Abstract: Aim: To investigate the role of alien plants in mutualistic plant–hummingbird networks, assessing the importance of species traits, floral abundance and insularity on alien plant integration. Location: Mainland and insular Americas. Methods: We used species-level network indices to assess the role of alien plants in 21 quantitative plant–hummingbird networks where alien plants occur. We then evaluated whether plant traits, including previous adaptations to bird pollination, and insularity predict these network roles. Additionally, for a subset of networks for which floral abundance data were available, we tested whether this relates to network roles. Finally, we tested the association between hummingbird traits and the probability of interaction with alien plants across the networks. Results: Within the 21 networks, we identified 32 alien plant species and 352 native plant species. On average, alien plant species attracted more hummingbird species (i.e. aliens had a higher degree) and had a higher proportion of interactions across their hummingbird visitors than native plants (i.e. aliens had a higher species strength). At the same time, an average alien plant was visited more exclusively by certain hummingbird species (i.e. had a higher level of complementary specialization). Large alien plants and those occurring on islands had more evenly distributed interactions, thereby acting as connectors. Other evaluated plant traits and floral abundance were unimportant predictors of network roles. Short-billed hummingbirds had higher probability of including alien plants in their interactions than long-billed species. Main conclusions: Once incorporated into plant-hummingbird networks, alien plants appear strongly integrated and, thus, may have a large influence on network dynamics. Plant traits and floral abundance were generally poor predictors of how well alien species are integrated. Short-billed hummingbirds, often characterized as functionally generalized pollinators, facilitate the integration of alien plants. Our results show that plant–hummingbird networks are open for invasion.

Abstract: In the present Collective Article information on 26 taxa belonging to 8 Phyla and extended from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine Sea are presented. The new records were found in 9 countries as follows: Spain : first record for the Mediterranean of the crab Cancer bellianus ; Algeria : further records of the alien fish Lagocephalus sceleratus to the west Algerian waters; Italy : first report on the presence and establishment of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in Lessina and Varano Lagoons (W. Adriatic) and of Penaeus aztecus in Corigliano Gulf (Italian Ionian). Moreover, the extension of the distribution range of the polychaete Branchiomma bairdi to W. Sicily as well as that of the crab Ocypode cursor and the bryozoan Catenicella paradoxa to E. Sicily are cited. Slovenia : the record of the rare saccoglossan gastropod Placida cremoniana from Piran (Gulf of Trieste) is the first for the Adriatic; Greece : the native sea slug Eubranchus farrani is the first from the Eastern Mediterranean ; many sightings of the bamboo corals Isididae distributed along all the E. Ionian Sea and the establishment of P. aztecus in all Greek waters are also reported for first time; the westernmost extension of the alien urchin Diadema setosum in Cretan waters is cited and new sights of the alien species Goniobranchus annulatus and Pterois miles are shown. Turkey : the alien fish Champsodon capensis is reported for first time from the Aegean Sea and the native acari Agauopsis microrhyncha from the Levantine Sea; a new observation of the alien crab Atergatis roseus in Gulluk Bay-Aegean is also mentioned; Cyprus : first records of the alien urchin D. setosum and Lobotes surinamensis in Cypriot waters; Lebanon : several sightings of Monachus monachus from the Lebanese waters indicate a potential better status of the species in the area, Egypt : first records of the alien crab Dorippe quadridens and the alien gastropods Nerita sanguinolenta and Conomurex persicus from the Mediterranean Egyptian waters; extension of the distribution range of Diodora funiculata and Diodora rueppellii and a second record of the alien Nerita sanguinolenta in the same area.

Abstract: The number of alien species in the Mediterranean Sea is increasing rapidly, but few attempts have been made to evaluate impacts on specific habitat types. The present study investigated alien biodiversity in Mediterranean marine caves, both by contributing new records of Eastern Mediterranean cave aliens, and by reviewing the scattered existing literature; the main goals were to highlight potential impacts and investigate the importance of cave environments for the expansion of alien species. Seven new alien species were found in marine caves of the Aegean and Ionian seas, raising the total number of aliens reported from Mediterranean marine caves to 56 species, classified as molluscs, cnidarians, bryozoans, polychaetes, crustaceans, macroalgae, fishes and tunicates. Most cave aliens (66%) were recorded from the Southeastern Levantine coasts, specifically from Lebanese caves. Shipping and Lessepsian migration have been suggested as the main pathways of alien introduction into caves of the Mediterranean Sea. The comparison of alien cave biodiversity with the updated Mediterranean alien inventory (32 species added to the latest inventory) showed similar patterns and trends for species richness, biogeographical origin and major introduction pathways, corroborating previous findings on the high local representativeness of Mediterranean cave biodiversity. Alien species seem to have invaded mostly the entrance and semi-dark zones of shallow and/or semi-submerged caves and tunnels, whereas only a few have reached the dark inner sectors or caves of the anchialine type; thus, the unfavourable cave environment seems to be naturally protected from impacts related to opportunistic invasive species, at least to a certain point. Currently there is no research confirming any direct impacts of alien biota on the native cavernicolous one. However, some issues have emerged, implying potential threats that need to be further explored: (i) the presence of a considerable proportion of aliens in most studied marine caves of the Southeastern Mediterranean basin, (ii) the recently observed population explosion of alien cave-dwelling fishes in the same area, (iii) several indications that alien diversity in marine caves is much higher than we know today. Quantitative surveys and monitoring schemes are needed in order to evaluate potential effects of alien diversity on cave community structure and the role of marine caves as stepping stones for its expansion in the Mediterranean.

Abstract: The spread of alien plant species by vehicles profoundly affects the roadside vegetation. Roads with high traffic densities in urban regions may facilitate the invasion of alien plants. The present study examined the effects of road type and distance to the city centre on native and alien plant species in both the aboveground vegetation and soil seed bank of road verges in originally dry steppe grasslands in the surroundings of Pavlodar, Western Siberia, Kazakhstan. This region is characterized by a recent change of land use and rapidly expanding urbanization. Vegetation surveys were conducted at 12 sites distributed along roads with different traffic densities (national and local roads) and at two distances to the city centre (city edge and rural surroundings). The seedling-emergence method was used to examine the soil seed bank at each site. We found a larger percentage of alien species along national roads (42 % in the aboveground vegetation, 57 % in the soil seed bank) than along local roads (20 and 44 %, respectively), which can be explained by differences in traffic density, location from which the vehicles come and habitat conditions. More alien species were found in the road verges at the city edge than in the rural surroundings along both road types, probably due to the spread of propagules from residential areas. Our study demonstrates that national roads are important pathways for the introduction of alien species in this Western Siberian region.

Abstract: Understanding determinants of the invasiveness and ecological impacts of alien species is amongst the most sought-after and urgent research questions in ecology. Several studies have shown the value of comparing the functional responses (FRs) of alien and native predators towards native prey, however, the technique is under-explored with herbivorous alien species and as a predictor of invasiveness as distinct from ecological impact. Here, in China, we conducted a mesocosm experiment to compare the FRs among three herbivorous snail species: the golden apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, a highly invasive and high impact alien listed in “100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species”; Planorbarius corneus, a non-invasive, low impact alien; and the Chinese native snail, Bellamya aeruginosa, when feeding on four locally occurring plant species. Further, by using a numerical response equation, we modelled the population dynamics of the snail consumers. For standard FR parameters, we found that the invasive and damaging alien snail had the highest “attack rates” a, shortest “handling times” h and also the highest estimated maximum feeding rates, 1/hT, whereas the native species had the lowest attack rates, longest handling times and lowest maximum feeding rates. The non-invasive, low impact alien species had consistently intermediate FR parameters. The invasive alien species had higher population growth potential than the native snail species, whilst that of the non-invasive alien species was intermediate. Thus, while the comparative FR approach has been proposed as a reliable method for predicting the ecological impacts of invasive predators, our results further suggest that comparative FRs could extend to predict the invasiveness and ecological impacts of alien herbivores and should be explored in other taxa and trophic groups to determine the general utility of the approach.

Abstract: The aim of this review is to clarify the relation between Italian aquaculture and the introduction on alien species in Italy. In Italy, the most common aquatic alien species are rainbow trout and Manila clam, and they represent main economic product of Italian aquaculture. Wels catfish and red clawed crayfish have been voluntarily or involuntarily introduced for aquaculture scope, and they are now the most invasive alien aquatic species. Other alien naturalized species, as some salmonid species, are important economic resources in north Italy for inland professional fishery and are considered worthwhile of conservation. Thus, aquaculture is directly or indirectly responsible of the introduction of several alien species in Italy, but its effect on alien species diffusion is peculiar, as few successfully farmed species have become rapidly common. Until now, conventional aquaculture has played main role in the diffusion of alien species in Italy, while ornamental aquaculture will be the main source of alien introductions in the future.

Abstract: Plant invasion in the Northern Steppe Dnieper has a long history complicated by excessive anthropogenic transformation of territory. Alien species status, origin areas, life history, and invasive tendency of alien species in Dnipropetrovsk region were investigated. The presence of 286 alien species of 61 families was registered. Some 7 families had the greatest species diversity (156 alien species that was 55% of total species number); 30 families were represented by 2–9 alien species, and 24 families contained only 1 alien species. So, the current proportion of the alien species was almost 17% in the regional flora. Archaeophytes consist of 40% of the total alien species, while neophytes had more than 60%. The proportion of naturalized species amounted 58% from alien species, whereas the share of casual species was 42%. The greatest abundance of alien species was typical for Brassicaceae , Asterasea , and Poaceae (14, 13, and 9% of the total species number). We proved invasive status of 28 species and positive trend regard alien species ratio for last years.

Abstract: Aims Alien species are commonly considered as harmful weeds capable of decreasing native biodiversity and threatening ecosystems. Despite this assumption, little is known about the long-term patterns of the native–alien relationships associated with human disturbed managed landscapes. This study aims to elucidate the community dynamics associated with a successional gradient in Chilean Mediterranean grasslands, considering both native and alien species. Methods Species richness (natives and aliens separately) and life-form (annuals and perennials) were recorded in four Chilean post-agricultural grazed grasslands each covering a broad successional gradient (from 1 to 40 years since crop abandonment). A detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), mixed model effects analyses and correlation tests were conducted to assess how this temporal gradient influenced natives and aliens through community dynamics. Important Findings Our results show different life-form patterns between natives and aliens over time. Aliens were mainly represented by annuals (especially ruderals and weeds), which were established at the beginning of succession. Annual aliens also predominated at midsuccessional stages, but in old grasslands native species were slightly more representative than alien ones within the community. In the late successional states, positive or no correlations at all between alien and native species richness suggested the absence of competition between both species groups, as a result of different strategies in occupation of the space. Community dynamics over time constitute a net gain in biodiversity, increasing natives and maintaining a general alien pool, allowing the coexistence of both. Biotic interactions including facilitation and/or tolerance processes might be occurring in Chilean post-agricultural grasslands, a fact that contradicts the accepted idea of the alien species as contenders.

Abstract: The Korean Peninsula has been divided into the countries of North and South Korea since 1948. This adoption of different political and socio-economic regimes has significantly changed economic activity and international exchange by those nations, thus affecting the introduction of alien plants. Our study objective was to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date inventory of the alien flora on the Korean Peninsula and to analyse how the partitioning between North and South Korea has influenced the numbers and status of those alien plants. We identified pre-1876 aliens that were brought to the Korean Peninsula before 1876, when Korea opened up to foreign countries, and also determined the post-1876 aliens that were introduced after 1876. Plants in the latter group were further classified into those that arrived before the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 (1876–1950 aliens) and those introduced since then (post-1950 aliens). We investigated the regions of origin, family compositions, and invasion status of those alien taxa. In total, 504 alien taxa were identified, with 102 taxa being pre-1876 and 117 being 1876–1950 aliens. After the Korean War, the number of alien plants in South Korea more than doubled (276 taxa), whereas the number reported for North Korea was considerably lower (33 taxa). This might be due to enhanced economic activity and a larger human population in South Korea. Climatic differences as well as variations in the recording intensity for alien flora between North and South Korea may also have contributed to the large contrast in numbers of new alien species recorded during the last decades. Coordinated measures between the two nations are necessary if the spread of invasive alien plants onto the Korean Peninsula is to be reduced.

Abstract: The management of invasive alien species (IAS) in protected areas has become increasingly important in recent years. In this study, we analyse IAS management in the bilateral National Park Thayatal-Podyjí at the Austrian-Czech border. Based on two surveys from the years 2001 and 2010 and on annual management data from 2001-2010 we analyse changes in distribution and the efficiency of IAS management of three invasive alien plants (Fallopia × bohemica, Impatiens glandulifera, Robinia pseudoacacia). In 2010, the three study species had invaded 161 ha (2%) of the study area. Despite a decade of management, F. × bohemica has become widespread, whereas I. glandulifera distribution has decreased strongly. The most widespread species, R. pseudoacacia, has declined substantially in cover, but the area invaded has increased. From 2001 to 2010, annual management effort declined by about half. Management effort per hectare and decade was highest for F. × bohemica (2,657 hours), followed by R. pseudoacacia (1,473 hours) and I. glandulifera (270 hours). Management effort for achieving the same amount of reduction in population size and cover was highest for R. pseudoacacia, followed by F. × bohemica and I. glandulifera. We conclude that substantial effort and resources are necessary to successfully manage the study species and have to be provided over prolonged time periods, and thus continued management of these species is recommended. We highly recommend a systematic approach for monitoring the efficiency of IAS management projects in protected areas.

Abstract: Although biological invasion often alters ecosystem properties and community composition at different scales, considerable uncertainty still exists regarding the underlying mechanisms that regulate the spread of alien species into new habitats. An alien invasion is generally achieved through multiple processes from multiple sources; this type of invasion often prevents us from understanding of the dispersal mechanisms. Here, we aim to disentangle the processes of alien invasion by focusing on a single migration source. We surveyed the distribution of alien and native plant species in Shiretoko National Park, located in northern Japan. We measured the coverage of each species and the environmental and spatial factors in 362 quadrats established along roadsides. We found 101 native species and 35 alien species (γ-diversity) throughout the quadrats. The local species richness (α-diversity) was higher for the alien species (6.1 species) than for the native species (3.2 species). There was a significant negative correlation in α-diversity between native and alien species. Moreover, the α-diversity and distance from the nearest town (migration source) showed a negative relationship for alien assemblages while the native assemblages showed the opposite trend. These results suggest that the alien species are expanding their distribution outward from the town, resulting in a decrease in the α-diversity of native species in localities close to the migration source. Overall, our results emphasize that roadsides could unintentionally act as corridors for alien species, even in protected areas. Careful consideration is thus needed for utilizing these human-created habitats even though they were designed for conservation and management purposes.

Abstract: Biological invasions of aquatic macroinvertebrates are gaining interest because of their potential for significant ecological and socio-economic impacts (positive and negative). In the present study, an inventory was made of the alien macroinvertebrates occurring in Flanders (northern Belgium) based on extensive existing collections of biological samples and supplemented with our additional sampling programs. Fresh and brackish waters as well as the Belgian coastal harbours, situated at the interface of the marine environment, were investigated. Over 2,500 samples containing alien macroinvertebrates were identified to species level, which allowed us to accurately map their distribution in Flanders. Alien macroinvertebrates are widespread and abundant in many watercourses in Flanders. Four new macroinvertebrate species for Flanders were discovered: Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852), Echinogammarus trichiatus (Martynov, 1932), Synurella ambulans (F. Muller, 1846) and Laonome calida Capa, 2007. Fifty-two alien macroinvertebrates were encountered in fresh and slightly brackish surface waters, and 21 alien species were reported for the Belgian part of the North Sea and its adjacent estuaries. Most alien macroinvertebrates collected were crustaceans and molluscs. Alien species found in fresh and brackish water mainly originate from the Ponto-Caspian area and North America; fewer species originated from Asia and South- and East-Europe. The major pathways were probably shipping and dispersal through canals. Based on observations in neighbouring countries, several additional species are expected to arrive in the near future. Follow-up work is needed to assess the ecological and economic impacts of existing alien macroinvertebrates, and a monitoring program is needed to detect new incoming species.

Abstract: Data on the current distribution and status of alien freshwater plants in the ESENIAS countries were compiled from the literature, herbarium records and the personal knowledge of regional specialists. The focus of this work was on plants which are able to grow with their roots permanently in water, rather than including the large numbers of marginal plants and species occurring in ephemeral wetlands. 45 alien aquatic plant species were recorded, of which only four were widespread and nine considered invasive. Most countries in the region support the same widespread alien freshwater plants as occur throughout Europe but there is a much greater representation of species originating in the tropics. Alien freshwater plants occurring in the ESENIAS countries mainly originate either from the horticultural trade or rice cultivation. There has been an almost exponential increase in the number of alien aquatic plant species in the region since the start of the 20th century. Although initiatives aimed at public awareness and legislative controls on sale of invasive taxa may help to reduce the rate of invasion, the most effective way to tackle the problem is through an industry-led quality standard, linked to biosecurity and good practice.

Abstract: Alien plants pose a substantial threat to island ecosystems in Australia and worldwide. A better understanding of weed distributions is necessary to more effectively manage natural resources on islands. To address this for Western Australian islands, we assembled a database of all available records of alien plants on these islands. In the second paper in this series, we report on the distribution of records from all islands located along the west coast of Western Australia. We defined the west coast as the coastline within the boundaries of the South West, Swan and Midwest regions of the Department of Parks and Wildlife. This area of coastline stretches from Black Point (near Cape Leeuwin) in the south, to Waroora Station (near Coral Bay) in the north. From 4049 individual records, a total of 317 alien plant species were recorded on the 206 islands with existing weed records. A disproportionately large number of weed species were recorded on islands near Perth, estuarine islands, and islands with a history of intensive human activity. Some of the species recorded as present on the islands are known to be serious environmental weeds, including mother of millions (Bryophyllum delagoense), sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias), cleavers (Galium aparine), African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum), tree mallow (Malva arborea), ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), common prickly pear (Opuntia stricta), sea spinach (Tetragonia decumbens), and golden crownbeard (Verbesina encelioides). The development of management plans to address these species and the survey of islands adjacent to known infestations should be conservation priorities for the west coast islands. Improved biosecurity procedures and enforcement could prevent the establishment of new weed populations on islands and reduce the future costs associated with the management of infestations.

Abstract: A search of collections and early literature revealed that 101 species of alien plants were naturalised in South Australia by 1855. Another thirteen alien species were erroneously recorded as naturalised and native taxa were mistakenly identified as alien species in a further seven instances. All of the species are presented in an annotated list, including citations of relevant specimens. Observations by various botanists on alien plants in that period are reviewed. Of the established species, 90 originated in Europe, and 55 are known to have been introduced on purpose.

Abstract: Biological invasion is one of the most threatening factors for biodiversity conservation. Lacking information on alien species in certain regions of the world hampers a balanced understanding of invasion processes and efficient data exchange among stakeholders. Current knowledge gaps are in need of urgent concern. We therefore conducted a review on alien animals in Xinjiang, an unknown region of invasion ecology. Xinjiang lies in the heartland of the Asian continent, covering an area of 1,664,900 km(2). In the past 64 years, 128 alien animal species were recorded in this region, 39% of which became invasive and led to loss of native biodiversity. Most of these species were introduced through diversification of local agriculture and aquaculture. This process was aggravated by improving transportation and flourishing trade. Multiple linear regression models and correlation analysis were run for explaining influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors on status of alien animals: economically developed areas with abundant water resource, oases in particular, were prone to be hotspots of alien animal species in this arid and semi-arid region. This study also revealed that taxonomically biased and lagged research were critical problems that impeded studies on biological invasions in Xinjiang, and proposed feasible solutions.

Abstract: This paper presents the data on the species composition of the alien flora in the Moksha River basin within the Volga Upland. Rare and newly revealed species are recorded. The groups of alien species are identified according to the time and way of introduction and degree of naturalization. Asian and Mediterranean species are dominant, and a group of American plants is also significant. The lists of plants of the basin included in the Black Book of the flora of Central Part of European Russia are presented. The differences in the character of naturalization between accidentally and intentionally introduced species are shown. Invasive plants are listed, and the features of their distribution within the studied area are noted.

Abstract: Montecristo Island is an integral natural reserve of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Central Italy), characterized by a peculiar assemblage of flora and fauna, with several endemic taxa, and also with a high number of alien species. During a soil survey, we found an alien Oscheius tipulae Lam & Webster, 1971 isolate, phylogenetically close to others from South America. In this article, we examined the possible pathways of introduction of this nematode. Because of the high number of alien plants in this protected area and the low desiccation survival ability of O. tipulae, we hypothesized that the presence of this alien nematode isolate may be related to the soil of introduced plants, although historical association with plant-associated invertebrates is also possible. Further studies with more populations and marker molecules are necessary to investigate the distribution of O. tipulae and the possible impact on this natural reserve.

Abstract: Background and aims - Interest in understanding the factors driving change in alien plant species richness along elevation has been increasing. This knowledge assists in understanding the risk of alien plant invasions and the general mechanisms determining species richness patterns in native flora. In addition, recent land use changes within mountainous regions are expected to affect the species richness of alien plants along elevation. However, few reliable datasets have revealed temporal changes in alien species distribution and richness along elevation. In this study, we evaluated regional species richness pattern of alien plants along an elevational gradient compared with that of native plants and assessed the temporal changes in alien plant species richness along elevation in central Japan. Methods - We evaluated the contemporary patterns and temporal changes in alien plant species richness using herbarium records and linked individual-based rarefaction and extrapolation curves. Key results - We showed that alien plant species richness peaks at lower elevations, whereas that of native plants peaks at higher elevation. The estimated alien plant species richness increased over the last approximately thirty years, particularly at the lower elevations. During 1985-2004, eleven of sixteen alien plant species invaded elevations > 2,000 m, whereas until 1976 only two species had colonised elevations > 2,000 m. Earlier invading alien plants have larger elevational ranges than more recent invaders and most alien plants first colonised elevation Conclusions - Artificial land use and road lengths are more important for alien plant species richness than total area. We conclude that high propagule pressure and human disturbance support the establishment of alien plant at lower elevation, and then they extend their range. This is reflected in the current patterns and temporal changes in alien plant species richness. Our results suggested that the risk of invasion by alien plants has been increasing in mountain environments.

Abstract: Introduction and spread of invasive alien plant species is affecting natural environment, economy, and society, including human health. The current threats posed by existing invasive alien plant species are significant and are growing at an alarming rate . As a result, Habitats such as roadsides, arable lands, grazing lands, villages and towns are in a great challenge of suffering from the invasion of IAPS in the study area . Therefore, mapping the spatial distribution of invasive alien plant species was carried out in Gamo Gofa Zone. The objective of this study was to examine the distribution and abundance of invasive alien plant species and develop the distribution map of major invasive alien plant species that is crucial for environmental monitoring and early warning systems. In order to achieve the objectives latitude and longitude coordinates was recorded at 10 kms intervals using hand held GPS in 12 accessible Districts and presence/absence and abundance of invasive alien plant species was observed and recorded. The distribution maps of invasive alien plant species were prepared using latitude and longitude coordinates recorded by GPS in different locations of the study area. The results of the study indicated that major invasive alien plant species that are found in Gamo Gofa Zone include Parthenium hysterophorus, Prosopis juliflora and Lantana camara. Other invasive alien plant species observed and recorded as minor invaders in the study area were; Senna occidentalis, Xanthium strumarium, Parkinsonia acuelata and Calotropis procera. During field observation, heavy infestation of invasive alien plant species was recorded on the roadsides followed by arable land. On the other hand, natural forest is the least infested habitat in the study area. Generally, disturbed habitats are more infested by invasive alien plant species than natural habitats.

Abstract: DOI: 10.15580/GJAS.2016.3.012016019 The dwarf honeybee (or red dwarf honeybee), Apis florea Fabricius, is native to Southeast Asia. The general distribution of this species is confined to warm climates where it performs very well. The study was carried out to assess the invasion, habitat and its negative effect on local honeybees in North West and Northern Ethiopia. Districts for the study were purposively selected. To undertake the assessment, three different techniques, interviewing local people, observing foraging bees on the field and searching for nests of the alien species were employed. Based on the study results, Metema could be the possible district to which A. florea was first introduced in 2003. Since then, this alien bee species has become widely distributed in the lowlands of north Gondar, and central and northern Tigray up to the Eritrean border. Indicating the rapid expansion and effective colonizing ability, they become well adapted to new hot arid conditions of North West and North Ethiopia without being affected by the competition from local honeybees, Apis mellifera. This natural expansion of the species may not have a pronounced negative effect at this time but may pose some threat to the local ecosystem in the future. Therefore, the rapid expansion of the A. florea into new habitats has to be monitored and more detailed research is needed to understand their ecological impacts in the new ecosystem and potentially possible economic advantages and disadvantages. Submitted: 20/01/2016 Accepted: 25/01/2016 Published: 28/03/2016

Abstract: The peculiarities of invasion of alien macroinvertebrates into the water bodies of the Ob river basin have been studied. It has been noted that the construction of hydropower plants and fishery management play the key role in the invasion of alien fauna. The main invasion corridors and the tendencies of long-term alterations in them have been revealed. The common and distinctive features of the alien fauna of the Ob River basin and the invasive species of large European rivers have been determined. It is shown that a considerable number of alien invertebrates have been introduced into the Ob river accidentally.

Abstract: In May 1910 Mildred Williams, a young and nights on the stairs. On the second day teacher in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, made she was challenged by a man who wanted the headlines across Western Canada for her pluck same property and who tried to push her off and stamina as she waited for twelve days and her chair, but her numerous supporters rushed nights on a chair on the stairs outside the to her assistance and "came near throwing him door of the land office in Saskatoon to claim down the stairs."2 Her vigil was worth the wait: a homestead (see Fig. I).1 She was determined she successfully filed on land that she estimated to file on a half-section (320 acres) of valuable would be worth ten thousand dollars in three land near Kindersley. Williams put up with a years. great deal of inconvenience during her days On May 16 she emerged from the land office to hearty applause from her friends, and later that day took an auto drive about the city and w, , , . . . r ■ ■ i was congratulated on all sides. Williams suc

Abstract: In this survey, use of the terms alien and invasive are broad, and included the multiple related terms used in the field of invasion biology, such as introduced and non-native. This call was to complete the survey to improve the suitability and access to data for broad scale use in invasion biology and the fields related to it (such as ecological and social research contexts). The survey was designed by the Task Group to capture the experience of data users and publishers aiming to document limitations in existing GBIF services, improve the utility of GBIF-mediated data, and suggest improvements in the functionality of GBIF for specific needs.