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.

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 flora of Oman: invasion status, taxonomic composition, habitats, origin, and pathways of introduction

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Patzelt ◽  
Petr Pyšek ◽  
Jan Pergl ◽  
Mark van Kleunen
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Alien Plant Species ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Status Assessment

AbstractWe present the first inventory and status assessment of the alien flora of Oman, mainly based on field data collected from 1998 to 2021. The study provides (i) a comprehensive account of alien vascular plant species occurring in the wild in Oman, with information on their taxonomic composition. For each species information is given on (ii) invasion status (casual, naturalized or invasive), biogeography, habitat and life-form characteristics, and pathways of introduction. Further, we (iii) explain the differences in the alien species composition in different parts of the country, and (iv) analyse the drivers of plant invasions in Oman. Out of the 111 alien species reported (7.7% of the total Oman vascular flora), 34 species are casuals and 77 naturalized; of the latter seven are considered invasive. The moderate number of alien plant species is likely a result of the country’s arid climate, with extremely high summer temperatures and low annual precipitation in most of its area, and the relatively long isolation of the country. The families richest in alien plant species are Fabaceae (17 species), Asteraceae (14 species) and Poaceae (12 species). More alien plants were found in northern Oman (82 species) than in southern Oman (60 species), and very few species are recorded from the central desert (7 species). The main habitats colonized were man-made habitats, either ruderal or agricultural. Most species alien to Oman are native to South America (49 species) or North America (43 species). This inventory provides a knowledge base for developing a national management strategy for alien vascular plants in Oman.

scholarly journals The alien flora of Sudan and South Sudan: taxonomic and biogeographical composition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Omer ◽  
Maha Kordofani ◽  
Haytham H. Gibreel ◽  
Petr Pyšek ◽  
Mark van Kleunen
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
Result Show ◽  
Perennial Herbs ◽  
Disturbed Habitats

AbstractStudies on plant invasions depend on local and regional checklists of the alien flora. However, global overview studies have shown that some regions, including many African countries, remain understudied in this regard. To contribute to filling this gap, here we present the first checklist of alien plants of Sudan and South Sudan (the Sudans). We analysed the taxonomic and geographical composition of the species on this list. Our result show that of the 113 alien species in Sudans (99 in Sudan and 59 in South Sudan), 92 (81.4%) are naturalized and 21 (18.6%) are just casual aliens. The number of naturalized species represent 2.2% of the total flora of the Sudans (4096). The alien species belong to 44 families and 85 genera, and many of them are native to Southern America and Northern America (85.8%). Annual and perennial herbs are the prevailing life forms in the alien flora of the Sudans (68.1%), and, among the casual species, perennial herbs are underrepresented whereas woody tree species are over-represented. Alien plants of the Sudans are mostly used for medicinal and environmental purposes globally. The naturalized plants predominantly occur in man-made disturbed habitats, such as agricultural and ruderal habitats. This first overview of the alien flora of the Sudans should stimulate further research and recording of the alien flora to better understand the drivers and consequences of alien plants in the Sudans.

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 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.

scholarly journals Patterns in the alien flora of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a comparison of Asteraceae and Fabaceae

2020 ◽  
Vol 153 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-389
Author(s):  
Farzaneh Bordbar ◽  
Pierre Meerts
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Life Form ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Geographic Origin ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Trait Divergence ◽  
Native Flora ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
Republic Of The Congo

Background and aims – This work provides the first pattern analysis of the alien flora of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R. Congo), using Asteraceae and Fabaceae as a case study. Methods – Based on herbarium collections, existing databases, and literature data, a database of 38 alien species of Asteraceae and 79 alien species of Fabaceae has been assembled. Patterns in the introduction pathway, phylogeny, life form, morpho-functional traits, geographic origin, and occurrence in D.R. Congo are explored. Key results – America is the main source continent in both families, but Asia is also an important donor of Fabaceae. Taxonomic spectrum discrepancies between the alien and the native flora reflect the continent of origin. Sixty-six percent of alien Asteraceae have been accidentally introduced, most of which being annual weeds of disturbed soil. In contrast, 90% of alien Fabaceae have been deliberately introduced for forestry, agriculture, or environmental purposes, most of which being phanerophytes. Traits were compared between pairs of congeneric alien and native species. For Asteraceae, a sharp discrepancy was found in the life form spectrum (aliens: mostly therophytes; natives: phanerophytes). For Fabaceae, alien species had larger leaves and larger pods compared to their native congeners. The number of specimens in collections was positively correlated with the time since the date of first collection for both families. The Guineo-Congolian region has the highest number of alien Fabaceae, while alien Asteraceae are overrepresented in the Zambezian region.Conclusions – Contrasting patterns between alien Asteraceae and Fabaceae in the flora of D.R. Congo in terms of life forms, trait divergence compared to the native flora, and occurrence, reflect the divergent biological attributes and relations to humans of the two families. The striking discrepancies between the two families call for analyses of patterns of alien flora at family level and warn against global generalisations.

Alien species Impatiens parviflora invasion into forest communities of Lithuania

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasa Dobravolskaitė
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Alien Plant Species ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Impatiens Parviflora ◽  
Number Of Individuals

Abstract Dobravolskaitė R., 2012: Alien species Impatiens parviflora invasion into forest communities of Lithuania [Svetimžemės rūšies Impatiens parviflora invazija į Lietuvos miškų bendrijas]. - Bot. Lith., 18(1): 3-12. Alien plants threaten native communities by altering their species composition and reducing native biodiversity. Forests are considered to be relatively stable ecosystems and resistant to plant invasions. Impatiens parviflora DC. is one of the most intensively spreading alien plant species in the forests of Lithuania. Phenotypic variations among I. parviflora populations in three different habitat types (with different species of dominant tree and the coverage of the first tree layer) in the environs of Vilnius (South East Lithuania) were analysed. The results of the investigation enabled to evaluate alien plant species I. parviflora invasion into different forest communities and estimate relationships between plants of forest communities and I. parviflora. The study has shown that this invasive species is spreading not only in disturbed areas, but also in places where other species do not grow due to the lack of the light. However, the number of individuals is increasing in proportion while the coverage of trees and shrubs is decreasing. The rise of the level of illumination increases not only the number of individuals in the populations, but also the above-ground biomass of I. parviflora: plants are larger, produce more side shoots. The correlation between the coverage of I. parviflora and native species statistically is significantly negative (r = -0.78) in the disturbed places.

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

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Wasowicz
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Hot Spots ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Plant Colonization ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Vascular Plant Species

The highlands and mountains of Iceland are one of the largest remaining wilderness areas in Europe. This study aimed to provide comprehensive and up-to-date data on non-native plant species in these areas and to answer the following questions: (1) How many non-native vascular plant species inhabit highland and mountainous environments in Iceland? (2) Do temporal trends in the immigration of alien species to Iceland differ between highland and lowland areas? (3) Does the incidence of alien species in the disturbed and undisturbed areas within Icelandic highlands differ? (4) Does the spread of non-native species in Iceland proceed from lowlands to highlands? and (5) Can we detect hot-spots in the distribution of non-native taxa within the highlands? Overall, 16 non-native vascular plant species were detected, including 11 casuals and 5 naturalized taxa (1 invasive). Results showed that temporal trends in alien species immigration to highland and lowland areas are similar, but it is clear that the process of colonization of highland areas is still in its initial phase. Non-native plants tended to occur close to man-made infrastructure and buildings including huts, shelters, roads etc. Analysis of spatio-temporal patterns showed that the spread within highland areas is a second step in non-native plant colonization in Iceland. Several statically significant hot spots of alien plant occurrences were identified using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic and these were linked to human disturbance. This research suggests that human-mediated dispersal is the main driving force increasing the risk of invasion in Iceland’s highlands and mountain areas.

scholarly journals The casual, naturalised and invasive alien flora of Zimbabwe based on herbarium and literature records

Koedoe ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred Maroyi
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Alien Plants ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Invasive Alien Plant ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
South Central ◽  
Alien Flora ◽  
Starting Point

Zimbabwe’s casual, naturalised and invasive alien plant species were analysed with regard to their habit, origin, mode or purpose of introduction and their invasion status in the country. This alien flora of 391 taxa belonged to 239 genera and 73 families, corresponding to 6.6% of the total flora of Zimbabwe. Of these, 153 (39.1%) plant species were casual aliens, 154 (39.4%) were naturalised and 84 (21.5%) were invasive species. Most invasions in terms of numbers of alien species were in the central and eastern parts of the country. Asteraceae (53 species), Poaceae (48 species) and Fabaceae sensu lato (49 species) families were prominent in all the floristic regions of the country. Annual and perennial herbaceous species formed the majority of life forms of the casual, naturalised and invasive alien flora of Zimbabwe. Genera with the highest number of alien species were Ipomoea with nine species, Acacia and Euphorbia with eight species each, Chenopodium and Senna with seven species each, Eucalyptus with six species, Oenothera, Physalis and Solanum with five species each. More than 49.6% of the alien plants in Zimbabwe originated primarily from South, Central and North America, followed by Europe (24.6%), Asia (23.8%), Africa (10.5%) and Australasia (5.9%).Conservation implications: This research provides baseline information and historical invasion patterns of casual, naturalised and invasive alien flora in Zimbabwe. This inventory is a crucial starting point in trying to understand and initiate the management of biological invasions. This is also important for monitoring new introductions and management of existing alien plants in Zimbabwe.

scholarly journals Changes in the invasion level, and impact of alien plants in Finnish semi-natural agricultural habitats

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-117
Author(s):  
Miia Jauni ◽  
Juha Helenius ◽  
Terho Hyvönen
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
The Impact

Using dataset of 508 transects of 50 m2, we assessed changes in the invasion level of alien plant species in semi-natural agricultural habitats in three study years (2001, 2005 and 2010) in four geographical regions of Finland. In addition, the impact of environmental factors on the occurrence of the most common neophytes (alien species introduced after the 17th century) and the impact of neophytes on native species diversity were studied. In total, 37 neophyte species were detected, but neophytes regarded as highly invasive were rare and occasional. We detected spatio-temporal variation in the invasion level, but it changed according to the measure used. For instance, alien species diversity was lower in south-western Finland than in other years in 2005, and the relative alien species richness was highest in southern and lowest in eastern Finland. Preferences for environmental conditions (disturbance, habitat type and geographical location) and the impact on plant diversity varied among the most common neophytes. The most common neophytes were positively rather than negatively associated with native and alien species diversity. The results suggest that alien species management and control methods should be species-specific and considered case-by-case. Neophytes do not yet cause severe problems, but regular monitoring is needed to detect changes in their invasion levels.

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