2018

Read more about the article Unravelling the genetic structure across the native range of the globally invasive tree silver wattle
The globally invasive tree Acacia dealbata, commonly known as silver wattle, in its native range Australia. (Photo credit: Fiona Impson).
2018 / News

Unravelling the genetic structure across the native range of the globally invasive tree silver wattle

In a recent paper published in the journal Tree Genetics & Genomes, C·I·B post-doctoral associate, Heidi Hirsch, and co-authors investigated the genetic structure among the native populations of the Australian tree Acacia dealbata, commonly known as silver wattle.

Comments Off on Unravelling the genetic structure across the native range of the globally invasive tree silver wattle
14 September 2018
Read more about the article Two native subtidal predators avoid invasive mussel prey
One of the native predator species in the study, a spiny starfish (Marthasterias africana) photographed at mussel beds in Muizenberg. (Photo credit: Lisa Skein)
2018 / News

Two native subtidal predators avoid invasive mussel prey

In a study recently published in Behavioral Ecology, a team of C·I·B researchers showed that two important subtidal predators, rock lobsters and starfish, failed to resist invasions by invasive mussel prey.

Comments Off on Two native subtidal predators avoid invasive mussel prey
5 September 2018
Read more about the article Clearing Acacias for Mandela Day
Residents of Camphill Village West Coast clearing invasive Acacia stands which were then turned into wood chips and firewood. (Photo credit: Sophia Turner)
2018 / News

Clearing Acacias for Mandela Day

In celebration of Mandela Day on July 18th, staff members of DST-NRF Centre for Invasion Biology (C·I·B) joined a group of 150 volunteers who gave their time to help with projects at Camphill Village West Coast. 

Comments Off on Clearing Acacias for Mandela Day
28 August 2018
Read more about the article Sleeping with the enemy: freshwater invaders hybridising in South African waters
Schematic illustrating the hybridization between smallmouth and largemouth bass in the invaded Olifants River system. Viable F1 hybrids are produced when smallmouth bass provide the sperm and largemouth bass provide the eggs. These F1 hybrids, in turn, can mate, with either parental species, resulting in a backcross – a hybrid that morphologically (size, shape, and structure of an organism or one of its parts) looks like the parent species, but who’s DNA has “pieces” of the other species incorporated. Alternatively, two F1 hybrids could reproduce, resulting in F2 hybrids.
2018 / News

Sleeping with the enemy: freshwater invaders hybridising in South African waters

A recent study published in the Journal of Fish Biology showed that not only is introgressive hybridisation between two notorious freshwater fish invaders possible, but continues to occur within an invaded South African river system.

Comments Off on Sleeping with the enemy: freshwater invaders hybridising in South African waters
21 August 2018
Read more about the article Natural vegetation increases macadamia pest control by bats
Sina Weier looking at a small Vespertilionidae, also commonly known as “evening bats” or “vesper bats”, on an Angola expedition. (Photo credit: Kostadin Luchansky)
2018 / News

Natural vegetation increases macadamia pest control by bats

As recently published in the journal Biological Conservation, natural vegetation is the most important factor increasing the activity of insect-eating bat species on macadamia orchards.

Comments Off on Natural vegetation increases macadamia pest control by bats
17 August 2018