biological invasions

Read more about the article Comparing impacts of alien plants and animals using a standard scoring system
Lantana (Lantana camara) is poisonous to humans and animals, and responsible for livestock losses in South Africa
2015 / Highlighted papers

Comparing impacts of alien plants and animals using a standard scoring system

Knowing which species to manage amongst all the species introduced outside of their native ranges is a huge challenge. Many factors play a role in the decision making process, one of the most important ones being whether or not the alien species causes harm to native ecosystems and species, or damages the economy.

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22 April 2015
Read more about the article Measuring ecological impacts of alien species
The paper is one of the outcomes of a workshop held in Leipzig in July 2013 by the sImpact working group.
2015 / News

Measuring ecological impacts of alien species

Alien species cause a number of impacts in the ecosystems they live in, ranging from hardly detectable to dramatic change. Measuring such impacts is not always straightforward. Furthermore, a wide range of methods and variables has been used to describe these impacts, making comparison between species and habitats difficult.

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23 March 2015
Read more about the article Science and management meet to evaluate and attempt eradication of the invasive <em>Melaleuca parvistaminea</em>
A single plant growing out of a termite mound in the Kluitjieskraal pine plantation near Wolseley. (Photo credits: John Wilson)
2015 / News

Science and management meet to evaluate and attempt eradication of the invasive Melaleuca parvistaminea

Research on rough-barked Honey Myrtle (Melaleuca parvistaminea) in South Africa began in 2009 when the newly formed SANBI’s Invasive Species Programme attempt to identify potentially invasive alien plant species as targets for eradication.

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16 March 2015
Read more about the article A costly affair – pine invasions in protected areas
Pines (Pinus species) spreading from a forestry plantation (Photo credit: Matthew McConnachie)
2015 / News

A costly affair – pine invasions in protected areas

Protected areas (PAs) are a key intervention for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services. A major challenge for PAs is the control of invasive alien plants that spread into PAs from surrounding areas such as forestry plantations.

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10 February 2015
Read more about the article Modelling the effect of biocontrol agents on Acacia cyclops
The weevil Melanterius servulus. (Photo credits: Fiona Impson and John Hoffmann©)
2014 / News

Modelling the effect of biocontrol agents on Acacia cyclops

In a paper published by C·I·B researchers, Rainer Krug and Dave Richardson examined a system consisting of two seed-attacking biocontrol agents (a midge, Dasineura dielsi and a weevil, Melanterius servulus) and one invasive alien plant (Acacia cyclops).

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8 December 2014