Read more about the article Two marine invertebrates reported as alien, for the first time
The South American multiradiate sunstar Heliaster helianthus (left) and the Chilean stone crab Homalaspis plana (right) from the west coast of South America. (Photo credits: Dr T. Robinson and Dr K. Peters)

Two marine invertebrates reported as alien, for the first time

A recent study published in BioInvasions Records, is the first to report two new marine alien species. The study was conducted by C·I·B post-doctoral associate, Koebraa Peters and C·I·B Core Team Member, Tammy Robinson.

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Problem Plants and Alien Weeds of South Africa, by Clive Bromilow

Accessible information about invasive species, alien and indigenous weeds and has never been more critical, as these species increasingly threaten native habitats and agricultural production, and legislation requires that we act to control their impact and spread. 

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The value of meaningful nature experiences

A much-anticipated book on the Cultural and Spiritual Significance of Nature in Protected Areas has just been published by Routledge/Earthscan.  Former doctoral student Matthew Zylstra, supervised by C·I·B Core Team Member Karen Esler, contributes a chapter on meaningful nature experiences...

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Read more about the article Tall-statured grasses provide an important functional group for invasion research
Tall-statured grasses (TSGs) come in various forms and occur in a range of different ecosystems (e.g. temperate forests, dry grasslands to tropical wetlands). They are useful to humans for food (A and B), ornamental horticulture (C and D), for the production of biofuels (E and F) and other uses (G and H). Several TSGs are associated with environmental impacts in invaded ranges due to their ability to form monospecific stands that exclude other vegetation types (D, F, G and H). Photographs by: Wikimedia Commons (A: Christian Fischer (CC BY-SA 3.0 & CC0); B: Wouter Hagens (CC BY-SA 3.0); E: Bgabrielle (CC-BY-SA- 3.0); F: Daderot (CC0)) and other sources (C: Kijktuinen Nunspeet -http://www.kijktuinen.nl); D: Susan Canavan; G: retrieved from Rossiter-Rachor et al. 2009; H: Michigan Technological University).

Tall-statured grasses provide an important functional group for invasion research

Tall-statured grasses often have generalisable impacts related to their ability to produce and accumulate a large amount of biomass. The idea of tall-statured grasses as being a useful functional group for invasion science was explored in a recent article published in Biological Invasions.

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Read more about the article Can public surveys be effectively used to reconstruct biological invasions?
The Indian bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus tigerinus) (Photo credit: Harikrishnan S.)

Can public surveys be effectively used to reconstruct biological invasions?

Public surveys can be combined with field surveys to reconstruct invasions, finds a new study by C·I·B researchers Nitya Prakash Mohanty (PhD student) and John Measey (Core Team Member).

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