Papers by Jean-Yves MEYER
The ISME journal, Jan 8, 2018
Island biogeography theory is one of the most influential paradigms in ecology. That island chara... more Island biogeography theory is one of the most influential paradigms in ecology. That island characteristics, including remoteness, can profoundly modulate biological diversity has been borne out by studies of animals and plants. By contrast, the processes influencing microbial diversity in island systems remain largely undetermined. We sequenced arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal DNA from plant roots collected on 13 islands worldwide and compared AM fungal diversity on islands with existing data from mainland sites. AM fungal communities on islands (even those >6000 km from the closest mainland) comprised few endemic taxa and were as diverse as mainland communities. Thus, in contrast to patterns recorded among macro-organisms, efficient dispersal appears to outweigh the effects of taxogenesis and extinction in regulating AM fungal diversity on islands. Nonetheless, AM fungal communities on more distant islands comprised a higher proportion of previously cultured and large-spored ...
Pacific Science, 2004
SIDALC - Servicio de Informacion y Documentacion Agropecuaria de las Americas.
Global Ecology and Conservation
Biological Invasions
Since 1955 snails of the Euglandina rosea species complex and Platydemus manokwari flatworms were... more Since 1955 snails of the Euglandina rosea species complex and Platydemus manokwari flatworms were widely introduced in attempted biological control of giant African snails (Lissachatina fulica) but have been implicated in the mass extinction of Pacific island snails. We review the histories of the 60 introductions and their impacts on L. fulica and native snails. Since 1993 there have been unofficial releases of Euglandina within island groups. Only three official P. manokwari releases took place, but new populations are being recorded at an increasing rate, probably because of accidental introduction. Claims that these predators controlled L. fulica cannot be substantiated; in some cases pest snail declines coincided with predator arrival but concomitant declines occurred elsewhere in the absence of the predator and the declines in some cases were only temporary. In the Hawaiian Islands, although there had been some earlier declines of native snails, the Euglandina impacts on nativ...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Polynesians introduced the tropical crop taro (Colocasia esculenta) to temperate New Zealand afte... more Polynesians introduced the tropical crop taro (Colocasia esculenta) to temperate New Zealand after 1280 CE, but evidence for its cultivation is limited. This contrasts with the abundant evidence for big game hunting, raising longstanding questions of the initial economic and ecological importance of crop production. Here we compare fossil data from wetland sedimentary deposits indicative of taro and leaf vegetable (including Sonchus and Rorippa spp.) cultivation from Ahuahu, a northern New Zealand offshore island, with Raivavae and Rapa, both subtropical islands in French Polynesia. Preservation of taro pollen on all islands between 1300 CE and 1550 CE indicates perennial cultivation over multiple growing seasons, as plants rarely flower when frequently harvested. The pollen cooccurs with previously undetected fossil remains of extinct trees, as well as many weeds and commensal invertebrates common to tropical Polynesian gardens. Sedimentary charcoal and charred plant remains show t...
Plant Ecology & Diversity
Environmental Conservation
SUMMARY Invasive alien species (IASs) on islands have broad impacts across biodiversity, agricult... more SUMMARY Invasive alien species (IASs) on islands have broad impacts across biodiversity, agriculture, economy, health and culture, which tend to be stronger than on continents. Across small-island developing states (SIDSs), although only a small number of IASs are widely distributed, many more, including those with greatest impact, are found on only a small number of islands. Patterns of island invasion are not consistent across SIDS geographic regions, with differences attributable to correlated patterns in island biogeography and human development. We identify 15 of the most globally prevalent IASs on islands. IAS impacts on islands are exacerbated through interactions with a number of other global change threats, including over-exploitation, agricultural intensification, urban development and climate change. Biosecurity is critical in preventing IAS invasion of islands. Eradication of IASs on islands is possible at early stages of invasion, but otherwise is largely restricted to ...
Journal of Biogeography, 2016
Aim To reconstruct ecological changes from the fossil record of a unique wetland on the tropical ... more Aim To reconstruct ecological changes from the fossil record of a unique wetland on the tropical oceanic island of Tahiti, between 44.5 and 38 cal. kyr bp.
PeerJ, 2014
Non-indigenous terrestrial flatworms (Platyhelminthes) have been recorded in thirteen European co... more Non-indigenous terrestrial flatworms (Platyhelminthes) have been recorded in thirteen European countries. They include Bipalium kewense and Dolichoplana striata that are largely restricted to hothouses and may be regarded as non-invasive species. In addition there are species from the southern hemisphere such as the invasive New Zealand flatworm Arthurdendyus triangulatus in the United Kingdom, Eire and the Faroe Islands, the Australian flatworm Australoplana sanguinea alba in Eire and the United Kingdom, and the Australian Blue Garden flatworm Caenoplana coerulea in France, Menorca and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom has some twelve or more non-indigenous species most of which are Australian and New Zealand species. These species may move to an invasive stage when optimum environmental and other conditions occur, and the flatworms then have the potential to cause economic or environmental harm. In this paper, we report the identification (from morphology and molecular analysis of COI sequences) of non-indigenous terrestrial flatworms found in a hothouse in Caen (France) as the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari de Beauchamp, 1963 (Platyhelminthes, Continenticola, Geoplanidae, Rhynchodeminae). Platydemus manokwari is among the "100 World's Worst Invader Alien Species". Lists of World geographic records, prey in the field and prey in laboratories of P. manokwari are provided. This species is considered a threat to native snails wherever it is introduced. The recent discovery of P. manokwari in France represents a significant extension of distribution of this Invasive Alien Species from the Indo-Pacific region to Europe. If it escaped the hothouse, the flatworm might survive winters and become established in temperate countries. The existence of this species in France requires an early warning of this incursion to State and European Union authorities, followed by the eradication of the flatworm in its locality, tightening of internal quarantine measures to prevent further spread of the flatworm to and from this site, identifying if possible the likely primary source of the flatworm, and tracing other possible incursions that may have resulted from accidental dispersal of plants and soil from the site. How to cite this article Justine et al. (2014), The invasive New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari in France, the first record for Europe: time for action is now. PeerJ 2:e297;
… Union for the Study of …, 2006
Forty four ant species are now recorded from these sister islands. These insular ant communities ... more Forty four ant species are now recorded from these sister islands. These insular ant communities this fauna appear heavily dominated by introduced species: there is no endemic ants and only nine species may be considered autochtonous ones (Hypoponera confinis, Oligomyrmex ...
Economic Botany, 2010
... Archeological excavations led by Lepofsky (1994, 1996) on the island of Moorea (Society archi... more ... Archeological excavations led by Lepofsky (1994, 1996) on the island of Moorea (Society archipelago ... The latter was formerly planted on sacred grounds and was split to make the ... METHODS Location, size, and elevation ranges of bamboo groves and candlenut forests in Tahiti ...
Fogliani B., Amir H., Barré N., Bouraïma-Madjebi S., Brescia F., Butaud J.-F., Chazeau Jean, Cibo... more Fogliani B., Amir H., Barré N., Bouraïma-Madjebi S., Brescia F., Butaud J.-F., Chazeau Jean, Cibois A., Garine Wichatitsky M. de, Géraux H., Jaffré Tanguy, Keith P., Meyer J.-Y., Perrier Nicolas, Pineau R., Tassin J., Thibault JC, Whitaker T. De la connaissance spécifique à l'approche biomoléculaire des écosystèmes terrestres insulaires du Pacifique. In : Colin Fabrice (ed.), Barré N. (ed.), Pineau R. (ed.), Bonnefoy JP (ed.) Actes des Assises de la Recherche Française dans le Pacifique : 24-27 août 2004, Nouméa, Nouvelle-Calédonie. Nouméa : ADECAL, 2005, ...
BMC evolutionary …, Jan 1, 2009
The mass extirpation of the island of Moorea's endemic partulid tree snail fauna, following the d... more The mass extirpation of the island of Moorea's endemic partulid tree snail fauna, following the deliberate introduction of the alien predator Euglandina rosea, represents one of the highest profile conservation crises of the past thirty years. All of the island's partulids were thought to be extirpated by 1987, with five species persisting in zoos, but intensive field surveys have recently detected a number of surviving wild populations. We report here a mitochondrial (mt) phylogenetic estimate of Moorean partulid wild and captive lineage survival calibrated with a reference museum collection that pre-dates the predator's introduction and that also includes a parallel dataset from the neighboring island of Tahiti.
Oryx, Jan 1, 1999
The current distribution of endemic partulid snails on Tahiti in French Polynesia reflects the da... more The current distribution of endemic partulid snails on Tahiti in French Polynesia reflects the danger snails still exist in good numbers in two areas, at opposite ends of the island. In other areas, sightings of of ignoring expert advice and introducing an alien species into a fragile island ecosystem. The endemic single or a few individuals indicate remnant poputree-snail fauna of the island now faces extinction.
Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 2010
Oceanic islands have long been considered to be particularly vulnerable to biotic invasions, and ... more Oceanic islands have long been considered to be particularly vulnerable to biotic invasions, and much research has focused on invasive plants on oceanic islands. However, findings from individual islands have rarely been compared between islands within or between biogeographic regions. We present in this study the most comprehensive, standardized dataset to date on the global distribution of invasive plant species in natural areas of oceanic islands. We compiled lists of moderate (5-25% cover) and dominant (425% cover) invasive plant species for 30 island groups from four oceanic regions (Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific, and Western Indian Ocean). To assess consistency of plant behaviour across island groups, we also recorded present but not invasive species in each island group.
Small, isolated patches of tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) are found in many remote islands ... more Small, isolated patches of tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) are found in many remote islands of the Pacific region (Oceania). French Polynesia comprises 37 high volcanic islands and islets, all located at more than 5000 km from the nearest continents. TMCFs are found on 12 of them (Huahine, Moorea, Raiatea, Tahaa, and Tahiti in the Society Islands, Fatu Hiva, Hiva Oa, Nuku Hiva, Tahuata, Ua Huka, and Ua Pou in the Marquesas Islands, and Rapa in the Austral Islands), with a total area of up to 8000 ha. Their current individual extent ranges from less than 20 ha (Huahine, Rapa, Tahaa) to c. 1000 ha (Hiva Oa, Nuku Hiva) and more than 5000 ha (Tahiti), the other islands having less than 100–200 ha each. TMCFs are located between 300–400 m.a.s.l. and up to 1600–1800 m.a.s.l. (Tahiti), but are more often found above 800–900 m.a.s.l. They are generally located on the upper slopes of valleys, on high-elevation plateaux, and in gullies and ridges below the summits, with annual rainfall r...
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Papers by Jean-Yves MEYER