Effects of the invasive common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) on nematode communities in natural grasslands

Nematology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Jurová ◽  
Marek Renčo ◽  
Erika Gömöryová ◽  
Andrea Čerevková
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Asclepias Syriaca ◽  
Nematode Communities ◽  
Natural Grasslands ◽  
Wide Range

Summary Thousands of plant species have been introduced, both deliberately and accidentally, to native ecosystems across the globe. The common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, is an invasive fast-growing plant species that has invaded natural and managed areas in Europe in recent years. However, only a few studies have investigated its impacts on above-ground and below-ground native biota. Soil nematodes are considered to be the most abundant metazoans, comprising different trophic groups. We examined soil nematode populations on several independent sites invaded and non-invaded by A. syriaca in southern Slovak Republic. We hypothesised that alteration of above-ground nutrient sources caused by invasion would alter nematode abundance, species diversity and trophic structure. Our study revealed that the nematode communities were not negatively affected by A. syriaca invasion over a period of two vegetation seasons. The most surprising results were that common milkweed did not decrease the abundance of plant parasites, bacterivores or fungivores and did not affect species diversity. Moreover, basic physicochemical soil parameters were similar in both invaded and non-invaded sites, although there is evidence that invasive milkweed considerably decreases native plant species cover. It is thus reasonable to conclude that A. syriaca does not pose a threat to soil nematode communities but has a negative impact on native plants. As there is an absence of nematological studies from A. syriaca-invaded ecosystems and considering it has invaded a wide range of habitats, it is impossible to generalise our findings and further studies are required.

scholarly journals Native Plant Capacity for Gentle Remediation in Heavily Polluted Mines

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1769
Author(s):  
María Noelia Jiménez ◽  
Gianluigi Bacchetta ◽  
Francisco Bruno Navarro ◽  
Mauro Casti ◽  
Emilia Fernández-Ondoño
Keyword(s):  
Trace Elements ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Contaminated Soils ◽  
Aerial Part ◽  
Bioaccumulation Factor ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Dittrichia Viscosa ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cistus Salviifolius ◽  
Plant Capacity

The use of plant species to stabilize and accumulate trace elements in contaminated soils is considered of great usefulness given the difficulty of decontaminating large areas subjected to mining for long periods. In this work, the bioaccumulation of trace elements is studied by relating the concentrations in leaves and roots of three plants of Mediterranean distribution (Dittrichia viscosa, Cistus salviifolius, Euphorbia pithyusa subsp. cupanii) with the concentrations of trace elements in contaminated and uncontaminated soils. Furthermore, in the case of D. viscosa, to know the concentration of each element by biomass, the pool of trace elements was determined both in the aerial part and in the roots. The bioaccumulation factor was not high enough in any of the species studied to be considered as phytoextractors. However, species like the ones studied in this work that live on soils with a wide range of concentration of trace elements and that develop a considerable biomass could be considered for stabilization of contaminated soils. The plant species studied in this work are good candidates for gentle-remediation options in the polluted Mediterranean.

Imperata cylindrica (cogon grass).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Parker
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Imperata Cylindrica ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Natural Areas ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Allelopathic Effects

Abstract I. cylindrica is a serious weed not only in crops but also in natural areas, causing serious economic and environmental damage. The ability of I. cylindrica to effectively compete for water and nutrients, spread and persist through the production of seeds and rhizomes that can survive a wide range of environmental conditions, and its allelopathic effects and pyrogenic nature, allow it to exclude native plant species and other desirable plants and dominate large areas of land.

scholarly journals Partitioning the plant diversity of semi-natural grasslands across Japan

Oryx ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asuka Koyama ◽  
Tomoyo F. Koyanagi ◽  
Munemitsu Akasaka ◽  
Yoshinobu Kusumoto ◽  
Syuntaro Hiradate ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Hierarchical Design ◽  
Grassland Species ◽  
Natural Grasslands ◽  
Unique Species ◽  
Natural Grassland ◽  
Effective Conservation

AbstractEffective conservation of global species diversity requires a clear understanding of spatial scales that support overall diversity across broad scales. Abandonment of semi-natural grasslands has increased their fragmentation and decreased their areal extent. We quantified diversity patterns of plant communities in Japan across hierarchical scales to facilitate the development of an effective nationwide strategy for conserving species diversity in remnant semi-natural grasslands. We applied additive partitioning of plant species diversity, using a nested hierarchical design at three spatial scales (quadrat, grassland, and western and eastern regions of Japan) for three groups of plant species (all species, grassland species and national Red Listed species). We consistently found lower proportions of among-quadrats diversity, and higher proportions of among-grasslands diversity and between-regions diversity in the overall diversity of the entire species complement than would be expected by chance. The high contribution of among-grasslands diversity to overall diversity suggests that each grassland had a unique species content. The second-ranking contributor to overall diversity differed between grassland species and Red Listed species: the second-ranking contributor for grassland species was diversity at the among-quadrats scale but the second-ranking contributor for all species and for Red Listed species was diversity at the between-regions scale. Thus, effective conservation of diversity of the entire species complement in remnant semi-natural grasslands requires preservation of beta diversity in individual grasslands. Our findings highlight the importance of strengthening local preservation and restoration activities within each grassland, and of nationwide strategies for conserving Red Listed species in remnant semi-natural grassland communities.

scholarly journals Decoupled recovery of ecological communities after reclamation

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary A. Sylvain ◽  
David H. Branson ◽  
Tatyana A. Rand ◽  
Natalie M. West ◽  
Erin K. Espeland
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Reference Conditions ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Ecological Communities ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Ecosystem Recovery ◽  
Nematode Communities

Grassland restoration is largely focused on creating plant communities that match reference conditions. However, these communities reflect only a subset of the biodiversity of grassland systems. We conducted a multi-trophic study to assess ecosystem recovery following energy development for oil and gas extraction in northern US Great Plains rangelands. We compared soil factors, plant species composition and cover, and nematode trophic structuring between reclaimed oil and gas well sites (“reclaims”) that comprise a chronosequence of two—33 years since reclamation and adjacent, undeveloped rangeland at distances of 50 m and 150 m from reclaim edges. Soils and plant communities in reclaims did not match those on undeveloped rangeland even after 33 years. Reclaimed soils had higher salt concentrations and pH than undeveloped soils. Reclaims had lower overall plant cover, a greater proportion of exotic and ruderal plant cover and lower native plant species richness than undeveloped rangeland. However, nematode communities appear to have recovered following reclamation. Although total and omni-carnivorous nematode abundances differed between reclaimed well sites and undeveloped rangeland, community composition and structure did not. These findings suggest that current reclamation practices recover the functional composition of nematode communities, but not soil conditions or plant communities. Our results show that plant communities have failed to recover through reclamation: high soil salinity may create a persistent impediment to native plant growth and ecosystem recovery.

scholarly journals Pre-Sowing Treatments Improve Germinability of South Texas Native Plant Seeds

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2545
Author(s):  
Kaitlynn Lavallee ◽  
Pushpa Gautam Soti ◽  
Hansapani Rodrigo ◽  
Rupesh Kariyat ◽  
Alexis Racelis
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
South Texas ◽  
Cold Stratification ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Plant Seeds ◽  
Wide Range

The incorporation of native plant species is central to restoration efforts, but this is often limited by both the availability of seeds and the relatively low viability and germination rates of commercially available seeds. Although pre-sowing treatments are commonly used to improve germination rates of seeds, the efficacy of these treatments is found to vary across species. In this study, we tested how four pre-sow treatments (physical scarification, acid scarification, cold stratification, and aerated hydropriming) affected the viability and seed germination rates of 12 commercially available plant species native to south Texas and commonly used in restoration efforts. Our results show that the viability of the seeds have a wide range, from 78% to 1.25%. Similarly, the total germination rate ranged from 62% to 0%. We found that pre-sowing treatments accelerated the germination rate in 9 of 12 plant species tested, but the effect varied by treatment. Collectively, our results identify various methods to achieve the best germination rates for native plants of south Texas, to help improve restoration efforts across the region.

scholarly journals Rhizosphere Microbial Population and Plant Species Diversity as Influenced by Chromolaena odorata Invasion

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Solomon A. Adejoro ◽  
Lekan C. Aguda
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Microbial Population ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Plant Species Diversity ◽  
Soil Microbiome ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Chromolaena Odorata ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Soil Microbial Population

Invasive plant species have been commonly implicated to cause loss in plant species diversity. Attention had however not been paid to the effects of these species loss on the soil microbiome. A study was conducted in 18 farmers’ fields within three states in southwestern Nigeria to examine the effect of Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) invasion on native plant diversity as well as on the rhizosphere microbial population using randomized complete block design. Results indicated significant losses in plant species diversity and reduction in density per square meter compared with adjacent non infested fields. Results further showed C. odorata invasion exerted diverse influence on soil microbial population. Relationships were subsequently established among plant density, species diversity; and soil microbial population. Further studies were also recommended to accommodate more microbiological indices.

Savanna woody plants and their provision of food resources to bees in southern Burkina Faso, West Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coulibaly Drissa ◽  
Yalamoussa Tuo ◽  
Mouhamadou Koné ◽  
Larba Hubert Balima ◽  
Souleymane Konaté ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Food Resources ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Woody Plant Species ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Pollen Species

West African savanna ecosystems and biodiversity are severely threatened by intensified land use and increasing degradation of natural habitats. Despite the importance of bees for pollinating crops and native plant species little information is available regarding the importance of savanna woody plant species to provide bees with food resources. Flora inventories were carried out on 48 subplots laid out across three land use types. The number of bee morphospecies and their abundance as flower visitors were recorded from inflorescences of plants during the different flowering periods. Out of a total diversity of 82 woody plant species, 53 species (64.63%) from 38 genera and 21 families were melliferous. These plants were visited by bees for foraging nectar and/or pollen. Species of the Combretaceae family were the most visited by bees in terms of individuals (53.85%). Combretum glutinosum alone accounted for 36% of visits. More than half of the melliferous plants (50.94%) were visited for both nectar and pollen. About 32.08% of plants were visited for nectar only (32.08%), while 16.98% were visited for pollen only (16.98%). The majority of savanna plants are flowering in the dry season, but few flowering species can be found throughout the whole year. Savanna woody plant species constitute important food resources for bees, therefore providing a wide range of applications for the development of beekeeping activities in the Sudanian region of West Africa.

scholarly journals Changes in Plant Species Richness Induce Functional Shifts in Soil Nematode Communities in Experimental Grassland

PLoS ONE ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. e24087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nico Eisenhauer ◽  
Varvara D. Migunova ◽  
Michael Ackermann ◽  
Liliane Ruess ◽  
Stefan Scheu
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Nematode Communities ◽  
Soil Nematode Communities

scholarly journals Soil nematode community changes associated with windfall and wildfire in forest soil at the High Tatras National Park, Slovak Republic

2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Čerevková ◽  
M. Renčo
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
Trophic Group ◽  
Forest Stand ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Nematode Communities ◽  
Soil Nematode Community ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Community Changes ◽  
The High Tatras

AbstractThe paper presents research findings on the influence of windfall and wildfire on nematode communities in Lariceto-Piceetum forest in the High Tatras in Slovakia. Comparison was made of an intact (REF), affected and extracted (EXT), non-extracted (NEX) and burnt (FIR) forest stand. A total of 55 species belonging to 36 genera were found. The EXT locality harboured the majority of the identified species, but the highest abundance of nematodes was observed in the FIR locality. Bacterial feeders were the dominant trophic group in all investigated plots. In the REF bacterial feeders were followed by root-fungal feeders, fungal feeders and omnivores, in the EXT by omnivores and plant parasites, in the FIR by omnivores and root-fungal feeders and in the NEX by fungal feeders and omnivores. The MI and SI were higher in the REF and the EXT compared to those in the FIR and the NEX, the highest B/F ratio was observed in the FIR and the highest EI was found in the REF. We can conclude that disturbance of forest vegetation and soil has had a clear and demonstrable impact on nematode communities.

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