Edition 3, September 2009
In this issue of Double Trouble you'll find a wide range of stories covering issues related to climate change and invasive species, including a story about how moving species threatened by climate change could create further invasive problems.
'Planned invasions' could culminate in further extinctions
Two US invasion biologists have issued a strong warning about the risks of moving declining species to new locations in an attempt to save them from the effects of climate change, dubbing such moves ‘planned invasions’.
Full story
Federal assessment warns invasive species one of our greatest threats under climate change
Invasive species benefiting from climate change will in many cases pose a greater threat to Australian biodiversity than climate change itself, a new report has found.
Over two-thirds of potential biofuel crops in
Hawaii could become invasive
A risk assessment of 40 potential biofuel crops for Hawaii has found that 70 per cent have a high risk of becoming invasive, with more than half already naturalised or invasive in Hawaii.
World’s oceans on wobbly legs as jellyfish
poised to take over
Jellyfish may increasingly dominate marine ecosystems due to a combination of translocations, climate change, overfishing, eutrophication (increased nutrients) and habitat modification.
Feral horses and climate up ante in Corroboree frog's fight for survival
Invasive species and climate change pose twin threats to the survival of the endangered southern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree) in Kosciuszko National Park, a new study by David Hunter and colleagues has found.
Elevated CO2 levels will drive greater pest insect numbers
Insect pest problems are set to grow as climate change alters the way insects and plants interact with each other, research from the University of California shows.
Drought and disease gang up on southern
hairy-nosed wombats
Climate change is likely to increase the susceptibility of some wildlife to infectious diseases, a study of southern hairy-nosed wombats has shown.
Wildlife diseases likely to increase under climate change
A large number of recently emerging infectious disease cases – such as marine mammal morbillivirus, disease outbreaks in coral reefs and infectious facial tumours in Tasmanian devils – is prompting concern that the threat of infectious diseases is increasing.
Hunting and climate change could lead to
magpie geese declines
With climate change likely to increase disease outbreaks, modelling of the population viability of magpie geese (Anseranas semipalmata) suggests that current rates of hunting may be too high.
Hope for protection against frog killer
Researchers are pursuing a promising probiotic to protect amphibians from the deadly chytrid fungus.
Invasive species, our new jetsetters
International air travel is a significant pathway for the introduction of invasive species, linking many of the world’s most isolated and diverse ecosystems and aiding the movement of organisms to new habitats where they can become damaging invasive species.
Weeds could undermine rainforest plants'
chances of tackling climate change
Rainforest plants may be better equipped than most plants when it comes to shifting distribution in response to climate change, but weeds could subvert the process.
Portuguese waxbill invasion will continue
under climate change
Researchers predict that the invasive common waxbill (Estrilda astrild) will continue to spread in Portugal under climate change.
Hardy water weed likely to spread in Central Europe
It has been predicted that the water weed parrots feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) will spread under climate change in Central Europe.