scholarly journals Non-native plant drives the spatial dynamics of its herbivores: the case of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) in Europe

NeoBiota ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 155-175
Author(s):  
Richard Mally ◽  
Samuel F. Ward ◽  
Jiří Trombik ◽  
Jaroslaw Buszko ◽  
Vladimír Medzihorský ◽  
...  

Non-native plants typically benefit from enemy release following their naturalization in non-native habitats. However, over time, herbivorous insects specializing on such plants may invade from the native range and thereby diminish the benefits of enemy release that these plants may experience. In this study, we compare rates of invasion spread across Europe of three North American insect folivores: the Lepidoptera leaf miners Macrosaccus robiniella and Parectopa robiniella, and the gall midge Obolodiplosis robiniae, that specialize on Robinia pseudoacacia. This tree species is one of the most widespread non-native trees in Europe. We find that spread rates vary among the three species and that some of this variation can be explained by differences in their life history traits. We also report that geographical variation in spread rates are influenced by distribution of Robinia pseudoacacia, human population and temperature, though Robinia pseudoacacia occurrence had the greatest influence. The importance of host tree occurrence on invasion speed can be explained by the general importance of hosts on the population growth and spread of invading species.

2022 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolanta Bąk-Badowska ◽  
Ilona Żeber-Dzikowska ◽  
Barbara Wodecka ◽  
Mariusz Gietka ◽  
Jarosław Chmielewski

Abstract The prepared article by the team of authors aims to show research in the field of strengthening and developing knowledge and awareness from environmental education in the community of nature conservation services and the academic community. This paper is the result of research conducted in 2014–2015, in the Włoszczowa-Jędrzejów Protected Landscape Area, in the Świętokrzyskie Province. The material for the study was acacia robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) leaves collected on two research areas, differentiated due to the influence of anthropogenic factors. As a result of the study, 5,000 black locust leaves were collected, 65% of which were found to be damaged. Research stands under the influence of strong anthropopressure were characterised by a higher number of lesions on leaves.


Biologia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Tóth ◽  
Martina Váňová ◽  
Jozef Lukáš

AbstractThe gall midge Obolodiplosis robiniae is a pest of black locust Robinia pseudoacacia. The species was recently introduced into Europe and it is nowadays a usual insect in Slovakia, where two-year field surveys were undertaken during 2007–2008. The main objective of this study was to determine the natural enemies attacking O. robiniae and estimate their influence on midge population, less than 3 years after its introduction. Eight parasitoids and bushcricket Tettigonia viridissima were responsible for midge regulation. The parasitoid complex was not typically that of an introduced species as it was predicted. Firstly, the midge was heavily influenced by a specialized parasitoid Platygaster robiniae, which was a predominant parasitoid and accounted for 98% of all specimens reared. Secondly, annual larval parasitism varied from 5.4 to 10.8%, though the late season average parasitism achieved 26.0% and often exceeded 40%. P. robiniae was also very efficient in exploiting galls and was capable of consistently regulating midge population. The surveys demonstrated that the average cumulative impact of natural enemies on the midge was substantial. Stably around 20% of attacked galls were recorded during the late summer. Bushcrickets were as efficient as parasitoids and played an important role at control, especially during lack of parasitoids. Greater impact of parasitoids was found in the larger settlements than it was in the countryside, when countertendency was valid for bushcrickets. There is an indication that O. robiniae parasitized by specialized parasitoid, and attacked by bushcrickets represents only a moderate risk for R. pseudoacacia or forest stands.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel L. Scott ◽  
Chelcy F. Miniat ◽  
Jessie Motes ◽  
Sarah L. Ottinger ◽  
Nina Wurzburger ◽  
...  

BioResources ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao Chen ◽  
Jianmin Gao ◽  
Yongming Fan ◽  
Mandla A. Tshabalala ◽  
Nicole M. Stark

2018 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-117
Author(s):  
Szymon Bijak ◽  
Katarzyna Orzoł

Abstract This paper investigates the slenderness of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) trees in relation to the biosocial status of the trees, stand age class, crown parameters and habitat type. The research material was collected on 35 research plots in the Sława Śląska, Sulechów and Głogów forest districts in western Poland and comprises 1058 trees. For each tree, we measured height (h) as well as diameter at breast height (d) and determined its biosocial status (Kraft class), crown length (CL) and relative crown length (rCL). The age class and habitat type were assessed at the plot level. Because the obtained values for slenderness (s=h/d) diverged significantly from the normal distribution, we used Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests to investigate the influence of the above-mentioned parameters on the h/d ratio. Black locust slenderness ranged from 0.31 to 1.95 with an average of 0.91 (standard deviation 0.24). It furthermore differed significantly between Kraft classes (the higher the biosocial status, the lower the slenderness) and age classes (the older the trees, the lower their slenderness). We also found a significant effect of the habitat type (in oligotrophic sites trees formed more slender trunks than in mesotrophic sites) and crown parameters on the h/d ratio (decreasing with increasing crown length and relative crown length). The obtained results suggest that the slenderness of black locust does not differ substantially from native broadleaved trees in Poland.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zs. Keserű ◽  
K. Rédei ◽  
J. Rásó ◽  
T. Kiss

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is a valuable stand-forming tree species introduced to Europe approximately 400 years ago from North America. Today it is widely planted throughout the world, first of all for wood production. In Hungary, where black locust has great importance in the forest management, it is mainly propagated by seeds. But since the seed-raised plants present a great genetic variation, this type of propagation can not be used for Robinia’s improved cultivars. In the Hungarian black locust clonal forestry, propagation from root cuttings can be used for reproduction of superior individuals or cultivars in large quantities. However, this method demands more care than raising seedlings from seeds and can be applied with success in well-equipped nurseries.


2014 ◽  
pp. 9-31
Author(s):  
Sinisa Andrasev ◽  
Savo Roncevic ◽  
Petar Ivanisevic ◽  
Sasa Pekec ◽  
Martin Bobinac

This paper presents the elements of growth of black locust trees and stands in 15 sample plots in Vojvodina, at the age of 21-68 years. In each sample plot, based on soil profile horizons the determined soil type was chernozem as well as its lower systematic units (subtype, variety and form), according to the Skoric et al. (1985) classification. On the basis of the mean stand heights (hL), the stands on the subtype of chernozem on loess and loesslike sediments belong to height classes I-IV, and stands on calcareous aeolian sand to classes II-V (according to R e d e i et al. 2014), which indicates their considerable variability with respect to productivity within the determined subtypes of chernozem. Significant differences at the level of chernozem subtypes were found between the mean heights (p = 0.032), but not between the mean diameters (p = 0.083). The mean diameters at breast height in the studied black locust stands were on average lower than the models of diameter growth for the appropriate height classes and determined by a larger number of trees per hectare than in the tables (R e d e i et al, 2014). The volume per hectare is higher than in the tables also being conditioned by the large number of trees per hectare.


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