Forest Roads Facilitate the Spread of Invasive Plants

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Mortensen ◽  
Emily S. J. Rauschert ◽  
Andrea N. Nord ◽  
Brian P. Jones

AbstractThe distribution and abundance of invasive species can be strongly influenced by habitat suitability and by corridors that facilitate dispersal. We synthesize results from a large-scale invasive plant survey with a patch-scale expansion experiment. The large-scale survey involved transects up to 250 m away from of all roads in a 32,000 ha forest. The patch experiment involved initiating invasions in different habitat types (roadside, wetland, disturbed, and intact forests), and then fitting statistical models to patch spread rates. The large-scale survey highlighted the importance of roads in predicting the presence of invasive plants, also revealing that one invasive plant, Microstegium vimineum, has spread rapidly since its purported introduction in 1994. The patch-scale experiments focused on Microstegium and demonstrated that spread rates are higher in roadsides than in forested and wetland patches, even in the absence of major disturbances. These results highlight the importance of landscape features when designing prevention and management practices aimed at limiting invasive plant abundance and spread.

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-160
Author(s):  
Arjun C.P ◽  
Anoop V.K ◽  
Tijo K.J ◽  
Anoopkumar T.K ◽  
Roshnath R

Butterfly diversity was recorded from Nov (2013) - May (2014) in Pookode region. A total number of 128 species recorded from the five families; Nymphalidae (46 species) Lycaenidae (28 species), Hesperiidae (22 species), Pieridae (17 species) and Papilionidae (15 species) respectively. During the survey invasive plant species were also recorded. There were 36 species of invasive plants from 18 families identified from the study area. More butterflies were attracted towards nectar offering invasive plants. Chromolaena odorata, Ipomea cairica, Lantana camara, Merremia vitifolia, Mikania micrantha, Mimosa diplotricha, Pennisetumpolystachyon, Pteridium aquilinum, Quisqualis indica and Sphagneticola trilobata were the major invasive plants found in the Pookode region and their flower attracts butterfly for pollination. Even though nectar offered by the plants are supportive for growth, in long run these species can affect butterfly population bydeclining native host larval plant species for butterfly reproduction. Invasive species compete with the native flora and reduce its population. Management practices like physical, chemical and modern bio control measures could be used for eradicating of invasive plants. Wise use of invasive plants for other economical purpose such as bio-fuel, medicinal purpose, bio-pesticide and handicraft could be suggested. Successful management of invasive species are needed for conserving Lepidoptera fauna and other native biota of the area.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 390-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T. Daab ◽  
Courtney G. Flint

AbstractInvasive plant species degrade ecosystems in many ways. Controlling invasive plants is costly for government agencies, businesses, and individuals. North central Colorado is currently experiencing large-scale disturbance, and millions of acres are vulnerable to invasion because of natural and socioeconomic processes. Mountain pine beetles typically endemic to this region have reached epidemic proportions, with up to 80% tree mortality, which opens growing space for invasive plants. In socioeconomic terms, the popularity of this amenity-rich region for tourists and in-migrants has resulted in increased development, often bordering the public land that is common in the American West. Increased recreational access and the construction of new roads and infrastructure disturb ecosystems in an increasingly fragmented landscape. A survey was mailed to more than 4,000 households in a five-county region of north central Colorado to gauge public awareness and attitudes regarding invasive plant species, helping to illuminate whether the public shows a capacity to help land managers detect and respond to invasive plants before they profoundly alter the local ecosystem. Although 88% of respondents had heard or read about invasive plant species, far fewer were familiar with specific, locally targeted species, and fewer still had taken any action to control these species. The overall awareness and concern about invasive plants in the area indicated a capacity for more public participation in management.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Habibur Rahman ◽  
Bishwajit Roy

Invasive plants were planted in Bangladesh to improve the stand stock quickly and meet the country’s rapidly growing demand for timber. Although invasive species have negative impacts on local ecosystems, but some species are useful too. Therefore, the present study was conducted in and around two protected forests of Bangladesh to assess the status, species diversity, and curative uses of invasive plants. A total of 60 sample plots were surveyed from 5 habitat types, for example, forest, roadside, homestead, fallow land, and others. Plants uses data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions. Study recorded 43 invasive medicinal plant species belonging to 28 families, of which Asteraceae constituted the highest family importance value (21.9). Among the habitat types, fallow land (32 species) and roadside (29 species) possess the highest number of species. Based on people’s perceptions, plants were categorized into three level of invasion: low (11 species), moderate (19 species), and high (13 species). The use of aerial plant parts was higher (68%) than the whole plant (17%). Consensus of local community’s (ICF) was high in managing gastrointestinal (0.65) followed by respiratory (0.60) diseases. A number of biological diversity indices were applied to quantify definite diversity. Therefore, a national programme must be initiated to increased invasive plant inventory, monitoring, and research on distinguishing the harmful from the harmless species and identifying the potential uses of invasive species.


2008 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.S. Schooler ◽  
P.B. McEvoy ◽  
P. Hammond ◽  
E.M. Coombs

AbstractInvasive plants have been shown to negatively affect the diversity of plant communities. However, little is known about the effect of invasive plants on the diversity at other trophic levels. In this study, we examine the per capita effects of two invasive plants, purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), on moth diversity in wetland communities at 20 sites in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Prior studies document that increasing abundance of these two plant species decreases the diversity of plant communities. We predicted that this reduction in plant diversity would result in reduced herbivore diversity. Four measurements were used to quantify diversity: species richness (S), community evenness (J), Brillouin's index (H) and Simpson's index (D). We identified 162 plant species and 156 moth species across the 20 wetland sites. The number of moth species was positively correlated with the number of plant species. In addition, invasive plant abundance was negatively correlated with species richness of the moth community (linear relationship), and the effect was similar for both invasive plant species. However, no relationship was found between invasive plant abundance and the three other measures of moth diversity (J, H, D) which included moth abundance in their calculation. We conclude that species richness within, and among, trophic levels is adversely affected by these two invasive wetland plant species.


2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 360-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
LeRoy Rodgers ◽  
Tony Pernas ◽  
Steven D. Hill

AbstractThe management of exotic, invasive plants is among the most challenging undertakings of natural resource managers, particularly in large, remote landscapes. The availability of information on the distribution and abundance of invasive plants is vital for effective strategic planning yet is often unavailable because of high costs and long procurement times. This paper presents results of a large-scale invasive plant mapping effort in the Florida Everglades utilizing digital aerial sketch mapping (DASM) and evaluates its utility for guiding management decisions. The distribution and abundance (cover) of four priority invasive plant species—Australian pine, Brazilian pepper, melaleuca, and Old World climbing fern—were mapped over 728,000 ha in the Everglades during 2010 to 2012. Brazilian peppertree was the most widely distributed and abundant species, occupying 30,379 ha. Melaleuca was also widely distributed and occupied 17,802 ha. Old World climbing fern occupied only 7,033 ha but its distribution was generally concentrated in heavy infestations in the northern Everglades. Australian pine was the least abundant of the mapped species and tended to be limited to the southeastern Everglades region. DASM proved to be a cost-effective means of obtaining region-wide distribution and abundance information for these species at broad scales (> 500 m), but detection rates and positional accuracy declined at finer scales. Both canopy type (forested vs. unforested) and distance from flight transect appear to be important factors for detection accuracy.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret F. Reid ◽  
Lynne Brown ◽  
Denise McNerney ◽  
Dominic J. Perri

Purpose – This large-scale survey, initiated in 2012 and concluded in 2013, marked the first time a broad cross-section of the nonprofit community was asked to describe the strategic planning and strategic management practices they employ and to rate them for their impact on overall organizational success. Design/methodology/approach – Respondents were asked to self-rate their organization for overall success and the likelihood for continued success in the foreseeable future. Results from this data were then used as a filter to analyze practices across all responses by level of success (N = 507). Findings – Fully 93 percent of the most successful organizations, regardless of size or budget, credited their strategic planning and strategic-management efforts as having “some” to “critical” impact on their organization’s overall success. Practical implications – The evidence in this survey is so compelling that we believe the successful practices it identifies should be adopted by nonprofits of all sizes, demanded by boards, and supported by funders. Originality/value – This research indicates that funders should consider not only supporting strategic plan development, but also supporting development of ongoing plan management/implementation practices and requiring plan assessment reports/updates as part of the grantee’s reporting


NeoBiota ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Oswalt ◽  
Songlin Fei ◽  
Qinfeng Guo ◽  
Basil V. Iannone III ◽  
Sonja N. Oswalt ◽  
...  

Over the last few decades, considerable attention has focused on small-scale studies of invasive plants and invaded systems. Unfortunately, small scale studies rarely provide comprehensive insight into the complexities of biological invasions at macroscales. Systematic and repeated monitoring of biological invasions at broad scales are rare. In this report, we highlight a unique invasive plant database from the national Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the United States Forest Service. We demonstrate the importance and capability of this subcontinental-wide database by showcasing several critical macroscale invasion patterns that have emerged from its initial analysis: (1) large portion of the forests systems (39%) in the United States are impacted by invasive plants, (2) forests in the eastern United States harbor more invasive species than the western regions, (3) human land-use legacies at regional to national scales may drive large-scale invasion patterns. This accumulated dataset, which continues to grow in temporal richness with repeated measurements, will allow the understanding of invasion patterns and processes at multi-spatial and temporal scales. Such insights are not possible from smaller-scale studies, illustrating the benefit that can be gained by investing in the development of regional to continental-wide invasion monitoring programs elsewhere.


HortScience ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 1244-1249
Author(s):  
S. Christopher Marble

By definition, an invasive plant is a non-native or alien species whose introduction causes or may cause economical or environmental harm. Due to well-documented and widespread devastating impacts of invasive plants, all exotic or introduced plant species often are erroneously referred to as invasive or considered detrimental, whereas native plants may be promoted as beneficial. Although invasive plants have been the subject of a great deal of research and discussion, less attention has been placed on native plant species that can become economically important weedy pests under certain scenarios, such as in landscape plantings or agricultural production systems. The objective of this manuscript is to synthesize current literature available on native weedy plants in Florida and other Southern United States (including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas) and discuss how their biology paired with human activities, preferences, and available management practices cause these species to proliferate and be problematic. Focus is placed on nine important native weeds in residential and commercial landscape plantings, including spurges (Euphorbia spp.), woodsorrels (Oxalis spp.), saw palmetto [Serenoa repens (Bartram) Small], bracken fern [Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn], artillery weed (Pilea microphylla L.), Virginia creeper [Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch], trumpet creeper [Campsis radicans (L.) Seem. Ex Bureau], eastern poison ivy [Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze], and pennyworts/dollarweed (Hydrocotyle spp.). Reasons these species become problematic, including fast growth and reproductive rates, lack of selective management options, and ability to thrive in the landscape environment, also are discussed.


HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 495d-495
Author(s):  
J. Farias-Larios ◽  
A. Michel-Rosales

In Western Mexico, melon production depends on high-input systems to maximize yield and product quality. Tillage, plasticulture, fumigation with methyl bromide, and fertigation, are the principal management practices in these systems. However, at present several problems has been found: pests as sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), aphids (Myzus and Aphis), leafminer (Liryomiza sativae); diseases as Fusarium, Verticilium, and Pseudoperenospora, and weeds demand high pesticide utilization and labor. There is a growing demand for alternative cultural practices, with an emphasis on reducing off-farm input labor and chemicals. Our research is based on use of organic mulches, such as: rice straw, mature maize leaves, banana leaves, sugarcane bagasse, coconut leaves, and living mulches with annual legume cover crop in melons with crop rotation, such as: Canavalia, Stilozobium, Crotalaria, and Clitoria species. Also, inoculations with mycorrhizal arbuscular fungi for honeydew and cantaloupe melon seedlings production are been assayed in greenhouse conditions for a transplant system. The use of life barriers with sorghum, marigold, and other aromatic native plants in conjunction with a colored yellow systems traps for monitoring pests is being studied as well. While that the pest control is based in commercial formulations of Beauveria bassiana for biological control. The first results of this research show that the Glomus intraradices, G. fasciculatum, G. etunicatum, and G. mosseae reached 38.5%, 33.5%, 27.0%, and 31.0% of root infection levels, respectively. Honeydew melons production with rice and corn straw mulches shows an beneficial effect with 113.30 and 111.20 kg/plot of 10 m2 compared with bare soil with 100.20 kg. The proposed system likely also lowers production cost and is applicable to small- and large-scale melon production.


2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
William C. Lucas

Retaining rainfall where it lands is a fundamental benefit of Low Impact Development (LID). The Delaware Urban Runoff Management Model (DURMM) was developed to address the benefits of LID design. DURMM explicitly addresses the benefits of impervious area disconnection as well as swale flow routing that responds to flow retardance changes. Biofiltration swales are an effective LID BMP for treating urban runoff. By adding check dams, the detention storage provided can also reduce peak rates. This presentation explores how the DURMM runoff reduction approach can be integrated with detention routing procedures to project runoff volume and peak flow reductions provided by BMP facilities. This approach has been applied to a 1,200 unit project on 360 hectares located in Delaware, USA. Over 5 km of biofiltration swales have been designed, many of which have stone check dams placed every 30 to 35 meters to provide detention storage. The engineering involved in the design of such facilities uses hydrologic modeling based upon TR-20 routines, as adapted by the DURMM model. The hydraulic approach includes routing of flows through the check dams. This presentation summarizes the hydrological network, presents the hydrologic responses, along with selected hydrographs to demonstrate the potential of design approach.


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