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

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

The highlands and mountains of Iceland (defined here as areas located above 400 m a.s.l) are one of the largest remaining wilderness areas in Europe. The present study provides the first comprehensive and up-to-date data on non-native plant species from these wilderness areas. Overall, 16 non-native vascular plant specieswere detected, including 11 casuals and 5 naturalised taxa (1 invasive). Results showed that the central highlands are most vulnerable to non-native plant colonisation, while other mountain and highland areas in Iceland seem to be far less impacted by non-native plants. Clear hotspots of alien flora are evident, especially in popular tourist areas in the highlands and mountains 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 that the process is still in its initial phase. This research suggests that human-mediated dispersal is the main driving force increasing the risk of invasion in Icelandic highlands and mountain areas.

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

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Wasowicz
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Hot Spots ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Second Step ◽  
Plant Colonization ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Vascular Plant Species

The highlands and mountains of Iceland, defined here as areas located above 400 m above sea level (m.a.s.l.) are one of the largest remaining wilderness areas in Europe. The present study was aimed to provide the first comprehensive and up-to-date data on non-native plant species from this region. The study was aimed 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 alien species immigration to Iceland and highland areas differ? (3) Do human disturbed and undisturbed areas within Icelandic highlands differ in terms of alien species occurrence? (4) Is spread within the highland areas a second step in alien plant colonization? and (5) Can we point out hot-spots in the distribution of non native taxa within 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 Iceland and to highland areas are similar, but it is clear that the process of colonization of highland areas is still in its initial phase. It was evidenced that non-native plants tend to occur close to man-made infrastructure and buildings including huts, shelters, road network 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 be identified using Getis-Ord Gi* statistic and linked to human disturbance. This research suggests that human-mediated dispersal is the main driving force increasing the risk of invasion in Icelandic highlands and mountain areas.

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

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Wasowicz
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Hot Spots ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Second Step ◽  
Plant Colonization ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Vascular Plant Species

The highlands and mountains of Iceland, defined here as areas located above 400 m above sea level (m.a.s.l.) are one of the largest remaining wilderness areas in Europe. The present study was aimed to provide the first comprehensive and up-to-date data on non-native plant species from this region. The study was aimed 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 alien species immigration to Iceland and highland areas differ? (3) Do human disturbed and undisturbed areas within Icelandic highlands differ in terms of alien species occurrence? (4) Is spread within the highland areas a second step in alien plant colonization? and (5) Can we point out hot-spots in the distribution of non native taxa within 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 Iceland and to highland areas are similar, but it is clear that the process of colonization of highland areas is still in its initial phase. It was evidenced that non-native plants tend to occur close to man-made infrastructure and buildings including huts, shelters, road network 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 be identified using Getis-Ord Gi* statistic and linked to human disturbance. This research suggests that human-mediated dispersal is the main driving force increasing the risk of invasion in Icelandic highlands and mountain areas.

scholarly journals Emerging fungal pathogen of an invasive grass: Implications for competition with native plant species

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0237894
Author(s):  
Amy E. Kendig ◽  
Vida J. Svahnström ◽  
Ashish Adhikari ◽  
Philip F. Harmon ◽  
S. Luke Flory
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Leaf Spot Disease ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Invasive Grass ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Species Specific

Infectious diseases and invasive species can be strong drivers of biological systems that may interact to shift plant community composition. For example, disease can modify resource competition between invasive and native species. Invasive species tend to interact with a diversity of native species, and it is unclear how native species differ in response to disease-mediated competition with invasive species. Here, we quantified the biomass responses of three native North American grass species (Dichanthelium clandestinum, Elymus virginicus, and Eragrostis spectabilis) to disease-mediated competition with the non-native invasive grass Microstegium vimineum. The foliar fungal pathogen Bipolaris gigantea has recently emerged in Microstegium populations, causing a leaf spot disease that reduces Microstegium biomass and seed production. In a greenhouse experiment, we examined the effects of B. gigantea inoculation on two components of competitive ability for each native species: growth in the absence of competition and biomass responses to increasing densities of Microstegium. Bipolaris gigantea inoculation affected each of the three native species in unique ways, by increasing (Dichanthelium), decreasing (Elymus), or not changing (Eragrostis) their growth in the absence of competition relative to mock inoculation. Bipolaris gigantea inoculation did not, however, affect Microstegium biomass or mediate the effect of Microstegium density on native plant biomass. Thus, B. gigantea had species-specific effects on native plant competition with Microstegium through species-specific biomass responses to B. gigantea inoculation, but not through modified responses to Microstegium density. Our results suggest that disease may uniquely modify competitive interactions between invasive and native plants for different native plant species.

Urban conservation gardening in the decade of restoration

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingmar Staude ◽  
Josiane Segar ◽  
Corey Thomas Callaghan ◽  
Emma Ladouceur ◽  
Jasper Meya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Nature Protection ◽  
Urban Conservation ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Native Seed ◽  
Conservation Gardening

Global commitments to species conservation have failed to halt systematic widespread declines in plant species. Current policy interventions, such as protected areas and legal species legislation, remain insufficient, and there is an urgent need to engage novel approaches and actors in conservation. Here, we propose that urban conservation gardening, namely the cultivation of declining native plant species in public and private green spaces, can be one such approach. Conservation gardening can address key (a)biotic drivers of species decline, act as a critical dispersal pathway and increase the occupancy of declining native species. We identify policy mechanisms to upscale conservation gardening to a mainstream activity by reforming the existing horticultural market into an innovative nature protection instrument. This involves incentivizing the integration of the native seed sector, leveraging existing certification and labelling schemes, promoting consumer access, as well as building citizen-science projects to foster public engagement. Mainstreamed conservation gardening can be an economically viable, sustainable, and participatory measure that complements traditional approaches to plant conservation.

Seed dispersal interactions promoting plant invasions.

2020 ◽  
pp. 90-104
Author(s):  
M. Celeste Díaz Vélez ◽  
Ana E. Ferreras ◽  
Valeria Paiaro
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Seedling Establishment ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Invasional Meltdown ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Origin Life

Abstract Animal dispersers are essential for many non-native plants since they facilitate seed movement and might promote seed germination and seedling establishment, thereby increasing their chances of invasion. This chapter reviews the published literature on seed dispersal of non-native plant species by native and/or non-native animals. The following questions are addressed: (i) Are interactions between non-native plants and their animal dispersers evenly studied worldwide? (ii) Which are the distinctive traits (i.e. geographical origin, life form, dispersal strategy and propagule traits) of non-native plants that are dispersed by animals? (iii) Which are the most studied groups of dispersers of non-native plants around the world? (iv) Does the literature provide evidence for the Invasional Meltdown Hypothesis (non-native plant-non-native disperser facilitation)? (v) What is the role of animal dispersers at different stages of the non-native plant regeneration process? Our dataset of 204 articles indicates that geographical distribution of the studies was highly heterogeneous among continents, with the highest number coming from North America and the lowest from Asia and Central America. Most of the non-native plants involved in dispersal studies were woody species from Asia with fleshy fruits dispersed by endozoochory. More than the half of the animal dispersal agents noted were birds, followed by mammals, ants and reptiles. The dominance of bird-dispersal interactions over other animal groups was consistent across geographical regions. Although most of the studies involved only native dispersers, interactions among non-native species were detected, providing support for the existence of invasional meltdown processes. Of the total number of reviewed articles reporting seed removal, 74% evaluated seed dispersal, but only a few studies included seed germination (35.3%), seedling establishment (5.4%) or seed predation (23.5%). Finally, we discuss some research biases and directions for future studies in the area.

Competition between native and non-native plants.

2020 ◽  
pp. 291-307
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. Wandrag ◽  
◽  
Jane A. Catford ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Invasion Biology ◽  
Competitive Interactions ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
New Locations ◽  
Strength Of Competition

The introduction of species to new locations leads to novel competitive interactions between resident native and newly-arriving non-native species. The nature of these competitive interactions can influence the suitability of the environment for the survival, reproduction and spread of non-native plant species, and the impact those species have on native plant communities. Indeed, the large literature on competition among plants reflects its importance in shaping the composition of plant communities, including the invasion success of non-native species. While competition and invasion theory have historically developed in parallel, the increasing recognition of the synergism between the two themes has led to new insights into how non-native plant species invade native plant communities, and the impacts they have on those plant communities. This chapter provides an entry point into the aspects of competition theory that can help explain the success, dominance and impacts of invasive species. It focuses on resource competition, which arises wherever the resources necessary for establishment, survival, reproduction and spread are in limited supply. It highlights key hypotheses developed in invasion biology that relate to ideas of competition, outlines biotic and abiotic factors that influence the strength of competition and species' relative competitive abilities, and describes when and how competition between non-native and native plant species can influence invasion outcomes. Understanding the processes that influence the strength of competition between non-native and native plant species is a necessary step towards understanding the causes and consequences of biological invasions.

The Shack Idea

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Estella B. Leopold
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
New Order ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Perfect Model ◽  
Major Disruption ◽  
The Right ◽  
Splendid Isolation

As each of us siblings—Starker, Luna, Carl, Nina, and i— matured and entered our professional lives in different parts of the country, we carried with us a hankering to have a place in the country, a Shack of our own. It is not merely real estate, of course. Instead, it is a camping place for feeling close to the land, a place to work with the land and to observe the ecosystem and its fauna. To “own,” or as the first peoples saw it, to “belong” on a piece of land is exciting and special—a chance to become acquainted with a few favorite species, then to watch them grow. But of course it is way more than that. As Dad said, he chose his land for its backwardness, but it flourished in splendid isolation under our care. Shack land, as we conceived of it, had the potential of being inhabited by a vast number of native bird species, plus a diverse fauna of mammals, which got richer with time. We were excited that the Shack landscape itself had such physical variety; it had hills and dales, a grand river, a series of tributaries animated by spring and fall floods, a standing bottomland forest coursed by those floods and occupied by lively muskrats, with ducks flying in and out of the sloughs, as well as kingfishers and jays. Even though it was “degraded” agricultural land, Dad and Mother saw it as a land of opportunities for the family. While it had a “reduced level of complexity,” the soil was still there, and we could help improve it, which actually means that the right plants could make it better. Prairie is the perfect model for this kind of restoration and recovery. Dad described the upward flow of energy from soils through the plant community as a kind of circuit. After major disruption and loss of native species, the energy circuit is slowed and altered. He asked, “Can the land adjust itself to the new order?” He was sure it could if we reintroduced the native plant species on that cornfield, on that terrace, on that hill, in order for a genuine prairie, with its very efficient energy-flow, to become reestablished.

scholarly journals Hiking trails as conduits for the spread of non-native species in mountain areas

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1121-1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Liedtke ◽  
Agustina Barros ◽  
Franz Essl ◽  
Jonas J. Lembrechts ◽  
Ronja E. M. Wedegärtner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Control Plant ◽  
Plant Invasions ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Central Chile ◽  
Hiking Trails ◽  
Local Plant ◽  
Southern Central ◽  
Recreational Use

AbstractRoadsides are major pathways of plant invasions in mountain regions. However, the increasing importance of tourism may also turn hiking trails into conduits of non-native plant spread to remote mountain landscapes. Here, we evaluated the importance of such trails for plant invasion in five protected mountain areas of southern central Chile. We therefore sampled native and non-native species along 17 trails and in the adjacent undisturbed vegetation. We analyzed whether the number and cover of non-native species in local plant assemblages is related to distance to trail and a number of additional variables that characterize the abiotic and biotic environment as well as the usage of the trail. We found that non-native species at higher elevations are a subset of the lowland source pool and that their number and cover decreases with increasing elevation and with distance to trails, although this latter variable only explained 4–8% of the variation in the data. In addition, non-native richness and cover were positively correlated with signs of livestock presence but negatively with the presence of intact forest vegetation. These results suggest that, at least in the region studied, hiking trails have indeed fostered non-native species spread to higher elevations, although less efficiently than roadsides. As a corollary, appropriate planning and management of trails could become increasingly important to control plant invasions into mountains in a world which is warming and where visitation and recreational use of mountainous areas is expected to increase.

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