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Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Non-native species are recognized as a major component of global environmental change. Their ecological impacts are numerous and include the alteration of whole ecosystem processes as well as the loss of native biodiversity. As such, understanding the processes that drive the invasion of non-native species is essential for the control and management thereof. Numerous research approaches have been used to provide insight on the history and ecology of non-native species invasions. However, recent approaches employing molecular techniques have greatly helped in solving taxonomic issues associated with some of these species; identifying sources of invasions; and shedding light on colonization dynamics. Lantana camara, a globally invasive and highly variable species complex, is one of the most notorious plant invaders in South Africa. The species has been associated with negative impacts in agricultural areas, decreased invertebrate diversity, livestock mortality, and where it occurs along riparian areas- decreased water quality and obstruction to accessing water sources. This project aimed to review L. camara invasions in South Africa and to unravel patterns of spread in L. camara along the Sabie-Sand catchment in South Africa’s flagship protected area, the Kruger National Park, using a molecular approach. The findings of the first part of the study highlight that L. camara has successfully spread across South Africa with only four known introduction events, and this can be attributed to the species’ broad ecological tolerance, its use in the horticultural industry, and a variety of dispersal vectors (birds, humans and rivers). Furthermore, although sale of the species is prohibited in the country, it will continue to spread naturally and also has the potential to expand its distribution under changing climate scenarios. The second part of the study highlights that spread along the Sabie-Sand catchment is primarily river-driven and that the Sand tributary is the invasion source in the system. Because the Sand tributary originates outside the Kruger National Park, and only a small portion is under park management, the implications for spread are important. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nie-inheemse spesies word erken as 'n belangrike komponent van die globale omgewing verandering. Hulle ekologiese impak is talle en sluit in die verandering van ekosisteem prosesse asook die verlies van inheemse biodiversiteit. As sodanig, die begrip van die prosesse wat lei tot die inval van 'n nie-inheemse spesies is noodsaaklik vir die beheer en bestuur daarvan. Talle navorsingsbenaderings is gebruik om insig te gee oor die geskiedenis en ekologie van nie-inheemse spesies invalle. Onlangse benaderings soos die gebruik van molekulêre tegnieke, help in die oplossing van taksonomiese kwessies wat verband hou met 'n paar van hierdie spesies,in die identifisering van bronne van invalle, en om lig te werp op die kolonisasie dinamika. Lantana camara, 'n wêreldwye indringende en spesie kompleks, is een van die mees berugte plantindringer in Suid-Afrika. Die spesie is geassosieer met negatiewe gevolge in landbou gebiede, afgeneem ongewerwelde diversiteit, vee mortaliteit, en waar dit voorkom saam oewer gebiede - afgeneem kwaliteit van die water en obstruksie tot waterbronne. Hierdie projek is daarop gemik om om L. camara invalle in Suid-Afrika te hersien en patrone van verspreiding te ontrafel in L. camara langs die Sabie-Sand-opvanggebied in Suid-Afrika se vlagskip beskermde gebied, die Kruger Nasionale Park, met behulp van 'n molekulêre benadering. Die bevindinge van die eerste deel van die studie wys dat L. camara het suksesvol versprei oor die hele Suid-Afrika met slegs vier bekende inleiding gebeure, en dit kan toegeskryf word aan die spesie se breë ekologiese verdraagsaamheid, die gebruik daarvan in die hortologie bedryf, en 'n verskeidenheid van die verspreiding vektore (voëls, mens en riviere). Verder, hoewel die verkoop van die spesie in die land verbied word, sal dit natuurlik voortgaan om te versprei en het ook die potensiaal om uit te brui onder veranderende klimaat scenario's. Die tweede deel van die studie wys dat versprei langs die Sabie-Sandopvanggebied hoofsaaklik rivier-gedrewe is en dat die Sand sytak die inval bron is. Omdat die Sand sytak buite die Kruger Nasionale Park ontstaan, en slegs 'n klein gedeelte onder park bestuur is, is die implikasies vir verspreiding belangrik. / Financial support from the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology and the Working for Water (WfW) Programme through their collaborative project on “Research for Integrated Management of Invasive Alien Species” and Stellenbosch University’s Subcommittee B Young Researcher's Fund

Knowledge of sex allocation trade-offs with tree growth in insect-pollinated woody plants is limited, particularly in invasive plants. This study examined patterns of growth and reproductive investment in a North American invasive plant species, Triadica sebifera, I hypothesized that the energy limitations of smaller trees may result in the production of more male reproductive structures that are energetically less costly. Diameter at breast height was a significant predictor of seed and catkin mass and regression can describe these relationships across sites. Seed and catkin mass were positively correlated across sites. The relationship between the seed mass:catkin mass ratio and DBH was not significant, nor was seed mass:catkin mass and total investment. Results showed a significant positive relationship between total reproductive investment and tree size across sites. Seed mass:catkin mass ratio and reproduction investment showed substantial variation among individual trees of similar size within sites.

Os impactos negativos que as espécies invasoras causam aos ecossistemas naturais ou seminaturais são noticiados há pelo menos seis décadas em diferentes partes do mundo. Diversos estudos têm sido realizados visando diagnosticar o processo de invasão, conhecer a ecologia das espécies invasoras e gerar subsídios para o manejo, controle ou erradicação daquelas que causam problemas. No Brasil, a invasão de ecossistemas naturais começou a ser estudada recentemente e muito conhecimento ainda precisa ser gerado para basear a tomada de decisões sobre o problema. Este estudo teve por objetivo descrever o processo de invasão do Cerrado por Pinus elliottii e buscar técnicas de manejo viáveis ecológica e economicamente para o controle da invasora. O estudo foi realizado na Estação Ecológica de Santa Bárbara, no munícipio de Águas de Santa Bárbara, São Paulo, em duas frentes de pesquisa: uma para estudar a ecologia da espécie invasora, e a outra para verificar qual seria a técnica de controle mais vantajosa ecológica e economicamente. O estudo de ecologia baseou-se na amostragem de cinco blocos de 10 parcelas, cada uma com área de 10 x 10 m, para o estudo de plantas nativas com altura a partir de 50 cm e, dentro de cada parcela, cinco subparcelas de 1 x 1 m para o estudo de plantas com altura inferior a 50 cm. Em cada bloco as parcelas foram instaladas de forma que todo o gradiente de invasão por P. elliottii (desde 0 até 100% invadido) fosse contemplado. A densidade e a riqueza de espécies vegetais, agrupadas quanto à forma de vida, foram analisadas como variáveis resposta ao processo de invasão. Nessas parcelas foram caracterizadas, como variáveis explanatórias, a área basal da espécie invasora, a profundidade da camada de acículas e a abertura de dossel, que poderiam explicar as perdas de diversidade. O experimento de manejo foi realizado em uma área de 70 x 50 m, subdividida em 35 parcelas de 10 x 10 m. Sete tratamentos de erradicação (com cinco réplicas) foram testados, correspondendo a diferentes técnicas de manejo, que foram aplicadas isoladas ou combinadas. As técnicas de controle incluíram o corte raso com motosserra, a injeção de herbicida nos troncos e a aplicação de queimada prescrita. Após a aplicação dos tratamentos, a vegetação espontânea de cerrado foi monitorada por dois anos e comparados os tratamentos, utilizando-se a densidade e a riqueza de plantas nativas em regeneração como indicadores ecológicos de sucesso das técnicas. A viabilidade econômica foi analisada com base em todos os custos envolvidos em cada técnica, discutidos mediante a estimativa do custo do controle precoce da invasão. A pesquisa como um todo possibilitou a descrição, em detalhes, do processo de invasão, assim como a quantificação das perdas de diversidade e identificação dos filtros ecológicos envolvidos no processo. O estudo ecológico mostrou que a espessa camada de acículas depositada pela árvores invasoras quando a invasão se adensa é o principal fator responsável pelo desaparecimento de gramíneas, ciperáceas e indivíduos herbáceos, ou seja, quanto mais acículas depositadas no solo, maior a perda dessas formas de vida. Já o fechamento do dossel provocado pela entrada das árvores invasoras no ambiente savânico prejudicou especialmente os arbustos, fazendo com que desaparecessem em ambientes mais sombreados. Não foi notada nenhuma influência das variáveis estudadas sobre espécies arbóreas em regeneração na comunidade invadida. No experimento de manejo, diversos tratamentos foram economicamente viáveis, especialmente quando se prevê a comercialização da lenha das árvores invasoras. Isto porque a receita gerada com a venda da madeira pode cobrir os custos de manejo. Além da viabilidade econômica, ao longo dos dois anos de acompanhamento, o tratamento que combinou corte raso com queima das acículas foi o mais indicado, pois cobriu os custos de erradicação e, dentre os tratamentos testados, foi o que apresentou a melhor regeneração natural da vegetação nativa de cerrado. No entanto, a restauração passiva (regeneração natural) do ecossistema densamente invadido após a erradicação é um processo extremamente lento, de modo que os dois anos de estudo levam a crer que intervenções de restauração por meio de plantio serão necessárias para acelerar o processo. Com esta pesquisa, portanto, foi possível compreender os fatores e processos que levam à perda de biodiversidade decorrente da invasão por Pinus elliottii e, também, assegurar que é possível a erradicação da espécie invasora. Mas a restauração das áreas densamente invadidas ainda é um obstáculo a ser vencido. Os custos ecológicos e econômicos envolvidos na solução do problema são elevados, mas podem ser minimizados caso seja realizado o controle precoce da invasão. / Damages caused by invasive species in natural or semi-natural environments have been noticed for at least six decades in different parts of the world. Meanwhile around the world several studies aim to diagnose the invasion process, the ecology of invasive species and to generate knowledge about management, control, or eradication of these species. In Brazil, the studies about invasive species started recently and a lot of research is still needed to support the decision-making, and consequently strengthen the connections between scientists and decision makers. This work aims to describe the invasion process of slash pine in the Cerrado and seek for management solutions to deal with the invasion problem. The study took place at the Santa Bárbara Ecological Station, a reserve located at Águas de Santa Barbara municipality, São Paulo state. Two distinct types of research were performed: the first one focused on the study of the invasion ecology of slash pine, and the second aiming to seek for the ecologically and economically most viable management technique to remove the invasive species from this ecosystem. The ecological study was based on sampling of native plants taller than 50 cm, taken from five blocks of 10 plots (plot area = 10 x 10 m). To study the plants smaller than 50 cm height, samples were taken from five 1 x 1 m subplots placed inside each plot. In each block, the plots were placed with the aim of contemplating the whole range of invasion gradient (0% to 100% of invaded area) by P. elliottii. Native plant species were grouped according to their life form, and their density and richness were considered as response variables to the invasion process. In this plots, the basal area of the invasive species, pine needles depth and canopy openness were considered as the explanatory variables, as the oscillations of these variables could justify biodiversity losses. The management experiment was performed in a 70 x 50 m area, divided in 35 plots (10 x 10 m). Seven eradication treatments (with five replicates) were established according to different management techniques applied together or isolated. The control techniques included clear-cut with chainsaw, herbicide injection inside the trunks and prescribed burning. After the application of the treatments, the spontaneous recovery of the grassland vegetation was monitored, and the density and richness of native species were used as indicators of the ecological success of the management techniques. The economical viability was analyzed based on all the costs related to each one of the techniques and compared to an initial invasion control. In general, this work described in details the invasion process at the Cerrado vegetation, quantified biodiversity losses and identified the ecological filters in the invasion process. The increase of the pine needle layer thickness is the main driver of the disappearance of grasses, sedges and forbs. The canopy closure caused by the invasive trees in the open savanna environment was responsible for the decrease of shrubs. None of the explanatory variables influenced the native tree species under regeneration. The management experiment pointed several treatments as economically viable, especially when the timber of the invasive species can be commercialized and, thus, the profits obtained from the sold timber can cover the costs regarding the eradication procedure. In addition to the economical viability, over two years of monitoring the native vegetation, the best treatment was the one that combined clearcut and prescribed fire. Under this combination of treatments, the spontaneous regeneration of native vegetation had the best performance, and the eradication costs could be covered.. Meanwhile, the passive restoration (natural regeneration) from a densely invaded ecosystem is an extremely slow process. Therefore, after two years of research, it seems reasonable to assume that interfering in the restoration process through plantation is necessary in order to speed up the vegetation recovery. In this work, thus, it was possible to understand the factors and process that cause biodiversity losses promoted by slash pine (Pinus elliottii) invasion in the Cerrado, and also to ensure that the eradication of this invasive species is possible in this type of ecosystem. Nevertheless, the restoration of heavily invaded areas is still an issue. The ecological and economic costs related to this problem are high but can be reduced when the early control of the invasion is performed.

The naturalisation and subsequent spread of non-indigenous plant species (NIPS) is a major problem for most regions of the world. Managing plant invasions requires greater understanding of factors that determine initial naturalisation and distribution of wild NIPS. By the year 2000, 2252 NIPS were recorded as wild (1773 fully naturalised and 479 casual) in New Zealand. From published literature and electronic herbaria records, I recorded year of discovery of wild populations, and regional distribution of these wild NIPS. I also recorded species related attributes hypothesised to affect naturalisation and/or distribution, including global trade, human activities, native range and biological data; and regional attributes hypothesised to affect distribution, including human population densities, land use/cover, and environmental data. I used interval-censored time-to-event analyses to estimate year of naturalisation from discovery records, then analysed the importance of historical, human activity, biogeographical and biological attributes in determining patterns of naturalisation. Typically, NIPS that naturalised earlier were herbaceous, utilitarian species that were also accidentally introduced and/or distributed, with a wide native range that included Eurasia, naturalised elsewhere, with a native congener in New Zealand. In the year 2000, 28% of wild NIPS occupied only one region, 18% occupied two regions, decreasing incrementally to 2.5 % for nine regions, but with 13.5% occupying all ten regions. I used generalised linear models (GLMs) with binomial distribution to determine predictors of whether a wild NIPS occupied ten regions or not, and GLMs with Poisson distribution for wild NIPS occupying 0 – 9 regions. As expected, the dominant effect was that species discovered earlier occupied more regions. Utilitarian wild NIPS that were also accidentally introduced and/or distributed, and wild NIPS with a native congener tended to be more widely distributed, but results for other attributes varied between datasets. Although numbers of wild NIPS recorded in regions of New Zealand were sometimes similar, composition of wild NIPS was often very different. I used nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to determine dissimilarity in composition between regions. Then, after reducing correlation between predictor variables using principal components analyses (PCAs), I tested the importance of regional variables in determining the regional composition of wild NIPS using metaMDS. The density of human populations best explained the dissimilarity in composition, but temperature gradients and water availability gradients were also important. In the year 2000 more than 1100 (60%) of the 1773 fully naturalised NIPS in mainland New Zealand had each been recorded in Northland/Auckland and Canterbury, and at the other end of the scale, Southland and Westland each had fewer than 500 (30%). I used GLMs to analyse the importance of people and environment in determining the numbers of wild NIPS in each region. Because I conducted multiple tests on the same dataset I used sequential Bonferroni procedures to adjust the critical P-value. Only human population density was important in explaining the numbers of NIPS in the regions. Overall, humans were the dominant drivers in determining the patterns of naturalisation and spread, although environment helps determine the composition of NIPS in regions. Incorporating human associated factors into studies of wild NIPS helps improve the understanding of the stages in the naturalisation and spread process.

Os impactos negativos que as espécies invasoras causam aos ecossistemas naturais ou seminaturais são noticiados há pelo menos seis décadas em diferentes partes do mundo. Diversos estudos têm sido realizados visando diagnosticar o processo de invasão, conhecer a ecologia das espécies invasoras e gerar subsídios para o manejo, controle ou erradicação daquelas que causam problemas. No Brasil, a invasão de ecossistemas naturais começou a ser estudada recentemente e muito conhecimento ainda precisa ser gerado para basear a tomada de decisões sobre o problema. Este estudo teve por objetivo descrever o processo de invasão do Cerrado por Pinus elliottii e buscar técnicas de manejo viáveis ecológica e economicamente para o controle da invasora. O estudo foi realizado na Estação Ecológica de Santa Bárbara, no munícipio de Águas de Santa Bárbara, São Paulo, em duas frentes de pesquisa: uma para estudar a ecologia da espécie invasora, e a outra para verificar qual seria a técnica de controle mais vantajosa ecológica e economicamente. O estudo de ecologia baseou-se na amostragem de cinco blocos de 10 parcelas, cada uma com área de 10 x 10 m, para o estudo de plantas nativas com altura a partir de 50 cm e, dentro de cada parcela, cinco subparcelas de 1 x 1 m para o estudo de plantas com altura inferior a 50 cm. Em cada bloco as parcelas foram instaladas de forma que todo o gradiente de invasão por P. elliottii (desde 0 até 100% invadido) fosse contemplado. A densidade e a riqueza de espécies vegetais, agrupadas quanto à forma de vida, foram analisadas como variáveis resposta ao processo de invasão. Nessas parcelas foram caracterizadas, como variáveis explanatórias, a área basal da espécie invasora, a profundidade da camada de acículas e a abertura de dossel, que poderiam explicar as perdas de diversidade. O experimento de manejo foi realizado em uma área de 70 x 50 m, subdividida em 35 parcelas de 10 x 10 m. Sete tratamentos de erradicação (com cinco réplicas) foram testados, correspondendo a diferentes técnicas de manejo, que foram aplicadas isoladas ou combinadas. As técnicas de controle incluíram o corte raso com motosserra, a injeção de herbicida nos troncos e a aplicação de queimada prescrita. Após a aplicação dos tratamentos, a vegetação espontânea de cerrado foi monitorada por dois anos e comparados os tratamentos, utilizando-se a densidade e a riqueza de plantas nativas em regeneração como indicadores ecológicos de sucesso das técnicas. A viabilidade econômica foi analisada com base em todos os custos envolvidos em cada técnica, discutidos mediante a estimativa do custo do controle precoce da invasão. A pesquisa como um todo possibilitou a descrição, em detalhes, do processo de invasão, assim como a quantificação das perdas de diversidade e identificação dos filtros ecológicos envolvidos no processo. O estudo ecológico mostrou que a espessa camada de acículas depositada pela árvores invasoras quando a invasão se adensa é o principal fator responsável pelo desaparecimento de gramíneas, ciperáceas e indivíduos herbáceos, ou seja, quanto mais acículas depositadas no solo, maior a perda dessas formas de vida. Já o fechamento do dossel provocado pela entrada das árvores invasoras no ambiente savânico prejudicou especialmente os arbustos, fazendo com que desaparecessem em ambientes mais sombreados. Não foi notada nenhuma influência das variáveis estudadas sobre espécies arbóreas em regeneração na comunidade invadida. No experimento de manejo, diversos tratamentos foram economicamente viáveis, especialmente quando se prevê a comercialização da lenha das árvores invasoras. Isto porque a receita gerada com a venda da madeira pode cobrir os custos de manejo. Além da viabilidade econômica, ao longo dos dois anos de acompanhamento, o tratamento que combinou corte raso com queima das acículas foi o mais indicado, pois cobriu os custos de erradicação e, dentre os tratamentos testados, foi o que apresentou a melhor regeneração natural da vegetação nativa de cerrado. No entanto, a restauração passiva (regeneração natural) do ecossistema densamente invadido após a erradicação é um processo extremamente lento, de modo que os dois anos de estudo levam a crer que intervenções de restauração por meio de plantio serão necessárias para acelerar o processo. Com esta pesquisa, portanto, foi possível compreender os fatores e processos que levam à perda de biodiversidade decorrente da invasão por Pinus elliottii e, também, assegurar que é possível a erradicação da espécie invasora. Mas a restauração das áreas densamente invadidas ainda é um obstáculo a ser vencido. Os custos ecológicos e econômicos envolvidos na solução do problema são elevados, mas podem ser minimizados caso seja realizado o controle precoce da invasão. / Damages caused by invasive species in natural or semi-natural environments have been noticed for at least six decades in different parts of the world. Meanwhile around the world several studies aim to diagnose the invasion process, the ecology of invasive species and to generate knowledge about management, control, or eradication of these species. In Brazil, the studies about invasive species started recently and a lot of research is still needed to support the decision-making, and consequently strengthen the connections between scientists and decision makers. This work aims to describe the invasion process of slash pine in the Cerrado and seek for management solutions to deal with the invasion problem. The study took place at the Santa Bárbara Ecological Station, a reserve located at Águas de Santa Barbara municipality, São Paulo state. Two distinct types of research were performed: the first one focused on the study of the invasion ecology of slash pine, and the second aiming to seek for the ecologically and economically most viable management technique to remove the invasive species from this ecosystem. The ecological study was based on sampling of native plants taller than 50 cm, taken from five blocks of 10 plots (plot area = 10 x 10 m). To study the plants smaller than 50 cm height, samples were taken from five 1 x 1 m subplots placed inside each plot. In each block, the plots were placed with the aim of contemplating the whole range of invasion gradient (0% to 100% of invaded area) by P. elliottii. Native plant species were grouped according to their life form, and their density and richness were considered as response variables to the invasion process. In this plots, the basal area of the invasive species, pine needles depth and canopy openness were considered as the explanatory variables, as the oscillations of these variables could justify biodiversity losses. The management experiment was performed in a 70 x 50 m area, divided in 35 plots (10 x 10 m). Seven eradication treatments (with five replicates) were established according to different management techniques applied together or isolated. The control techniques included clear-cut with chainsaw, herbicide injection inside the trunks and prescribed burning. After the application of the treatments, the spontaneous recovery of the grassland vegetation was monitored, and the density and richness of native species were used as indicators of the ecological success of the management techniques. The economical viability was analyzed based on all the costs related to each one of the techniques and compared to an initial invasion control. In general, this work described in details the invasion process at the Cerrado vegetation, quantified biodiversity losses and identified the ecological filters in the invasion process. The increase of the pine needle layer thickness is the main driver of the disappearance of grasses, sedges and forbs. The canopy closure caused by the invasive trees in the open savanna environment was responsible for the decrease of shrubs. None of the explanatory variables influenced the native tree species under regeneration. The management experiment pointed several treatments as economically viable, especially when the timber of the invasive species can be commercialized and, thus, the profits obtained from the sold timber can cover the costs regarding the eradication procedure. In addition to the economical viability, over two years of monitoring the native vegetation, the best treatment was the one that combined clearcut and prescribed fire. Under this combination of treatments, the spontaneous regeneration of native vegetation had the best performance, and the eradication costs could be covered.. Meanwhile, the passive restoration (natural regeneration) from a densely invaded ecosystem is an extremely slow process. Therefore, after two years of research, it seems reasonable to assume that interfering in the restoration process through plantation is necessary in order to speed up the vegetation recovery. In this work, thus, it was possible to understand the factors and process that cause biodiversity losses promoted by slash pine (Pinus elliottii) invasion in the Cerrado, and also to ensure that the eradication of this invasive species is possible in this type of ecosystem. Nevertheless, the restoration of heavily invaded areas is still an issue. The ecological and economic costs related to this problem are high but can be reduced when the early control of the invasion is performed.

Bien moins médiatisées que la déforestation ou le changement climatique, les invasions biologiques n’en demeurent pas moins problématiques pour la conservation de nombreux écosystèmes ou le bon déroulement de nombreuses activités socio-économiques.Comprendre la façon dont les espèces exotiques envahissantes s’étendent dans les différents milieux qu’elles colonisent c’est permettre à la fois de mieux appréhender leurs impacts, de pouvoir de prédire leur expansion, et de trouver les endroits stratégiques où agir pour contrer ou atténuer les effets indésirables de ces espèces. Le problème est que dynamiques d’invasions d’une espèce regroupent en fait une hiérarchie de processus se produisant simultanément à différentes échelles spatiotemporelles et qui sont contrôlés par des facteurs qui changent en fonction du temps et du contexte d’invasion. Pour acquérir une compréhension profonde de ces dynamiques, il faut donc étudier leurs manifestations et leurs causes aux diverses échelles spatiales et temporelles auxquelles elles se produisent.Présentes sur les cinq continents et très envahissante sur au moins deux, les renouées asiatiques (Reynoutria spp.) sont reconnues comme faisant partie des espèces les plus invasives de la planète. Dotées d’une grande tolérance environnementale et d’importantes capacités de multiplication végétatives, ces plantes herbacées géantes peuvent former rapidement de grandes monocultures clonales qui excluent les autres espèces végétales, modifient les cycles biogéochimiques des zones envahies et perturbent diverses activités anthropiques. Cibles de campagnes de gestion depuis des décennies, elles affichent cependant une résilience insolente qui désespère de nombreux gestionnaires. Bien que très étudiées, de nombreux détails concernant leurs dynamiques nous échappent toujours. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous avons donc cherché à identifier quels sont les facteurs qui contrôlent les dynamiques spatiotemporelles des renouées à différentes échelles, et comment une meilleure compréhension de ces dynamiques clés pourrait profiter à leur gestion ?Pour ce faire, nous nous sommes donc d’abord intéressés à leur dynamiques clonales et à leurs variations en fonction de différentes conditions de stress (ombrage) ou de perturbation (fauchage répétée). Nous avons montré que si les renouées sont bien affectées par des conditions stressantes ou perturbées, cela ne les empêche ni de s’établir, ni de croître. En fait, les renouées semblent pouvoir adopter différentes stratégies de croissance pour pallier ces contraintes, soulevant différentes questions liées à la gestion. Dans une deuxième étude, nous avons cherché quels étaient les variables qui expliquaient l’expansion des taches de renouées le long d’un gradient altitudinal. Si nous avons montré que les dynamiques d’expansion des taches étaient principalement contrôlées par leur taille (et donc potentiellement leur âge) ainsi que par la proximité de routes et de rivières, nous avons également apporté des indices qui suggèrent que les renouées pourraient être potentiellement capables d’envahir les montagnes. Ensuite, pour tenter d’aider à résoudre le problème de l’acquisition des données de distribution des renouées à large échelle, nous avons développé une méthode pour détecter et cartographier les populations de renouées à partir d’images satellites et issues de drones. Notre méthode a montré des résultats encourageants et celle-ci pourrait être utile à l’étude des invasions ainsi qu’à la détection des nouveaux foyers d’invasion pour une gestion plus précoce et efficace des renouées.Enfin, nous avons tenté de dresser un portrait global de la compréhension actuelle des dynamiques d’invasion des renouées en réalisant, en guise de discussion, une grande revue de littérature sur les mouvements de ces plantes à travers les échelles spatiales et temporelles et en y intégrant les apports des autres travaux de cette thèse. / Although less mediatized than deforestation or climate change, biological invasions remain problematic for the conservation of many ecosystems and the maintenance of various socio-economical activities.Understanding the way invasive non-native species spread in their introduced range is enabling a better apprehension of their impacts, the possibility to predict their expansion, and the development of better management strategies. A problem is that a species invasion dynamics are actually composed of a hierarchy of processes occurring simultaneously at various spatiotemporal scales and which are controlled by drivers that are time- or context-dependent. To gain more profound insights into these dynamics, one has to study the patterns they create and their underlying processes at all relevant scales.Occurring on the five continents and highly invasive on at least two of them, Asian knotweeds (Reynoutria spp.) are acknowledged as being among the most invasive species in the world. Gifted with a large environmental tolerance and high abilities for vegetative multiplication, these giant herbaceous plants can quickly form large clonal monocultures that exclude the other plant species, modify biogeochemical cycles, and affect various anthropic activities. Target of management campaigns for decades, knotweeds display an insolent resilience to the great despair of many stakeholders. Despite having been extensively studied, many aspects of their dynamics are still elusive. Consequently, in this thesis, we have tried to highlight what the drivers of the spatiotemporal dynamics of knotweeds across scales are, and how their management could benefit from a better understanding of these dynamics?To answer these questions, we first focused our attention on the clonal dynamics of knotweeds and on their variations when they experience differing conditions in terms of light availability and disturbance (repeated mowing). We have shown that although shade or mowing affects the vigour and the development of clones, it does not prevent their establishment or their growth. In fact, knotweeds seem able to adopt different growth strategies to cope with environmental heterogeneity, suggesting some management avenues. In a second study, we tried to identify the drivers that controlled the expansion of knotweed stands along an elevational gradient. If we showed that the lateral expansion of stands is mostly constrained by their size (and thus, possibly their age) and the vicinity of roads and rivers, we also brought evidences that knotweeds could have the potential to invade mountain regions. Then, to help for the acquisition of large-scale datasets on knotweeds’ distribution, we developed a procedure to accurately detect and map knotweeds using satellite or drone imagery. Our results were quite encouraging and could be useful to both the basic research and to the detection of newly invaded areas, enabling earlier control operations and more efficient management.Finally, we tried to draw a full picture of the current knowledge on the invasion dynamics of knotweeds by reviewing the literature on the movement of these plants across spatial and temporal scales, to discuss and expand the reach of the insights gained in the various chapters of this thesis.

Biodiversity is being lost around the world and anthropogenic activities, like non-native species introductions and urbanization, are among the leading causes of decline. Broadening our understanding of human-driven impacts on biodiversity can lead to more effective solutions and contribute towards stemming biodiversity losses. In this thesis, I explored the impacts of non-native species introductions and urbanization on butterfly-plant communities. I evaluated potential factors influencing the range expansion of a newly introduced species (Chapter 1), examined the role of urbanization in structuring biological communities (Chapter 2), and identified important ecological interactions between native and non-native species (Chapter 3). In my first chapter, I found that the newly introduced European Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) was more abundant in urban and disturbed habitat that was unmown and where their preferred larval host plant (Lotus corniculatus), a non-native species, was present. I also found that P. icarus was not a strong flier relative to other butterfly species, suggesting that adult dispersal may not be a driving factor in range expansion. Instead, this species could expand its range in the future by colonizing habitats in developed regions across Canada given the association I found between P. icarus and disturbed habitat. In my second chapter, I found that urbanization led to the biotic homogenization of butterfly communities around Montréal, QC, favouring a few, highly abundant, non-native species. Homogenization was detected at both the taxonomic and functional levels and was driven by increases in P. icarus abundance in the more urban sites. In my third chapter, I found that non-native plants were well integrated into native butterfly nectar diets in an at-risk oak savanna ecosystem on Vancouver Island, BC and that usage of non-native plants increased when they were more available during the season. I also found that native butterflies visited non-native plants more often than flower availability predicted on its own, suggesting that butterflies may even prefer non-native nectar. Findings from my thesis research broaden our understanding of the ways in which butterfly communities can be influenced by human activities like urbanization and the introduction of non-native species, informing conservation efforts and directing future research needs.

Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus are native to tributaries of the Mississippi River but are now invasive in several Atlantic slope drainages. This includes subestuaries of the Chesapeake Bay, where their feeding ecology and potential impact on native species was largely unknown. We collected stomach contents from 16,110 Blue Catfish at 698 sites in three large subestuaries of the Chesapeake Bay (James, York, Rappahannock rivers). Cumulative prey curves revealed that sample size was sufficient for diet description, though 1,000 – 1500 stomachs were needed per river. Blue Catfish are opportunistic generalists that feed on a broad array of plant and animal material. Logistic regression models reveal that Blue Catfish undergo significant ontogenetic diet shifts to piscivory at larger sizes (P<0.01) though the lengths at which these shifts occur varies by river system (500 – 900 mm total length; TL). Over 60% of Blue Catfish stomachs contained other invasive species, primarily Hydrilla verticillata and Asian clams Corbicula fluminea. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that salinity and season explained the most variation in Blue Catfish diet, while Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) demonstrated that there is considerable spatiotemporal and length-based variation in predation of species of concern. Species of concern include American Shad, American Eel, and river herring, which are imperiled, and blue crab, which support valuable fisheries in Chesapeake Bay. Predation of American Shad, American Eel, and river herring was rare (max predicted occurrence in Blue Catfish diets = 8%), while blue crab was much more common in the diet (max predicted occurrence =28%). Predation of American Shad and river herring peaks in freshwater areas in April, while predation of blue crab peaks in brackish areas in October. Predation of all species of concern is highest for large catfish (500 – 1000 mm TL). Field and laboratory-based estimates of consumption rate revealed that Blue Catfish feed at similar rates as Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus, and daily ration is estimated to be 2-5% bodyweight per day during warm temperatures, while peak feeding (maximum daily ration) can approach 10% bodyweight per day. While consumption of imperiled species is rare, Blue Catfish could still have negative impacts on these species due to dense catfish populations. / Ph. D.

Of concern in this research were the ecological parameters associated with the establishment of a model invasive plant species, Imperata cylindrica, across a scale of ecological organization. Specifically, the study addressed the species’ ability to: differentially respond to abiotic and biotic constraints during seedling establishment, exhibit a novel underground competitive interference mechanism, and alter the decomposition dynamics in newly invaded ecosystems. Finally, the last portion of the research was centered around creating a predictive habitat model that will provide information on the most important variables responsible for creating habitat for this species. The population level seedling study indicated that soil characteristics and light availability play a significant role in seedling establishment. There were large trends in biomass allocation attributable to soil type with seedlings performing best in high nutrient soils representative of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley physiographic region. I. cylindrica seedlings also showed a positive response to increased seedling density during the initial stages of seedling establishment. The community level research examining a hypothesized novel interference mechanism deployed by I. cylindrica showed a significant and robust pattern of I. cylindrica damaging its own belowground tissue more often than that of its surrounding neighbors. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that I. cylindrica gains a competitive advantage by exposing the native plant assemblage to pathogen invasion (via ruptured tissue) as the plant would expose itself to these pathogens (to which it is evolutionarily naive) at much higher volumes. The ecosystem level examination of this globally important invasive species indicated that I. cylindrica invasion into native systems will significantly accelerate ambient rates of decomposition. Furthermore, fungal community composition in invaded areas was drastically altered as well as bacterial community functional activity in relation to several key enzymes responsible for the decomposition of plant tissue which were produced more abundantly in invaded areas.The landscape-scale analyses and modeling work validated decades of anecdotal evidence and indicated that anthropogenic disturbance factors associated with road maintenance and construction (soil disturbance and vegetation removal) are the principal factors responsible for creating habitat suitable for invasion by this species.