Monitoring urban biological invasions using citizen science: the polyphagous shot hole borer (Euwallacea fornicatus).

ABSTRACT: Benefits provided by urban trees are increasingly threatened by non-native pests and pathogens. Monitoring of these invasions is critical for the effective management and conservation of urban tree populations. However, a shortage of professionally collected species occurrence data is a major impediment to assessments of biological invasions in urban areas. We applied data from iNaturalist to develop a protocol for monitoring urban biological invasions using the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) invasion in two urban areas of South Africa. iNaturalist records for all known PSHB reproductive host species were used together with data on localities of sites for processing plant biomass to map priority monitoring areas for detecting new and expanding PSHB infestations. Priority monitoring are

SUBMITTER: Potgieter LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11420376 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature