Sewage Pollution Promotes the Invasion-Related Traits of Impatiens glandulifera in an Oligotrophic Habitat of the Sharr Mountain (Western Balkans)

An annual plant, Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera Royle) is globally widespread and one of Europe’s top invaders. We focused on two questions: does this species indeed not invade the southern areas and does the environment affect some of its key invisibility traits. In an isolated model mountainous valley, we jointly analyzed the soil (21 parameters), the life history traits of the invader (height, stem diameter, aboveground dw), and the resident vegetation (species composition and abundances, Ellenberg indicator values), and supplemented it with local knowledge (semi-structured interviews). Uncontrolled discharge of fecal wastewaters directly into the local dense hydrological network fostered mass infestation of an atypical habitat. The phenotypic plasticity of the measured invasion-related traits was very high in the surveyed early invasion (30–50% invader cover) stages. Different microhabitat conditions consistently correlated with its growth performance. The largest individuals were restricted to the deforested riparian habitats, with extreme soil nutrient enrichment (primarily by P and K) and low-competitive, species-poor resident vegetation. We showed that ecological context can modify invasion-related traits and what could affect a further invasion process. Finally, this species is likely underreported in the wider region; public attitude and loss of traditional ecological knowledge are further management risks.

Adventitious coastal-aquatic and aquatic plants - indicators of global climate warming

The paper describes the habitats of Vallisneria spiralis L., Impatiens glandulifera Royle, Pistia stratiotes L. discovered in recent years within the Samara Region. A brief review of the papers devoted to the migration activity of these plant species on the territory of the Russian Federation and the Volga basin is given. Impatiens glandulifera Royle is an annual hygrophyte. In the flora of the Samara Region it was first noted among local coastal plants in 2004 on one of the ponds of Samara on Mirnaya Street. The plant entered the reservoir from the adjacent garden plots of the private sector. Pistia stratiotes L. is an aquatic plant. In the flora of the Samara Region, a pistia was first found on September 17, 2006 in a city pond (near School № 154 of Samara) among thickets of Elodea canadensis Michx. and Typha latifolia L. growing at a depth of up to 50 cm. Vallisneria spiralis L. was first discovered within the Samara Region in September 2020. Long-term monitoring of the distribution of coastal-aquatic and aquatic macrophytes-migrants in the Middle Volga basin will allow us to more confidently attribute them to possible indicators of global and local climate warming and one of the examples when aquatic plant species move from south to north within the Volga basin.

Growing and Flowering in a Changing Climate: Effects of Higher Temperatures and Drought Stress on the Bee-Pollinated Species Impatiens glandulifera Royle

Drought and higher temperatures caused by climate change are common stress conditions affecting plant growth and development. The reproductive phase is particularly sensitive to stress, but plants also need to allocate their limited resources to produce floral traits and resources to attract pollinators. We investigated the physiological and floral consequences of abiotic stress during the flowering period of Impatiens glandulifera, a bee-pollinated species. Plants were exposed to three temperatures (21, 24, 27 °C) and two watering regimes (well-watered, water stress) for 3 weeks. Not all parameters measured responded in the same manner to drought and/or heat stress. Drought stress induced leaf senescence, decreasing leaf number by 15–30% depending on growth temperature. Drought also reduced photosynthetic output, while temperature rise affected stomatal conductance. The number of flowers produced dropped 40–90% in response to drought stress, while higher temperatures shortened flower life span. Both stresses affected floral traits, but flower resources diminished in response to higher temperatures, with lower nectar volume and pollen protein content. We conclude that increased temperatures and drought stress, which are becoming more frequent with climate change, can negatively affect flowering, even if plants deploy physiological resistance strategies.

Printing with Natural Dye Extracted from Impatiens glandulifera Royle

Invasive alien plants that damagingly overgrow native ecosystems can be beneficially used to produce natural dyes. Natural dyes are healthier and more environmentally friendly than synthetic dyes, so their use on textiles and other products that come into contact with humans is desirable. In this study, the possibility of using a natural dye extracted from the purple petals of the invasive plant Impatiens glandulifera Royle (Himalayan balsam) for screen printing on various substrates; woven fabrics and different papers made from virgin fibers, recycled fibers, and from fibers of Japanese knotweed, was investigated. The prints were evaluated by color measurements and fastness properties. With the violet dye extract, purple-brown prints were obtained on papers made from Japanese knotweed, and more brown prints on other substrates. They had excellent rub fastness but faded significantly when exposed to light. The wash fastness of the prints on cotton fabrics was moderate and poor on polyester fabrics, but the prints had good resistance to wet ironing. The addition of acid to the printing paste resulted in a lighter violet color, the addition of alkali caused a drastic color change to green, both additives increased the light fastness of the prints but reduced the fastness on fabrics to wet treatments.

Distribution, naturalization status, invasion history and plant communities of Impatiens glandulifera Royle (Balsaminaceae) in Siberia

All available data on the distribution of Impatiens glandulifera Royle in Siberia was analyzed. The species appeared in Siberia as an unpretentious ornamental plant around the middle of the 20th century. Cases of withdrawal from culture have been recorded since the 1970s and 1980s; mass naturalization began at the end of the 20th century. Currently, the species is common in many regions of Siberia, but the most active in the Altai Territory, the Altai Republic, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Tomsk and Irkutsk Regions. It is common in anthropogenic habitats; it can also often be found in suburban forests, ravines, along the banks of water bodies. It shows tolerance to habitat conditions, but is especially active in areas with a close occurrence of groundwater on humus-rich soils. The species richness of I. glandulifera communities is from 10-15 to 40 species. In total, about 100 species of vascular plants were recorded in I. glandulifera communities in Siberia

Propagation of Invasive Species with Different Activity Status on Upper Volga Region

Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden, a transformer specie, is in the list of species with status I. It actively intrudes natural communities, changes the face of ecosystems. It is an edifier and dominant. It forms thickets over a large area. Displaces germination of other species. Impatiens glandulifera Royle has status II. This is an adventive specie. It is actively spreading and naturalizing in natural and semi-natural habitats. It has been established that the introduction of these species into the territory of the region and their dispersal over its territory proceeds from the south to the northwest and northeast.