Does the invasive species Ailanthus altissima threaten floristic diversity of temperate peri-urban forests?

Motard, Eric; Muratet, Audrey; Clair-Maczulajtys, Danielle; Machon, Nathalie

doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2011.06.003

Cited by 45 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…It has occupied numerous ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin, such as disturbed urban areas, old fields, pine and oak forests and riparian communities (Kowarik 1983;Constán-Nava et al 2007;Kowarik and Säumel 2007). A. altissima is known to affect ecosystem functioning and vegetation composition, structure and dynamics (Lawrence et al 1991;Vilà et al 2006;Motard et al 2011). Previous research has shown that A. altissima enhances or diminishes, in comparison with control (uninvaded) areas, different ecosystem attributes.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 95%

Direct and indirect effects of invasion by the alien tree Ailanthus altissima on riparian plant communities and ecosystem multifunctionality

et al. 2014

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Most existing studies addressing the effects of invasive species on biodiversity focus on species richness ignoring better indicators of biodiversity and better predictors of ecosystem functioning such as the diversity of evolutionary histories (phylodiversity). Moreover, no previous study has separated the direct effect of alien plants on multiple ecosystem functions simultaneously (multifunctionality) from those indirect ones mediated by the decrease on biodiversity caused by alien plants. We aimed to analyze direct and indirect effects, mediated or not by its effect on biodiversity, of the invasive tree Ailanthus altissima on ecosystem multifunctionality of riparian habitats under Mediterranean climate. We measured vegetation attributes (species richness and phylodiversity) and several surrogates of ecosystem functioning (understory plant biomass, soil enzyme activities, available phosphorous and organic matter) in plots infested by A. altissima and in control (non-invaded) ones. We used structural equation modelling to tease apart the direct and indirect effects of A. altissima on ecosystem multifunctionality. Our results suggest that lower plant species richness, phylodiversity and multifunctionality were associated to the presence of A. altissima. When analyzing each function separately, we found that biodiversity has the opposite effect of the alien plant on all the different functions measured, therefore reducing the strength of the effect (either positive or negative) of A. altissima on them.Soraya Constán-Nava and Santiago Soliveres have contributed equally to this work. Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (This is one of the few existing studies addressing the effect of invasive species on phylodiversity and also studying the effect of invasive species on multiple ecosystem functions simultaneously.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 95%

Direct and indirect effects of invasion by the alien tree Ailanthus altissima on riparian plant communities and ecosystem multifunctionality

et al. 2014

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“…The impact of A. altissima on vegetation structure was also assessed in Fontainebleau forest near Paris with oceanic, continental, nordic, and mediterranean climatic influences (Motard et al 2011). It was found that the species richness in the understory vegetation was significantly lower under A. altissima trees in comparison to native tree species (168-193 species); species composition was different, with common plant species being more frequent and the number of root suckers was negatively correlated with species richness.…”

Section: Effects On the Environment And Impact On Human Healthmentioning

confidence: 98%

Review on Invasive Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) Conflicting Values: Assessment of Its Ecosystem Services and Potential Biological Threat

Sladonja

Sušek

Guillermic

2015

Environmental Management

158

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Globally, invasions by alien plants are rapidly increasing in extent and severity, leading to large-scale ecosystem degradation. One of the most widespread invasive alien plant species in Europe and North America, Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) was introduced intentionally for use as an ornamental plant in the 18th century. Since then, it has spread and is now frequently found in a number of countries. Today, Tree of Heaven is considered one of the worst invasive plant species in Europe and is also listed as invasive in North America and many other countries. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is one of many systems trying to list and categorize biological services to humans and to provide a tool for identifying services delivered by natural ecosystems. Invasive species have generally caused degradation of the services, have a major impact on the environment, and are threatening biodiversity and reducing overall species abundance and diversity. On the other hand, some invasive species can provide services useful to human well-being. In the present review A. altissima impacts on ecosystems are identified and positive influences on some ecosystem services are weighed against the negative effects on the environment and human health. The aim of the present review is to resume the general knowledge of A. altissima, group available references on distribution and ecology according to countries, compare ecosystem services provided or enhanced by A. altissima presence and the negative effects it causes, identify gaps in current knowledge, and give recommendations for future lines of research.

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“…The presence of invasive plant species has been associated with reduced biodiversity and increased biotic homogenization [4,16], changes in forest structure, altered natural disturbance regimes [19,20], and subsequently modified ecosystem processes [21,22]. Moreover, innocuous non-native species may become invasive; worldwide, an estimated 62% of invasive species were introduced for horticulture and 13% for forestry [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Invasive woody plants have had well-documented negative effects on both urban and periurban landscapes [16][17][18]. The presence of invasive plant species has been associated with reduced biodiversity and increased biotic homogenization [4,16], changes in forest structure, altered natural disturbance regimes [19,20], and subsequently modified ecosystem processes [21,22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How Do Urban Forests Compare? Tree Diversity in Urban and Periurban Forests of the Southeastern US

Blood

Starr

Escobedo

et al. 2016

Forests

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Abstract:There is a need to understand how anthropogenic influences affect urban and periurban forest diversity at the regional scale. This study aims to compare urban and periurban tree composition along a geographic gradient, and test hypotheses about species composition and ecological homogeneity. We paired urban forest (UF) data from eight cities across the southeastern US with periurban forest (PF) data from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis program. We found that tree diversity, as well as both observed and estimated species richness values were greater in UF versus PF. Community size structure analysis also indicated a greater proportion of large trees and greater numbers of non-native, invasive, and unclassified tree species in the UF versus the PF, regardless of location. Both forest type and ecological province had a significant effect on community species composition, with forests closer together in space being more similar to each other than those more distant. While land use change and management has been associated with ecological homogenization in human dominated landscapes, we found that species composition was more dissimilar along latitudinal lines than compared to between forest types, refuting this hypothesis, at least in terms of tree diversity.

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Does the invasive species Ailanthus altissima threaten floristic diversity of temperate peri-urban forests?

Cited by 45 publications

References 45 publications

Direct and indirect effects of invasion by the alien tree Ailanthus altissima on riparian plant communities and ecosystem multifunctionality

Direct and indirect effects of invasion by the alien tree Ailanthus altissima on riparian plant communities and ecosystem multifunctionality

Review on Invasive Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) Conflicting Values: Assessment of Its Ecosystem Services and Potential Biological Threat

How Do Urban Forests Compare? Tree Diversity in Urban and Periurban Forests of the Southeastern US

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