aquatic angiosperms have repeatedly evolved from terrestrial ancestors but face major challenges in water. We assembled a high-quality, chromosome-scale allohexaploid genome of the cosmopolitan, invasive submerged macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum (AABBCC) and show how allohexaploidy drives aquatic adaptation and invasion. We identify subgenome-asymmetric expression, including a set of Subgenome B-suppressed genes enriched for photosynthesis-related functions and a set of Subgenome C-suppressed genes enriched for genome stability/DNA damage response-related functions. TE insertions are significantly enriched in these suppressed gene sets and coincide with structural simplification (shorter and fewer exons) and reduced expression, supporting subgenome regulatory asymmetry. Concurrently, core flavonoid genes expand via tandem duplications, while cell wall-related families contract. Adaptive substitutions in FLS1 and SGR2 likely enhance cold tolerance and refine photomorphogenic and gravitropic responses, supporting aquatic morphology and canopy formation. Collectively, these results illuminate the molecular bases of ecological adaptability and broad geographic distribution in an invasive aquatic polyploid M. spicatum and provide a comparative framework for investigating environmental adaptation and post-polyploid genome stabilization in freshwater macrophytes.},
}

*Polyploidy
*Genome, Plant/genetics
*Magnoliopsida/genetics/physiology
*Adaptation, Physiological/genetics
Introduced Species
*Chromosomes, Plant/genetics

@article {pmid42387289,
year = {2026},
author = {Chaikin, S and Gavriel, T and Deveto, A and Malamud, S and Belmaker, J},
title = {Native habitat affinities predict fish invasions with post-invasion habitat shifts.},
journal = {The Journal of animal ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.70293},
pmid = {42387289},
issn = {1365-2656},
support = {101060072//European Commission ACTNOW/ ; //Mediterranean Sea Research Center of Israel (MERCI)/ ; 2200/24//Israel Science Foundation (ISF)/ ; //Tel-Aviv University Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (TAD) in Collaboration With Google/ ; },
abstract = {Identifying habitat affinities and demographic characteristics associated with high invasion potential is a key ecological challenge. However, testing invasion hypotheses exclusively in the invaded range is inherently flawed, as it conflates the intrinsic pre-adaptations that allowed the species to invade with the habitat shifts they adopted post-invasion. To elucidate how invasion potential is related to habitat affinities and post-invasion ecological dynamics, we investigated the unique paired-basin system of the Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean. We captured in situ realized niche data (e.g. abundance, depth limits and habitat affinities) using standardized stereo underwater video surveys across 179 populations. We then applied a three-comparison framework to evaluate native-range invasion potential, post-invasion habitat shifts and recipient-community integration. Within the native Red Sea, future introduced species were distinct from non-introduced natives primarily due to their lack of reliance on coral habitats, shallower minimum depth limits, and broader habitat and depth ranges. Comparing the native and invaded ranges of introduced species revealed post-invasion niche shifts. Rather than shifting uniformly, introduced species exhibited high habitat lability, successfully abandoning affinities for tropical substrates to utilize available Mediterranean habitats. Within the Mediterranean, introduced species were assimilated into the recipient community, becoming indistinguishable from natives in habitat use rather than occupying distinct habitats. By synthesizing linear discriminant and mixed-modelling approaches into a cross-validated ensemble index, we prioritized specific Red Sea species as high-risk candidates for future Mediterranean invasion. Ultimately, this in situ framework highlights that while specific native-range habitat filters predict invasion potential, post-invasion habitat lability means that relying solely on native affinities could severely underestimate their spread and impact in novel environments.},
}

@article {pmid42388319,
year = {2026},
author = {Han, J and Pan, W and Luo, M and Fu, B and Zhang, L},
title = {Predatory Myxococcus fulvus strain KS01 confers biocontrol and growth promotion in cotton through multifaceted antifungal mechanisms.},
journal = {Frontiers in microbiology},
volume = {17},
number = {},
pages = {1812103},
pmid = {42388319},
issn = {1664-302X},
abstract = {Cotton Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, is one of the most destructive soil-borne fungal diseases threatening cotton production worldwide, necessitating the development of effective and sustainable control strategies. Myxobacteria are higher-order prokaryotes characterized by multicellular social behavior and predatory activity against diverse microorganisms, conferring significant potential for plant disease management. Based on a previously established myxobacterial mini-resource library, a strain designated KS01 with broad-spectrum antifungal activity was screened and characterized. Morphological, conservative genes (16S rRNA and gyrB) and genomic core genes phylogenetic tree identified the strain as Myxococcus fulvus KS01. In vitro assays demonstrated that M. fulvus KS01 lysed hyphae and spores of V. dahliae and significantly inhibited spore germination. Both sterile fermentation filtrates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exhibited antifungal activity. While crude secondary metabolite extracts (via macroporous resin adsorption) and crude lipopeptide extracts (via acid precipitation) exhibited no inhibitory activity, the ammonium sulfate-precipitated extracellular crude protein fraction displayed pronounced antifungal activity. This fraction disrupted fungal cell wall and membrane integrity, induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, lysed spores, and suppressed germ tube elongation. Substrate spectrum analysis further revealed that KS01 produces peptidases, lipases, and glycoside hydrolases, which are likely key biocontrol determinants. Greenhouse pot experiments showed that a solid formulation of M. fulvus KS01, prepared using white star flower chafer (Protaetia brevitarsis) frass as the fermentation substrate, achieved a control efficacy of 63.01% against cotton Verticillium wilt and significantly promoted cotton seedling growth. Collectively, M. fulvus KS01 represents a promising predatory biocontrol agent with substantial potential for the sustainable management of cotton Verticillium wilt.},
}

@article {pmid42388837,
year = {2026},
author = {Dousti, K and Kolleck, J and Harsch, I and Altmoos, M and Steinert, I and Eichelmann, MA and Jung, P and Becker, SL and Schneitler, S},
title = {Invasive mosquitoes in the non-endemic German region of Saarland: What does the public know and how does it respond?.},
journal = {One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands)},
volume = {23},
number = {},
pages = {101491},
pmid = {42388837},
issn = {2352-7714},
abstract = {By assessing public awareness, preventive behavior, and knowledge regarding invasive mosquito species in Saarland, Germany, a non-endemic region at increasing invasion risk, this study aimed to explore how the introduction of invasive mosquitoes can be addressed in non-endemic areas. A population-based anonymous questionnaire in Saarland was conducted from February to June 2024. Participants were recruited through broad public dissemination using digital and analog approaches. Nine items assessed mosquito protection practices, knowledge of invasive species, and potential for pathogen transmission. Among 1064 respondents, 623 (58.6%) met the inclusion criteria. While over half of them recognized stagnant water removal as an effective preventive measure, fewer than one fifth practiced it regularly. Travel medicine consultations were associated with greater use of protective clothing. Among participants aged 26-35, men were more likely than women to report no prior engagement with mosquito prevention measures. Although most participants had heard of Aedes albopictus, fewer than half linked it to chikungunya transmission. Marked discrepancies persist between general awareness and evidence-based preventive behavior. Targeted seasonal education campaigns represent a modifiable lever to delay vector establishment and improve outbreak preparedness.},
}

@article {pmid42389689,
year = {2026},
author = {Mariacher, A and Mezher, Z and Pepe, P and Caprioli, A and De Liberato, C and Eleni, C and Fichi, G and Barone, A and Brocherel, G and Giandomenico, RQ and Greco, S and Salvato, L and Lorenzini, R and Gori, R and Falorni, B and Cappai, N and Mattioli, L and Capecci, A and Benedetti, M and Lombardo, A},
title = {An integrated surveillance and management model for Baylisascaris procyonis in invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Italy.},
journal = {Frontiers in veterinary science},
volume = {13},
number = {},
pages = {1846789},
pmid = {42389689},
issn = {2297-1769},
abstract = {The raccoon (Procyon lotor), an invasive alien species in Europe, is a known reservoir for zoonotic parasites, particularly Baylisascaris procyonis, which can cause severe larva migrans syndromes in humans and animals. Following the first report of B. procyonis in the raccoon population of the Province of Arezzo, Central Italy, in 2021, we developed and implemented a One Health integrated surveillance and management approach combining carcass collection, parasitological and molecular diagnostics, GIS-based risk mapping, environmental fecal monitoring, and targeted public health outreach. During the study period (2021-2024), B. procyonis was detected in 34 (33.3%) of the 102 examined raccoons. No evidence of infection was identified in 169 examined paratenic hosts, while 30 wolf carcasses and 15 fecal samples from at-risk domestic dogs also tested negative, suggesting no evidence of parasite circulation outside the raccoon reservoir, within the limits of the investigated samples. Genetic characterization of raccoons revealed only one mitochondrial haplotype in all B. procyonis positive raccoons, suggesting a single introduction event of individuals that escaped from captivity in the early 2000s. GIS analysis identified a high-risk core area of 265 km[2], characterized by low human activity and the absence of latrines, tracks and other signs confirming the presence of raccoons. These results highlight the importance of raccoons as reservoirs of zoonotic parasites and demonstrate the relevance of a coordinated multidisciplinary surveillance model for assessing and managing emerging wildlife-borne hazards. This integrated approach provides a blueprint for early detection and risk mitigation as raccoon populations are likely to continue expanding across Europe.},
}

@article {pmid42392068,
year = {2026},
author = {Encerrado-Manriquez, AM and Fine, JD and Litsey, E and Baliu-Rodriguez, D and Leonard, SP and Buchholz, BA and Nicklisch, SCT},
title = {Queen bees offload pesticide burden to eggs when social buffering is overwhelmed.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2026.06.022},
pmid = {42392068},
issn = {1879-0445},
abstract = {Honey bee colonies pollinate about one-third of the world's food crops, and their rapid decline directly threatens agricultural productivity and ecosystem stability. Understanding how colony-level social defenses influence pesticide fate and the circumstances under which they fail is therefore a crucial question in pollinator biology. We used biological accelerator mass spectrometry (BioAMS), a sensitive radiotracer technique, to track the movement of a model pesticide through a small honey bee colony under laboratory conditions. We tested the hypothesis that social buffering protects honey bees from toxic accumulation and that this protection can be overcome, leading to maternal offloading of the pesticide to developing eggs. Consistent with this hypothesis, our results identified three key mechanisms governing chemical movement within a social insect colony: (1) worker bees initially decrease dietary pesticide levels by 95% through diet filtering and deposition in honeycombs, though this declines to 86% by day 10; (2) queen bees maintain markedly lower pesticide levels than workers but, over time, they accumulate the pesticide in their ovaries and transfer it into developing eggs, revealing a previously undocumented protective mechanism in reproductive individuals; and (3) the presence of a queen bee shifts colony-wide chemical distribution by concentrating worker exposure and increasing pesticide deposition in wax. Our findings show that honey bee colonies function as integrated detoxification networks, in which chemical fate depends on complex social behaviors and caste-specific physiology. When social buffering is overwhelmed, reproductive queens may survive by transferring their chemical burden to their offspring.},
}

@article {pmid42395893,
year = {2026},
author = {Hollekim, M and Smith, L and Erickson, P},
title = {Invasive African fig flies (Zaprionus indianus) have reduced cold acclimation ability compared to cosmopolitan drosophilid species.},
journal = {microPublication biology},
volume = {2026},
number = {},
pages = {},
pmid = {42395893},
issn = {2578-9430},
abstract = {Zaprionus indianus , an invasive species of fruit fly originating from Africa, has successfully inhabited eastern North America but is thought to be seasonally limited by cold temperatures. We compared the cold acclimation abilities of Z. indianus to six drosophilid species. Each species' survival at -5°C was tested following acclimation periods at 10°C, 15°C, and 25°C. We found that Z. indianus had a similar baseline cold tolerance to other cosmopolitan species and acclimated following treatment at 15°C. Overall, cold acclimation in Z. indianus was better than tropical species but weaker than some cosmopolitan species, suggesting cold may restrict Z. indianus populations.},
}

@article {pmid42397068,
year = {2026},
author = {Soto-Cortés, E and Basanta, MD and Ávila-Akerberg, V and Castellanos-Morales, G and Eguiarte, LE and Gasca-Pineda, J and González Martínez, TM and Rebollar, EA},
title = {Genome-wide analysis of an endangered axolotl endemic to Mexico reveals genomic variation associated with body condition, environment and infection by a pathogenic fungus.},
journal = {Genome biology and evolution},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/gbe/evag166},
pmid = {42397068},
issn = {1759-6653},
abstract = {Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates on the planet due to habitat loss, climate change and the emerging disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Axolotls, species from the genus Ambystoma endemic to Mexico, are a highly vulnerable group of salamanders with restricted distributions and are severely affected by habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and pollution. In this context, population genomic studies are urgently needed to implement adequate conservation and management decisions. In this study, we identified abiotic and biotic factors associated with the genomic diversity and structure of Ambystoma altamirani through genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analyses. Based on 110,761 neutral SNPs from 99 individuals across five populations of A. altamirani, we found that genomic diversity of individuals was positively correlated with their body condition. Moreover, patterns of genetic structure identified three main genetic clusters which were correlated with habitat environmental differences. Specifically, elevation and temperature-associated variables significantly contributed to the genomic structuring of A. altamirani populations. Linear factor mixed models (LFMM) identified 1,670 SNPs associated with environmental variables as well as 80 and 47 SNPs associated with the biotic variables Bd infection intensity and body condition, respectively. We identified SNPs significantly associated with differences in Bd infection and body condition among homozygous or heterozygous genotypes. Overall, our study teases apart some of the factors likely influencing axolotl genetic diversity and population structuring, which should be considered for conservation strategies for this and other endangered amphibian species.},
}

@article {pmid42397301,
year = {2026},
author = {Karban, CC and Gugel, SD and Barger, NN},
title = {Microsite creation increases native plant density and biomass in a semiarid grassland restoration.},
journal = {Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America},
volume = {36},
number = {5},
pages = {e70280},
doi = {10.1002/eap.70280},
pmid = {42397301},
issn = {1051-0761},
support = {//Garden Club of America/ ; },
mesh = {*Grassland ; *Biomass ; *Soil/chemistry ; Seeds ; *Environmental Restoration and Remediation/methods ; Soil Microbiology ; Charcoal ; Seedlings ; },
abstract = {Degradation in drylands is widespread, yet our ability to restore dryland native plant communities is nearly nonexistent. Recruitment from seed is often <10%, due to many factors including harsh conditions that lead to seed dormancy and seedling mortality and high levels of competition with invasive species. Degradation exacerbates these challenges by decreasing topography, water-holding capacity in soil, and perennial vegetation which can act as microsites for seed regeneration. In this experiment, we tested soil pits, biochar soil amendments, and seed pellets as three strategies to create seed microsites and ameliorate harsh conditions in a degraded landscape. We measured seedling density and biomass of both native and non-native species after one growing season. We also assessed impacts of the treatments on soil microbial communities. Seeding alone, with or without a seed pellet, did not result in seedlings in the absence of other treatments. Microsite creation increased native plant density by about 10-fold, and biomass by about 100-fold, compared to controls. Native plant biomass was even higher-about 300-fold greater than controls-with the addition of biochar to the microsites. Non-native seedling density and biomass was also highest, by about 10-fold and 6-10-fold, in pits and pits with biochar, respectively. Soil moisture was significantly higher in microsites, likely driving these native and non-native vegetation trends. There was no effect of seed pellets on plant density or biomass, and in most cases, pellets performed slightly worse than broadcast bare seeds. Bacterial communities in reference soils did not differ from those in degraded areas, but there were differences in response to the microsite treatments. Our results support our hypothesis that microsite limitation, coupled with seed limitation, poses a barrier to seeded restoration in highly degraded semiarid grasslands. Addressing this barrier could improve stubbornly low plant recruitment rates in dryland restoration, making projects more effective.},
}

*Grassland
*Biomass
*Soil/chemistry
Seeds
*Environmental Restoration and Remediation/methods
Soil Microbiology
Charcoal
Seedlings

@article {pmid42397440,
year = {2026},
author = {Seno, H and Goyal, A},
title = {Discrete-time exploitative competition model of different stage-specific predators.},
journal = {Journal of mathematical biology},
volume = {93},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42397440},
issn = {1432-1416},
mesh = {Animals ; *Predatory Behavior ; *Models, Biological ; Population Dynamics/statistics & numerical data ; *Food Chain ; Mathematical Concepts ; Competitive Behavior ; Introduced Species/statistics & numerical data ; Population Density ; Ecosystem ; Computer Simulation ; },
abstract = {We consider a discrete-time competition model between native and alien predator populations for a common prey. The model is described by a system of three recurrence relations governing their population dynamics, with a generic density-dependent effect for prey and a generic predation factor. In our model, the native and alien predators prey on different stages of the common prey: juvenile-specific and adult-specific predators. In this paper, we focus on the invadability of native prey-predator system to an alien predator and investigate which stage-specific alien predator could be more successful in invading the native system with a different stage-specific native predator. Our mathematical results demonstrate that the prey-predator system with an adult-specific native predator is more vulnerable to the juvenile-specific alien predator invasion compared to the native system with a juvenile-specific native predator. To illustrate the general result more clearly, we present some detailed results on a specific model with a Beverton-Holt type of density-dependent effect and a Nicholson-Bailey type of predation factor, which effectively demonstrates such the dependence of vulnerability to an alien predator invasion on the stage-specific predation.},
}

Animals
*Predatory Behavior
*Models, Biological
Population Dynamics/statistics & numerical data
*Food Chain
Mathematical Concepts
Competitive Behavior
Introduced Species/statistics & numerical data
Population Density
Ecosystem
Computer Simulation

@article {pmid42397972,
year = {2026},
author = {Monroe, AF and Rassati, D and Riggins, JJ},
title = {Xyleborus monographus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) as an emerging forest pest in North America: a review.},
journal = {Environmental entomology},
volume = {55},
number = {4},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/ee/nvag063},
pmid = {42397972},
issn = {1938-2936},
support = {2234662//National Science Foundation Graduate Research/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; North America ; *Weevils/physiology/microbiology ; Forests ; *Introduced Species ; Quercus ; },
abstract = {Xyleborus monographus (Fabricius, 1792), the Mediterranean oak borer, is an ambrosia beetle native to the Euro-Mediterranean region, western Asia, and North Africa. Its recent establishments in California (2017) and Oregon (2019), United States, have been linked to rapid mortality of seemingly healthy, mature Quercus species, raising concern for oak-dominated ecosystems in North America. Despite the potential implications of this emerging threat, X. monographus remains poorly studied. The only in-depth account of its biology and ecology dates to 1964. Beyond that, references are scattered across gray literature, regional journals, and diverse linguistic sources, leaving researchers and land managers without a centralized foundation from which to respond to its spread in North America. Here, we synthesize 124 primary and secondary sources spanning more than 140 yr, including translated works, recent regional detections, and observations from active infestations. We consolidate all available information on X. monographus, including taxonomy, distribution, microbiome, life history, host associations, and ecological impacts. Across the literature, X. monographus emerges as a species likely adapted to detecting and exploiting weakened hosts in patchy landscapes with few tested management options. We highlight areas of consensus, identify knowledge gaps, and contextualize challenges for interpreting existing data. As land managers and researchers begin to confront the consequences of this invasion, this review provides the foundation for future research, monitoring, and management of X. monographus in North America.},
}

Animals
North America
*Weevils/physiology/microbiology
Forests
*Introduced Species
Quercus

@article {pmid42398246,
year = {2026},
author = {Zhang, Y and Tang, Z and Shangguan, H and Zhu, R and Xie, A and Huang, Q and Su, J and O'Connor, P and Jiang, Y and Sun, X},
title = {Invasive giant African snails as potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance and bacterial pathogens in urban park.},
journal = {Journal of environmental management},
volume = {413},
number = {},
pages = {130396},
doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130396},
pmid = {42398246},
issn = {1095-8630},
abstract = {Urban parks serve millions of visitors annually, yet antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance programs rarely consider invasive species as environmental reservoirs. Here, we investigated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and potential zoonotic pathogens in invasive giant African snails (Lissachatina fulica) across 23 urban parks in Xiamen, China, with comparative analysis of dog feces and earthworm casts collected from the same parks. Metagenomic profiling revealed that snails harbored extensive ARG diversity (1222 subtypes) comparable to dogs (1,393) and substantially exceeding earthworms (492), with 936 ARG subtypes shared between invasive snails and dogs. Invasive snails also carried substantial relative abundances of potential zoonotic pathogens (mean 15.7% relative abundance), including clinically relevant taxa such as Escherichia, Pseudomonas, and Enterococcus. Phenotypic testing of representative isolates confirmed the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in snail and dog fecal samples. The convergence of broad ARG diversity, substantial potential zoonotic pathogen burdens, and coprophagous behavior suggests that invasive snails may represent previously unmonitored environmental hosts associated with AMR in urban parks. Field observations of snails consuming dog feces, together with the greater resistome similarity between snails and dogs than between snails and earthworms, are consistent with exposure to animal feces as a potential source of ARGs. This study underscores the need to integrate invasive species into One Health AMR surveillance and urban environmental management strategies.},
}

@article {pmid42399166,
year = {2026},
author = {Estoup, A and Hulme, PE and Hodgins, KA and Gautier, M and Lombaert, E and Dhami, MK and McGaughran, A and Hufbauer, RA},
title = {Can habitat modification in the native range promote invasion?.},
journal = {Trends in ecology & evolution},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.tree.2026.06.006},
pmid = {42399166},
issn = {1872-8383},
abstract = {The anthropogenically induced adaptation to invade (AIAI) hypothesis posits that selection in human-modified habitats within native ranges can adapt populations to invade similarly altered environments elsewhere. Although widely invoked, empirical tests of this hypothesis remain limited because disentangling native-range adaptation from post-introduction evolution is challenging. Here, we clarify how anthropogenic disturbance creates repeatable selective regimes and demonstrate how targeted sampling, population genomics, and genotype-environment associations can disentangle native-range adaptation from post-introduction evolution. Incorporating genomic offset, genetic architecture, nongenetic changes, experiments, and temporal data further strengthens inference. These insights and approaches establish the AIAI hypothesis as a mechanism that explicitly links human disturbance with the evolutionary dynamics of invasive species, providing novel insights into the prediction and management of biological invasions.},
}

@article {pmid42400395,
year = {2026},
author = {Bielski, J and Pfeiffer, DG and Jaronski, ST and Kuhar, TP and Salom, SM and Leskey, TC and Steffel, JE},
title = {Bioassay and field trial of pesticides against spotted lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) egg masses at different overwintering application timings.},
journal = {Journal of economic entomology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/jee/toag163},
pmid = {42400395},
issn = {1938-291X},
support = {//Virginia Wine Board/ ; },
abstract = {Spotted lanternfly (SLF; Lycorma delicatula [White]) overwinters in egg masses for approximately eight months a year, representing its longest individual life stage. Therefore, this life stage constitutes a good candidate for management practices. Egg masses were collected from various locations in Winchester, VA, and stored in climate-controlled incubators (10 °C, 65% relative humidity, and a 16:8 light-to-dark ratio). The egg masses were treated during one of three periods during the overwintering phase: winter, early spring, or late spring. Bioassays were conducted across 3 years (2021 to 2023) utilizing 13 insecticides, across multiple modes of action, along with an untreated and water check. Furthermore, in 2023, a field trial of malathion against an untreated check was investigated. Egg mass hatch reduction was analyzed to determine the efficacy of the various treatments and application timings. In all bioassays, we found strong reductions in survivorship from malathion and chlorpyrifos. Other pesticides tested in laboratory bioassays demonstrated varying, lesser hatch reductions across application timings and years. In the field trial, we found strong evidence that malathion provides ovicidal efficacy against hatching SLF nymphs.},
}

@article {pmid42091607,
year = {2026},
author = {Varone, M and Di Lillo, P and Pollastro, R and Nikolouli, K and Özel, AE and Bourtzis, K and Salvemini, M},
title = {The GPROP3 gene controls larval negative phototaxis in Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and shows structural and regulatory conservation across invasive Aedes species.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {16},
number = {1},
pages = {},
pmid = {42091607},
issn = {2045-2322},
mesh = {Animals ; *Aedes/genetics/physiology ; Larva/genetics/physiology ; *Phototaxis/physiology ; Phylogeny ; RNA Interference ; Introduced Species ; Light ; *Insect Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; *Opsins/genetics/metabolism ; },
abstract = {Mosquito larvae depend on light detection for predator evasion and habitat selection; however, the molecular functions underlying larval photoreception remain largely unexplored. In this paper, we describe in detail the long-wavelength-sensitive opsin GPROP3 in Aedes mosquitoes by investigating its evolutionary conservation, expression patterns, and functional role in phototactic behavior. Using phylogenetic analyses, expression profiling across different developmental stages and tissues, and functional RNAi assays, we show that GPROP3 is required for larval negative phototaxis. These studies demonstrate stage-specific expression patterns and light-dependent subcellular dynamics and identify GPROP3 as a principal photosensor necessary for larval survival behaviors. These findings advance understanding of mosquito larval sensory systems and indicate their potential for vector control strategies targeting early developmental stages.},
}

Animals
*Aedes/genetics/physiology
Larva/genetics/physiology
*Phototaxis/physiology
Phylogeny
RNA Interference
Introduced Species
Light
*Insect Proteins/genetics/metabolism
*Opsins/genetics/metabolism

@article {pmid42382590,
year = {2026},
author = {Czarniecka-Wiera, M and Berki, B and Szymura, TH and Szymura, M},
title = {Invasive Lupinus polyphyllus Alters Functional Traits and Life Strategies of Native Species.},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
volume = {16},
number = {7},
pages = {e73911},
pmid = {42382590},
issn = {2045-7758},
abstract = {The primary trait of invasive plant species is their enhanced competitive ability compared to native flora. Consequently, in ecosystems they invade, native species diversity often declines. However, some native plants may allocate resources to developing traits that support their coexistence with invasive species. We conducted an observational experiment to assess how the functional traits of native plants are influenced by the invasion of Lupinus polyphyllus, how the Competition-Stress-Ruderal (CSR) strategies of native species shift during this process, as well as whether environmental factors modify these relations. We selected eight species (four herbs and four grasses) commonly found in the grasslands of the Sudety Mountains (Poland). Plants and soil were sampled from grasslands dominated by L. polyphyllus (> 50% cover) and from adjacent patches free of invasive plants. We measured plant height, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf dry matter content (LDMC). Subsequently, we evaluated each species' allocation to a particular life strategy using the CSR framework. Our findings show that native grassland species growing alongside L. polyphyllus tend to be taller, have larger leaves, exhibit higher SLA, and have lower LDMC compared to those in noninvaded areas. Simultaneously, L. polyphyllus presence is associated with reduced impacts of K and moisture on herbs' functional traits; C, N, C/N, and heat exposure on grasses' functional traits; as well as low pH and clay content on both groups' functional traits. These shifts in leaf traits among plants interacting with the invader suggest a reduced investment in stress-tolerance strategies, accompanied by increased investment in competitive or ruderal strategies.},
}

@article {pmid42385001,
year = {2026},
author = {Pestana, MCA and Silva, EP and Santos-Júnior, LC and Saraiva, RVC and Oliveira, RF and Damasceno-Durval, CN and Silva, ABB and Guarçoni, EAE and Leroy, JAS},
title = {How did this plant arrive here? Range expansion of the potentially invasive aquatic macrophyte Sagittaria montevidensis (Alismataceae) to Northeastern Brazil.},
journal = {Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia},
volume = {86},
number = {},
pages = {e303769},
doi = {10.1590/1519-6984.303769},
pmid = {42385001},
issn = {1678-4375},
mesh = {Brazil ; *Sagittaria/classification/anatomy & histology/physiology ; *Introduced Species ; Animals ; },
abstract = {Sagittaria montevidensis is an aquatic macrophyte distributed across South America, especially in southern Brazil. In this study, we report the first confirmed record of this species in northeastern Brazil, based on collections from irrigated rice fields in Arari (Maranhão State). The populations observed at the study sites exhibit vigorous active reproduction and show patterns warranting evaluation of possible herbicide resistance, indicating strong potential for establishment and spread in the region. Considering the species' large geographic disjunction, long-distance dispersal by waterbirds emerges as the most plausible introduction pathway for Maranhão. We provide a morphological description, photographs, and an updated distribution map for the species in Brazil. We also discuss the environmental conditions that favor its establishment and the potential ecological and agronomic implications of its introduction.},
}

Brazil
*Sagittaria/classification/anatomy & histology/physiology
*Introduced Species
Animals

@article {pmid42385879,
year = {2026},
author = {Du, C and Wen, C and Pang, R and Wang, C},
title = {To Repel the Red Imported Fire Ant: A Review of Progress, Limitations, and Prospects.},
journal = {Current opinion in insect science},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {101572},
doi = {10.1016/j.cois.2026.101572},
pmid = {42385879},
issn = {2214-5753},
abstract = {The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is one of the world's most damaging invasive species, causing billions of dollars in economic losses annually. Although chemical insecticides remain the primary control method, their application is increasingly constrained by resistance, as well as environmental and health concerns. Repellents offer a complementary approach when immediate and precise protection is needed. This review examines the current state of research on repellents against S. invicta. In total, 124 substances have demonstrated repellent activity against foraging, nesting, or defending behaviors of S. invicta. However, several limitations in S. invicta repellent studies challenge their real-world applicability. Although certain compounds have shown strong and persistent effects under laboratory conditions, field validation remains limited. Furthermore, most repellents have been evaluated in only a single behavioral context, and differences in experimental methods and evaluation criteria complicate comparisons across studies. There is also a significant gap in mechanistic understanding, with only a limited number of studies focusing on molecular targets, neural responses, or docking-based hypotheses related to repellency in S. invicta. Future research should prioritize standardized, multi-context evaluations, field validation, and mechanistic investigations to advance the practical application of S. invicta repellents.},
}

@article {pmid42331051,
year = {2026},
author = {Umar Sharif, US and Mohd, MH},
title = {Temperature-dependent dynamics and allee effect thresholds mediate fourfold cusp stability in biological control of invasive vectors.},
journal = {Mathematical biosciences},
volume = {399},
number = {},
pages = {109750},
doi = {10.1016/j.mbs.2026.109750},
pmid = {42331051},
issn = {1879-3134},
mesh = {Animals ; *Temperature ; *Climate Change ; *Models, Biological ; Population Dynamics ; *Pest Control, Biological/statistics & numerical data ; *Introduced Species ; *Vector Borne Diseases/prevention & control ; *Models, Theoretical ; },
abstract = {Climate change is reshaping the distribution of invasive vector species, intensifying the risk of vector-borne diseases in previously unaffected regions. Sustainable management of these vectors increasingly relies on biological control agents, which offer an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical interventions. However, the success of biological control is constrained by ecological thresholds such as the Allee effect, where small introduced populations of control agents may fail to establish, particularly under changing temperature conditions. In this study, we examine a mathematical model that captures competition between invasive vectors and biological control agents. The model incorporates temperature-dependent functional responses and weak Allee effects to reflect the dual pressures of climate variability and population-level constraints. Our one-parameter bifurcation analysis reveals that these combined drivers promote multistability, leading to sudden regime shifts between outcomes of successful vector suppression, vector outbreaks, coexistence, or population collapse. Additionally, four coexisting stable equilibria arises from a cusp-induced wedge region in a two-parameter bifurcation analysis, a phenomenon not previously observed in vector-borne population dynamics. This introduces a higher level of dynamical complexity, bridging temperature-dependent biological rates and nonlinear population feedback, with potential implications for species bio-control under climate change. These findings also suggest that climate change not only facilitates vector spread but also complicates biological control outcomes, making them highly sensitive to initial population densities, population-level (or Allee effect) constraints and temperature regimes. This work demonstrates the importance of considering both climatic and population-level influences when planning biological control programs, particularly in safeguarding public health against emerging vector-borne threats.},
}

Animals
*Temperature
*Climate Change
*Models, Biological
Population Dynamics
*Pest Control, Biological/statistics & numerical data
*Introduced Species
*Vector Borne Diseases/prevention & control
*Models, Theoretical

@article {pmid42376123,
year = {2026},
author = {Mohammed, SAA and Hdud, IM and Efkeren, SM and Alshailabi, EMA},
title = {Descriptive histopathological assessment of kidney and gill tissues in Lagocephalus sceleratus from the Libyan coast.},
journal = {Open veterinary journal},
volume = {16},
number = {3},
pages = {1511-1522},
pmid = {42376123},
issn = {2218-6050},
mesh = {Animals ; *Gills/pathology ; *Kidney/pathology ; Libya ; *Fish Diseases/pathology/parasitology ; Mediterranean Sea ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The Mediterranean Sea has undergone significant ecological changes in recent decades, partly due to the introduction of non-native species. Lagocephalus sceleratus is an invasive Lessepsian species widely distributed in the Mediterranean, increasingly abundant along the Libyan coast, and potentially exposed to chronic environmental stressors.This species represents an important model for baseline pathological assessment in newly colonized marine environments.

AIM: This study provides a descriptive histopathological assessment of kidney and gill tissues in adult L. sceleratus to document baseline tissue alterations without inferring direct environmental or pollution-related causation.

METHODS: A total of 150 adult specimens were collected from four Libyan coastal locations. Tissues were processed using standard histological techniques and evaluated semi-quantitatively (+, ++, +++) for lesion severity. Lesion severity grades were converted into ordinal numerical data and summarized using descriptive statistical approaches only.

RESULTS: Kidney tissues exhibited tubular degeneration, Bowman's capsule dilatation, vascular congestion, extensive melanomacrophage centers (MMCs), and inflammatory lesions. Gill tissues showed disorganization of secondary lamellae, epithelial hyperplasia, edema, aneurysmal dilatations, vascular congestion, and MMC proliferation, some of which were associated with histologically observed parasitic structures.

CONCLUSION: The observed alterations represent descriptive baseline tissue changes and should not be interpreted as direct evidence of pollution or specific environmental stressors.These findings provide reference data for future comparative pathological and ecological studies.},
}

Animals
*Gills/pathology
*Kidney/pathology
Libya
*Fish Diseases/pathology/parasitology
Mediterranean Sea

@article {pmid42376710,
year = {2026},
author = {Arguelles, EDLR and Mugikura, K and Sato, S},
title = {Impact of the invasive diatom species Cymbella janischii on riverine microbial biofilm communities and a potential role of bacterially produced zeatin.},
journal = {Journal of phycology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/jpy.70195},
pmid = {42376710},
issn = {1529-8817},
support = {21A402//Japan Society for the Promotion of Science/ ; 23K05398//Japan Society for the Promotion of Science/ ; 26K01814//Japan Society for the Promotion of Science/ ; //Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology/ ; },
abstract = {The diatom Cymbella janischii is an invasive species in Japan, causing nuisance blooms by forming thick mats in rivers. To date, there are no documented studies on the microbiome associations in C. janischii mats or the processes that drive bloom formation. This study used metabarcoding of diatoms, bacteria, and fungi to identify key species and assess the effects of C. janischii blooms on the benthic microbial communities. C. janischii blooms reduced diatom and bacterial species diversity, while fungal diversity remained stable. In addition, the diatom Nitzschia paleacea and the bacterium Flavobacterium sp. were observed to co-occur and vary in abundance, indicating a possible ecological link that may affect mat structure or function. Metagenomic predictions of bacterial functions showed that compared to benthic stones without visible C. janischii mats, mat-associated bacteria had enriched pathways related to the metabolism of carbohydrates, nucleotides, and amino acids, along with zeatin biosynthesis. Zeatin is a cytokinin phytohormone that stimulates plant growth and development. In vitro exposure of C. janischii to varying zeatin concentrations confirmed its growth-promoting effects, inducing cell proliferation and stalk formation. This study shows that zeatin stimulates the growth of C. janischii. The findings of this study provide new insights into microbiome diversity, identifying key taxa associated with C. janischii mats to help better understand bloom formation.},
}

@article {pmid42377547,
year = {2026},
author = {Crucitti-Thoo, RM and Aykut, TO and Rudak, A and Jasser, I},
title = {Comparing Aquatic Environmental DNA, Microscopy and Sedimentary DNA to Investigate Cyanobacterial Community Dynamics Across a Trophic Gradient.},
journal = {Microbial ecology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1007/s00248-026-02806-2},
pmid = {42377547},
issn = {1432-184X},
support = {560583//Polish National Science Centre/ ; },
abstract = {As a result of increasing temperatures and anthropogenic stressors, freshwater biomonitoring indicates that toxigenic and non-native cyanobacterial species are increasing globally. Because of the high-effort nature of traditional microscopy, aquatic Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding as a form of biomonitoring is becoming commonplace. While eDNA has been found to complement microscopic phytoplankton analysis, it has also been demonstrated that recent eDNA from surficial sediments (sedDNA) can also be a powerful tool to monitor a variety of organisms including benthic and planktonic microorganisms. However, comparisons between all three methods are rare. Therefore, we compared cyanobacterial metabarcoding data derived from aquatic eDNA and sedDNA to cell density and biomass determined by traditional planktonic microscopic analysis on samples taken from more than 20 lakes in the Masurian and Suwałki Lakelands of north-east Poland; an area composed of thousands of lakes with diverse morphologies, land-use histories, and varying trophic states. We found that there was a high degree of within method (eDNA/sedDNA, cell density/biomass) correspondence between the approaches, with trophic changes plausibly driving general patterns in taxa leading to these underlying agreements. Between methods, cell density proved to be more closely associated with eDNA, but was not found to be statistically significant. We postulate that cell numbers are a more similar metric to sequence read numbers than biomass, but that unique qualities of each measure mean that the approaches examined are complementary, rather than redundant. We detected several invasive taxa, which appear to have increased in abundance along the trophic gradients, and postulate that the accumulating nature of sediments may prove useful in detecting invasive taxa, particularly in the low-abundance early introductory stages.},
}

@article {pmid42378306,
year = {2026},
author = {Ssenkuba, F and Rwibutso, M and Dusabe, MC and Tumusiime, J and Albrecht, C},
title = {Invaders taking over-Mollusc faunal change in volcanic barrier lakes of the Albertine Rift biodiversity hotspot.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {21},
number = {6},
pages = {e0352648},
pmid = {42378306},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Biodiversity ; *Lakes ; *Mollusca/classification/genetics/physiology ; *Introduced Species ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; Ecosystem ; Uganda ; Rwanda ; },
abstract = {East African freshwater are renowned biodiversity hotspots, particularly within the Rift Valley lakes, which exhibit exceptional species richness and endemism. However, research in this region has predominantly focused on large Rift lakes, with smaller volcanic barrier lakes remaining underexplored. This study integrated morphological, DNA barcoding, and ecological analyses to assess mollusc diversity, biogeographical affinities, environmental correlates of distribution, and community differences in lakes Bunyonyi, Mutanda, and Mulehe in Uganda, and Lakes Ruhondo and Burera in Rwanda. Results revealed a relatively high malacofaunal diversity in these lakes compared to some Great Lakes in the region, although these comparisons should be interpreted cautiously because sampling scope differs among studies. Assemblages largely exhibited Nilotic affinities and were dominated by widespread mollusc species. Our findings suggest ongoing homogenisation of mollusc communities, as indicated by reduced dispersion among invaded lakes. While this pattern is consistent with potential influences of anthropogenic activities and invasive species such as the North American crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), Physella acuta, and the Asian lineage of Melanoides tuberculata, our analyses do not allow us to disentangle invasion effects from other confounding factors, including lake-specific characteristics and environmental gradients. Therefore, invasion-driven homogenisation should be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, this trend, coupled with habitat degradation from agriculture, pollution, and infrastructure development, may pose significant threats to the mollusc diversity in these lakes. This research underscores the importance of prioritising these overlooked, fragile ecosystems in the regional biodiversity conservation strategies to safeguard habitats for molluscs and other faunal elements. A comprehensive regional freshwater survey, including metabarcoding, is needed to document molluscan diversity patterns under ongoing environmental change and increasing anthropogenic pressure.},
}

Animals
*Biodiversity
*Lakes
*Mollusca/classification/genetics/physiology
*Introduced Species
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
Ecosystem
Uganda
Rwanda

@article {pmid42379492,
year = {2026},
author = {Tober, AV and Webster, B and Govender, D and Cable, J and Russo, IM},
title = {Hidden digenean diversity in two African protected areas: metabarcoding as a tool for parasite identification.},
journal = {International journal for parasitology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {104918},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijpara.2026.104918},
pmid = {42379492},
issn = {1879-0135},
abstract = {African protected areas support exceptional wildlife diversity, yet their parasite diversity remains poorly characterised. Documenting parasite biodiversity is increasingly urgent as global change alters species distributions and threatens to cause mass parasite extinctions. Digenean trematodes are thought to be particularly sensitive to environmental stressors due to their complex life cycles, involving gastropod intermediate hosts and a wide range of secondary and definitive hosts. This study used a metabarcoding approach targeting the nuclear 28S rDNA region with the aim of characterising trematode communities within freshwater snail hosts from two southern African protected areas: Kruger National Park, (KNP), South Africa and Bwabwata National Park (BNP), Namibia. Additionally, patterns of alpha diversity and trematode co-infection across snail species were assessed within both parks. Metabarcoding revealed high trematode diversity and co-infection rates in snail hosts, detecting species of veterinary (Schistosoma mattheei, Fasciola gigantica) and conservation (Riberioa cf. ondatrae) importance, across different snail species in both parks. The invasive snail Tarebia granifera in KNP showed significantly higher trematode richness compared to all other snail species, with all sampled individuals showing co-infection. Metabarcoding is a promising tool for assessing parasite diversity and within host communities, although there is an urgent need for improved trematode molecular reference databases. This work has important implications for biodiversity management, veterinary health and public health surveillance in African wildlife protected areas.},
}

@article {pmid42379622,
year = {2026},
author = {Rodríguez, A and Rando, JC and Rodríguez, B},
title = {Cat colonies reshape the abundance and body size of lizards.},
journal = {Biology letters},
volume = {22},
number = {7},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1098/rsbl.2026.0195},
pmid = {42379622},
issn = {1744-957X},
support = {RYC2021-032656-I//Ramón y Cajal fellowship/ ; MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033//Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/ ; //European Union 'NextGenerationEU'/PRTR/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Lizards/physiology ; *Body Size ; Cats/physiology ; Population Density ; *Introduced Species ; Predatory Behavior ; Food Chain ; },
abstract = {The cat (Felis catus) is one of the worst invasive species, with well-documented impacts on biodiversity, especially on islands. Despite this, local administrations commonly implement trap-neuter-return (TNR) programmes to manage free-roaming cat populations. Here, we assess the effects of cat colonies on the endemic Tenerife lizard (Gallotia galloti). We used fruit-baited pitfall traps placed near and away from cat colonies to estimate lizard abundance and collect biometric data. Lizard abundance was lower near cat colonies compared with nearby control areas. Moreover, the individuals captured close to the colonies were smaller. Measurements of lizard carcasses found near colonies indicate that cats preferentially prey on larger individuals, explaining both their reduced abundance and their smaller body size. Interestingly, despite their smaller size, lizards near cat colonies presented higher scaled mass index values. Stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) of faecal samples suggest that these lizards partially rely on dried cat food available within colonies. Overall, cat colonies significantly altered lizard abundance, size structure and body condition. Given the ecological importance of G. galloti as both a seed disperser and prey, our findings highlight the need to limit the spread of free-roaming cat colonies, particularly in protected areas, to mitigate the effects on native biodiversity.},
}

Animals
*Lizards/physiology
*Body Size
Cats/physiology
Population Density
*Introduced Species
Predatory Behavior
Food Chain

@article {pmid42381664,
year = {2026},
author = {Sukee, T and Sumanam, SB and Chen, ZY and Hodgkinson, JE and Wiedemar, N and Webster, BL and Ponder, WF and Chang, BCH and Gasser, RB and Koehler, AV and Young, ND},
title = {Mitogenomic characterisation of non-native freshwater snails in Australia: Implications for biosecurity and trematode vector surveillance.},
journal = {One health (Amsterdam, Netherlands)},
volume = {23},
number = {},
pages = {101484},
pmid = {42381664},
issn = {2352-7714},
abstract = {Freshwater snails play essential roles in the transmission of trematode parasites that affect humans, livestock and wildlife. Australia's freshwater ecosystems are increasingly influenced by non-native and potentially invasive snail species that may pose biosecurity challenges and alter parasite transmission dynamics. This study characterised the complete mitochondrial genomes for four non-native snail taxa established in Australia (Pseudosuccinea columella, Orientogalba viridis, Physa acuta and Planorbella sp.) and for Galba truncatula, a high-priority exotic species considered a potential invader. Using long-read sequencing and comparative analyses, 15 complete mitogenomes were assembled, annotated and compared across three families (Lymnaeidae, Physidae and Planorbidae). Genome sizes ranged from 13.7 to 14.3 kb and exhibited conserved gene organisation and marked A + T bias. Australian populations of P. columella, O. viridis and Ph. acuta showed very limited mitochondrial nucleotide variability, consistent with founder effects, demographic bottlenecks and self-fertilisation, in contrast to the marked divergence observed among lineages within Galba from European laboratory strains. Phylogenetic inference based on concatenated and single-gene (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, cox1) datasets confirmed well-resolved family-level relationships and revealed cryptic diversity within Galba. The mitogenomes defined here provide molecular references for future taxonomic studies, diagnostic assay development and environmental (e)DNA monitoring of freshwater snails. These genomic resources establish a basis for biosecurity preparedness and vector surveillance in Australia and contribute to a broader One Health approach by supporting early detection, accurate identification and risk assessment of trematode-transmitting snails in freshwater ecosystems.},
}

@article {pmid42372141,
year = {2026},
author = {Beshai, RA and Sorte, CJB},
title = {A general framework for predicting the ecological effects of range expansions in marine systems.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {123},
number = {27},
pages = {e2600491123},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.2600491123},
pmid = {42372141},
issn = {1091-6490},
support = {2124438//NSF (NSF)/ ; P200A210001//ED | Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)/ ; },
mesh = {Animals ; *Ecosystem ; *Introduced Species ; *Aquatic Organisms/physiology ; Marine Biology ; Models, Biological ; Global Warming ; Food Chain ; },
abstract = {Warming global temperatures are driving species to shift beyond their historical geographic ranges into novel, expanded ranges, where they may have both positive and negative effects on recipient populations. Although no framework currently exists to anticipate these effects, invasion biology theory suggests expanders' effects may be predictable from expanders' historical roles and trophic positions. We conducted a global synthesis of over 1,200 population-level effects of marine range-expanding species reported across 1,075 studies. We hypothesized that, similar to invasive species, expanding species' impacts could be predicted by (H1) their ecological roles in their historical ranges and (H2) their trophic levels. We found that effects in these species' historical ranges reliably predict their impacts in expanded ranges, but that, overall, marine range expanders tend to be more detrimental-or less beneficial-in novel communities. Higher trophic level expanders tend to have stronger effects (both positive and negative) on resident species than lower trophic level expanders. Effect magnitudes were further modulated by the type of interaction (e.g., predation, competition, physical disturbance, etc.), with the strongest effects arising from indirect interactions. Finally, we found that native producers experienced some of the strongest effects when compared to humans, vertebrates, or invertebrates. Together, our results indicate that existing knowledge of species' roles are key to anticipating which climate-driven range expansions are likely to have the largest effects on recipient communities.},
}

Animals
*Ecosystem
*Introduced Species
*Aquatic Organisms/physiology
Marine Biology
Models, Biological
Global Warming
Food Chain