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Plants
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Plant Invasions across Scales
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Plant Invasions across Scales

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 3265

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sven Jelaska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102A, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: terrestrial ecosystems; ecology; biodiversity; invasive plants; spatial analyses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nina Sajna

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Interests: ecology; biodiversity; invasive species; plant ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The first comprehensive global report on invasive alien species and their control, published in September 2023 by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), reveals threatening insights on the topic. The report states there are 37,000 established alien species introduced by human activities around the world, with 200 new species every year. Out of 3,500 invasive alien species that have negative impacts on nature and humans, as much as 1,061 are plants. As primary producers and constituents of the majority of habitats, the impacts of invasive plants can be very complex and far-reaching across trophic chains and guilds. Furthermore, unlike animals that can actively search for suitable habitats to invade, plants have to cope with various environmental/habitat filters once their diaspores (seeds or vegetative parts) end in a certain location. In case plant species can adapt to the environmental constraints in that location, the case of whether further spread and invasion will take place is dependent on the characteristics of the surrounding environment (e.g., the type of habitat, the level of heterogeneity, the type and intensity of disturbance, etc.). Regardless of whether we analyse these dependencies on a large scale (i.e., with mostly coarser spatial resolution) or a small scale (i.e., with finer spatial resolution), we can identify different processes, factors, and patterns as significant. For that reason, in this Special Issue, we would like to gather manuscripts across different spatial scales that deal with different phases of invasion from the population/community/ecosystem perspective.

Prof. Dr. Sven Jelaska
Dr. Nina Sajna
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • invasive plants
  • biodiversity
  • abundance
  • distribution
  • ecology
  • habitats
  • disturbance
  • spatial analyses
  • modelling

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4555 KiB  
Article
Habitat Degradation Facilitates the Invasion of Neophytes: A Resurvey Study Based on Permanent Vegetation Plots in Oak Forests in Slovenia (Europe)
by Janez Kermavnar and Lado Kutnar
Plants 2024, 13(7), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070962 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 536
Abstract
The spread of neophytes (non-native plant species) challenges the conservation status and ecological integrity of forests, especially in lowland areas. Long-term resurvey studies are needed to evaluate the temporal dynamics of neophytes in forests; however, such data are scarce. In 2023, we resampled [...] Read more.
The spread of neophytes (non-native plant species) challenges the conservation status and ecological integrity of forests, especially in lowland areas. Long-term resurvey studies are needed to evaluate the temporal dynamics of neophytes in forests; however, such data are scarce. In 2023, we resampled a set of 45 permanent vegetation plots (established in 1992/93) in two forest vegetation types: oak–hornbeam forests dominated by Quercus robur and colline oak–beech forests dominated by Q. petraea. Over the last 30 years, oak forests have experienced extensive oak tree mortality, with the degree of habitat degradation being greater in Q. robur forests. In the early 1990s, only three neophytes with low abundance were recorded across all plots. In the 2023 resurvey, the total number of neophytes increased to 22 species (15 herbaceous and 7 woody species), comprising 6.9% of the total species pool in the understory layer. The increase in the plot-level number and cover of neophytes was significant in plots dominated by Q. robur but not in those with Q. petraea. The most frequent neophytes were Impatiens parviflora (present in 31% of plots), Solidago gigantea (27%), Erigeron annuus (16%) and Erechtites hieraciifolia (16%). The richness and cover of neophytes were significantly affected by the tree layer cover (negative correlation) and the degree of soil disturbance (positive correlation). All neophytes established in disturbed patches, whereas the occurrence of I. parviflora was exceptional as it was able to colonize less degraded, shaded understory environments. Habitat degradation (the mortality-induced loss of stand-forming oak trees resulting in extensive tree layer cover decrease) emerged as a key driver promoting neophyte proliferation, coupled with the impact of management-induced disturbances affecting overstory and soil conditions. The spread is expected to continue or even intensify in the future because novel light regimes and disturbances make forest habitats less resistant to neophyte proliferation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions across Scales)
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16 pages, 1755 KiB  
Article
Importance of Habitat Context in Modelling Risk Maps for Two Established Invasive Alien Plant Species: The Case of Ailanthus altissima and Phytolacca americana in Slovenia (Europe)
by Maarten de Groot, Erika Kozamernik, Janez Kermavnar, Marija Kolšek, Aleksander Marinšek, Andreja Nève Repe and Lado Kutnar
Plants 2024, 13(6), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060883 - 19 Mar 2024
Viewed by 569
Abstract
Forests are important ecosystems that face threats from climate change and global environmental shifts, with invasive alien plant species being a significant concern. Some of these invasive species have already become established, while others are in the process of naturalisation. Although forests are [...] Read more.
Forests are important ecosystems that face threats from climate change and global environmental shifts, with invasive alien plant species being a significant concern. Some of these invasive species have already become established, while others are in the process of naturalisation. Although forests are a relatively stable ecosystem, extreme weather events increase their vulnerability to change, and clearings left after natural disturbances are particularly susceptible to invasion by alien plant species (IAPS). We created risk maps of two species that have spread rapidly in the last decade: American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) and the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima). We prepared a generalised linear model based on the occurrence data collected within the LIFE ARTEMIS project. Eleven environmental variables were used to determine habitat characteristics. We constructed two models for each species: one covering the entirety of Slovenia and the other specifically for the forested areas in Slovenia, with the latter incorporating forest-specific variables (such as forest sanitation felling and monocultures). We observed the presence of both species at lower altitudes and in close proximity to water sources. American pokeweed tends to occur nearer to railways, while the presence of the tree of heaven is associated with areas lacking carbonate parent material and influenced by land use patterns. In forested areas, the occurrence of American pokeweed is influenced by forest habitat characteristics, such as disturbances caused by extreme weather events or the prevalence of Norway spruce monocultures. In contrast, the occurrence of the tree of heaven is influenced by more general environmental variables, such as altitude and proximity to railways. Consequently, we have generated risk maps for the entirety of Slovenia and separately for forested areas, both of which indicate similar levels of risk, particularly for the tree of heaven. The risk map for American pokeweed highlights numerous vulnerable areas, especially forest edges, which are highly susceptible to invasion. Furthermore, there is a higher likelihood of this species occurring in areas that have undergone sanitation felling. This study suggests that the production of risk maps of IAPS could be improved by focussing on habitat types and taking into account habitat-specific variables. This approach could enhance the early detection and management of these invasive species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions across Scales)
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16 pages, 1681 KiB  
Article
Silvicultural Practices for Diversity Conservation and Invasive Species Suppression in Forest Ecosystems of the Bundala National Park, Sri Lanka
by Channa Suraweera, Josef Gallo, Zdeněk Vacek, Jan Cukor, Stanislav Vacek and Martin Baláš
Plants 2024, 13(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010121 - 31 Dec 2023
Viewed by 736
Abstract
Forest ecosystems in Sri Lanka are under pressure from intensive human activity and climate change. Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to autochthonous species and ecosystems. In Bundala National Park of Sri Lanka, there are efforts to control and limit the [...] Read more.
Forest ecosystems in Sri Lanka are under pressure from intensive human activity and climate change. Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to autochthonous species and ecosystems. In Bundala National Park of Sri Lanka, there are efforts to control and limit the spreading of unwanted invasive Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. and Opuntia dillenii (Ker-Gawl.) Haw., which poses a significant risk to natural ecosystem conservation. Nine different treatment variants (four replications) were used to test which management approach provides the control of Prosopis juliflora. This research is based on nine repeated measurements from 2017 to 2021 on 36 permanent research plots (each 625 m2) with 27 observed plant species and a total of 90,651 recorded plant individuals. The results confirmed that the dynamics of species richness, heterogeneity, and evenness showed significant differences between treatments during the five years of dynamics. The lowest species diversity was found in the control variant, followed by treatments based on the hard pruning and thinning of Prosopis juliflora trees. In contrast, strategies emphasizing the complete uprooting of Prosopis juliflora trees, replanting, and support of the natural regeneration of native species showed high species diversity and a high overall number of plant species. Generally, treatments had a significant effect on species diversity and the number of individuals of Prosopis juliflora, while changes in the overall number of plant species were more affected by time and succession. Silvicultural treatments including pruning, uprooting, and thinning have proven to be essential tools for nature conservation across various sites, aimed at enhancing habitat diversity in the face of ongoing climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions across Scales)
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17 pages, 5353 KiB  
Article
Projected Impacts of Climate Change on the Range Expansion of the Invasive Straggler Daisy (Calyptocarpus vialis) in the Northwestern Indian Himalayan Region
by Roop Lal, Saurav Chauhan, Amarpreet Kaur, Vikrant Jaryan, Ravinder K. Kohli, Rishikesh Singh, Harminder P. Singh, Shalinder Kaur and Daizy R. Batish
Plants 2024, 13(1), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010068 - 25 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 958
Abstract
Human-induced climate change modifies plant species distribution, reorganizing ecologically suitable habitats for invasive species. In this study, we identified the environmental factors that are important for the spread of Calyptocarpus vialis, an emerging invasive weed in the northwestern Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), [...] Read more.
Human-induced climate change modifies plant species distribution, reorganizing ecologically suitable habitats for invasive species. In this study, we identified the environmental factors that are important for the spread of Calyptocarpus vialis, an emerging invasive weed in the northwestern Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), along with possible habitats of the weed under current climatic scenarios and potential range expansion under several representative concentration pathways (RCPs) using MaxEnt niche modeling. The prediction had a high AUC (area under the curve) value of 0.894 ± 0.010 and a remarkable correlation between the test and expected omission rates. BIO15 (precipitation seasonality; 38.8%) and BIO1 (annual mean temperature; 35.7%) had the greatest impact on the probable distribution of C. vialis, followed by elevation (11.7%) and landcover (6.3%). The findings show that, unlike the current situation, “high” and “very high” suitability areas would rise while less-suited habitats would disappear. All RCPs (2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5) indicate the expansion of C. vialis in “high” suitability areas, but RCP 4.5 predicts contraction, and RCPs 2.6, 6.0, and 8.5 predict expansion in “very high” probability areas. The current distribution of C. vialis is 21.59% of the total area of the state, with “medium” to “high” invasion suitability, but under the RCP 8.5 scenario, it might grow by 10% by 2070. The study also reveals that C. vialis may expand its niche at both lower and higher elevations. This study clarifies how bioclimatic and topographic factors affect the dispersion of invasive species in the biodiverse IHR. Policymakers and land-use managers can utilize the data to monitor C. vialis hotspots and develop scientifically sound management methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions across Scales)
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