Bacteria and viruses in Europe
The new EASIN publication on European primary datasets of alien bacteria and viruses (Magliozzi et al 2022) has been published in Nature. This work, based on literature review and taxonomy expertise brings together information on alien bacteria and viruses in Europe. The datasets contain expert-revised data on 446 taxa and their invasion related- factors across terrestrial and aquatic environments. Taxa information are complemented with spatial occurrences. The study aims atimproving the collection of information on these microorganisms, and represents a starting point for data-driven and collaborative conservation practices.
Abstract:
Bacteria and viruses are a natural component of Earth biodiversity and play an essential role in biochemical and geological cycles. They may also pose problems outside their native range, where they can negatively impact on natural resources, wildlife, and human health. To address these challenges and develop sustainable conservation strategies, a thorough understanding of their invasion related- factors is needed: origin, country and year of introduction, and pathways dynamics. Yet, alien bacteria and viruses are underrepresented in invasion ecology studies, which limits our ability to quantify their impacts and address future introductions. This study provides primary datasets of alien bacteria and viruses of plants and animals present in the European environment. The datasets contain expert-revised data on 446 taxa and their invasion related- factors across terrestrial and aquatic environments. Taxa information are complemented with spatial occurrences. The datasets provide a basis for collaborative initiatives to improve the collection of alien bacteria and viruses’ data, and a starting point for data-driven conservation practices.
Full article available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-022-01485-1
For more information on EASIN publications: https://easin.jrc.ec.europa.eu/easin/EASINPublications/Publications