Predicting Kudzu (Pueraria montana) spread and its economic impacts in timber industry: A case study from Oklahoma

Abstract

Quantifying the economic impacts of invasive species is an essential step in developing and prioritizing invasive species management. In particular, kudzu, Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. is an aggressive and non-native vine that not only causes ecological damage and reduces biodiversity, but can have multiple economic consequences such as loss of timber value and volume. Using current infestation locations in Oklahoma, southcentral USA, a Monte Carlo simulation was run to estimate the natural as well as anthropogenic spread rate of kudzu in the next five years. Simulations were supplemented with an economic impact analysis within the Impact Analysis for PLANing (IMPLAN) platform. To account for economic loss in the forest product industry, a replacement cost approach with a sensitivity analysis was conducted. Occurrence data collections revealed that current kudzu populations are already established in Oklahoma forests. The results demonstrate that by year five, total industry output could be reduced by $167.9 million, which will influence 780 jobs in the most extreme case scenario. The predicted economic loss due to kudzu expansion could act as an incentive for appropriate management practices and plans to be implemented. OPEN ACCESSCitation: Harron P, Joshi O, Edgar CB, Paudel S, Adhikari A (2020) Predicting Kudzu (Pueraria montana) spread and its economic impacts in timber industry: A case study from Oklahoma. PLoS ONE 15(3): e0229835. https://doi.org/ 10.

Global patterns of phylogenetic relatedness of invasive flowering plants

“…The finding of this study that invasive species are generally a phylogenetically clustered subset of naturalized species across the world has a significant implication to biological conservation. Previous studies have reported that invasive species can cause biodiversity loss in invaded areas (Harron et al, 2020; Rejmánek et al, 2013). With the knowledge of phylogenetic relatedness between invasive naturalized species and those naturalized species that have not become invasive yet, one may assess the probability of a naturalized but not yet invasive species to become invasive over time.…”

“…Previous studies have reported that invasive species can cause biodiversity loss in invaded areas (Harron et al, 2020;Rejmánek et al, 2013). With the knowledge of phylogenetic relatedness between invasive naturalized species and those naturalized species that have not become invasive yet, one may assess the probability of a naturalized but not yet invasive species to become invasive over time.…”

Identification of Pueraria spp. through DNA barcoding and comparative transcriptomics

“…This suggest that the transcriptome generated from kudzu from Oklahoma ( P. m. lobata ) could be a representative genomic resource for this noxious weed that dominates throughout the Southeastern US. In Oklahoma alone a report suggests a loss of almost $168 million in the lumber industry over 5 years [ 54 ]. Knowledge of its transcriptome can lead to development of methods of biological eradication.…”

Review: Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) cropping systems

“…In contrast to species like P. scandens/ palustris and the tuberous Pueraria montana var. lobata which have strong tendency to escape from cultivation and become naturalized in waste land and secondary forest (see Harron et al 2020), there is negligible risk of winged bean becoming a nuisance weed even in its more vegetatively vigorous lowland accessions. This means that it has potential to be a useful, low-risk, cover crop in sequence with, or between, upright-growing annual crops like maize, okra and pigeon pea.…”