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Fulltext Emerging Infectious Disease Implications of Invasive Mammalian Species: The Greater White-Toothed Shrew (Crocidura russula) Is Associated With a Novel Serovar of Pathogenic Leptospira in Ireland

Nally JE, Arent Z, Bayles DO, Hornsby RL, Gilmore C, Regan S, et al.

PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2016 12;10(12):e0005174.
PMID: 27935961 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005174

The greater white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula) is an invasive mammalian species that was first recorded in Ireland in 2007. It currently occupies an area of approximately 7,600 km2 on the island. C. russula is normally distributed in Northern Africa and Western Europe, and was previously absent from the British Isles. Whilst invasive species can have dramatic and rapid impacts on faunal and floral communities, they may also be carriers of pathogens facilitating disease transmission in potentially naive populations. Pathogenic leptospires are endemic in Ireland and a significant cause of human and animal disease. From 18 trapped C. russula, 3 isolates of Leptospira were cultured. However, typing of these isolates by standard serological reference methods was negative, and suggested an, as yet, unidentified serovar. Sequence analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA and secY indicated that these novel isolates belong to Leptospira alstonii, a unique pathogenic species of which only 7 isolates have been described to date. Earlier isolations were limited geographically to China, Japan and Malaysia, and this leptospiral species had not previously been cultured from mammals. Restriction enzyme analysis (REA) further confirms the novelty of these strains since no similar patterns were observed with a reference database of leptospires. As with other pathogenic Leptospira species, these isolates contain lipL32 and do not grow in the presence of 8-azagunaine; however no evidence of disease was apparent after experimental infection of hamsters. These isolates are genetically related to L. alstonii but have a novel REA pattern; they represent a new serovar which we designate as serovar Room22. This study demonstrates that invasive mammalian species act as bridge vectors of novel zoonotic pathogens such as Leptospira.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Fulltext A standardized dataset for conservation prioritization of songbirds to support CITES

Juergens J, Bruslund S, Staerk J, Oegelund Nielsen R, Shepherd CR, Leupen B, et al.

Data Brief, 2021 Jun;36:107093.
PMID: 34041313 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107093

In this article we present a standardized dataset on 6659 songbirds (Passeriformes) highlighting information relevant to species conservation prioritization with a main focus to support the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Data were collected from both scientific and grey literature as well as several online databases. The data are structured into six knowledge categories: Conventions and Treaties, Human Use, Extinction Risk, Management Opportunities, Biological Information, and Intrinsic Values. The Conventions and Treaties category includes the listings for two international conventions, CITES and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), as well as EU listings for the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations and the EU Birds Directive. The Human Use category contains information on both regulated trade collected from the CITES Trade Database and the United States' Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS), and highly aggregated data on seizures which we obtained from TRAFFIC, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and two data sources on traditional medicine. We also present, for the first time, the complete Songbirds in Trade Database (SiTDB), a trade database curated by taxon expert S. Bruslund based on expert knowledge, literature review, market surveys and sale announcements. Data on the types of human use, including traditional medicine are also provided. The knowledge area on Extinction Risk contains data on the species' IUCN Red List status, the Alliance for Zero Extinction Trigger Species status, site and population at the site, the species' IUCN Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, and the listing of priority species at the Asian Songbird Crisis Summit. In the Management Opportunities category, we gathered data on ex-situ management from Species360 zoo holdings as well as species management plans from the European and North American Zoo Associations (EAZA and AZA, respectively). Biological Information includes data on body mass, clutch size, diet, availability of data from the IUCN Red List on habitat systems, extent of occurrence, generation length, migration pattern, distribution, and biological data from the Demographic Species Knowledge Index, number of occurrences recorded by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) as well as genomic data from the Bird 10 000K Genomes (B10K) project, Vertebrate Genome Project (VGP) and GenBank. Information on invasive species is also part of this knowledge area. The Intrinsic Value category refers to two measures of the species' intrinsic value, namely Ecological and Evolutionary Distinctiveness. In order to make these knowledge areas comparable, we standardized data following the taxonomy of the Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Version 4, 2019). The data enable a broad spectrum of analyses and will be useful to scientists for further research and to policymakers, zoos and other conservation stakeholders for future prioritization decisions.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
The complete mitogenome of the invasive spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus (Rafinesque, 1817) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Cambaridae)

Gan HM, Gan HY, Lee YP, Grandjean F, Austin CM

Mitochondrial DNA A DNA Mapp Seq Anal, 2016 09;27(5):3181-3.
PMID: 25648916 DOI: 10.3109/19401736.2015.1007326

The invasive freshwater crayfish Orconectes limosus mitogenome was recovered by genome skimming. The mitogenome is 16,223 base pairs in length consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The O. limosus mitogenome has an AT bias of 71.37% and base composition of 39.8% for T, 10.3% for C, 31.5% for A, and 18.4% for G. The mitogene order is identical to two other genera of northern hemisphere crayfish that have been sequenced for this organelle.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Fulltext Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) mediate large-scale edge effects in a lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia

Fujinuma J, Harrison RD

PLoS One, 2012;7(5):e37321.
PMID: 22615977 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037321

Edge-effects greatly extend the area of tropical forests degraded through human activities. At Pasoh, Peninsular Malaysia, it has been suggested that soil disturbance by highly abundant wild pigs (Sus scrofa), which feed in adjacent Oil Palm plantations, may have mediated the invasion of Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae) into the diverse tropical lowland rain forest. To investigate this hypothesis, we established three 1 km transects from the forest/Oil Palm plantation boundary into the forest interior. We recorded the distribution of soil disturbance by wild pigs, C. hirta abundance, and environmental variables. These data were analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian model that incorporated spatial auto-correlation in the environmental variables. As predicted, soil disturbance by wild pigs declined with distance from forest edge and C. hirta abundance was correlated with the level of soil disturbance. Importantly there was no effect of distance on C. hirta abundance, after controlling for the effect of soil disturbance. Clidemia hirta abundance was also correlated with the presence of canopy openings, but there was no significant association between the occurrence of canopy openings and distance from the edge. Increased levels of soil disturbance and C. hirta abundance were still detectable approximately 1 km from the edge, demonstrating the potential for exceptionally large-scale animal mediated edge effects.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Fulltext Feral Cat Globetrotters: genetic traces of historical human-mediated dispersal

Koch K, Algar D, Schwenk K

Ecol Evol, 2016 08;6(15):5321-32.
PMID: 27551385 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2261

Endemic species on islands are highly susceptible to local extinction, in particular if they are exposed to invasive species. Invasive predators, such as feral cats, have been introduced to islands around the world, causing major losses in local biodiversity. In order to control and manage invasive species successfully, information about source populations and level of gene flow is essential. Here, we investigate the origin of feral cats of Hawaiian and Australian islands to verify their European ancestry and a potential pattern of isolation by distance. We analyzed the genetic structure and diversity of feral cats from eleven islands as well as samples from Malaysia and Europe using mitochondrial DNA (ND5 and ND6 regions) and microsatellite DNA data. Our results suggest an overall European origin of Hawaiian cats with no pattern of isolation by distance between Australian, Malaysian, and Hawaiian populations. Instead, we found low levels of genetic differentiation between samples from Tasman Island, Lana'i, Kaho'olawe, Cocos (Keeling) Island, and Asia. As these populations are separated by up to 10,000 kilometers, we assume an extensive passive dispersal event along global maritime trade routes in the beginning of the 19th century, connecting Australian, Asian, and Hawaiian islands. Thus, islands populations, which are characterized by low levels of current gene flow, represent valuable sources of information on historical, human-mediated global dispersal patterns of feral cats.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Fulltext Pollination implications of the diverse diet of tropical nectar-feeding bats roosting in an urban cave

Lim VC, Ramli R, Bhassu S, Wilson JJ

PeerJ, 2018;6:e4572.
PMID: 29607265 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4572

Background: Intense landscaping often alters the plant composition in urban areas. Knowing which plant species that pollinators are visiting in urban areas is necessary for understanding how landscaping impacts biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. The cave nectar bat,Eonycteris spelaea, is an important pollinator for many plants and is often recorded in human-dominated habitats. Previous studies of the diet ofE. spelaearelied on morphological identification of pollen grains found in faeces and on the body of bats and by necessity disregarded other forms of digested plant material present in the faeces (i.e., plant juice and remnants). The main objective of this study was to examine the diet of the nectarivorous bat,E. spelaea,roosting in an urban cave at Batu Caves, Peninsular Malaysia by identifying the plant material present in the faeces of bats using DNA metabarcoding.
Methods: Faeces were collected under the roost ofE. spelaeaonce a week from December 2015 to March 2016. Plant DNA was extracted from the faeces, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified atITS2andrbcLregions and mass sequenced. The resultant plant operational taxonomic units were searched against NCBI GenBank for identification.
Results: A total of 55 species of plants were detected from faeces ofE. spelaeaincludingArtocarpus heterophyllus, Duabanga grandifloraandMusaspp. which are likely to be important food resources for the cave nectar bat.
Discussion: Many native plant species that had not been reported in previous dietary studies ofE. spelaeawere detected in this study includingBauhinia strychnoideaandUrophyllum leucophlaeum, suggesting thatE. spelaearemains a crucial pollinator for these plants even in highly disturbed habitats. The detection of many introduced plant species in the bat faeces indicates thatE. spelaeaare exploiting them, particularlyXanthostemon chrysanthus,as food resources in urban area. Commercial food crops were detected from all of the faecal samples, suggesting thatE. spelaeafeed predominantly on the crops particularly jackfruit and banana and play a significant role in pollination of economically important plants. Ferns and figs were also detected in the faeces ofE. spelaeasuggesting future research avenues to determine whether the 'specialised nectarivorous'E. spelaeafeed opportunistically on other parts of plants.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Fulltext Cryptic diversity: Two morphologically similar species of invasive apple snail in Peninsular Malaysia

Rama Rao S, Liew TS, Yow YY, Ratnayeke S

PLoS One, 2018;13(5):e0196582.
PMID: 29734361 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196582

Invasive snails in the genus Pomacea have spread across Southeast Asia including Peninsular Malaysia. Their effects on natural and agricultural wetlands are appreciable, but species-specific effects are less clear because of morphological similarity among the species. Our objective was to establish diagnostic characteristics of Pomacea species in Malaysia using genetic and morphological criteria. The mitochondrial COI gene of 52 adult snails from eight localities in Peninsular Malaysia was amplified, sequenced, and analysed to verify species and phylogenetic relationships. Shells were compared using geometric morphometric and covariance analyses. Two monophyletic taxa, P. canaliculata and P. maculata, occurred in our samples. The mean ratio of shell height: aperture height (P = 0.042) and shell height: shell width (P = 0.007) was smaller in P. maculata. P. maculata co-occurred with P. canaliculata in five localities, but samples from three localities contained only P. canaliculata. This study is the first to confirm the presence of two of the most invasive species of Pomacea in Peninsular Malaysia using a molecular technique. P. canaliculata appears to be the more widespread species. Despite statistical differences, both quantitative and qualitative morphological characteristics demonstrated much interspecific overlap and intraspecific variability; thus, shell morphology alone cannot reliably verify species identity. Molecular techniques for distinguishing between these two highly invasive Pomacea species are needed to understand their specific ecological niches and to develop effective protocols for their management.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Notes on the occurrence of the tropical eel Anguilla bicolor bicolor in Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysia

Arai T, Chino N, Zulkifli SZ, Ismail A

J Fish Biol, 2012 Mar;80(3):692-7.
PMID: 22380562 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03154.x

Previous studies indicated that a tropical freshwater eel Anguilla bicolor bicolor occurs in Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia and Australia, but an intensive survey has indicated an extended distribution range for the species into Peninsular Malaysia. Thus, A. b. bicolor is a native subspecies of Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Fulltext Response of marine copepods to a changing tropical environment: winners, losers and implications

Chew LL, Chong VC

PeerJ, 2016;4:e2052.
PMID: 27257540 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2052

Background. Climate change concurrent with anthropogenic disturbances can initiate serial changes that reverberate up the food chain with repercussions for fisheries. To date, there is no information available concerning the combined effects of global warming and human impacts on tropical marine food webs. While temperate copepods respond differently to warming and environmental stressors, the extent to which tropical copepods can adapt to rising temperature of already warm waters remains unknown. We hypothesize that sea warming and other anthropogenic disturbances over the long term will have the greatest impact on the copepod community in nearshore waters where their effects are accentuated, and therefore vulnerable and resilient species could be identified. Methods. Zooplankton samples were collected during two time periods (1985-86 and 2014-15) interposed by marked anthropogenic disturbances, and at the same five stations located progressively from inshore to offshore in Klang Strait, Malaysia, following the asymmetrical before-after-control-impact (BACI) design. Copepods were identified to species, and results were interpreted by univariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (PERMANOVA, PCO) analyses of the computed species abundance and diversity measures. Results. Copepod total abundance was not significantly different among stations but higher after disturbance than before disturbance. However, changes in the abundance of particular species and the community structure between time periods were dramatic. Coastal large-bodied calanoid species (e.g., Acartia spinicauda, Calanopia thompsoni, Pseudodiaptomus bowmani and Tortanus forcipatus) were the most vulnerable group to disturbance. This however favored the opportunistic species (e.g., Oithona simplex, O. attenuata, Hemicyclops sp., Pseudomacrochiron sp. and Microsetella norvegica). Small-bodied copepods (e.g., Paracalanus sp., Parvocalanus crassirostris and Euterpina acutifrons) were unaffected. Centropages tenuiremis was likely an introduced species. There was no significant loss in species richness of copepods despite the dramatic changes in community structure. Discussion. Sea warming and other human-induced effects such as eutrophication, acidification and coastal habitat degradation are likely the main factors that have altered copepod community structure. The large-bodied estuarine and coastal calanoid copepods are surmised to be vulnerable to eutrophication and hypoxia, while both resilient and opportunistic species are largely unaffected by, or adaptable to, degraded coastal environments and observed sea surface temperature (SST) rise. It is forecasted that SST rise with unmitigated anthropogenic impacts will further reduce large-bodied copepod species the favoured food for fish larvae with dire consequences for coastal fish production.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Reproductive viability of paradoxically masculinised Gambusia holbrooki generated following diethylstilbestrol (DES) treatment

Patil JG, Norazmi-Lokman NH, Kwan TN

Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol, 2020 07 22;248-249:110468.
PMID: 32710933 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2020.110468

Hormonal sex reversal can produce monosex fish stocks and provide insights into their gamity and reproductive physiology. However, paradoxical effects have been reported in several fish species that remain largely ignored as anomalies, particularly those of masculinisation. As a first step, this study examined reproductive viability of paradoxically masculinised Gambusia holbrooki produced following oral administration (20-100 mg/kg feed) of a feminizing hormone diethylstilbestrol (DES). Contrary to expectation, all treatment groups produced 100% male populations. Survival, mating behaviour, gamete production, breeding output as well as expression of anti-Mullerian hormone (amh), ovarian (cyp19a1a) and brain (cyp19a1b) aromatase of masculinised fish were also examined. Survival (≤ 54.1 ± 7.3%) at termination of DES treatment was significantly lower compared with controls (88.6 ± 4.3%) but remained unaffected post treatment. Gonopodium thrusting frequency (33 ± 9.8 per 10 min) was not significantly different to untreated males just as sperm abundance (3.9 ± 1.5 × 108/male) and their motility (88.6 ± 29.1%). Importantly, paradoxically masculinised fish mated with virgin females and produced clutch sizes (22 ± 4) and progeny survival (87.0 ± %) that were comparable to that of untreated males. Masculinised testes showed high amh and low cyp19a1a expression, a pattern resembling those of untreated males. Production of paradoxically sex-reversed males with a capability to produce viable offspring has not been reported previously in this or other fish species. The outcomes support a feed-back regulation of oestrogenic pathways in this viviparous fish and could be useful for ecological applications such as controlling invasive fish populations.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Fulltext Inferring the provenance of an alien species with DNA barcodes: the neotropical butterfly Dryas iulia in Thailand

Burg NA, Pradhan A, Gonzalez RM, Morban EZ, Zhen EW, Sakchoowong W, et al.

PLoS One, 2014;9(8):e104076.
PMID: 25119899 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104076

The Neotropical butterfly Dryas iulia has been collected from several locations in Thailand and Malaysia since 2007, and has been observed breeding in the wild, using introduced Passiflora foetida as a larval host plant. The butterfly is bred by a butterfly house in Phuket, Thailand, for release at weddings and Buddhist ceremonies, and we hypothesized that this butterfly house was the source of wild, Thai individuals. We compared wing patterns and COI barcodes from two, wild Thai populations with individuals obtained from this butterfly house. All Thai individuals resemble the subspecies D. iulia modesta, and barcodes from wild and captive Thai specimens were identical. This unique, Thai barcode was not found in any of the 30 specimens sampled from the wild in the species' native range, but is most similar to specimens from Costa Rica, where many exporting butterfly farms are located. These data implicate the butterfly house as the source of Thailand's wild D. iulia populations, which are currently so widespread that eradication efforts are unlikely to be successful.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species*
Intra-specific hybridization: generator of genetic diversification and heterosis in Andrographis paniculata Nees. A bridge from extinction to survival

Valdiani A, Kadir MA, Saad MS, Talei D, Tan SG

Gene, 2012 Aug 15;505(1):23-36.
PMID: 22683537 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.05.056

Andrographis paniculata (AP) has been stated as a low-diverse, endangered and red-listed plant species. Self-pollinated mating system, being an introduced species and experiencing a bottleneck as well as over exploitation cause such a consequence. Inter and intra-specific hybridizations have been suggested as essential techniques for generating genetic diversity. To test the effect of intra-specific hybridization on diversification and heterosis of AP, seven accessions were outcrossed manually in all 21 possible combinations. Three types of markers including morphological, phytochemical and RAPD markers were employed to evaluate the mentioned hypothesis. The results revealed that hybridization acted as a powerful engine for diversification of AP as it caused heterotic expression of the studied traits, simultaneously. Initially, it seems that additive and non-additive gene effects both can be considered as the genetic basis of heterosis in AP for the investigated traits. Agronomic and morphological traits were differentiated from each other, while positive heterosis was recorded mainly for agronomic traits but not for the morphological traits. Intra-specific hybridization increased the genetic diversity in AP population. Nevertheless, a part of this variation could also be attributed to the negative heterosis. The current exploration demonstrated the first ever conducted manual intra-specific hybridization among AP accessions in a mass scale. However, the 17 RAPD primers produced a monomorph pattern, but perhaps increasing the number of markers can feature a new genetic profile in this plant.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species*
Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in Brazil: possible origins inferred by mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II gene sequences

Martins C, Fontes LR, Bueno OC, Martins VG

Genome, 2010 Sep;53(9):651-7.
PMID: 20924414 DOI: 10.1139/g10-044

The Asian subterranean termite, Coptotermes gestroi, originally from northeast India through Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Indonesian archipelago, is a major termite pest introduced in several countries around the world, including Brazil. We sequenced the mitochondrial COII gene from individuals representing 23 populations. Phylogenetic analysis of COII gene sequences from this and other studies resulted in two main groups: (1) populations of Cleveland (USA) and four populations of Malaysia and (2) populations of Brazil, four populations of Malaysia, and one population from each of Thailand, Puerto Rico, and Key West (USA). Three new localities are reported here, considerably enlarging the distribution of C. gestroi in Brazil: Campo Grande (state of Mato Grosso do Sul), Itajaí (state of Santa Catarina), and Porto Alegre (state of Rio Grande do Sul).

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species*
Evolution of endemism on a young tropical mountain

Merckx VS, Hendriks KP, Beentjes KK, Mennes CB, Becking LE, Peijnenburg KT, et al.

Nature, 2015 Aug 20;524(7565):347-50.
PMID: 26266979 DOI: 10.1038/nature14949

Tropical mountains are hot spots of biodiversity and endemism, but the evolutionary origins of their unique biotas are poorly understood. In varying degrees, local and regional extinction, long-distance colonization, and local recruitment may all contribute to the exceptional character of these communities. Also, it is debated whether mountain endemics mostly originate from local lowland taxa, or from lineages that reach the mountain by long-range dispersal from cool localities elsewhere. Here we investigate the evolutionary routes to endemism by sampling an entire tropical mountain biota on the 4,095-metre-high Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, East Malaysia. We discover that most of its unique biodiversity is younger than the mountain itself (6 million years), and comprises a mix of immigrant pre-adapted lineages and descendants from local lowland ancestors, although substantial shifts from lower to higher vegetation zones in this latter group were rare. These insights could improve forecasts of the likelihood of extinction and 'evolutionary rescue' in montane biodiversity hot spots under climate change scenarios.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species/statistics & numerical data*
The paradox in implementing Ballast Water Management Convention 2004 (BWMC) in Malaysian water

Mohd Zaideen IM

Mar Pollut Bull, 2019 Nov;148:3-4.
PMID: 31422300 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.07.041

The strategic location of Malaysia along the world's busiest trade waterways underscores the need to cope ballast water issues for both domestic and international shipping. The adoption of Ballast Water Management Convention 2004 (BWMC) by the International Maritime Organization is suitable for management plans intended to prevent the introduction of invasive species through ballast water discharge. Malaysia has ratified the BWMC in September 2010 and the Convention has come into force in September 2017. However up to now, the BWMC has not been fully implemented by Malaysia for ships operating in its waters. This paper analyse the headway in implementing the provisions of the BWMC in Malaysia as well as the issues and challenges encountered for the implementation. The paper concludes that Malaysian government should promulgate laws and policies to clearly communicate on ballast water issues to the shipping industry communities.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species*
Rapid in-situ detection kit (RisK): Development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the rapid identification of selected invasive alien fish in Malaysian freshwaters

Vythalingam LM, Hossain MAM, Bhassu S

Mol Cell Probes, 2021 02;55:101683.
PMID: 33259896 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2020.101683

Invasive alien fish species have become a silent treat towards the ecosystem especially the native fish population in Malaysia. There has been a need to develop rapid identification methods that can aid management teams in identifying fish species that are not native to our ecosystem. Current visual identification methods are highly tedious and require time, delaying action towards curbing the invasion. The LAMP assay successfully identified six popular invasive fish species in Malaysia. None of the LAMP assays showed false positives and the Limit of Detection of the LAMP primers were highly sensitive and could detect DNA samples up to 1 × 10-15 ng/μl. The LAMP primers designed were highly specific to the target species and did not amplify non target species. DNA sequencing was done to ensure the accuracy of LAMP assay results. This study demonstrates that LAMP is a suitable tool in species identification efforts of invasive fish species in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species*
Fulltext Genetic evidence of multiple invasions and a small number of founders of Asian Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer) in Thailand

Pipatchartlearnwong K, Swatdipong A, Vuttipongchaikij S, Apisitwanich S

BMC Genet, 2017 10 12;18(1):88.
PMID: 29025415 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-017-0554-y

BACKGROUND: Borassus flabellifer or Asian Palmyra palm is an important crop for local economies in the South and Southeast Asia for its fruit and palm sugar production. Archeological and historical evidence indicated the presence of this species in Southeast Asia dating back at least 1500 years. B. flabellifer is believed to be originated in Africa, spread to South Asia and introduced into Southeast Asia through commercial routes and dissemination of cultures, however, the nature of its invasion and settlement in Thailand is unclear.
RESULTS: Here, we analyzed genetic data of 230 B. flabellifer accessions across Thailand using 17 EST-SSR and 12 gSSR polymorphic markers. Clustering analysis revealed that the population consisted of two genetic clusters (STRUCTURE K = 2). Cluster I is found mainly in southern Thailand, while Cluster II is found mainly in the northeastern. Those found in the central are of an extensive mix between the two. These two clusters are in moderate differentiation (F ST = 0.066 and N M = 3.532) and have low genetic diversity (HO = 0.371 and 0.416; AR = 2.99 and 3.19, for the cluster I and II respectively). The minimum numbers of founders for each genetic group varies from 3 to 4 individuals, based on simulation using different allele frequency assumptions. These numbers coincide with that B. flabellifer is dioecious, and a number of seeds had to be simultaneously introduced for obtaining both male and female founders.
CONCLUSIONS: From these data and geographical and historical evidence, we hypothesize that there were at least two different invasive events of B. flabellifer in Thailand. B. flabellifer was likely brought through the Straits of Malacca to be propagated in the southern Thailand as one of the invasive events before spreading to the central Thailand. The second event likely occurred in Khmer Empire, currently Cambodia, before spreading to the northeastern Thailand.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species*
Effects Of Biotic Interactions, Abiotic Environments And Harvesting On The Spread Of Hantavirus Infection

Fauzi Mohamed Yusof, Mohd Hafiz Mohd, Yazariah Mohd Yatim, Ahmad Izani Md. Ismail

MATEMATIKA, 2020;36(1):1-14.
MyJurnal

In this paper, the combined influences of biotic interactions, environmental components and harvesting strategy on the spread of Hantavirus are investigated. By employing a multi-species model consisting of (susceptible and infected) rodents and alien species, we show that interspecific competition from alien species has an effect in reducing the spread of infection, and this species could be employed as a potential biocontrol agent. Our analysis using numerical continuation and simulation also reveals the conditions under which Hantavirus infection occurs and disappears as the environmental conditions and the intensity of harvesting change. Without harvesting, infection emerges when environments are conducive. Inclusion of moderate harvesting in favourable environments can lead to disappearance of infection among rodent species. However, as the intensity of harvesting increases, this situation can cause extinction of all rodents species and consequently, jeopardise biodiversity. Overall, our results demonstrate how the interplay of different factors can combine to determine the spread of infectious diseases.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Fulltext Current Status of Mimosa pigra L. Infestation in Peninsular Malaysia

Mansor A, Crawley MJ

Trop Life Sci Res, 2011 May;22(1):37-49.
PMID: 24575208 MyJurnal

The status and distribution of Mimosa pigra L., a semi-aquatic invasive species in Peninsular Malaysia, were continuously assessed between 2004 and 2007. This assessment investigated its population stand density and related weed management activities. In total, 106 sites of 6 main habitat types i.e., construction site (CS), dam/ reservoir (DM), forest reserve (FR), plantation (PL), river bank/waterway (RB) and roadside (RD) were assessed, and 55 sites were recorded with M. pigra populations. A CS is the most likely habitat to be infested with M. pigra (16 out of 18 assessed sites have this weed), whereas none of the FR visited were found to harbour M. pigra. In terms of population stand density, 41 populations were in the low range of stand density (individual plant of ≤5 m(-2)), compared to only 9 populations in the high range of stand density (individual plant of >10 m(-2)). In general, the current impact of M. pigra infestation on natural habitats is relatively low, as its distribution is only confined to disturbed areas. However, continuous monitoring of this weed species is highly recommended, especially in the riparian zone and wetland habitats.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species
Complex multiple introductions drive fall armyworm invasions into Asia and Australia

Rane R, Walsh TK, Lenancker P, Gock A, Dao TH, Nguyen VL, et al.

Sci Rep, 2023 Jan 12;13(1):660.
PMID: 36635481 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27501-x

The fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda is thought to have undergone a rapid 'west-to-east' spread since 2016 when it was first identified in western Africa. Between 2018 and 2020, it was recorded from South Asia (SA), Southeast Asia (SEA), East Asia (EA), and Pacific/Australia (PA). Population genomic analyses enabled the understanding of pathways, population sources, and gene flow in this notorious agricultural pest species. Using neutral single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) DNA markers, we detected genome introgression that suggested most populations in this study were overwhelmingly C- and R-strain hybrids (n = 252/262). SNP and mitochondrial DNA markers identified multiple introductions that were most parsimoniously explained by anthropogenic-assisted spread, i.e., associated with international trade of live/fresh plants and plant products, and involved 'bridgehead populations' in countries to enable successful pest establishment in neighbouring countries. Distinct population genomic signatures between Myanmar and China do not support the 'African origin spread' nor the 'Myanmar source population to China' hypotheses. Significant genetic differentiation between populations from different Australian states supported multiple pathways involving distinct SEA populations. Our study identified Asia as a biosecurity hotspot and a FAW genetic melting pot, and demonstrated the use of genome analysis to disentangle preventable human-assisted pest introductions from unpreventable natural pest spread.

Matched MeSH terms: Introduced Species

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