Non-native Organisms Research Articles

Invasive Species and Biodiversity: Mechanisms, Impacts, and Strategic Management for Ecological Preservation

Invasive species, or non-native organisms, pose significant threats to global biodiversity, ecosystems, and economies. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of invasive species, their impact on native biodiversity, and the mechanisms driving their success. Invasive species outcompete native species for resources, disrupt ecosystem functions, and alter habitats, potentially leading to the extinction of native species. The review highlights the ecological, economic, and social implications of invasive species, emphasizing the urgent need for effective management strategies. It examines the invasion pathways, factors influencing their establishment and spread, and the competitive dynamics between invasive and native species. Various assessment methods, including ecological surveys, modelling, and genetic analyses, are discussed to understand and mitigate the impacts of invasions. The review also explores international efforts and policies to manage invasive species and suggests future research directions to enhance conservation strategies. By addressing these issues, this review aims to contribute to the preservation of native biodiversity and the maintenance of ecological balance.

Lake Superior fish community and fisheries, 2001–2022: An era of stability

Lake Superior is the least anthropogenically impacted of the Laurentian Great Lakes ecosystems, yet dramatic changes to the fish community are evident. Previous published works chronicled those changes and the efforts to rehabilitate the fish community through the year 2000. Here, we review through the year 2022, where post-rehabilitation stability was driven by lean lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush namaycush) as the most abundant piscivore in nearshore waters, siscowet lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush siscowet) as the most abundant piscivore in offshore waters, and a healthy, intact assemblage of native prey species, which created ecological redundancies and helped stabilize the food web. Stocking of non-native salmonines was reduced 74%, and populations of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) were maintained through natural reproduction. Despite reduced stocking, yield from recreational fisheries was stable. Likewise, developments in population modeling led to evaluations and refinement of management strategies that helped create stability for lake trout, lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), and cisco (Coregonus artedi) fisheries. With lake trout rehabilitation achieved, focus shifted toward rehabilitation of native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), and walleye (Sander vitreus). Despite continued control efforts, sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) abundance increased considerably, and estimates of fish killed by lampreys averaged 2.65 million kg annually. Environmental changes have benefited sea lampreys and fostered thermal habitats more suitable to non-native organisms, posing new challenges for managers and researchers. Nevertheless, the post-rehabilitation stability in the contemporary fish community will help provide resilience to future perturbations in the ecosystem.

First record of non-native Xylosandrus compactus and Anisandrus maiche (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in Slovenia.

The introduction of non-native organisms into new areas may pose major threats to natural ecosystems. Therefore, continuous and careful national surveys for the interception of invasive non-native species are necessary. During the national survey of quarantine species in 2023, two new non-native ambrosia beetles, Anisandrus maiche (Kurentzov) and Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff), were recorded in Slovenia. Anisandrus maiche was recorded in three locations in the eastern part of Slovenia, with a total of 386 individuals. Three individuals of Xylosandrus compactus were collected in one location near the port of Koper. We discuss the possible pathways of introduction and dispersal.

Risk assessment for biological hazards: information on invasive species

An important aspect of the examination of invasive species is the identification of non-native organisms that have been brought to a new location and are harming the local ecology, economy, or public health. Studying their environmental effects, defining their ecological traits, and creating management or control plans are all steps in this process. A multidisciplinary approach that integrates ecology, biology, and management techniques to safeguard and conserve native ecosystems is necessary for effective analysis of invasive species. The identification and evaluation of invasive species are two crucial stages in the analysis of invasive species. Understanding their ecological characteristics, analyzing their impacts, creating control and management methods, and monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of these strategies. In general, invasive species analysis is crucial for reducing the harm caused by these organisms and maintaining biodiversity in ecosystems all over the world. A genetic method to get rid of invading species has been suggested: Trojan Y chromosomes world-wide climate change. The consumption of water by invasive and native plants of a single growth type is examined in-depth for the first time at the leaf, plant, and ecosystem scales in this study.

Risk assessment for biological hazards: information on invasive species

An important aspect of the examination of invasive species is the identification of non-native organisms that have been brought to a new location and are harming the local ecology, economy, or public health. Studying their environmental effects, defining their ecological traits, and creating management or control plans are all steps in this process. A multidisciplinary approach that integrates ecology, biology, and management techniques to safeguard and conserve native ecosystems is necessary for effective analysis of invasive species. The identification and evaluation of invasive species are two crucial stages in the analysis of invasive species. Understanding their ecological characteristics, analyzing their impacts, creating control and management methods, and monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of these strategies. In general, invasive species analysis is crucial for reducing the harm caused by these organisms and maintaining biodiversity in ecosystems all over the world. A genetic method to get rid of invading species has been suggested: Trojan Y chromosomes world-wide climate change. The consumption of water by invasive and native plants of a single growth type is examined in-depth for the first time at the leaf, plant, and ecosystem scales in this study.

Contrasting impacts of non-native isopods and springtails on ecosystem processes under simulated Antarctic climate conditions

Climate change, coupled with the introduction of non-native organisms, represent major threats to the functioning of ecosystems, especially in species-poor communities such as polar terrestrial ecosystems. In this laboratory study, we quantified the impacts of the non-native springtail Folsomia candida and isopod Porcellio scaber on seed germination and growth of the non-native grass Poa pratensis, and ecosystem respiration. The impacts of invertebrate communities of progressively increasing complexity were assessed, starting with the native springtail Cryptopygus antarcticus alone, followed by C. antarcticus in combination with F. candida or P. scaber and, finally, a community including all three species. The impact of these invertebrate communities were studied in a simulation of contemporary Antarctic soil surface conditions (2 °C) and a +5 °C warming scenario over one growing season.Warming resulted in earlier germination (21 d), 10-fold increased plant biomass, N-content (>5-fold), and higher levels (90%) of ecosystem respiration. Warming also resulted in a 350% increase in C. antarcticus abundance.The presence of the woodlouse P. scaber had the strongest impact on the measured soil and plant variables and this impact was largely irrespective of temperature. Impacts included: delay in seedling emergence (4 d), reduced plant emergence (20%), and higher ecosystem respiration (135%). The presence of both C. antarcticus and P. scaber resulted in 30% higher plant leaf N-content and a reduction in C:N ratio from 21 to 17. The experimental communities containing F. candida showed a 37% reduction in plant biomass under warming. The presence of P. scaber reduced C. antarcticus abundance (94%) but F. candida abundance was unaffected.Our data indicate that non-native invertebrates differ in their ecosystem impacts, with potentially significant consequences for ecosystem functioning and community composition of plants and animals in cold biomes.

Promoting Beneficial Arthropods in Urban Agroecosystems: Focus on Flowers, Maybe Not Native Plants.

(1) Urbanization threatens biodiversity, yet urban native plants support native biodiversity, contributing to conservation and ecosystem services. Within urban agroecosystems, where non-native plants are abundant, native plants may boost the abundance and richness of beneficial arthropods. Nevertheless, current information focuses on pollinators, with little attention being paid to other beneficials, like natural enemies. (2) We examined how the species richness of native plants, garden management, and landscape composition influence the abundance and species richness of all, native, and non-native bees, ladybeetles, ants, and ground-foraging spiders in urban agroecosystems (i.e., urban community gardens) in California. (3) We found that native plants (~10% of species, but only ~2.5% of plant cover) had little influence on arthropods, with negative effects only on non-native spider richness, likely due to the low plant cover provided by native plants. Garden size boosted native and non-native bee abundance and richness and non-native spider richness; floral abundance boosted non-native spider abundance and native and non-native spider richness; and mulch cover and tree and shrub abundance boosted non-native spider richness. Natural habitat cover promoted non-native bee and native ant abundance, but fewer native ladybeetle species were observed. (4) While native plant richness may not strongly influence the abundance and richness of beneficial arthropods, other garden management features could be manipulated to promote the conservation of native organisms or ecosystem services provided by native and non-native organisms within urban agroecosystems.

Detection and Management of Freshwater Invasive Alien Species through Environmental DNA Analysis and Geographic Information Systems: A Review

Freshwater invasive alien species (IAS) are non-native organisms that were intentionally or unintentionally released into local water bodies and later harmed the invaded habitat by disrupting the ecological processes. Over the last few years, environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) analyses have been used in many studies to detect IAS, with positive results. However, with the help of geographic information systems (GIS), efforts to detect the presence of IAS can be made faster and more efficiently. In this paper, we review the background of IAS in Southeast Asia and management efforts undertaken involving the input of known habitat-specific geographical parameters into GIS mapping. Via this strategy, it is possible to identify and distinguish areas that fit IAS habitat features from those that do not. eDNA analysis can later be applied to confirm the presence of IAS in detected areas, enabling further studies and actions. The presence of IAS in certain areas can be used as an indicator to assess the environmental integrity of native waterways. This combined method is likely the first approach to be applied to the detection of freshwater IAS in local water bodies. Apart from saving energy and resources, embedding GIS and eDNA into the study of IAS not only benefits the ecosystem but also assists locals and authorities in managing and taking necessary enforcement actions to curb further spread.

Eradication programs against non-native pests and pathogens of woody plants in Europe: which factors influence their success or failure?

When a non-native species succeeds in establishing in a new habitat, one of the possible responses is to attempt its eradication. In the present study, we analysed European eradication programmes against non-native pests and pathogens of woody plants (PPWP) from 1945 to date. Our main goal was to identify which factors affect the success of an eradication programme, reinforcing guidelines for future eradication of PPWP. Data on eradication campaigns were obtained from online databases, scientific and grey literature, and Plant Protection Organizations’ reports. Factors influencing eradication success for both arthropods and pathogens were analysed with LASSO regression and decision tree learning. A total of 848 cases officially declared as eradication attempts were documented in our database (8-fold higher than previous reports). Both the number of programmes and their rate of success increased sharply over the last two decades. Only less than 10% of the non-native organisms affecting woody plants were targeted for attempted eradication despite the high economic and ecological impacts caused by some species for which no efforts were undertaken. Almost one-third of the officially declared cases of eradication concerned organisms that were still restricted to the material with which they were introduced. For these cases the success rate was 100%. The success rate of established species was only 50% for arthropods and 61% for pathogens. The spatial extent of the outbreak was the factor that most affected the outcome of eradication campaigns. The eradication success decreased abruptly above 100 ha for arthropods and 10 ha for pathogens. Additionally, other variables were shown to influence the outcome of eradication programmes, in particular the type of environment, with the highest eradication success rate found in nurseries and glasshouses, with successful outcomes increasing if quarantine measures were applied and when monitoring included asymptomatic plants. Particular species traits may reduce eradication success: parthenogenetic arthropods, saprotrophic pathogens, wind dispersal, the possibility to remain asymptomatic indefinitely, and the existence of resting spores or stages. In conclusion, small affected areas, quick response, and efficient implementation of quarantine restrictions, together with particular species traits, may allow a high probability of eradication success. Preparedness at the country and European level would allow a larger number of target species to be included in future eradication programmes.

Insights into insecticide-resistance mechanisms in invasive species: Challenges and control strategies.

Threatening the global community is a wide variety of potential threats, most notably invasive pest species. Invasive pest species are non-native organisms that humans have either accidentally or intentionally spread to new regions. One of the most effective and first lines of control strategies for controlling pests is the application of insecticides. These toxic chemicals are employed to get rid of pests, but they pose great risks to people, animals, and plants. Pesticides are heavily used in managing invasive pests in the current era. Due to the overuse of synthetic chemicals, numerous invasive species have already developed resistance. The resistance development is the main reason for the failure to manage the invasive species. Developing pesticide resistance management techniques necessitates a thorough understanding of the mechanisms through which insects acquire insecticide resistance. Insects use a variety of behavioral, biochemical, physiological, genetic, and metabolic methods to deal with toxic chemicals, which can lead to resistance through continuous overexpression of detoxifying enzymes. An overabundance of enzymes causes metabolic resistance, detoxifying pesticides and rendering them ineffective against pests. A key factor in the development of metabolic resistance is the amplification of certain metabolic enzymes, specifically esterases, Glutathione S-transferase, Cytochromes p450 monooxygenase, and hydrolyses. Additionally, insect guts offer unique habitats for microbial colonization, and gut bacteria may serve their hosts a variety of useful services. Most importantly, the detoxification of insecticides leads to resistance development. The complete knowledge of invasive pest species and their mechanisms of resistance development could be very helpful in coping with the challenges and effectively developing effective strategies for the control of invasive species. Integrated Pest Management is particularly effective at lowering the risk of chemical and environmental contaminants and the resulting health issues, and it may also offer the most effective ways to control insect pests.

Reducing seed predation by introduced rodents helps, but is insufficient, to prevent long-term decline of common forest trees

Understanding how novel biotic interactions can affect the persistence of plant and animal populations is of critical conservation concern. Rodents have been introduced to most oceanic islands and predate a wide range of seeds. However, little research has evaluated their effects on the long-term viability of plant populations. We assess the effects of seed predation by introduced rodents on the demography of three long-lived, common native trees in a Hawaiian forest. Using a 17-year demographic dataset, we assess if populations are viable under standard forest conservation practices; then we explore the potential effects of reducing seed predation by non-native organisms, reducing non-native understory cover, or reducing both, on population growth. Post-dispersal seed removal ranged from 40 to 98 % and increased as a function of understory cover. Survival was low for seedlings due to competition from non-native understory plants. Sixty-two percent of Pysdrax odorata seeds suffered pre-dispersal predation by an introduced moth and 72 % of Nestegis sandwicensis seeds were prematurely aborted. Integral projection models show that λ values under standard conservation were <1, indicating population decline. Reducing seed predation by introduced rodents had a strong positive effect on λ for Diospyros sandwicensis, but the effect was much smaller for the other two species. Seed predation by introduced rodents can drive slow population decline of common native trees even in areas actively managed for conservation. Further, reducing rodent predation alone is likely insufficient to ensure long-term persistence due to additional bottlenecks in viable seed production. More attention to common tree species on oceanic islands is critical.

Staphylococcus aureus lineages associated with a free-ranging population of the fruit bat Pteropus livingstonii retained over 25 years in captivity

Conservation of endangered species has become increasingly complex, and costly interventions to protect wildlife require a robust scientific evidence base. This includes consideration of the role of the microbiome in preserving animal health. Captivity introduces stressors not encountered in the wild including environmental factors and exposure to exotic species, humans and antimicrobial drugs. These stressors may perturb the microbiomes of wild animals, with negative consequences for their health and welfare and hence the success of the conservation project, and ultimately the risk of release of non-native organisms into native ecosystems. We compared the genomes of Staphylococcus aureus colonising critically endangered Livingstone’s fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii) which have been in a captive breeding programme for 25 years, with those from bats in the endemic founder population free ranging in the Comoros Republic. Using whole genome sequencing, we compared 47 isolates from captive bats with 37 isolates from those free ranging in the Comoros Republic. Our findings demonstrate unexpected resilience in the bacteria carried, with the captive bats largely retaining the same two distinctive lineages carried at the time of capture. In addition, we found evidence of genomic changes which suggest specific adaptations to the bat host.

Study of Invasive Plant Species Distribution in Warangal City, Telangana, India

The invasive plant species are non-native organisms which invade natural habitats and destroy the indigenous flora. The invasion of alien plant species into various places is recognized as a major cause of loss of biodiversity, after habitat destruction. The aim of the present investigation is to study invasive flora of city of Warangal, Telangana with detailed study about their nativity, family, habit and distribution. A total of 97 species belonging to 72 genera of 30 families have been recorded as alien species. Among them about 63% are native to tropical America. Fabaceae is the dominant family with 13 species, followed by Asteraceae with 12 species, Convolvulaceae with 8 species, Amaranthaceae, Malvaceae, Solanaceae, Euphorbiaceae with 6 species each. Remaining families are represented by species less than 6. Habit wise analysis of invasive plant species showed that 75% species belongs to herbs, 9% belongs to shrubs, 3% trees, and 2% climbers. Mesosphaerum suaveolens, Parthenium hysterophorous, Alternanthera ficoidea, Senna uniflora, Prosopis juliflora are dominant terrestrial species. Typha domingensis, Eichhornia crassipes are dominant aquatic species observed throughout the study area. Chromolaena odorata, Lanata camara are fast spreading in the city and if they are neglected they can become aggressive in future. Most of these alien species are problematic and causing damage to the ecosystem of the city. Neverthless some of the plants have medicinal value, some as fodder and few are used as fuel plants. Eichhornia crassipes can be used for preparation of environmental friendly products like paper, fabrics. Hence this study helps for early recognition, monitoring and management of invasive plant species in the study area.

Invasive upside-down jellyfish tolerate organic eutrophication and warming

The upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea is a successful invasive organism due to high tolerance of different environmental conditions. So far, some single local or global factor experiments have been conducted to assess the effect on the ecophysiology of Cassiopea, but information about combined factor effects is scarce. Therefore, we performed a 42-d manipulation experiment exposing Cassiopea sp. to a local (organic eutrophication) and global factor (warming) simultaneously, i.e., four different dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations [3 (Control), 10 (Low), 20 (Medium) and 40 (High) mg L–1], followed by a stepwise water temperature increase from 26 to 32 °C, in which we assessed four ecophysiological parameters: respiration, net photosynthesis, gross photosynthesis, and pumping rate. Our results show a steep increase in respiration and simultaneous decline in gross photosynthesis in response to Medium and High DOC enrichment causing medusae in the respective treatments to become net heterotrophic over time. This was accompanied by increases in pumping rates, likely to optimize gas exchange and potentially increase nutrient availability by advection of nutrients trapped in underlying sediments. No effect of warming was found for any of the assessed parameters. The observed transition from auto- to heterotrophy under high DOC concentrations together with the thermal tolerance of Cassiopea sp. aids to understand the current invasive success of members of the genus Cassiopea as nonnative organisms and may shed light on the future of Cassiopea sp. as potential native invaders.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding surveys show evidence of non-indigenous freshwater species invasion to new parts of Eastern Europe

Active environmental DNA (eDNA) surveillance through species-specific amplification has shown increased sensitivity in the detection of non-indigenous species (NIS) compared to traditional approaches. When many NIS are of interest, however, active surveillance decreases in cost- and time-efficiency. Passive surveillance through eDNA metabarcoding takes advantage of the complex DNA signal in environmental samples and facilitates the simultaneous detection of multiple species. While passive eDNA surveillance has previously detected NIS, comparative studies are essential to determine the ability of eDNA metabarcoding to accurately describe the range of invasion for multiple NIS versus alternative approaches. Here, we surveyed twelve sites, covering nine rivers across Belarus for NIS with three different techniques, i.e. an ichthyological, hydrobiological and eDNA survey, whereby DNA was extracted from 500 ml surface water samples and amplified with two 16S rDNA primer assays targeting the fish and macroinvertebrate biodiversity. Nine non-indigenous fish and ten non-indigenous benthic macroinvertebrates were detected by traditional surveys, while seven NISeDNA signals were picked up, including four fish, one aquatic and two benthic macroinvertebrates. Passive eDNA surveillance extended the range of invasion further north for two invasive fish and identified a new NIS for Belarus, the freshwater jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbii. False-negative detections for the eDNA survey might be attributed to: (i) preferential amplification of aquatic over benthic macroinvertebrates from surface water samples and (ii) an incomplete reference database. The evidence provided in this study recommends the implementation of both molecular-based and traditional approaches to maximise the probability of early detection of non-native organisms.

Transport analysis of solid sediments in a ballast water flow

The ballast waters, necessary for the stabilization of the ships, move with it and are often discharged into marine environments sensitive to non-native organisms and transport polluting sediments capable of altering the balance of the local ecosystem. In this work, the transportability of particles smaller than 1 mm in size is studied by experimental analysis and the velocity field, generated by the flow, is detected by means of an image acquisition system. The work is developed with an experimental method using a variable flow rate hydraulic circuit equipped with a transparent duct capable of allowing optical access. The measurements of the motion of the particles, acquired by means of the fast photography system, along a section of the transparent duct are analyzed near the sedimentation area. By means of an image processing the frequency of the particles, crossing trough the reference section is detected. The data processing by FFT provides the average flow rate of the sediments and allows quantizing the particles transport according to the different hydrodynamic conditions imposed.

Characterization of Cme and Yme thermostable Cas12a orthologs

CRISPR-Cas12a proteins are RNA-guided endonucleases that cleave invading DNA containing target sequences adjacent to protospacer adjacent motifs (PAM). Cas12a orthologs have been repurposed for genome editing in non-native organisms by reprogramming them with guide RNAs to target specific sites in genomic DNA. After single-turnover dsDNA target cleavage, multiple-turnover, non-specific single-stranded DNA cleavage in trans is activated. This property has been utilized to develop in vitro assays to detect the presence of specific DNA target sequences. Most applications of Cas12a use one of three well-studied enzymes. Here, we characterize the in vitro activity of two previously unknown Cas12a orthologs. These enzymes are active at higher temperatures than widely used orthologs and have subtle differences in PAM preference, on-target cleavage, and trans nuclease activity. Together, our results enable refinement of Cas12a-based in vitro assays especially when elevated temperature is desirable.

Native tube-building polychaete prefers to anchor non-native alga over other macrophytes.

Novel facultative mutualisms that develop between native and non-native ecosystem engineers can lead to the retention of the non-native partner. In some cases, behavior plays an additional, but less understood, role in the development and persistence of mutualisms. In soft-sediment marine habitats along the western Atlantic, the native decorator worm Diopatra cuprea anchors the non-native red alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla to its tube cap in a mutualism. To understand whether the worm's usage of G. vermiculophylla could represent a preference, we first surveyed the species composition of macrophytes affixed to worm tube caps at three sites in coastal Virginia, USA using transect and quadrat sampling. These unmanipulated field surveys supported previous work revealing variable, but often high frequencies (31-98%) of D. cuprea decoration with G. vermiculophylla. We next used field manipulations and controlled laboratory experiments to test the consistency of individual D. cuprea decoration with G. vermiculophylla versus three common macrophytes (Ulva sp., Agardhiella sp., and Spartina alterniflora) found in our field surveys. Twenty-four hours after removing the worm's tube cap in the field, D. cuprea decoration was dominated by both G. vermiculophylla (39.6%) and S. alterniflora (25.9%). When provided a choice of macrophytes in the laboratory, individual D. cuprea consistently decorated with G. vermiculophylla (58.7%) over the other macrophytes, showing a preference for the non-native macrophyte. Our study suggests that preference can drive strong and steadfast interactions between native and non-native organisms, facilitating the latter's persistence and spread, change available habitat, and alter community interactions.

Arthropods on imported plant products: Volumes predict general trends while contextual details enhance predictive power.

Agricultural biosecurity interventions are aimed at minimizing introductions of harmful non-native organisms to new areas via agricultural trade. To prioritize such interventions, historical data on interceptions have been used to elucidate which factors determine the likelihood that a particular import is carrying a harmful organism. Here we use an interception data set of arthropod contaminants recorded on plant imports arriving in South Africa from 2005 to 2019, comprising 13,566 samples inspected for arthropod contaminants, of which 4902 were positive for the presence of at least one arthropod. We tested 29 predictor variables that have previously been used to explain variation in rates of detection and three variables describing possible sources of additional variation and grouped these into six mutually exclusive "factor classes." We used boosted regression trees as a non-parametric stochastic machine-learning method to build models for each factor class and interactions between them. We explored the influence of these variables with data split either randomly or chronologically. While we identified some specific patterns that could be explained post-hoc by historical events, only inspected volumes were reliably correlated with detection of arthropod contaminants across the whole data set. However, inspected volumes could not predict future interceptions of arthropods, which instead relied on contextual factors such as country, crop or year of import. This suggests that, although certain factors may be important in certain circumstances or for particular crops or commodities, there is little general predictive power in the current data. Instead, an idiographic approach would be most beneficial in biosecurity to ascertain the details of why a particular pest arrived on a particular pathway and how it might move (and be stopped) in future.

Citizen science reveals current distribution, predicted habitat suitability and resource requirements of the introduced African Carder Bee Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum in Australia

The introduction of non-native bee species is a major driver of ecosystem change resulting in the spread of non-native weeds, alterations to plant-pollinator interactions and competition with native species for food and nesting resources. Our lack of ecological information for many non-native organisms hinders our ability to understand the impacts of species introductions. This is often compounded by the Wallacean Shortfall—a lack of adequate knowledge of a species’ distribution in geographic space. In Australia, the African carder bee (Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum) was first observed in 2000 and has since become one of the most common bees in some regions. Despite its rapid population increase and range expansion, little is known about the ecology or distribution of P. repetitum. In this study, we determine the flower preferences, current distribution and predicted areas at risk of future invasion of P. repetitum using opportunistic data collected from citizen science websites, social media and museum records. We found that the current distribution of P. repetitum in Australia encompasses approximately 332,000 km2 concentrated along the eastern coast. We found considerable suitable habitat outside the current distribution including biodiversity hotspots and world heritage listed natural areas. Pseudoanthidium repetitum foraged on a wide range of plants from many families and can thus be classified as a generalist forager (polylectic). Our results suggest that P. repetitum is well suited for continued expansion in coastal Australia. Our results demonstrate the effective application of opportunistic data in overcoming knowledge gaps in species ecology and modelling of introduced species distribution.