Established stands of the highly invasive Echinocystis lobata on the Ramsar sites of the southern part of the Pannonian plain

Abstract

Monitoring the presence of invasive species in natural wetlands is crucial for numerous reasons, including their negative impact on biodiversity, conservation and the ecosystem services provided by these important fragile areas. The aim of this paper was to investigate the presence and distribution of the highly invasive liana Echinocystis lobata (wild cucumber), and to determine its coenological relations with the native plant species in the Ramsar sites of the southern part of the Pannonian Plain (the southeastern part of Central Europe, northern Serbia). We conducted the phytocenological research of the selected protected riparian areas in detail over a six-year period (2011-2015 and 2020). This study revealed the significant presence of the highly invasive species E. lobata in the studied sites. Wild cucumbers were found in 146 plots in four out of the seven investigated areas. Cluster analyses distinguished four groups of relev?s dominated by E. lobata, which were described, and their dominant and constant species were identified. Habitat type identification was done, and the habitat preferences of E. lobata were determined. The spatial distribution of the four groups is such that they occur in a number of different habitat types or local communities. The species pool which makes up each of these four groups is thus geographically larger than the local community under study, so we can treat them as independently established and well-defined new community assemblages. Plant communities dominated by the invasive species E. lobata have not been described previously. Therefore, this work provides new data, and contributes to the further research and comparative analyses needed to describe invasive plant communities dominated by wild cucumber. In addition, the identification of habitat types which are most occupied by E. lobata is very important for managers of protected areas, as it allows them to better control and remove this highly invasive species, but also to prevent its further spread.

The Molecular Evidence for Invasive Climber Echinocystis lobata (Michx.) Torr. & A. Gray in Eastern and Central Europe

“…& A.Gray (Cucurbitaceae) are demonstrating exceptional growth and conquering some areas of Europe [24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. Among these cucurbits, the greatest expansion along Central and Eastern Europe is documented for E. lobata [1,2,5,24,31,32].…”

Status and Perspectives of the Ichthyofauna of the Labudovo okno Ramsar Site: An Analysis of 14 Years of Data

“…The locality Labudovo okno was created by raising the Danube level after the construction of the dam for the hydroelectric power plant "Ðerdap I". The entire Ramsar site was named "Labudovo okno" after this locality [10]. Geographically, this area is located at the south-eastern edge of the Pannonian Plain, in the south-eastern Banat (Figure 1).…”

“…The main types of aquatic biotopes found there are permanent river courses, permanent freshwater wetlands, and occasional flood zones with high groundwater levels under the influence of changes in the water level of the Danube. The area lies in the catchment area of the middle (Pannonian) Danube, which extends from Turn Severin (930 km) to Devinšvrata (1880 km) [10]. From a hydrological point of view, this part of the Danube basin is of great importance as it accounts for more than half of the Danube's discharge and has the highest concentration of the river's hydropower [12,13].…”

“…The SNR "Deliblato Sands" is one of the most important centers of biodiversity in Europe, and its part Labudovo okno (Figure 1) has been designated as a Ramsar wetland (3733 ha) stretching along the left bank of the Danube River in the extreme south-east area of Vojvodina [9,10].…”

Importance of the Ramsar Site Labudovo Okno for Sustainable Tourism—Evidence from Vojvodina Province

“…In 2006, The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands states that it is an internationally important wetland. In addition to the fauna of birds, reptiles, fish, and mammals, this area is characterized by very rare examples of flora [3][4][5].…”