Climate change and invasive species are often treated as important, but independent, issues. Nevertheless, they have strong connections: changes in climate and societal responses to climate change may exacerbate the impacts of invasive species, whereas invasive species may affect the magnitude, rate, and impact of climate change. We argue that the design and implementation of climate-change policy in the United States should specifically consider the implications for invasive species; conversely, invasive-species policy should address consequences for climate change. The development of such policies should be based on (1) characterization of interactions between invasive species and climate change, (2) identification of areas where climate-change policies could negatively affect invasive-species management, and (3) identification of areas where policies could benefit from synergies between climate change and invasive-species management.

Abstract— Recent cladistic analyses of the relationships of the tribes of apine bees have produced conflicting results. The question of single or multiple origins of advanced eusociality in the group is thus unresolved. However, the previous studies have each treated only a limited part of the character data available. A “total evidence” analysis is essayed here, combining the published morphological characters with sequence data from rRNA and mtDNA. The resulting cladogram is: Euglossini + (Bombini + (Meliponini + Apini). This supports a single origin of advanced eusociality, from a stage of primitive eusociality.

Species identification of logs, planks, and veneers is difficult because they lack the traditional descriptors such as leaves and flowers. An additional challenge is that many transnational shipments have unreliable geographic provenance. Therefore, frequently the lowest taxonomic determination is genus, which allows unscrupulous importers to evade the endangered species laws. In this study we explore whether analysis of wood using a Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (TOFMS) can assist in making unequivocal species determinations of Dalbergia. DART TOFMS spectra were collected from the heartwood of eight species of Dalbergia and six other look-alike species. In all, fourteen species comprising of 318 specimens were analyzed and the species chemical profiles were examined by statistical analysis. Dalbergia nigra (CITES Appendix I) was differentiated from D. spruceana; D. stevensonii (Appendix II) was distinguished from D. tucurensis (Appendix III), and all the look-alike timbers could be readily distinguished. Surprisingly, D. retusa (Appendix III) could not be differentiated from D. granadillo, and we postulate that they are synonymous. We conclude that DART TOFMS spectra are useful in making species identifications of American Dalbergia species, and could be a valuable tool for the traditional wood anatomist.

DART TOFMS is a valuable high-throughput tool useful for making phytochemical classifications of Dalbergia spp. The data produced allows the protected Dalbergias from Madagascar to be distinguished and can differentiate closely related rosewood trees.

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