Spatial Distribution Pattern and Risk Assessment of Invasive Alien Plants on Southern Side of the Daba Mountain Area

Abstract

The southern side of the Daba Mountain area is a hotspot of global biodiversity and an essential barrier promoting ecological security. However, knowledge about the distribution status and transmission pathways of invasive alien species (IAS) in this area is limited. We counted the IAS on the southern side of the Daba Mountain area through sample transects and analyzed the factors affecting their spatial distribution. We also assessed IAS risk using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), which found 64 IAS belonging to 23 families and 53 genera. Around rivers and roads, the results showed a vertical two-way dispersal pattern. Human and environmental factors, such as a very dense transportation network, can affect the distribution pattern of IAS. AHP assessed 43 IAS (67.19%), primarily distributed in villages and towns, as being of high or medium risk. High- and medium-risk IAS should be the focus of invasion prevention and control, and priority should be given to controlling the spread of IAS around rivers and roads.

Responses of different invasive and non-invasive ornamental plants to water stress during seed germination and vegetative growth

“…However, its cultivation was intensified in the twentieth century due to its use as a medicinal plant 38 . This plant does not seem to be problematic outside its native territory; a study on commercial nurseries from Estonia catalogued this species as a non-escaping alien 39 , and it was included in the category of species with the lowest invasion risk in an assessment of alien invasive species in the mountains of NW China 40 .…”

Persistence of Root Exudates of Sorghum bicolor and Solidago canadensis: Impacts on Invasive and Native Species

“…The invasive species Veronica persica (common names: Persian speedwell and bird’s-eye speedwell) is native to Europe and parts of Asia but has spread globally as an aggressive weed [ 55 ]. It infests croplands, nurseries, lawns, and natural areas across North America, South America, Australia, Africa, and New Zealand [ 56 , 57 , 58 ]. Veronica persica competes strongly with crops and native vegetation, reducing yields by up to 45% in cereals and 79% in legumes [ 59 ].…”