Multi-taxa inventory of naturalized species in Chile

Fuentes, Nicol, University of Concepción, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3773-9832

Marticorena, Alicia, University of Concepción

Saldaña, Alfredo, University of Concepción

Jerez, Viviane, University of Concepción

Ortiz, Juan Carlos, University of Concepción

Victoriano, Pedro, University of Concepción

Larraín, Juan, Pontificial Catholic University of Valparaiso, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9423-6561

Villaseñor-Parada, Cristobal, University of Concepción

Palfner, Götz, University of Concepción

Sánchez, Paulina, University of Concepción

Pauchard, Aníbal, University of Concepción

Moreno, Rodrigo A., Universidad Santo Tomás

nfuentes@udec.cl

Published Dec 19, 2020 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.np5hqbzrr

Cite this dataset

Fuentes, Nicol et al. (2020). Multi-taxa inventory of naturalized species in Chile [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.np5hqbzrr

Abstract

Here we present a multi-taxa inventory of naturalized alien species recorded on continental Chile and adjacent marine habitats, including eight taxonomic groups. We identified 1,122 species. These comprise 790 vascular plants (terrestrial and aquatic); 31 nonvascular plants [Bryophyta (mosses), Marchantiophyta (liverworts) and Anthocerotophyta (hornworts)]; 18 marine and freshwater macro and micro algae; 71 fungi; 39 terrestrial vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds); 108 insects; 37 marine and freshwater invertebrates and vertebrates (6 polychaetes, 3 mollusks and 28 Pisces); and 28 terrestrial gastropods. For all taxonomic groups, naturalized species were found to mainly be distributed in regions with Mediterranean and temperate climates, with few at either extreme of the country. The invasion curves show that naturalized species first underwent a positive increment, followed by an apparent plateau phase, mainly in vascular plants, insects and vertebrates. In fungi, marine and freshwater macro and microalgae, vertebrates and invertebrates, the cumulative number of naturalized species increased sharply starting in the early 20th century; the lack of collections before 1900 is also evident. When considering naturalized species as a whole, this inventory highlights that the rate of new naturalizations consistently increased after 1950, especially for some taxonomic groups such as insects, fungi, and vascular plants. This multi-taxa inventory of naturalized species provides a platform for national reporting on biodiversity indicators and highlights areas where Chile must invest resources to manage biological invasions.

Methods

Exhaustive bibliographic revision and used herbarium and zoological collections to identify all the species recorded as naturalized in continental Chile and adjacent marine habitats for each of the eight taxonomic groups: a) vascular plants (terrestrial and aquatic); b) nonvascular plants [Bryophyta (mosses), Marchantiophyta (liverworts), and Anthocerotophyta (hornworts)]; c) marine and freshwater macro and micro algae; d) fungi; e) terrestrial vertebrate fauna (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals); f ) insects; g) marine and freshwater vertebrates (Pisces) and invertebrates (polychaetes and mollusks); and h) terrestrial gastropods. For each taxonomic group, we used the most accepted and comprehensive definition of naturalized species.

Funding

GEF/MMA/PNUD EEI AJF

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Award: 1181688

GEF/MMA/PNUD EEI AJF