Investigating tree planting in Ethiopia and the extent to which scheme implementation aligns with good governance practices.

Tree planting schemes are implemented to achieve social, cultural, economic, and environmental goals. Various frameworks and guidelines outline good governance practices to aid the achievement of these goals. However, there is rarely sufficient monitoring and reporting of tree planting schemes for it to be possible to determine whether schemes adhere to good governance practices.

Harder, better, faster, stronger? Dispersal in the Anthropocene.

The dispersal of organisms in the Anthropocene has been profoundly altered by human activities, with far-reaching consequences for humans, biodiversity, and ecosystems. Managing such dispersal effectively is critical to achieve the 2030 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Here, we bring together insights from invasion science, movement ecology, and conservation biology, and extend a widely used classification framework for the introduction pathways of alien species to encompass other forms of dispersal.

An inventory of native-alien populations in South Africa.

Species can be both native and alien to a given administrative region. Here we present the first consolidated inventory of these 'native-alien populations' for South Africa, and provide an overview of the data it contains. To gather data, literature searches were performed and experts were consulted both directly and via an on-line survey.

Arthropods on imported plant products: Volumes predict general trends while contextual details enhance predictive power.

Agricultural biosecurity interventions are aimed at minimizing introductions of harmful non-native organisms to new areas via agricultural trade. To prioritize such interventions, historical data on interceptions have been used to elucidate which factors determine the likelihood that a particular import is carrying a harmful organism. Here we use an interception data set of arthropod contaminants recorded on plant imports arriving in South Africa from 2005 to 2019, comprising 13,566 samples inspected for arthropod contaminants, of which 4902 were positive for the presence of at least one arthropod.

Addressing context dependence in ecology.

Context dependence is widely invoked to explain disparate results in ecology. It arises when the magnitude or sign of a relationship varies due to the conditions under which it is observed. Such variation, especially when unexplained, can lead to spurious or seemingly contradictory conclusions, which can limit understanding and our ability to transfer findings across studies, space, and time.

Highly diverse and highly successful: invasive Australian acacias have not experienced genetic bottlenecks globally.

Background And Aims: Invasive species may undergo rapid evolution despite very limited standing genetic diversity. This so-called genetic paradox of biological invasions assumes that an invasive species has experienced (and survived) a genetic bottleneck and then underwent local adaptation in the new range. In this study, we test how often Australian acacias (genus Acacia), one of the world's most problematic invasive tree groups, have experienced genetic bottlenecks and inbreeding.

Contaminant organisms recorded on plant product imports to South Africa 1994-2019.

Biosecurity interception records are crucial data underlying efforts to predict and manage pest and pathogen introductions. Here we present a dataset containing information on imported plant products inspected by the South African Department of Agriculture's laboratories between 1994 and 2019 and the contaminant organisms found on them. Samples were received from border inspectors as either propagation material (e.

The first management of a marine invader in Africa: The importance of trials prior to setting long-term management goals.

Biological invasions severely impact on marine ecosystems around the world, but to date management is rare and has not previously been attempted in Africa. This study documents a trial management programme aimed at informing a national management strategy for the invasive European shore crab, Carcinus maenas, in South Africa. The approach involved testing control methods used elsewhere (baited traps, crab condos, diver collections and sediment dredging) and adapting these to the local context.

Stronger regional biosecurity is essential to prevent hundreds of harmful biological invasions.

Biological invasions often transcend political boundaries, but the capacity of countries to prevent invasions varies. How this variation in biosecurity affects the invasion risks posed to the countries involved is unclear. We aimed to improve the understanding of how the biosecurity of a country influences that of its neighbours.

Global Actions for Managing Cactus Invasions.

The family Cactaceae Juss. contains some of the most widespread and damaging invasive alien plant species in the world, with Australia (39 species), South Africa (35) and Spain (24) being the main hotspots of invasion. The Global Cactus Working Group (IOBC GCWG) was launched in 2015 to improve international collaboration and identify key actions that can be taken to limit the impacts caused by cactus invasions worldwide.

Emerging infectious diseases and biological invasions: a call for a One Health collaboration in science and management.

The study and management of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) and of biological invasions both address the ecology of human-associated biological phenomena in a rapidly changing world. However, the two fields work mostly in parallel rather than in concert. This review explores how the general phenomenon of an organism rapidly increasing in range or abundance is caused, highlights the similarities and differences between research on EIDs and invasions, and discusses shared management insights and approaches.

A framework for engaging stakeholders on the management of alien species.

Alien species can have major ecological and socioeconomic impacts in their novel ranges and so effective management actions are needed. However, management can be contentious and create conflicts, especially when stakeholders who benefit from alien species are different from those who incur costs. Such conflicts of interests mean that management strategies can often not be implemented.

Prioritising surveillance for alien organisms transported as stowaways on ships travelling to South Africa.

The global shipping network facilitates the transportation and introduction of marine and terrestrial organisms to regions where they are not native, and some of these organisms become invasive. South Africa was used as a case study to evaluate the potential for shipping to contribute to the introduction and establishment of marine and terrestrial alien species (i.e.

Level of environmental threat posed by horticultural trade in Cactaceae.

Ornamental horticulture has been identified as an important threat to plant biodiversity and is a major pathway for plant invasions worldwide. In this context, the family Cactaceae is particularly challenging because it is considered the fifth most threatened large taxonomic group in the world; several species are among the most widespread and damaging invasive species; and Cactaceae is one of the most popular horticultural plant groups. Based on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna and the 11 largest online auction sites selling cacti, we documented the international cactus trade.

The global distribution of bamboos: assessing correlates of introduction and invasion.

There is a long history of species being moved around the world by humans. These introduced species can provide substantial benefits, but they can also have undesirable consequences. We explore the importance of human activities on the processes of species dissemination and potential invasions using the grass subfamily Bambusoideae ("bamboos"), a group that contains taxa that are widely utilised and that are often perceived as weedy.

Border control for stowaway alien species should be prioritised based on variations in establishment debt.

Border control is one of the major approaches used by countries to limit the number of organisms introduced as stowaways. However, it is not feasible to inspect all passengers, cargo and vehicles entering a country, and so efforts need to be prioritised. Here we use South Africa as a case study to assess, based on tourism and trade data and climate matching techniques, the number of stowaway species that might be introduced ('colonisation pressure') and the likelihood that once introduced, these organisms will establish ('likelihood of establishment').

Resolving a Prickly Situation: Involving Stakeholders in Invasive Cactus Management in South Africa.

The regulation and management of alien species can be contentious, particularly when the stakeholders who benefit from alien species are different from those who suffer the costs. We propose a consultative process involving relevant stakeholders in invasive species management decisions. The process involves (1) the identification of relevant stakeholders, (2) assessing their perceptions, (3) enhancing interaction between stakeholders, (4) assessing changes in stakeholders' perceptions following interactions with other stakeholders, and (5) developing management recommendations in collaboration with stakeholders.

A global assessment of a large monocot family highlights the need for group-specific analyses of invasiveness.

Significant progress has been made in understanding biological invasions recently, and one of the key findings is that the determinants of naturalization and invasion success vary from group to group. Here, we explore this variation for one of the largest plant families in the world, the Araceae. This group provides an excellent opportunity for identifying determinants of invasiveness in herbaceous plants, since it is one of the families most popular with horticulturalists, with species occupying various habitats and comprising many different life forms.

Delayed biodiversity change: no time to waste.

Delayed biodiversity responses to environmental forcing mean that rates of contemporary biodiversity changes are underestimated, yet these delays are rarely addressed in conservation policies. Here, we identify mechanisms that lead to such time lags, discuss shifting human perceptions, and propose how these phenomena should be addressed in biodiversity management and science.