scholarly journals Do Habitats Show a Different Invasibility Pattern by Alien Plant Species? A Test on a Wetland Protected Area

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Liccari ◽  
Miris Castello ◽  
Livio Poldini ◽  
Alfredo Altobelli ◽  
Enrico Tordoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Null Model ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Environmental Characteristic ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Probabilistic Sampling ◽  
Ne Italy ◽  
Alien Flora

Biological invasions are deemed to be the second most important global driver of biodiversity loss, right behind habitat destruction and fragmentation. In this study, we aimed at testing if community invasibility, defined as the vulnerability to invasion of a community, could be associated with the characteristics of a given habitat, as described by the composition and structure of its native species. Based on a probabilistic sampling of the alien flora occurring in the temperate wetland Lake Doberdò (Friuli Venezia Giulia region, NE Italy) and using a null-model-based approach, the observed occurrence of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) within sampling units was randomized within habitats. While testing the degree of invasibility for each habitat within the wetland, our null hypothesis postulated that habitats are equally invaded by IAS, as IAS can spread homogeneously in the environment thanks to their plasticity in functional traits that makes them able to cope with different ecological conditions. The obtained results comparing observed IAS frequencies, abundance and richness to those obtained by the null model randomizations show that, for all habitats, invasion was selective. Specifically, a marked preference for habitats with an intermediate disturbance level, a high nutrients level and a medium-high light availability was observed, while an avoidance was detected for habitats characterized by lower levels of nutrients and light availability or extreme conditions caused by prolonged submersion. This method allows us to provide useful information using a simple-to-run simulation for the management of the IAS threat within protected areas. Moreover, the method allows us to infer important ecological characteristics leading to habitat invasion without sampling the environmental characteristic of the habitats, which is an expensive operation in terms of time and money.

scholarly journals Non-native species in the vascular flora of highlands and mountains of Iceland

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Wasowicz
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Hot Springs ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Plant Colonization ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
Central Highland

Highlands and mountains of Iceland (defined here as areas located above 400 m a.s.l) are considered to be the largest remaining wilderness areas in Europe. The present study provides first comprehensive and up-to-date data on non-native plant species from this area. The study was aimed to provide a checklist of alien plant species recorded from highland and mountain areas of Iceland, assess their naturalisation status, define spatial patterns and hotspots of their distribution and analyse temporal trends in the data. The presence of 18 non-native vascular plant species was evidenced including 13 casuals and 5 naturalised taxa (1 invasive). The results showed that the central highland is most vulnerable to alien plant colonisation, while mountain and highland areas in other parts of the country are much less impacted by non-native plant taxa. Clear hotspots of occurrence of alien flora can be defined and their geographic location corresponds to places of touristic interest such as hot springs, geothermal areas, mountain huts and shelters as well as main roads and tracks. Temporal trends characterizing non-native plant colonization show clearly that the process is still in its initial phase. The research suggests that human-mediated dispersal is the major force contributing to increased invasion risk within the investigated area.

Biogeography of island floras in the Great Lakes. II. Plant dispersal

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 1803-1820 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. Morton ◽  
E. H. Hogg
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Species Dispersal ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Plant Dispersal ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
Nesting Sites

Experimental and observational data were used to determine the adaptations for dispersal in each of the 335 vascular plant species in the flora of Barrier Island, a typical limestone island in the Great Lakes. Most have adaptations for more than one mode of dispersal. Adaptations for dispersal by water were found in 211 species (63% of the flora), and by birds in 205 species (61% of the flora); only 22 species (6.5% of the flora) do not appear to have effective adaptations for dispersal by either of these means. The other three modes of dispersal to these islands are by wind (14% of plant species), dispersal across snow and ice (10%), and by man (6%). Alien species (23% of the flora) show greater dependence on birds (85% of the alien species) and man (12% of the alien species) for dispersal than do native species (54 and 5%, respectively). Sea gulls, particularly the Herring Gull (Larus delawarensis Ord.), are the major factor in the introduction of the alien flora. The heavily disturbed habitats created in the nesting sites of both Herring and Ring-billed (Larus argentatus Pontoppidan) gulls favour the persistence of many alien plant species on these islands.

scholarly journals Alien plant invasions in Mediterranean habitats: an assessment for Sicily

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Guarino ◽  
Milan Chytrý ◽  
Fabio Attorre ◽  
Flavia Landucci ◽  
Corrado Marcenò
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Habitat Specificity ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
The Impact

AbstractLevels of plant invasions in different habitat types were assessed in several regional studies, but few of them were from the Mediterranean. Here we compare the levels of vascular plant invasion across habitats and plant communities of Sicily. We used a large dataset of plant species presences/absences in vegetation plots to analyze the invasion patterns across habitats considering biogeography, life form and phenology of alien plants. Vegetation plots were classified based on the EUNIS classification of European habitats. The invasiveness of each species was expressed in terms of its absolute and percentage frequency. Representation of different life forms and phenological patterns was compared between alien and native species. The fidelity of alien species to individual habitats was calculated using the phi coefficient. Our analysis shows that annual and woody species are the most represented life forms in the alien flora of Sicily and that alien species tend to have a longer flowering period than the native species. The investigated habitats differed strongly in their level of invasion by alien species, ranging from 0 to 15.6% of aliens of all species recorded. Most of the habitats were colonized by very few alien species or completely lacked them, except for sandy coasts, naturally-disturbed riverbeds, and synanthropic habitats. It must be noted, however, that the number of alien species occurring in a given habitat does not relate to the severity of the impact of invasion in that habitat. Some habitats are invaded by few (or single) species, which attain a high cover, transforming the whole ecosystem. The habitat-based approach proved to be suitable for evaluating the habitat specificity and frequency of alien species at a regional scale, improving the capacity for risk assessment in different ecological contexts.

The Biology of Invasive Alien Plants in Canada. 4. Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier

2006 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 569-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas A. Page ◽  
Ronald E. Wall ◽  
Stephen J. Darbyshire ◽  
Gerald A. Mulligan
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Leaf Shape ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Invasive Alien Plant ◽  
Heracleum Mantegazzianum

Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed) is an invasive alien plant of management concern in southern Canada where it has escaped from horticulture and established and spread in natural, ruderal, and agricultural ecosystems. It poses a threat to natural ecosystems and human health, and is also a weed in agricultural and urban areas. It is a member of the Carrot family (Apiaceae) and is closely related to the native species Heracleum maximum Bartram (cow-parsnip). It is a monocarpic perennial, which generally flowers in its 3rd or 4th year. Large size, leaf shape, dark reddish pigments in patches on stems and petioles, and fruit characteristics readily distinguish H. mantegazzianum from other plants in Canada. It is increasingly common in riparian areas, floodplains, and forest edges in or near urban areas in southwestern British Columbia and southern Ontario. Based on herbarium specimens, H. mantegazzianum was first recorded in Ontario in 1949, British Columbia in 1964, Nova Scotia in 1980, Quebec in 1990, and New Brunswick in 2000. The development of dense stands of H. mantegazzianum can also reduce the richness of native plants. Contact with H. mantegazzianum can cause phytophotodermatitis, a serious skin inflammation caused by UV photo-activation of furanocoumarins present in the sap. Control methods include herbicide application, mechanical cutting, and animal grazing, but strategies to address seed dispersal and re-establishment from dormant seed must also be adopted. Widespread establishment in southern Canada suggests that eradication is unlikely. However, range expansion and rapid population growth can be prevented through strategic management including public education. Key words: Giant hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzianum, Apiaceae, HERMZ, invasive plant, weed biology, furanocoumarins

Managing Alien Plants for Biodiversity Outcomes—the Need for Triage

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul O. Downey ◽  
Moira C. Williams ◽  
Leonie K. Whiffen ◽  
Bruce A. Auld ◽  
Mark A. Hamilton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Plant Management ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Triage System

AbstractRecognition that alien plants pose a significant threat to biodiversity has not always translated into effective management strategies, policy reforms, and systems to establish priorities. Thus, many alien plant management decisions for the protection of biodiversity occur with limited knowledge of what needs to be protected (other than biodiversity in a generalized sense) or the urgency of actions. To rectify this, we have developed a triage system that enables alien plant management decisions to be made based on (1) the urgency of control relative to the degree of threat posed to biodiversity, compared with (2) the likelihood of achieving a successful conservation outcome as a result of alien plant control. This triage system is underpinned by a two-step approach, which identifies the biodiversity at risk and assesses sites to determine priorities for control. This triage system was initially developed to manage the threat posed by bitou bush to native species in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It has subsequently been improved with the national assessment of lantana in Australia, and the adaptation from a single to multiple alien plant species approach on a regional scale. This triage system identifies nine levels of priority for alien plant management aimed at biodiversity conservation, ranging from immediate, targeted action to limited or no action. The development of this approach has enabled long-term management priorities to be set for widespread alien plants that are unlikely to be eradicated. It also enables control to occur in a coordinated manner for biodiversity conservation at a landscape scale, rather than as a series of individual unconnected short-term actions.

scholarly journals To the study of alien species in the flora of Khakassia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.L. Ebel ◽  
◽  
S.A. Sheremetova ◽  
I.A. Khrustaleva ◽  
T.O. Strelnikova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Plants ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Black Book ◽  
Alien Plant Species ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Scientific Network ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
The Republic

As a result of the field studies, analysis of publications and herbarium materials, it has been established that by now the alien flora of the Republic of Khakassia includes about 140 species of vascular plants. Of this number, more than 30 species are invasive plants included in the “Black Book of Flora of Siberia” (2016). In recent years, there has been both a fairly rapid replenishment of the flora with alien plants and a noticeable dispersal of a number of invasive species across the territory of Khakassia. For the purpose of monitoring alien plant species, we use the capabilities of the international scientific network iNaturalist.org.

scholarly journals Biodiversity reporting in India: a view from the top

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 418-427
Author(s):  
Mansi Mansi ◽  
Rakesh Pandey ◽  
Carolyn Stringer
Keyword(s):  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Indian Subcontinent ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Monitoring Centre ◽  
Rare And Endangered Species ◽  
Rare And Endangered ◽  
Impact On Biodiversity

The purpose of this study is to explore the biodiversity reporting practices inside Indian companies. Biodiversity reporting studies across Indian companies are important because India has a wealth of biodiversity assets, that is, wildlife, flora, fauna, natural habitats, rare and endangered species and biological resources, and accounts for 7.8% of the global recorded species (Biological Diversity Act, the Biodiversity Rules, Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board, 2009). There are approximately 45,500 species of plants, 91,200 species of animals and 5,550 microbial species documented in India (National Biodiversity Authority, 2014). The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed 132 species of animals and plants in the Critically Endangered Category (Sudhi, 2012). To date, the literature omits to explore the biodiversity reporting practices inside Indian companies. Another important reason to conduct is this study is that India has alarming population levels; thus there is a huge demand for land, energy, and resources, which leads to massive biodiversity loss, deforestation, and habitat destruction. It is very likely that with the limited land mass and increasing population in India, several ecosystems, wildlife, flora and fauna will be/have been exploited, disturbed, and endangered. Given the high potential impact on biodiversity by industries, we are concerned that there is a dearth of biodiversity reporting studies within the Indian subcontinent. We concentrate on the largest companies (based on market capitalisation) because similar to Van Liempd and Busch (2013), we also expect that the largest companies have the greatest impact on biodiversity; therefore, they are expected to show more accountability to their stakeholders. Therefore it is worth exploring how Indian companies are engaging in biodiversity reporting practices (e.g. biodiversity conservation, biodiversity protection, habitat and ecosystem conservation); and whether these organisations are disclosing their impact(s) (both in quantity and quality) on biodiversity (such as wildlife, flora and fauna). Moreover, India has also been classified as one of 17 mega-diversity countries by The World Conservation Monitoring Centre which account for more than 70% of the planet’s species (Williams, 2001). All these reasons make this study timely and important.

scholarly journals ILORA: A database of alien vascular flora of India

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidushi Pant ◽  
Chinmay Patwardhan ◽  
Kshitij Patil ◽  
Amiya Ranjan Bhowmick ◽  
Abhishek Mukherjee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Alien Plant Species ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Alien Flora

Plant invasions pose an unprecedented threat to biodiversity and ecosystems at different spatial scales, especially for a biodiversity-rich developing nation like India. While country-level checklists are considered as the first step for effective management of plant invasions, databases having biological and ecological attributes of these plant species are of paramount importance for facilitating research activities and developing policy interventions concerning alien plant invasion in a country or region. Though checklists with the names and basic details of alien plant species are available for India, a database aggregating attributes relevant to the understanding of the invasion continuum is lacking. We have curated data for 13 variables related to ecology, biogeography, introduction history, socio-economy and environmental niche of 1747 alien vascular plant species from 22 national and global sources to produce the Indian Alien Flora Information (ILORA) version 1.0 database. This paper describes the detailed methodology of curating these data along with the logic behind selecting these variables to be included in the database. The database, first of its kind for the Indian alien flora, will provide easy access to high quality data, offer a ready reference to comprehend the existing scenario of alien plant species in the country and provide opportunities to identify, scrutinize and prioritize the management of these species. The database is dynamic and will be continuously updated with the availability of new data. It has the provision for bidirectional information exchange with the users, which will allow increasing the resolution of the database as well as the expansion of its capacity. All data will be associated with the source information and ILORA will encourage users to refer to the primary sources to give the contributors full credit and acknowledgement. The database is, therefore, envisaged to become a nationwide collaborative platform for a wide spectrum of stakeholders involving the scientific community, citizens, and policymakers. ILORA is freely accessible via an online data repository as well as through a dedicated website (https://ilora2020.wixsite.com/ilora2020).

scholarly journals Alien woody plants are more versatile than native, but both share similar therapeutic redundancy in South Africa

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0260390
Author(s):  
Kowiyou Yessoufou ◽  
Annie Estelle Ambani ◽  
Hosam O. Elansary ◽  
Orou G. Gaoue
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Invasion Biology ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Parasitic Infections ◽  
Alien Plant Species ◽  
Secondary Chemistry ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Medicinal Flora

Understanding why alien plant species are incorporated into the medicinal flora in several local communities is central to invasion biology and ethnobiology. Theories suggest that alien plants are incorporated in local pharmacopoeias because they are more versatile or contribute unique secondary chemistry which make them less therapeutically redundant, or simply because they are locally more abundant than native species. However, a lack of a comprehensive test of these hypotheses limits our understanding of the dynamics of plants knowledge, use and potential implications for invasion. Here, we tested the predictions of several of these hypotheses using a unique dataset on the woody medicinal flora of southern Africa. We found that the size of a plant family predicts the number of medicinal plants in that family, a support for the non-random hypothesis of medicinal plant selection. However, we found no support for the diversification hypothesis: i) both alien and native plants were used in the treatment of similar diseases; ii) significantly more native species than alien contribute to disease treatments particularly of parasitic infections and obstetric-gynecological diseases, and iii) alien and native species share similar therapeutic redundancy. However, we found support for the versatility hypothesis, i.e., alien plants were more versatile than natives. These findings imply that, although alien plant species are not therapeutically unique, they do provide more uses than native plants (versatility), thus suggesting that they may not have been introduced primarily for therapeutic reasons. We call for similar studies to be carried out on alien herbaceous plants for a broader understanding of the integration of alien plants into the pharmacopoeias of the receiving communities.

Litter burning does not equally affect seedling emergence of native and alien species of the Mediterranean-type Chilean matorral

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Gómez-González ◽  
Lohengrin A. Cavieres
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Central Chile ◽  
Ecological Features ◽  
Chilean Matorral ◽  
Anthropogenic Fires

Central Chile differs from other areas with Mediterranean-type climate by the scarcity of natural wildfires. The Chilean matorral is highly invaded by alien plant species from other Mediterranean zones of the world, where natural, recurrent wildfires have been one of their ecological features at least since the Pliocene. This suggests that anthropogenic fires in Chile might favour alien plant recruitment, increasing the invasive process. We assessed the effect of litter burning on the emergence of alien and native species from the soil seedbank of a matorral of central Chile. Soil samples were taken from three types of microhabitats: (i) closed matorral; (ii) beneath the canopy of shrubs and trees from an open matorral; (iii) grassland. Each sample was split in two subsamples. One subsample was exposed to fire by burning the litter taken from its corresponding microhabitat, and the other subsample was left unburned and used as a control. Fire intensity, determined by the fuel type, affected more markedly the native seedbank survival than the alien one. The low-intensity fire produced by grassland litter did not significantly affect the emergence of native herbs but increased alien species richness. The high-intensity and the very high-intensity fires produced by litter burning from beneath the canopy of the closed and the open matorral, respectively, negatively affected the seedling emergence of both native and alien species, but did so in a more pronounced manner to native species. Therefore, anthropogenic fires in central Chile may promote the invasion of alien plants with favourable traits (i.e. heat-shock resistance of seeds) that are not present in the native flora.

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