Dr. Katarzyna Patejuk, Assistant professor at Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Plant Protection, Division of Plant Pathology and Mycology.

Biological invasions – what does it mean for European phytopathology?

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are a widely discussed topic in the scientific community. The intercontinental transport of plant material naturally leads to the transfer of pathogens, which can have devastating consequences for local crops and native flora.

The successful establishment of an alien species after its introduction depends on various factors, including its ability to overcome environmental resistance. Several hypotheses describe this phenomenon, but only a few – the Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability (EICA), the Enemy Release Hypothesis (ERH), and the Novel Weapon Hypothesis (NWH) – address the influence of local and alien pathogens on the establishment of invasions. Indirectly, these hypotheses also explain and predict phenomena such as spillover and spillback in phytopathogens.

Spillover is a process where an alien pathogen or pest, carried by an invasive alien species to a new area, infects local organisms. The impact on the invasive alien plant, with which the pathogen has coexisted for years, is usually smaller than on the new host plant. As suggested by Strauss et al. (2012), the spread of IAS pathogens can significantly affect native plants and may even drive the invasion process, promoting the advantage of IAS over native plants. In contrast, spillback describes the impact of native pathogens that find a niche on IAS and significantly increase their population in the environment, thereby negatively affecting their original native hosts. Given these dynamics, it is crucial to conduct research on the pathogens of invasive plants, the transfer of alien pathogens, and their impact on native and cultivated plants.

The aim of this presentation is to summarize various studies conducted by our team on invasive alien species (IAS) pathogens and to highlight the potential phytosanitary threats associated with the spread of invasive plants in Europe. We will cover key issues related to spillover and spillback phenomena, drawing on multi-year studies (2017-2024) of the mycobiota of boxelder maple, black cherry, and impatiens in Poland. The presentation will provide insights into the challenges and importance of accurately identifying fungi inhabiting alien plants, including species such as Taphrina spp. and Colletotrichum spp. Additionally, we will showcase the mycobiome of invasive alien plants as a source of previously undescribed fungal species of various origins. I will present our recent findings, highlighting cities as hotspots for the diversification of IAS mycobiota and their impact on pollination competition. Finally, I would like to discuss the topics we are currently researching and our anticipated next steps.

Keywords : phytopathogens, biological invasion, invasive plant species, Enemy Release Hypothesis, fungi, green agents

Wednesday 12/02/2025 from 4 pm to 5 pm CET

Register here

Master students, PhD students, postdocs, researchers

Neeta Israni

Postgraduate Researcher, 

Faculty of Business & Social Science,

&

Dr. James Hanrahan

Dr Lecturer in Sustainable Tourism Management, Department of Marketing, Tourism & Sport, 

Atlantic Technological University

An analysis of the adoption of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Service Automation (RAISA) for sustainable operations by the hotels sector of Ireland

This webinar will present the preliminary findings in the use of RAISA by hotels in Ireland, as well as identifying the enablers and barriers that play a part in the use of this technology by hotels.

As this research aims at finding what supports the hotels need, hotel owners and managers are welcome to attend this webinar.

Keywords: Sustainability, Operations, RAISA

29/01/2025 from 3 pm- 4pm Ireland time (4 pm-5pm CET)

Register here : https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/f11c747f-00a6-4624-a133-ee00f8021de5@2fea8cbc-9106-4a99-8960-6dffeedfaf61

PhD students, postdocs, researchers, professors, hotel owners and managers