Investigation and Hazard Assessment of Invasive Alien Plants on the Campus of Tongren University

[Objectives]The paper was to investigate and assess the species,distribution and hazard status of invasive alien plants on the campus of Tongren University.[Methods]A survey was conducted using line survey method,and the risk assessment index system of invasive alien plants was established by analytic hierarchy process(AHP).[Results]There were 11 species of invasive alien plants on the campus of Tongren University,belonging to 8 genera and 5 families.There were 6 species of invasive alien plants belonging to Asteraceae,accounting for 54.55%of the total.In terms of the origin of invasive plants,most of them were native to North America and Europe,accounting for 27.27%of the total.In terms of harmful level,there were no high-risk invasive plants on the campus of Tongren University,but Alternanthera philoxeroides had the highest score and was the most harmful.[Conclusions]The present situation of alien plant invasion on the campus of Tongren University is closely related to the ecological environment of the campus.It is suggested to strengthen the management of campus plants,focus on the prevention and control of A.philoxeroides,and carry out regular investigation of invasive alien plants on campus to ensure the ecological safety of the campus.

Monitoring River Restoration Efforts: Do Invasive Alien Plants Endanger the Success? A Case Study of the Traisen River

River restoration activities are challenging for the native vegetation and the colonization process. The development of invasive alien plant species (IAS) as well as the development of the pioneer vegetation cover and seed bank were observed in one year prior to construction of a new river bed and within the first two years after construction, along the downstream section of the river Traisen in Austria. One year after completion of the new river channel, the occurrence of IAS above ground decreased while the occurrence of target species increased. Furthermore, no seeds of IAS were detected in the new river bed as a result of proper management of soil movement. Despite the positive impact on the abundance of IAS, the restoration project of the river Traisen shows that the fact that such a restoration activity is a disturbance event must be taken into consideration already during the planning process. Supporting the competitiveness of native plant species is an important tool for reducing the danger of establishment of invasive alien species.

Species and Distribution Characteristics of Alien Invasive Plants in Garden Greenbelt of Shijiazhuang City

[Objectives]The paper was to investigate the garden greenbelt in 30 sample plots such as parks,roads,communities,etc.in Shijiazhuang City.[Methods]The species,abundance and frequency of weeds in the greenbelt of public gardens were recorded through point-line-surface investigation,and typical plants were sampled.[Results]There were 56 species of alien invasive plants in garden greenbelts of Shijiazhuang City,belonging to 44 genera and 20 families.In terms of life form,herbaceous plants were absolutely dominant,accounting for 92.8%of the total.The most alien invasive plants were native to America,accounting for 66.1%of the total.In terms of introduction path,the plants introduced artificially and unintentionally accounted for almost half.The species and quantity of alien invasive plants were related to the size of greenbelt area,the length of the build time of the surveyed plot,the composition structure of greenbelt and the level of green management and protection.There was larger distribution of alien invasive plants in the sample plots with large greenbelt area,long build time,herbaceous-dominated greenbelt and low level of green management and protection.Among the 56 alien invasive plants,3 plants were toxic.From the perspective of invasiveness,the alien invasive plants in the garden greenbelt of Shijiazhuang City could be divided into 5 levels:invasive alien species of malignant consequences,invasive alien species of severe consequences,invasive alien species of partial consequences,invasive alien species of average consequences,and invasive alien species to be observed.[Conclusions]This study will provide a reference for the prevention and control of alien plant invasion,and lay a foundation for the prevention and control of existing invasive plants.

Investigation and Risk Assessment of Alien Invasive Plants in Riparian Zone of Dongjiang River

[Objective] The aim was to conduct investigation and risk assessment of the alien invasive plants in riparian zone of Dongjiang River.[Method] The field survey was carried out by the combination methods of sampling plots investigation and route survey,and the whole Dongjiang River was covered.52 sampling points were set in the main streams,and 87 sampling points in tributaries streams,624 quadrats were set in total;multi-index comprehensive evaluation method was adopted for the risk assessment with 6 first-level indexes and 25 second-level indexes.[Result] Through the investigation on the riparian zone of Dongjiang River for 2 years,51 species of alien invasive plants were found,belonging to 17 families and 38 genera.The risk level assessment results of these 51 species showed that 18 species,such as Ageratum conyzoides,belonged to high-level risk with over 60 points;26 species,such as Chenopodium ambrosioides,were between 30 and 60 points which belonged to middle-level risk;7 species,such as Paspalum dilatatum,with less than 30 points belonged to low-level risk.[Conclusion] Basic data on the protection,water environmental management and functional zoning of riparian zone of Dongjiang River were provided.

A Study on Alien Invasive Plants from the Interactive Mechanism between Species Niche and Material/Energy Flow

[Objective]This study was to reveal the essence of mechanism about how the alien invasive plants spread.[Method]Species niche and material/energy flow were used as basic research indicators to analyze the intrinsic mechanism of alien plants invasion.[Result]Most of the invasive plants have not been explicitly defined and their effective control methods not brought forward.[Conclusion]Overrun of alien invasive plants depends on whether the niche of a species could be continuously met at spatial level.Based on this we put forward corresponding control measures,proposed an assumption to establish a cylinder-network model and discussed the definition of alien invasive plants.

Impacts of road on plant invasions in the Middle Mountain region of central Nepal

Biological invasion is triggered by human development activities such as the construction and expansion of road networks.Road verges serve as important habitats and corridors for the distribution of invasive alien plant species(IAPS)between geographically distant habitats.However,the trajectory of plant invasion and the data regarding the impact of roads on IAPS distribution are relatively poor in Nepal.Here,we surveyed two road types(main roads and feeder road)in the Middle Mountain region of central Nepal in order to investigate how different road types are driving the dispersal of IAPS along road verges and the adjacent natural habitats.Systematic sampling was conducted at ca 2.5 km intervals along the roads.At each sampling site,paired plots(25 m×4 m)were sampled:one adjacent to and along the road,and another 20 m away and parallel to it in the interior habitat.Our results revealed that the main road verges had a higher cover(33%)and a larger number of IAPS(14 species)than the feeder road(25%;10 species).The IAPS cover and richness were significantly higher along verges than in the adjacent interior habitats for both road types,indicating that roads are contributing as corridors for the dispersal of IAPS in the Middle Mountain areas of central Nepal.Further,elevation,tree canopy,and disturbances(grazing/mowing/trampling)were found to be the key factors that determine spatial distribution of IAPS along road verges.We emphasize that regular monitoring of vegetation along the road verges can help with the early detection and control of potential IAPS in the region before they become problematic.

Status, Impact and Management of Certain Alien Plant Pests Proven to Be Invasive to Thailand＇s Ecology

Introduction of foreign plants and animals into Thailand＇s ecology has a long history, some arrived accidentally and others had a purpose. As global commerce increases, the issue of invasive alien species has become more urgent in Thailand. These agents are increasingly seen as a threat not only to biodiversity and ecosystem, but also to economic development and human well-being. They reduce yields of agricultural crops, forests and fisheries, decrease water availability, cause costly land degradation, block transport routes and contribute to the spread of disease. It is clear that since trade will not stop, dangerous alien species need to be controlled and managed and the strategies and control measures are to prevent, eradicate, contain, or effectively control the invaders. Implementation of these measures requires appropriate legislation, regulation and procedures. The impact of some invasive alien pests and their management on the agricultural sector of Thailand are presented.

Development of a mathematical model to evaluate the rate of aggregate risk of invasive alien plant species： Fuzzy risk assessment approach

This study presents a novel approach to evaluate the rate of aggregate risk of Invasive Alien Plant Species. Using risk values and grade of importance of weights of risk factors which may reflect invasiveness of plant species are considered. We use Linguistic Ordered Weighted Averaging operator to evaluate the grade of important of weights. Since the risk values and important weights are identified from two different linguistic term sets, fuzzy set theory techniques were used to combine the two sets. The rates obtained from the model were compared with NRA risk levels and the model was validated with data from known and non-invasive species. The model is improved by weighting the risk values of risk factors. The improved model produced significant results and resulted a better tracking system for identifying potential invaders than the conventional risk assessment.

Survey and Analysis on Alien Invasive Plants of Jinziling Scenic Spot in Pingle County

According to the field survey of alien invasive plants of Jinziling,there were 23 kinds of alien invasive plants in the scenic spot.Species with the comprehensive dominance degree higher than 10% were as follows: six kinds of Asteraceae: Bidens pilosa,Aster subulatus,Ageratum conyzoides,Conyzai canadens,Parthenium hysterophorus,and Conyza sumatrensis; two kinds of Gramineae: Axonopus compressu,Eleusine indica; two kinds of convolvere: Ipomoea nil,Ipomoea purpurea; two kinds of Fabaceae: Cassiae tora,Medicago hispida; one kind of Verbenaceae: Lantana camara; one kind of Euphorbiaceae: Euphorbia hirta.In total,there were 14 kinds of alien invasive plants.In this survey,the dominant species of invasive plants were obtained by statistical analysis of the composition and distribution of the invasive plants,and the invasion trend was predicted,so as to take effective and economical management and control measures.

Changes in Soil Biota Resulting from Growth of the Invasive Weed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.(Compositae), Enhance Its Success and Reduce Growth of Co-Occurring Plants

Exotic plant invasion presents a serious threat to native ecosystem structure and function. Little is known about the role of soil microbial communities in facilitating or resisting the spread of invasive plants into native communities. The purpose of this research is to understand how the invasive annual plant Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. facilitates its competition capacity through changing the structure and function of soil microbial communities. The soil characteristics of different areas invaded by A. artemisiifolia were examined. Greenhouse experiments were designed to assess the effect of A. artemisiifolia invasion-induced changes of soil biota on co-occurring plant growth, and on the interactions between A. artemisiifolia and three co-occurring plant species. The results showed that the soil organic C content was the highest in heavily invaded sites, the lowest in native plant sites, and intermediate in newly invaded sites. Soil available N, P and K concentrations in heavily invaded site were 2.4, 1.9 and 1.7 times higher than those in native plant soil, respectively. Soil pH decreased as A. artemisiifolia invasion intensity increased, and was lower in invaded sites（heavily invaded and newly invaded） than in native plant sites. The soil microbial community structure was clearly separated in the three types of sites, and A. artemisiifolia invasion increased anaerobe, sulfate-reducing bacteria and actinomycete abundance. Soil biota of invaded sites inhibits growth of co-occurring plants（Galinsoga parvifloraCav., Medicago sativa L. and Setaria plicata（Lam.） T. Cooke.） compared to soil biota from un-invaded sites, but facilitates A. artemisiifolia growth and competition with co-occurring plants. A. artemisiifolia biomass was 50-130% greater when competing with three co-occurring plants, compared to single-species competition only（invasion by A. artemisiifolia alone）, in heavily invaded soil. Results of the present study indicated that A. artemisiifolia invasion alters the soil microbial community in a way that favors itself while inhibiting native plant species, with measurable effects on performance of co-occurring plants.

Effects of Region and Elevation on Adaptation of Leaf Functional Traits of an Invasive Plant Erigeron annuus in China

A key scientific challenge relating to the threat of invasive plants on agriculture at the region level is to understand their adaptation and evolution in functional traits.Leaf functional traits,related to growth and resource utilization,might lead to adaptation of invasive plants to the geographical barriers(region or elevation).In the field experiment,we discussed the effects of region and elevation on leaf functional traits on invasive plant Erigeron annuus in farmland habitats in China.We compared leaf size,coefficient of variation(CV)of leaf traits,and fluctuating asymmetry(FA)of E.annuus from three regions(east vs.center vs.west)and two leaf types(vegetative vs.reproductive leaf),and from nine elevations(980-2100 m)in the west region of China.Our results indicated region and leaf type influenced leaf functional traits,and leaf size was significantly higher and CV of leaf traits and FA in reproductive leaves were significantly lower in the east region than in the west and center regions.Elevation and leaf type affected leaf functional traits,and leaf size was significantly higher and CV of leaf traits in reproductive leaves were significantly lower in moderate elevation.E.annuus has higher leaf size and developmental stability(lower CV and FA)in the eastern region due to the longer adaptation period.Therefore,leaf functional traits play an important role in the adaptation of different longitudes and elevations.It can also facilitate the understanding of the invasiveness and adaptation of leaf traits of invasive plants in the agricultural ecosystem during their spread process in China.

Study on the Allelopathic Effects of Alien Invasive Species Cenchrus echinatus on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Solanaceae Crops

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the potential ecological dam- ages of alien invasive species Cenchrus echinatus. [Method] By using seed germi- nation method, the effects of different concentrations of C. echinatus aqueous extracts on seed germination and seedling growth of three Solanaceae crops were investigated. [Result] After incubated for 5 d, no significant differences were observed in germination speed indices of Lycopersicum esculentum seeds between aqueous extract groups and control groups; germination speed indices of Solarium melongena seeds were significantly reduced with the increasing concentration of Cenchrus echinatus aqueous extracts; however, Capsicum frutescens seeds in various groups were not germinated. After incubated for 7 d, root lengths of Lycopersicum esculentum seedlings were inhibited with the increasing concentration of Cenchrus echinatus aqueous extracts, while stem lengths and comprehensive allelopathic effects were promoted; germination rates of Solanum melongena seeds in various groups were all significantly lower than control groups; root length, stem length and comprehen- sive allelopathic effects in higher concentration groups were inhibited; germination rates of Capsicum frutescens seeds were significantly inhibited, and those in the highest concentration group were not generated. After incubated for 14 d, all indica- tors of Solanum melongena were significantly inhibited; various indicators of Capsicum frutescens in the highest concentration group were significantly inhibited. [Conclusion] The sensitivity of three Solanaceae crops to Cenchrus echinatus aqueous extracts presented an overall order of Solanum melongena 〉 Capsicum frutescens 〉 Lycopersicum esculentum, suggesting that Cenchrus echinatus can to some extent inhibit the growth of several crops, which should be strictly prevented and controlled in agricultural production.

Alien invasive species in Siberia:current status and problem

Although alien and invasive plant species have been researched extensively in the European part of Russia,the situation in Siberia is another matter.Hitherto,alien and invasive species in Siberia have not received much attention because this problem was not especially acute in Siberia.The lack of attention on alien and invasive species in Siberia is attributed to three major reasons：1） Low vegetative productivity and sparse human populations in the Siberian territory have limited botanical research interest in the area.2） Severe Siberian climate likely prevents many alien and invasive species from increasing their distribution into Siberia.3） Most Siberian plant communities have not been human-transformed and thus may be resistant to newcomers.Nevertheless,recent increased economic activities have resulted in increasing plant migration to Siberia,and this process should be monitored.Furthermore,global environmental changes may also have made Siberia more favorable for more alien and invasive species.Currently,research on alien and invasive species has begun in the Altai-Sayan region（Western Siberia） and the Magadan region （Northeastern Asia）.

Effects of Water Extract of Erigeron canadensis L. on Seed Germination of Plants

[Objective] The paper was to explore the effect of water extract of Erigeron canadensis L. on seed germination of plants. [Method] Using constant temperature culture method, the effects of water extracts of roots, stems and leaves of E. canadensis on seed germination of 14 species of test plants （crops and weeds） were studied. [Result] Water extracts of roots, stems and leaves of E. canadensis had obvious inhibition effect on seed germination of test plants. The water extract of leaves had the strongest inhibition effect, which could completely inhibit the seed germination of Crepis tectorum L., Amaranthus tricolor L. and Chrysanthemum coronarium L. under the lower concentrations of 0.050 and 0.075 g/ml, and completely inhibit seed germination of all the plants under the concentration of 0.400 g/ml except Zea maize L. and Allium fistulosum L.; followed by water extract of stems, and the water extract of roots had the lowest the inhibition effect, except for completely restraining seed germination of Lycopersicum esculentum L. under the concentration of 0.300 g/ml, it still could not completely restrain seed germination of the other plants under the highest concentration of 0.500 g/ml. The inhibition effect of water extract of E. canadensis on seed germination of plants had obvious selectivity, which had more obvious effect on dicotyledonous plants than monocotyledonous plants. [Conclusion] The study provided reference for screening and utilization of allelochemicals of E. canadensis and research on its allelopathy mechanism.

Evidence of functional and structural changes in the microbial community beneath a succulent invasive plant in coastal dunes

Coastal dunes represent priority habitats for conservation due to the provision of valuable ecosystem services such as land protection,water supply or biodiversity conservation.Soil microbial communities are of crucial importance to maintain plant diversity due to harsh environmental conditions,water limitation and nutrient scarcity.Invasive alien plants represent a major threat to ecosystem conservation.Here,we explored different impacts of Carpobrotus edulis,a succulent plant invading coastal areas worldwide,on the function and structure of bacterial communities.Sand represents a challenging substrate due to low organic matter content and limited microbial activity.We optimized bacterial extraction for functional evaluation before assessing ecosystem impacts produced by C.edulis.We compared 12 extracting procedures combining different soil storage,sample amount and extracting solutions on the functional activity of sand communities through the community-level physiological profile.We further explored the function(using Biolog Ecoplates)and structure[using polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(PCR-DGGE)]of bacterial communities from dunes invaded by C.edulis.Saline solution consistently increased bacterial cells detected by cytometry(P≤0.001).Principal component analysis suggested a limited temporal framework(0–24 h)in which community function can be explored without significant alterations in C substrate consumption.Changes under C.edulis invasion exhibited a different pattern of C substrate utilization comparing native and non-native zones(interspecific),but also between native zones(intraspecific),suggesting that functional impacts are site-dependent.Complementary,results obtained from PCR-DGGE indicated that the bacterial community structure of native dunes significantly differed from dunes invaded by C.edulis.

Alien woody plant invasions in natural forests across China

Aims Alien plant invasion has become a major global environmental issue,causing severe economic and ecological damages.Severe invasions have been reported in some regions of China.However,most studies have been conducted at local and provincial levels,and the overall degree of invasion in natural forests across China remains unclear.Here,we explored the biogeographic patterns and their environmental and socioeconomic controls of the invaded alien woody plants in natural forests across the country.Methods We compiled the data of 3573 natural forest plots across the China's Mainland and mapped spatial distribution of alien woody plant invasion.We also used logistic regression models to identify the key socioeconomic and environmental factors that were associated with the observed invasion patterns.Important Findings We found that only 271 plots among 3573 natural forest plots were invaded by alien woody plants,accounting for 7.58%of all plots.Among all 2825 woody plant species across all plots surveyed,only 5 alien species(0.177%)were found.Both human activities and climate factors were related to the observed invasion patterns.Since China’s natural forests are mostly located in remote mountainous areas with limited human disturbance,alien woody plant invasions are less than those reported in North America and Europe.However,with the development of transportation and increased economic activities in mountainous areas,more invasions by alien plants may be expected in the future.Therefore,proactive management and policy making are desired to prevent or slow down the invasion processes.

Genetic diversity and population structure of invasive and native populations of Erigeron canadensis L.

Invasive alien plants threaten biodiversity across the world.Erigeron canadensis(horseweed)is one of the most problematic agricultural weeds and represents a classic example of intercontinental invasion.Here,we studied the genetic diversity and population structure of invasive alien populations from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces in China and native populations from Alabama,in the USA.We used 10 polymorphic SSR loci to genotype 312 individuals from 5 native and 5 invasive populations to estimate the genetic diversity and structure.Invasive populations from Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces showed,on average,similar genetic diversity to native populations from Alabama,indicating no severe genetic bottlenecks during the invasion.STRUCTURE revealed that low population differentiation occurred,and that only two genetic groupings were detected in both native and invaded ranges.The high diversity observed in the invasive populations suggested multiple introductions and/or the introduction of genetically diverse propagules during initial colonization.Our study provides new insights toward understanding the invasion dynamics of this globally noxious weed in Eastern China.Preventing gene flow via seed dispersal between invasive and native populations should be examined to prevent the introduction and dispersal of herbicide-resistant individuals and inform management practices.

Mapping common and glossy buckthorns (Frangula alnus and Rhamnus cathartica) using multi-date satellite imagery WorldView-3, GeoEye-1 and SPOT-7

Buckthorns(Glossy buckthorn,Frangula alnus and common buckthorn,Rhamnus cathartica)represent a threat to biodiversity.Their high competitivity lead to the replacement of native species and the inhibition of forest regeneration.Early detection strategies are therefore necessary to limit invasive alien plant species’impacts,and remote sensing is one of the techniques for early invasion detection.Few studies have used phenological remote sensing approaches to map buckthorn distribution from medium spatial resolution images.Those studies highlighted the difficulty of detecting buckthorns in low densities and in understory using this category of images.The main objective of this study was to develop an approach using multi-date very high spatial resolution satellite imagery to map buckthorns in low densities and in the understory in the Québec city area.Three machine learning classifiers(Support Vector Machines,Random Forest and Extreme Gradient Boosting)were applied to WorldView-3,GeoEye-1 and SPOT-7 satellite imagery.The Random Forest classifier performed well(Kappa=0.72).The SVM and XGBoost’s coefficient Kappa were 0.69 and 0.66,respectively.However,buckthorn distribution in understory was identified as the main limit to this approach,and LiDAR data could be used to improve buckthorn mapping in similar environments.

Drought may be beneficial to the competitive advantage of Amaranthus spinosus

Drought can affect the growth and soil enzyme activities of invasive alien plants(IAPs).It is imperative to evaluate the competitive advantage of IAPs compared with that of the native species and the activities of soil enzymes under drought.This study aimed to evaluate the competitive advantage of the IAP Amaranthus spinosus that originated from tropical America compared with the native Chinese species A.tricolor and the activities of soil enzymes under drought.A competitive co-culture of A.spinosus and A.tricolor was established using a planting basin experiment.The two species were treated with different levels of drought,i.e.(i)the control;(ii)a light level of drought and(iii)a heavy level of drought.The functional traits,osmotic adjustment and the activities of antioxidant enzymes of the two species,as well as soil pH and electrical conductivity,contents of soil microbial biomass carbon and the activities of soil enzymes were determined.The relative competition intensity and relative dominance of A.spinosus were greater than those of A.tricolor under drought.Drought may provide an advantage to the competitive advantage of A.spinosus.Soil water-soluble salt content and sucrose hydrolytic power of A.spinosus were greater than those of A.tricolor under drought.The ability of A.spinosus to grow in soil with higher levels of water-soluble salt contents and sucrose hydrolytic power under drought may aid in its acquisition and utilization of nutrients.