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Oceanic islands are good model systems with which to explore factors affecting exotic species diversity. Islands vary in size, topography, substrate type, degree of isolation, native species diversity, history, human population characteristics, and economic development. Moreover, islands are highly vulnerable to exotic species establishment. We used AICc analyses of data on 1132 vascular plant species for 15 countries and 114 islands from the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) project to examine biological, geographical, and socioeconomic correlates of exotic species richness. PIER provides data on the distribution of naturalized non-native plant species thought to pose environmental or economic risk. We hypothesized that the numbers of PIER-listed species would be positively correlated with island size, habitat diversity, and proximity to major source pools for propagules. Further, we expected numbers of PIER-listed exotic species to be similar among islands in the same country and to be greater where human populations were larger and where economic activity was high. Most species (908) were found on ? 10 islands. Species number was significantly correlated with island and country areas and with native plant species richness. The strongest model revealed by AICc analyses of island data included log (area) and maximum elevation as well as country membership, substrate type, and presence of an airport with paved runway (an index of economic activity). By country, AICc analyses revealed two equivalent models, both of which included log (area) and per capita gross domestic product as well as a measure of population size (either log (population size) or (population density)). Our analyses provide strong evidence of the roles of biogeographic, environmental, and socioeconomic impacts on the distribution and spread of exotic species.

Improved understanding of human-nature interactions is crucial to conservation science and practice, but collecting relevant data remains challenging.

Journal of Island Affairs - Contemporary Pacific

Regional environmental change - Supplement 1 - Articles included:|Climate hotspots: key vulnerable regions, climate change and limits to warming (Editorial)|Three views of two degrees (Jaeger CC., Jaeger J.)|Climate and conflicts: the security risks of global warming (Scheffran J., Battaglini A.)|Dangerous levels of climate change for agricultural production in China (Tao F., Zhang, Z., Yokozawa M.)|Impacts of climate change on Chinese ecosystems: key vulnerable regions and potential thresholds (Ni J.)|Climate change in Nepal and its impact on Himalayan glaciers (Shrestha AB., Aryal R.)|Implications of climate change in sustained agricultural productivity in South Asia (Lal M.)|Climate change, flooding in South Asia and implications (Mirza MMQ.)|Climate change risks in Sahelian Africa (Ben Mohamed A.)|Agriculture, livelihoods and climate change in the West African Sahel (Sissoko K., van Keulen H., Verhagen J., Tekken V., Battaglini A.)|Potential responses of terrestrial biodiversity in Southern Africa to anthropogenic climate change (Midgley GF., Thuiller W.)|Climate change and agricultural vulnerability: a case study of rain-fed wheat in Kairouan, Central Tunisia (Mougou R., Mansour M., Iglesias A., Chebbi RZ., Battaglini A.)|Towards a general relationship between climate change and biodiversity: an example for plant species in Europe (Alkemade R., Bakkenes M., Eickhout B.)|The responses of agriculture in Europe and climate change (Bindi M., Olesen JE.)|Toward adaptation of agriculture to climate change in the Mediterranean (Iglesias A., Mougou R. Moneo M., Quiroga S.)|Climate change, food stress, and security in Russia (Dronin N., Kirilenko A.)|Climate change threats to environment in the tropical Andes: glaciers and water resources (Chevallier P., Pouyaud B., Suarez W., Condom T.)|Climate change and Australia: key vulnerable regions (Hughes L.)|Dangerous climate change and water resources in Australia (Risbey JS.)|Australian agriculture: coping with dangerous climate change (Steffen W., Sims J., Walcott J., Laughlin G.)|Coral reef ecosystems and anthropogenic climate change (Hoegh-Guldberg O.)|Dangerous climate change in the Pacific islands: food production and food security (Barnett J.)|Critical vulnerabilities of marine and sea ice-based ecosystems in the high Arctic (Johannessen OM., Miles MW.)|Climate vulnerability of ecosystems and landscapes on Alaska's North Slope (Kittel TGF., Baker BB., Higgins JV., Haney JC.)|Interpreting 'dangerous' in the United Nations framework convention on climate change and the human rights of Inuit (Crowley, P.)

Urban livelihoods and the effects on the environment, as well as how to have sustainable development consider impacts on our environment.

Publication by the University of Seychelles

Asian-Australian Journal of Animal Sciences - articles all open access

A quarterly devoted to the biological and physical sciences of the Pacific Region.

Partners Newsletter created by the Australian Government on international affairs with Australia