Research projects
2019
Modelos de distribución para un caracol acuático invasor: importancia de la escala de análisis (CCG2018/EXP-074). Universidad de Alcalá
Main researcher: Asunción Saldaña
Other members:
Álvaro Alonso
Pilar Castro-Díez
2017
Modelos de distribución y expansión del caracol acuático invasor Potamopyrgus antipodarum (CCG2016/EXP-054). Universidad de Alcalá
Main researcher: Álvaro Alonso
Other members:
Pilar Castro-Díez
Asunción Saldaña
Belinda Gallardo
2016-2019
Basic and applied aspects of the impact of invasive plants (IMPLANTIN, ref. CGL2015-65346-R).
Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competition
Main researcher: Montse Vilà
Other members:
Dr. Pilar Castro-Díez
Dr. Álvaro Alonso Fernández
Dr. Asunción Saldaña López
Dr. Oscar Godoy
Dr. Esther Pérez-Corona
Dr. Paloma de las Heras
Dr. Alberto Maceda
Dr. Pablo González-Moreno
Dr. José M. Herrera Vega
Summary: Habitat invasion by exotic plants constitutes a key component of global change widely recognized as having strong ecological and economic impacts. From a basic point-of-view, this project will focus on the impact of plant invasions on less studied attributes of biodiversity (i.e., diversity of functional traits, climatic niche diversity and phylogenetic diversity of invaded plant communities). To do that, we will take advantage of an exhaustive dataset already available along 381 km of the coastline in Southeast Andalusia in which we have surveyed more than 400 paired invaded and control plots and have identified more than 50 exotic plant species. This project will (1) identify which exotic plant species have the strongest impacts on invaded plant communities, (2) determine the vulnerability of native plant species to plant invasions in relation to their functional traits and climatic niche position. Therefore, it will (3) inform about changes in the co-evolutionary trajectories of plant species assemblages, and their vulnerability to climate change after invasion. Finally, (4) it will investigate if there is a relationship between the above-mentioned biodiversity indexes and impacts on ecosystem functioning.
From an applied point-of-view, the project will compare the robustness of the most widely used methods in Europe for assessing the ecological and socioeconomic risk of biotic invasions. In relation to the current European Regulation for Invasive Exotic Species (Regulation 1143/2014), the project will also evaluate the potential risk of invasion of exotic plant species in Spain. In addition, it will assess the impact of invasive exotic tree-like plants on ecosystem services in Europe using both literature surveys and expert knowledge. The basic and applied perspective of the current project are in line with the scientific and management challenges that human society demands for overcoming the impact of biological invasions on biodiversity and on all those ecosystem services which human well-being depends on.
2010-2013
Invasive risk assessment of exotic trees: distribution pattenrs, invasive success and impact on ecosystems (INVARISK, ref. CGL2010-16388 BOS). Spanish Ministry of Education and Science
Main researcher: Dr. Pilar Castro Díez
Other members:
Dr. Álvaro Alonso Fernández (researcher)
Dr. Asunción Saldaña López (researcher)
Dr. Mónica Gutiérrez (researcher)
Dr. Francisco Álvarez Dávila (researcher)
Dr. Ingrid Parker (researcher)
Prof. David M. Richardson (researcher)
Noelia González Muñoz (PhD student)
Isabel Cabra Rivas (PhD student)
Silvia Medina (PhD student)
Guillermo Valle (technician)
Summary: Exotic invasive species (EIS) may notably alter ecosystem functions and decline the quality of environmental services. According to previous information on habitat susceptibility to invasion in the Iberian Peninsula, floodplains are among the natural habitats with higher risk. Besides, these habitats possess high ecologic, economic and social value, being high- priority areas for environment conservation. During the last two centuries, several exotic tree species, such as Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia and Ulmus pumila, have established and naturalized in the floodplains of the Iberian Peninsula. However, cartographic information showing their distribution is available at a very gross scale and there is a lack of information on the factors controlling exotic species distribution, on population trends, functional strategies and ecosystem impacts. Such information must be available for supporting programs of EIS management. Consequently, this project focuses on three major aims: 1) Identifying the distribution of exotic tree species in the floodplains of three areas of Spain, contrasting in climate and human pressure (Vasc Country, inner Ebro Valley and Madrid). Such information, along with environmental and human-use cartography, and field data on the population structure, would allow identifying those factors controlling the species distribution and population trends. Besides, this information can help to develop invasion risk models for other regions. 2) Identifying the strategies explaining the success of exotic trees, by comparing fitness-related plant traits between exotic trees and coexisting native trees. This would allow testing hypotheses explaining EIS success, or put forward new hypothesis, if necessary. Such knowledge, together with information on spatial distribution, would help to predict the chances of these species spreading in the future in particular habitats. 3) Assessing the impacts of exotic trees on the functions of affected aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Particularly, we aim to analyse the impact of exotic leaf litter, whose physical-chemical properties may differ from the native leaf litter, on the structure and function of the edaphic and freshwater communities of invertebrates that feed on such litter. These communities play a crucial role on the ecosystem nutrient cycle. By merging the results of the three aims we will be able to assess the risk of exotic trees naturalized in floodplains to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
2010-2013
Assessment of the impacts of Castilla-La Mancha exotic invasive trees on river and floodplain ecosystems (INVARIBER, REF. POII10-0041-0826). Community of Castilla-La Mancha
Main researcher: Dr. Pilar Castro Díez
Other members:
Dr. Álvaro Alonso Fernández (researcher)
Dr. Asunción Saldaña López (researcher)
Dr. Esther Pérez Corona (researcher)
Dr. Dolores Trigo Aza (researcher)
Dr. Mónica Gutiérrez (researcher)
Noelia González Muñoz (PhD student)
Isabel Cabra Rivas (PhD student)
Silvia Medina (PhD student)
Mónica Otero (technician)
Summary: Many human activities imply species transport from remote regions, some of these species becoming invasive in the new ecosystems. In Castilla-La Mancha, the (semi-)natural habitats showing higher invasion risk by exotic plants are river floodplains. Besides, these habitats possess high ecologic, economic and social value, being high-priority areas for environment conservation. During the last centuries, several exotic tree species, such as Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia or Ulmus pumila, among others, have established and naturalised in the floodplains of the inner Iberian Peninsula. Although these species are normally associated to degraded lands, the disturbances naturally occurring in floodplains can create opportunities for these species to expand to the detriment of native trees. So far, the scientific information on the distribution, propagation potential and impacts of these species on ecosystem structure and function is negligible. Therefore, this project focuses on three major aims: 1) Identifying the distribution of the main exotic tree species in Castilla-La Mancha floodplains, and the environmental factors driving such distributions. 2) Assessing the propagation potential of these species, in comparison with coexisting native trees, by studying those life-history traits linked to invasiveness on the basis of the literature. 3) Assessing the consequences of native-by-exotic tree replacement on the structure and function of invertebrate communities dwelling in floodplain soils and rivers, and involved in nutrient cycles. The results of this project would help to the development of invasive species management programs in Castilla-La Mancha, by identifying those exotic species representing higher risk for the conservation of river and floodplain ecosystems.
2007-2010.
Causes and consquences of exotic plant invasions in the Iberian Peninsula. (ref. CGL2007-61873/BOS). Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.
Main researcher: Dr. Pilar Castro Díez
Summary: Human activity is causing the displacement of many species, some of them become invasive in the new region. Invasive species may monopolize local resources and outcompete native species; they may alter inter-species interaction and ecosystem functions. Therefore, the understanding of determinants of biological invasions is a major research area of international programmes on global change.
The main objectives of this project are: 1) To assess certain traits of plant species, which can be easily obtained from Floras for wide sets of species, as potential predictors of plant invasiveness in the Iberian Peninsula. 2) To identify scenarios which promote invasions of alien plants in the inland Iberian Peninsula. 3) To assess the effects of particular alien plants on the nutrient cycle and on the structure of herbaceous communities living beneath their canopies.
2005-2007
Biological determinants of plant invasion risk (Ref. CGL 2004-04884-CO2-01-BOS). Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.
Main Researcher: Dr. Anna Traveset Villaginés