🌴About 10 days ago, the 9th European Conference of #Tropical #Ecology - #ECTE2026 wrapped up! 🐝However, we are still buzzing with excitement from all the connections, conversations, and presentations on all things tropical ecology. ⬇️ See all the highlights of the week in our latest blog post:

A new study on 𝘏𝘺𝘱𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘢 found that #seed density and priority effects (getting there first) are way more effective at stopping invaders than just having a diverse mix of species. ⬇️Learn all the details here: doi.org/10.3897/neob... #diversity

New study provides information on the distribution of #invasive social #wasps (Vespidae) on the islands of the South Pacific (except AU and PNG), their known introductions and establishment dates, and comments on their invasive #ecology: doi.org/10.3897/neob... #pestmanagement #biologicalinvasions

🔉 Last chance to catch us at the 9th European Conference of Tropical Ecology - #ECTE2026. ☕ Stop by our booth to learn more about publishing opportunities, and grab a journal sticker with incredible illustrations. 👋 See you there! @soctropecol.bsky.social @unipassauresearch.bsky.social

🐞 The Entomoscope presents an innovative tool for automating #biosecurity. Using Agrilus jewel #beetles as a model, researchers utilized this low-cost, #open-source device to auto-detect and classify specimens via high-res imaging and CNNs. See which of the 3 benchmarked models performed best ⤵️

👋Come to @pensoft.net booth at #ECTE2026 and chat all things publishing! @soctropecol.bsky.social @unipassauresearch.bsky.social | #tropical #ecology #conference

🎉We're at #ECTE2026! Visit the @pensoft.net booth to explore the publisher's diverse journal portfolio, including us, the newest 💎 #OA journal, and the next-gen @arphahub.com publishing tool. See you there! @soctropecol.bsky.social #neotropical #ecology #science #conference

👋Hello from Passau! We’re at #ECTE2026, and it's incredible to see that many people already at our booth! 🙌Come over, @pensoft.net is located in the coffee break foyer! @soctropecol.bsky.social

3️⃣days left until the 9th European Conference of #Tropical #Ecology - #ECTE2026! 🙌Come talk all things publishing with us from Feb 23-27. apr.pensoft.net/news/1128 @soctropecol.bsky.social #scientificconference #conference

🌍 Two species of Asian mantises are now considered 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 across Europe due to their high reproductive rates and ability to thrive in urban areas. Check out our latest blog: blog.pensoft.net/2026/02/19/c... Original study: doi.org/10.3897/jor.35.165233

✈️ We’re heading to #ECTE2026! Stop by our booth to find the perfect home for your next #manuscript. Explore our diverse #journal portfolio, from @bdj.pensoft.net to our newest addition, @apr.pensoft.net . 🐝 💎Plus, get first-hand insights into @arphahub.com, our next-gen #publishing platform. ⬇️

Join us in Passau for the 9th European Conference of Tropical Ecology - #ECTE2026 ! 🔬 Explore @pensoft.net's journal portfolio, including the brand-new @apr.pensoft.net ! 💎 See how @arphahub.com is redefining Diamond & Gold Open Access publishing. 😍And plenty more. 👇

👩‍🔬Happy International Day of Women and Girls in #Science! Explore the reflections and visions for the future from our Women Editors-in-Chief. 💫With these insights, we hope to foster a more equitable #scientific community and inspire the next generation of girls to pursue their passions in #STEM.⤵

How can research on Non-Indigenous Species be improved? Six best practices, identified and analysed using a SWOT approach, point the way forward: doi.org/10.3897/neob...

The effort of 90 diverse scientists from Italy, working across #terrestrial, #freshwater, and #marine realms, identified six good practices to enhance the process and outcomes of Non-Indigenous Species #research. Find out all the details here: doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Traditional #monitoring may often miss the scale of #invasivespecies. 🧬🐟 New #eDNA #research in Thailand’s Chao Phraya Basin shows the Silver carp (𝘏. 𝘮𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘹) detection surged from 31% to 59% in just 4 years, demonstrating the continuous establishment of this #species: doi.org/10.3897/neob...

"Living checklists" may be the key to managing #invasive & #alien #species. Using data from South African National Parks, researchers have proposed a 10-step process for dynamic, reproducible databases, essential for early detection, monitoring, and reporting. neobiota.pensoft.net/article/1591...

🌿 Invasive goldenrod (𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘱.) strongly impacts ecosystems across Europe, Asia, and beyond. 🔍 In this study, researchers systematically reviewed 180 published papers to reveal global trends, research biases in studies on invasive goldenrod’s ecological interactions 🔗 Read the full study here:

🐍❄️ Can Florida’s #cold snaps stop #Burmese #pythons? #Research published in NeoBiota, recently featured in @people.com by Gabrielle Rockson, suggest that these #invasivespecies are undergoing evolutionary change and show behavioral plasticity that helps them survive the cold #weather. 👇

A review of 180 studies on invasive North American goldenrods (𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘨𝘰 spp.) reveals key research gaps: an over-focus on 𝘚. 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴, geographic concentration in Europe and Asia, a lack of predictive data & more. Read the full review here: doi.org/10.3897/neob... @igsopas.bsky.social

How do #invasivespecies outcompete #native ones when #environmental conditions change? 🔬New #research on the #invasive Eastern Mosquitofish (𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪) and the endangered Spanish Toothcarp (𝘈𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘴) sheds light on the physiological mechanisms at play ⤵️ doi.org/10.3897/neob...

By applying argument maps to case studies of the Chilean black urchin, heather, and leafy spurge in South Africa, researchers have developed a more rigorous way to declare the presence of #alien #species 🔽 doi.org/10.3897/neob... #invasivespecies #biodiversity

How do we accurately measure the impact of #invasive #species at a national level? A recent study adapted the EICAT and EICAT+ frameworks to assess 228 alien plants in France, see what they found here: doi.org/10.3897/neob... @g-fried.bsky.social #Environmentalassessment #invasivespecies

🌱 New paper out! We integrate EICAT & EICAT+ assessments with expert knowledge to classify invasive alien plants in France based on their ecological impacts. #InvasiveAlienSpecies #EICAT #Ecology #Biodiversityhttps://neobiota.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=144928

🔗New study from Turkey, examines the interlink between #climate change and predator-prey dynamics. ⚠️Spoiler alert: it does not look good for the native prey-species: doi.org/10.3897/neob... #climatechange #conservation #invasivespecies

A new study investigates stage-specific #biotic resistance by examining interactions between the native eastern mosquitofish (𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪) and the non-native tropical clawed frog (𝘟𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴; TCF). 👉Check it out: doi.org/10.3897/neob...

New study examines ways to refine #biosecurity protocols using the #invasive, #cryptic brown tree snakes species (𝘉𝘰𝘪𝘨𝘢 𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴) in U.S. territory Guam. 📖 Read more here: doi.org/10.3897/neob... #eDNA #invasivespecies

🐀The invasive black #rat (𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘶𝘴) reappeared on World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island. Using #DNA analysis, this new study examined whether the rats were survivors of the 2019 eradication programme or new arrivals from mainland Australia. ➡ doi.org/10.3897/neob... #rodent #invasivespecies

New #research shows that schoolchildren can be effectively involved in #monitoring and early detection of the #invasive Asian hornet (𝘝𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘢). 🔗Check out the full study here: doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Trophic ecology of the invasive marbled crayfish in ephemeral streams of semi-arid environments @neobiota.pensoft.net doi.org/10.3897/arph...

As 2025 draws to a close, we at Pensoft want to extend our warmest wishes to our editors, reviewers, researchers, partners, and followers. Thank you for being part of our journey this year. Wishing you all a joyful holiday season and a bright start to the new year! 🎄✨

Bridging the gap between detection and action in #biosecurity, this new study proposes a workflow that links molecular data with pest and alien plant databases to flag emerging threats and support faster, evidence-based responses. Want to know more? See the full study here: doi.org/10.3897/neob...

🌱From NeoBiota: Common garden tests show invasive grasses do not consistently grow faster or reproduce more in new ranges, challenging simple trait based explanations of invasion success. (Jennifer L. Funk) ▶️ neobiota.pensoft.net/article/1628... #PlantScience

It's always a pleasure to meet our authors at conferences! Like Zhenwei Xu, who stopped by the Pensoft booth at #BES2025 yesterday. Read his paper, 'Shift in the effects of invasive soil legacy on subsequent native and invasive trees driven by nitrogen deposition' here: doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Invasive species are costing New South Wales billions of dollars a year, with plants and agricultural losses dominating reported impacts and major gaps remaining in how environmental and non-market damages are counted. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Interacting seed traits and whether seeds are trapped in fruits or released govern how long the invasive 𝐸𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑐𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑎 can float, shaping both local deposition and long-distance spread along European rivers.​ 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Atlantic blue crab 𝐶𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑠 has fully established in a hypersaline Sicilian lagoon, showing remarkable ecological plasticity and raising management questions. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

This review of agricultural pest insects shows their environmental impacts are widely underestimated, revealing overlooked impact mechanisms and calling for management strategies that account for non-target biodiversity. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Researchers in Malaysia have discovered an incredible new endemic ‘fairy lantern’ species with fewer than 20 individuals known to exist in the wild. 🔗 Learn all about it on the @pensoft.net blog: blog.pensoft.net/2025/12/02/n...

This study shows that the invasive 'killer shrimp' 𝐷𝑖𝑘𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑣𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑢𝑠 inherits maternal food preferences, and hybrids can become even more predatory, potentially boosting their invasion impact. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Testing three annual grasses native to Spain and invasive in California, this study shows that invasion success is not consistently linked to bigger, faster, or more fecund plants across ranges, and highlights a possible role for polyploidy in 𝐵𝑟𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 instead. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Small-bodied native and non-native characoid fishes wage a ‘small war’ in Brazilian reservoirs, with trophic roles and niche overlap shifting dramatically between neighbouring systems and seasons. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Researcher introduce WatchListR, a tool for developing watch-lists of invasive species to inform biosecurity decision-making. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

New atlas of 96 invasive plant species shows they now occur in every mainland Portuguese municipality, with coastal, urban-adjacent areas emerging as invasion hotspots. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

🏵️ This week’s #SafeguardResearch examines the distribution, impacts, and traits of the invasive ornamental Gaillardia aristata (great blanketflower). 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.83.97325 @pensoft.net @neobiota.pensoft.net

A new protocol helps cities plant trees more safely by using science-based criteria to avoid invasive species and pest-prone trees, protecting ecosystems and supporting sustainable urban greening. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

The spread of invasive sand dropseed in Hungarian sand steppes is already shrinking habitat for specialist Balkan wall lizards while woody encroachment simultaneously boosts generalist Eastern green lizard. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Annette Taugbøl compares sampling protocols and results to better detect the amphibian fungal parasite 𝐵𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑐ℎ𝑦𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑠 in the wild: doi.org/10.3897/neob...

Human-modified dumpsite soil temporarily boosts non-native plant growth in subarctic ecosystems, increasing invasion risks from soil movement under climate change. 🔗 doi.org/10.3897/neob...