William Alfred Weber

Abstract Introductions of new crops can provide alternate market opportunities, but also pose ecological risks. New crops lack established management, have uncertain performance issues, and may become weedy in their introduced region. The introduction of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) into southern Florida poses a unique introduction scenario because of the subtropical climate and no commercial production on record, unlike in other eastern and midwest United States. We assessed escape from cultivation for hemp by tracking establishment and reproduction of volunteer plants from the earliest modern hemp planting in Florida. Hemp is a weed across much of the United States matching its historical distribution and has been assessed to be of high invasion risk for Florida because of its biological attributes, history of escape, and colonization in other states and countries. We conducted monitoring of volunteer plants and a seed establishment experiment in southern Florida and found that hemp volunteer plants occurred in pulses over time, with variable and declining germination. Volunteer plants persisted for up to two years and appeared in areas that were disked and mowed according to USDA approved hemp crop termination procedures. In the seed establishment experiment, we found that hemp established in disturbed soils (∼9% of seeds planted) and that mean plant heights and seed counts were positively related to soil disturbance and nutrient addition. These findings show that hemp plantings should be monitored for volunteer establishment, and containment plans should be in place to control the establishment of volunteer hemp plants in agricultural fields. Our study further illustrates the need for multi-year monitoring and repeat termination procedures to ensure containment of hemp volunteers. There was limited evidence of volunteer establishment in surrounding areas and on undisturbed land. However, seed containment, equipment cleaning, and the monitoring of nearby fields and seed transportation routes remains warranted.

Karst formations are distinguished by their high levels of species diversity and endemism, including ferns and lycophytes. However, the existing data on plant community composition in karst formations remains deficient. Addressing these knowledge gaps is imperative, given the current accelerated rates of species loss, to enhance efforts to conserve biodiversity in these habitats. This study documents and explains patterns of fern and lycophyte species diversity within karst landscapes (KL) and non-karst landscapes (NKL) in the Philippines. Our comprehensive analysis involved aggregating 19,529 occurrence points encompassing 1,024 fern and lycophyte species sourced from field expeditions, voucher records from local herbaria, and online databases. Indices for species richness, weighted endemism, and corrected weighted endemism were then computed across KL and NKL areas to describe spatial diversity and identify fern and lycophyte hotspot areas. Gap analyses were also performed to determine if established protected areas (PAs) were sufficient to cover the identified fern and lycophyte diversity hotspots. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted to determine potential ecological drivers of distribution between KL and NKL areas. The findings reveal that most fern and lycophyte species were recorded to occur in NKL areas, with 995 (97.16%) species identified, while 676 (66.02%) species were documented to occur in KLs, including 29 (2.83%) exclusive to karsts. Identified hotspots for NKL are within mountain ecosystems, which are already under existing legal protection. In contrast, KLs have five areas identified as congruent hotspots but considered gap areas due to their exclusion from current PA boundaries. Existing PAs thus provide less protection to karst habitats and their associated floras. PCA did not reveal any significant environmental predictors, suggesting separation of KL and NKL species distributions, possibly due to lack of high-resolution environment data available for karsts. To facilitate the conservation of fern and lycophyte species in karsts, we propose installing and expanding existing PA boundaries, along with conducting more focused surveys in karst regions to better understand their ecological dynamics.

Herein, we describe Psora mediterranea , found in the Mediterranean region of Europe. Previously misidentified as Psora pseudorussellii based on morphology, P. mediterranea has a distinct molecular lineage and geographic distribution. This new species is phylogenetically the sister to a species that we henceforth epitypify as Psora himalayana , from the Himalayas. These sister Psora taxa are distinct due to morphology, current known geographic range, and preferred habitat. We provide two updated keys to the Psora species in Europe, including a key with morphologically similar species that may be confused with Psora in this region and a simplified “hand lens” key. To assist with ongoing DNA barcoding of lichens, we publish the first barcode ITS sequences from Psora gresinonis (an isotype) and the first sequences of P. pseudorussellii from North America. We also include sequences from understudied taxa, including Glyphopeltis , Romjularia , and Protomicarea . Further, we suggest updates to the circumscription of the Psoraceae by suggesting a new family for Glyphopeltis , Glyphopeltidaceae , and supporting the placement of Protomicarea in the Pilocarpaceae. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Trichomes are diverse and functionally important plant structures that vary in response to selection pressures across ecological gradients and evolutionary timescales. Classic hypotheses predict higher investment in trichomes in arid environments, at lower latitudes, and in long-lived species, as well as shifts in trichome production to reduce conflict between defense traits and mutualisms. However, tests of these hypotheses often rely on aggregate trichome metrics and neglect the rich diversity of trichome phenotypes. Here, we collected data on fine-scale patterns of trichome length, density, and type in 52 species of blazingstars (Mentzelia: Loasaceae) and tested whether individual trichome traits were consistent with existing adaptive hypotheses. Contrary to longstanding hypotheses, we found that Mentzelia species tend to display greater trichome investment in less arid environments and at higher latitudes. Barbed trichomes are significantly less common on the upper surface of the leaf, possibly reducing defense-pollination conflict. Species with larger petals (a proxy for reliance on insect pollinators) also shift investment away from insect-trapping hairs on the underside of the leaf. Examining trichome types separately revealed that different morphologies show distinct responses to abiotic and biotic factors, demonstrating the need to consider multiple axes of diversity when testing adaptive hypotheses for complex traits.

AbstractPremiseBiotic disjunctions have attracted scientific attention for the past 200 years. Despite being represented in many familiar plants (such as bald cypress, flowering dogwood, sweetgum, partridgeberry, etc.), the eastern North American (ENA)–Mexican (M) disjunction remains poorly understood. Major outstanding questions include the divergence times of taxa exhibiting the disjunction and environmental/geological processes that may underlie the disjunction. Symphyotrichum Nees (Asteraceae), one of the most diverse genera in the eastern USA, displays several examples of disjunct ENA–M taxa.MethodsWe generated target capture data using the Angiosperms353 baitset and generated the first well‐sampled phylogenomic hypothesis for Symphyotrichum and its close relatives. Focusing on S. subgenus Virgulus, we used MCMCTREE to perform divergence time estimation and the R package BioGeoBEARS to infer ancestral regions and biogeographic transitions between North America and Mexico. Finally, we used the ancestral niche reconstruction method Utremi to test for a role of historical aridification in generating the disjunction.ResultsOur molecular data suggest a recent radiation of Symphyotrichum at the Plio‐Pleistocene boundary (~2.5 mya), with early connections to Mexico in ancestral lineages that closed off shortly after and were followed by vicariance across this region. Except for some present‐day broadly distributed species, there is a complete lack of movement between ENA and M after ~0.5 mya.ConclusionsA reconstructed disjunct distribution of suitable habitat in Pleistocene climatic models corroborates results from biogeographic modeling and confirms glacial cycles are more likely to be associated with the breakup of ENA–M biogeographic connections.

En Santander, Colombia, asociado al valle del Magdalena Medio se presentan serranías con remanentes boscosos que contrastan con las zonas deforestadas de las partes bajas. Presentamos una serie (90 especímenes de 48 especies) de la Serranía de La Paz, Betulia, catalogada en la Colección de Ornitología del Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS-AV) y que proviene principalmente de una expedición en 2023 con el objetivo de estudiar su avifauna a partir de especímenes. La composición de especies de esta serie se comparó con la de otras series de UIS-AV recolectadas recientemente en el Magdalena Medio, y con una serie recolectada en la misma serranía en 1956 cuya información fue obtenida en el GBIF. Nuestra serie de la Serranía de La Paz comparte más especies con un área de bosque continuo en Bolívar que con fragmentos de bosque en Santander. Aunque varias especies de la Serranía de La Paz se registran en otros sitios del Magdalena Medio, nuestra serie incluye a Cotinga nattererii, Trogon rufus y Trogon caligatus que son especies con pocos especímenes para Santander que fueron recolectados hace más de 70 años, además de Euphonia concinna que representa un registro novedoso para el departamento. El 90 % de las especies recolectadas en 1956 están en UIS-AV o se registraron en 2023, pero Psarocolius wagleri, Cacicus cela y Falco sparverius, estuvieron ausentes. La Serranía de La Paz tiene especies de aves características de bosques del Magdalena Medio y puede ser un sitio apropiado para conservarlas.

Describing the geographic range of aquatic species is crucial for biodiversity conservation and management. This study comprehensively assesses commonly used methods for constructing geographic ranges and estimating their sizes in freshwater environments, focusing on the Curimatidae family of tropical freshwater fishes distributed in Central and South America. Our main objective was to evaluate different range estimation methods, including convex hull polygons, alpha‐shape polygons with a fixed alpha‐value, dynamic alpha‐shape polygons, expert maps and species distribution models (SDMs).We used georeferenced data from various sources to delineate species' ranges within their hydrographic basins of occurrence. Geographic ranges for each species were reconstructed using the five methods. For the four polygon methods (i.e., excluding SDMs), two ranges were constructed: (i) polygons considering the whole terrestrial surface (unrestricted) and (ii) polygons considering only freshwater bodies (restricted). Specific environmental variables of freshwater systems were employed for the SDMs. Then, we assessed the differences in range sizes among methods and within each method (excluding SDMs) considering unrestricted and restricted polygons.Our results revealed significant variations in range size estimates among the methods. Specifically, the convex hull method produced larger range sizes than the other methods. Additionally, our comparison between range size estimates using unrestricted and water body‐restricted polygons revealed a consistent trend: unrestricted polygons estimated ranges that were eight times larger than those restricted to water bodies. Moreover, restricting polygons to water bodies resulted in ranges closely matching those estimated by SDMs, indicating the effectiveness of this adjustment procedure.We highlight the notable variability in range size estimates among different methods, underscoring the need to carefully select the one appropriate for given research goals. For example, expert maps could be helpful for quick assessments of species' distribution and diversity when these are readily available. Convex hulls are suitable for quickly identifying potential conservation areas and assessing the overall species range in biodiversity monitoring. Dynamic alpha is appropriate for species with fragmented distributions, as they can capture discontinuities in range delimitation. Static alpha provides a balanced method for range size estimation when ecological information is limited, offering a practical solution for ecological and conservation assessments. SDMs are ideal for detecting species‐environment relationships and identifying unexplored areas where a species might occur. Additionally, adjusting estimated ranges by considering the species' life forms, in this case, associated with water bodies, explicitly restricts their distribution to the actually occupied habitats.Although we focused on the Curimatidae fish family, our study has implications applicable to other freshwater species, providing crucial information on the variability in range size estimates. By thoroughly assessing the methods and their impacts on range size estimates, our study contributes useful guidelines for selecting the appropriate method based on data availability, its spatial arrangement and specific research goals. This contributes to a deeper understanding of commonly used range estimation methods and supports their application and replicability in future studies, potentially aiding biodiversity conservation decision‐making at large spatial scales.

The family Onocleaceae represents a small family of terrestrial ferns, with four genera and around five species. It has a circumboreal to north temperate distribution, and exhibits a disjunct distribution between Eurasia and North America, including Mexico. Historically, the taxonomy and classification of this family has been subject to debate and contention among scholars, leading to contradictory classifications and disagreements on the number of genera and species within the family. Furthermore, due to this disjunct intercontinental distribution and the lack of detailed study across its wide range, this family merits further study to clarify its distributional pattern. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstructions were based on a concatenated sequence dataset for 17 plastid loci and one nuclear locus, which were generated from 106 ingroup and six outgroup taxa from three families. Phylogenetic analyses support that Onocleaceae is composed of four main clades, and Pentarhizidium was recovered as the first branching lineages in Onocleaceae. Molecular dating and ancestral area reconstruction analyses suggest that the stem group of Onocleaceae originated in Late Cretaceous, with subsequent diversification and establishment of the genera Matteuccia, Onoclea, Onocleopsis, and Pentarhizidium during the Paleogene and Neogene. The ancestors of Matteuccia, Onoclea, and Onocleopsis could have migrated to North America via the Beringian land bridge or North Atlantic land bridge which suggests that the diversification of Matteuccia + Onoclea + Onocleopsis closely aligns with the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). In addition, these results suggest that Onocleaceae species diversity peaks during the late Neogene to Quaternary. Studies such as this enhance our understanding of the mechanisms and climatic conditions shaping disjunct distribution in ferns and lycophytes of eastern Asia, North America, and Mexico and contribute to a growing body of evidence from other taxa, to advance our understanding of the origins and migration of plants across continents.

Dispersal ability may play a major role in determining whether a species will persist under climate change. We used models of dispersal, employing a wide range of intrinsic species-specific dispersal factors, in conjunction with ecological niche models (ENM) and climate predictions to simulate whether distributions of North American cold-adapted amphibians will increase or decrease, and which aspects of dispersal most influence this prediction. We used ENM values as a proxy for habitat suitability, predicted a changing climate under three shared socio-economic pathways (SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) representing three carbon emission scenarios, and conducted a sensitivity analysis on the effect of dispersal factors on range dynamics. We then used simulations focused only on the southern edge of ranges to determine the likelihood of individuals colonizing towards the core. Predicted range shifts depended on emission scenario, dispersal factors, and species’ initial geography. Inclusion of dispersal parameters was critical in predicting range shifts, in particular for high carbon-emission scenarios where contraction was more likely than expansion, although specific responses varied with species initial geography. Dispersal distance, probability of dispersal, and long-distance dispersal were often the most important parameters for predicting final range size. Similarly, dispersal parameters results in complete loss to complete emigration of southern range individuals towards the core. These models predict that for some species in the more rapid warming scenarios, translocation efforts will be needed to mitigate potential loss of genetic variation at the southern edges and the overall size of the species’ ranges unless carbon emissions are reduced.

The cabbage seedpod weevil (CSW), Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an important pest of brassicaceous crops, including canola ( Brassica napus Linnaeus). CSW consumes seeds of its host from inside the developing pods. It was introduced to North America from Europe and now occurs throughout the United States of America and Canada. Climate is one of the most important factors that determines species distribution and abundance. CLIMEX is a bioclimate model development application. Based on climate inputs, bioclimatic simulation models are tools that predict the potential geographic distribution and abundance of insects and plants. This study updated a previous bioclimatic model for CSW and presents a new model for canola. Validated models were used to conduct bioclimatic analysis of both species, the results of which provide a better understanding of how climate affects spatial distribution and abundance of CSW and the distribution and yield of canola. Application of incremental temperature and moisture scenarios were used to predict the spatial relationship of CSW risk and canola yield. We anticipate that the canola model will be applied to future bioclimatic studies of pests and beneficial insects of canola. Both the CSW and canola model can be used in climate change studies using datasets for predicted future climates.