Author: Christian Ries

First record of Solanum rostratum in Luxembourg

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

Solanum rostratum Dunal was first observed in the wild in Luxembourg on 21 August 2019 by Jörg Zoldan and Annette Steinbach-Zoldan on the border of a maize field in the municipality of Kayl (Southern part of Luxembourg), during a field study on behalf of SICONA.

Description

Solanum rostratum Dunal (spiny or prickly nightshade, Mexican thistle) is a species of nightshade that is native to the US and northern and central Mexico. It is an annual, self-compatible herb that forms a tumbleweed and has abundant spines on the stems and leaves. In its native range S. rostratum is pollinated by medium- to large-sized bees including bumblebees. The seeds are released when the berries dry and dehisce (split apart) while still attached to the plant (Wikipedia contributors 2019).

This species represents one of the latter scientific interests of famed biologist Charles Darwin, who just over a week prior to his death had ordered seeds from a colleague in America, so as to investigate their heteranthery, a topic he was interested in (Wikipedia contributors 2019).

Solanum rostratum is the ancestral host plant of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, but this pest adopted the potato, Solanum tuberosum as a new (and more succulent) host, a fact first reported in eastern Nebraska in 1859. It then expanded its range rapidly eastward on potato crops in the next two decades (Wikipedia contributors 2019).

Solanum rostratum as an invasive alien weed

Solanum rostratum is a taprooted annual plant known to be a noxious weed in parts of the USA and Canada, and is included in the Global Compendium of Weeds as an ‘agricultural weed’, ‘casual alien’, ‘environmental weed’, ‘naturalised’, ‘noxious weed’, and ‘weed’ across tropical and temperate regions of the world. It is a fast-growing, vigorous weed native to Mexico and the United States and now widely introduced including into Asia, Oceania and Europe (Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Russia, Slovakia, UK, Ukraine). The species invades ecosystems by forming dense colonies, and a single plant can produce hundreds of seeds which are dispersed by both biotic and abiotic vectors, as well as self-propelled by its dehiscent fruit (Datiles & Acevedo-Rodríguez 2014).

Bibliography

 Last updated on Monday, October 14, 2019.

Publication of a guide for the identification and management of invasive alien plant species on construction sites

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

The Luxembourg Nature and Forestry Administration has published a guide on the identification and management of invasive alien plant species on construction sites. The 88-page guide is written in French and can be useful to other actors such as biological stations, municipalities and other state administrations that are active in other activities such as nature sites, the development and maintenance of green spaces and along roads.

The guide can be ordered or downloaded from the following web page: https://environnement.public.lu/fr/publications/conserv_nature/plantes_exotiques_envahissantes.html

Citation: Pfeiffenschneider M. et al., 2019. Guide d’identification et de gestion d’espèces de plantes exotiques envahissantes sur les chantiers. 88 pp. Administration de la nature et des forêts (éd.).

 Last updated on Friday, June 28, 2019.

Lysichiton americanus Hultén & H. St. John

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

English American skunk-cabbage, swamp lantern ISEIA: B0 – Alert List. IAS of EU concern (2016)
Lëtzebuergesch n/a EASIN | CABI
Français Lysichiton américain Wikipedia: Wikipedia - English - American skunk-cabbage Wikipedia - Français - Lysichiton américain Wikipedia - Deutsch - Amerikanischer Stinktierkohl Wikipedia - Nederlands - Moeraslantaarn
Deutsch Amerikanischer Stinktierkohl Wikispecies: Wikispecies - Lysichiton americanus
Nederlands Moeraslantaarn Back to the list of neophytes

Importance and distribution in Luxembourg

The species has not yet been observed in Luxembourg.

Lysichiton americanus grows in the transition zone of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic habitats like swamps, fens, wet meadows, marshy and alluvial woodlands, along streams, riverbanks, lakesides and ponds. It has no specific site condition requirements except the presence of saturated organic soils. It is often found in protected semi-natural habitats. Lysichiton reproduces almost exclusively by seeds, which may be dispersed downstream along waterways. However, spread by natural means is not frequent and rather limited. L. americanus has become established locally in swamp forests and associated wetlands in the EPPO region (resulting most of the time from plantation in the site). After some years, its huge leaves build a dense layer excluding light from native species which are usually not adapted to extreme darkness. It can displace and cause local extinction of rare species of mosses and vascular plants (Carex echinata,Viola palustris, and orchids). (Source: http://ias.biodiversity.be/species/show/12).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol: A0 (2+3+3+2) = Alert List. First assessed 24 January 2019 by Manou Pfeiffenschneider and Christian Ries.

Bibliography

n/a

 Last updated on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

Ludwigia peploides (Kunth.) P.H. Raven

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

English Creeping water primrose ISEIA: A0 – Alert List. IAS of EU concern (2016)
Lëtzebuergesch n/a EASIN | CABI
Français Jussie rampante Wikipedia: Wikipedia - English - Creeping water primrose Wikipedia - Français - Jussie rampante Wikipedia - Nederlands - Kleine Waterteunisbloem
Deutsch Kriechendes Heusenkraut Wikispecies: Wikispecies - Ludwigia_peploides
Nederlands Kleine waterteunisbloem Back to the list of neophytes

Importance and distribution in Luxembourg

The species has not yet been observed in Luxembourg.

L. peploides is an amphibious plant living in ponds, lakes, ditches, channels and slow-running rivers as well as in humid meadows. It shows a high tolerance to different water levels. Its growth is favoured by water eutrophication but the plant is able to develop in oligotrophic environments. Both clonal and sexual reproductions contribute to plant spread across watersheds. Water primroses are highly detrimental to the environment in Western Europe. They quickly develop and make very thick monospecific floating carpets at the surface of water bodies. They alter the physico-chemical quality of water (reduction of light and dissolved oxygen) and possess an allelopathic activity that influences the water quality throughout the year and reduces the germination and survival rates of other plant species. They outcompete most of native water plants and create an anoxic environment detrimental to many plant and animal species. In addition, they modify water flow and cause wetland drying. (Source: http://ias.biodiversity.be/species/show/12).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol: A0 (3+3+2+3) = Alert List. First assessed 24 January 2019 by Manou Pfeiffenschneider and Christian Ries.

Bibliography

n/a

 Last updated on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

Ludwigia grandiflora (Michx.) Greuter & Burdet

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

English Water primrose ISEIA: A0 – Alert List. IAS of EU concern (2016)
Lëtzebuergesch n/a EASIN | CABI
Français Jussie à grandes fleurs, Grande J. Wikipedia: Wikipedia - Français - Jussie à grandes fleurs Wikipedia - Deutsch - Großblütige Heusenkraut Wikipedia - Nederlands - Waterteunisbloem
Deutsch Großblütiges Heusenkraut Wikispecies: Wikispecies - Ludwigia_grandiflora
Nederlands Waterteunisbloem Back to the list of neophytes

Importance and distribution in Luxembourg

The species has not yet been observed in Luxembourg.

L. grandiflora is an amphibious species living in ponds, lakes, ditches, channels and slow-running rivers as well as in humid meadows. It shows a high tolerance to different water levels. Its growth is favoured by water eutrophication but the plant is able to develop in oligotrophic environments. Invasive spread across watersheds is almost exclusively clonal and brought about by the dispersal of vegetative propagules by waterflow. Water primroses are highly detrimental to the environment in Western Europe. They quickly develop and make very thick monospecific floating carpets at the surface of water bodies. They alter the physico-chemical quality of water (reduction of light and dissolved oxygen) and possess an allelopathic activity that influences the water quality throughout the year and reduces the germination and survival rates of other plant species. They outcompete most of native water plants and create an anoxic environment detrimental to many plant and animal species. In addition, they modify water flow and cause wetland drying. (Source: http://ias.biodiversity.be/species/show/11).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol: A0 (3+3+2+3) = Alert List. First assessed 24 January 2019 by Manou Pfeiffenschneider and Christian Ries.

Bibliography

n/a

 Last updated on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

Wandering cribellate spider Zoropsis spinimana discovered in Echternach

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

On November 15th 2018 Jos A. Massard and Gaby Geimer discovered a female of the wandering cribellate spider Zoropsis spinimana on the window of a pastry shop in Echternach (Massard & Geimer 2018). This spider is a new species for Luxembourg and is currently spreading throughout Europe. The detailed up to date distribution of the species can be found on the Luxembourgian Wikipedia (Wikipedia-Bearbeiter 2018).

The home of Zoropsis spinimana is the western Mediterranean region up to the southern edge of the Alps and Dalmatia, as well as North Africa, where it occurs in the open in light forests, under stones and bark or in and at buildings (Wikipedia contributors 2018).

References

 Last updated on Monday, November 26, 2018.

Increasing understanding of alien species through citizen science

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

In July 2018 a group of countries launched a European CO-operation in Science and Technology (COST) Action to address multidisciplinary research questions in relation to developing and implementing Citizen Science (CS), advancing scientific understanding of Alien Species (AS) dynamics while informing decision-making specifically implementation of technical requirements of relevant legislation such as the EU Regulation 1143/2014 on IAS. It will also support the EU biodiversity goals and embedding science within society. The Action will explore and document approaches to establishing a European-wide CS AS network.

All details in the following publication:

Roy H, Groom Q, Adriaens T, Agnello G, Antic M, Archambeau A, Bacher S, Bonn A, Brown P, Brundu G, López B, Cleary M, Cogălniceanu D, de Groot M, De Sousa T, Deidun A, Essl F, Fišer Pečnikar Ž, Gazda A, Gervasini E, Glavendekic M, Gigot G, Jelaska S, Jeschke J, Kaminski D, Karachle P, Komives T, Lapin K, Lucy F, Marchante E, Marisavljevic D, Marja R, Martín Torrijos L, Martinou A, Matosevic D, Mifsud C, Motiejūnaitė J, Ojaveer H, Pasalic N, Pekárik L, Per E, Pergl J, Pesic V, Pocock M, Reino L, Ries C, Rozylowicz L, Schade S, Sigurdsson S, Steinitz O, Stern N, Teofilovski A, Thorsson J, Tomov R, Tricarico E, Trichkova T, Tsiamis K, van Valkenburg J, Vella N, Verbrugge L, Vétek G, Villaverde C, Witzell J, Zenetos A, Cardoso A (2018) Increasing understanding of alien species through citizen science (Alien-CSI). Research Ideas and Outcomes 4: e31412. https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.4.e31412

 Last updated on Wednesday, November 7, 2018.

First record of Amaranthus cruentus in Luxembourg

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

Field of Amaranthus cruentus between Ell and Lannen, 20th September 2017. Photo by Claire Wolff, SICONA.

Amaranthus cruentus L. was first observed in the wild 1 in Luxembourg, on 28th August 2018, on the border of maize fields and a pasture between Ell and Lannen in the Canton of Redange (Midwestern area of Luxembourg).

An on-site inspection on 29th August 2018 revealed that the population extends over 300 m at the edge of the fields and at the roadside between the coordinates LUREF 56775 E | 93241 N and 56758 E | 93542 N. Several specimens were deposited in the herbarium of the National Museum of Natural History.

This population is probably a consequence of the cultivation of this species on an adjacent field in 2017, as the photo on the right illustrates.

Image gallery

Photos by Christian Ries, MNHNL, 29th August 2018.

Useful links

 

 Last updated on Friday, August 31, 2018.

Notes:

  1. The observer was Mrs Renée Coljon of the administration of the municipality of Ell. The information was transmitted via SICONA to the National Museum of Natural History. ↩

Interregional Parliamentary Council issues recommendation on IAS in the Greater Region

Posted onAuthorChristian Ries

On 1 June 2018, the Interregional Parliamentary Council (ICC) has issued a recommendation concerning Invasive plants and animal species in the Greater Region, following the meeting of Committee 4 “Environment and Agriculture” on 27 April 2018 in Remerschen, Luxembourg.

Original document

Excerpt of the recommendations (translated)

The Interregional Parliamentary Council

  1. calls for consistency in the implementation of management measures and objectives (eradication, control, containment) and further exchanges on management methods and priority intervention sites for efficient use of resources;
  2. strongly emphasises the need for coordinated prevention and control actions throughout the Greater Region, on a cross-border basis;
  3. invites all partners in the Greater Region to draw up an exhaustive inventory of public and private bodies responsible for implementing research and methods to combat invasive species;
  4. proposes to support existing mechanisms, such as www.neobiota.lu, for the exchange of information on control methods and the sharing of good practices that have proved effective;
  5. calls for citizens to be informed about the presence of invasive plant and animal species in the Greater Region, the related health and economic risks, and the preventive measures to be taken to protect themselves;
  6. hopes that professionals selling seeds, landscape gardeners and farmers will be made aware of this approach in order to encourage the use of local plant species;
  7. recommends systematic reporting, the development of common tools for identifying and monitoring the most widespread species in the Greater Region, the introduction of monitoring and early detection of the most dangerous species (warning network) and the development of exchanges of good practice at cross-border level;
  8. encourages the control of invasive plants by innovative methods that respect the environment, such as eco-grazing techniques;
  9. hopes that the problem of invasive alien species will be included in school biology courses in order to encourage responsibility from an early age;
  10. stresses the principle of proportionality in order to safeguard animal welfare as far as possible, to take account of the cost-effectiveness of the measures put in place and of environmental protection, in particular by avoiding excessive use of pesticides to combat invasive plants;
  11. calls on the competent authorities to guarantee sustainable sources of funding to run cross-border networks. In this context, European funds are a very interesting financial lever, as shown by the INTERREG V project “InvaProtect, Protection durable des végétaux contre les bioagresseurs invasifs dans les orchgers et les vignes” ; a second project being set up, which aims to provide scientific and technical support to administrations and institutions for the assessment and management of the health risk associated with invasive mosquitoes;
  12. hopes that the implementation of INTERREG projects on invasive alien species will be encouraged in the Greater Region;
  13. welcomes other ongoing projects funded by the EU which make it possible to increase citizens’ awareness and involvement in concrete terms, such as the COST action’Increasing understanding of alien species through citizen science’, in which France and Luxembourg are participating, particularly as citizen participation and empowerment are the best way of controlling the negative effects of these invasive alien species;
  14. calls for closer cooperation between the Greater Region Summit and the Interregional Parliamentary Council to combat invasive plant and animal species as effectively as possible.

The Interregional Parliamentary Council addresses this resolution:

  • to the Government of the French Republic
  • to the Grand East Region
  • to the Saarland Government
  • to the Government of the Land of Rhineland-Palatinate
  • to the Governments of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation
  • to the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
  • at the Secretariat of the Summit of the Greater Region

 Last updated on Monday, August 13, 2018.