Read more about the article Volunteers in the management of invasive alien plants
Figure 1. Identified volunteer groups (52) in Western Cape of South Africa. Groups that participated in the survey (26) are indicated by circles that also show group sizes (individual members per group). Groups that did not participate in the survey are indicated by blue circles. The green area on the map represents the fynbos biome.

Volunteers in the management of invasive alien plants

Volunteers play an important role in invasive alien plant species (IAPS) management and are likely to continue doing so into the future. Better co-ordination and engagement between volunteers and mandated authorities on science, policy and management are required to improve the volunteer groups and keep volunteers motivated to manage IAPS.

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Read more about the article Australian acacias are genetically highly diverse across the globe
Invasive Sydney Golden Wattle (Acacia longifolia) invading areas in Pinheiro da Cruz, Setúbal district, Portugal (photo provided by Sara Vicente).

Australian acacias are genetically highly diverse across the globe

Australian acacias are some of the world’s worst invasive plants and their success has been heavily shaped through their usage by humans for various purposes. C·I·B research members Prof Jaco Le Roux, Prof Dave Richardson and Prof John Wilson, together with colleagues from the University of Lisbon, published a meta-analysis on the genetic diversity of 37 Australian Acacia species.

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Alien pest of wheat and maize could pose a threat to South Africa

Alien pests of agriculture cause billions of Rands’ worth of damage to South African crops every year. Knowledge on which pests could pose a threat in the future is vital to inform South Africa’s biosecurity.

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The status of alien bamboos in South Africa

Bamboos have caused widespread damaging invasions in many regions of the world. In South Africa, despite a long-history of introduction, little is known on the bamboo species currently present and their invasion history.

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Read more about the article Unscrambling the egg: resolving the introduction history for Silver wattle
Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) invading along a river in Chile. (Photo credit: A. Pauchard)

Unscrambling the egg: resolving the introduction history for Silver wattle

Researchers at the Centre for Invasion Biology (C·I·B) at Stellenbosch University, found that the introduction histories of the globally important invasive tree Silver wattle (Acacia dealbata) are complex and cannot be generalized.

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