The Role of Habitat Types and Soil Physicochemical Properties in the Spread of a Non Native Shrub Lantana Camara in the Doon Valley, Western Himalaya, India

Abstract

Invasive alien species colonize very aggressively and forcefully, menacing native biodiversity. The success of invasive alien plants is due to their opportunistic exploitation of anthropogenic disturbances, the absence of natural enemies, free from herbivory and frequently their allelopathic competition. Invasive species can have a significant impact on development, affecting sustainability of livelihood, food security and essential ecosystem services and dynamics. Lantana camara is a documented weed of worldwide significance; it is indigestible due to its toxic chemicals and highly competitive. In this study physicochemical properties of soil were analysed from different high and low Lantana infested areas. Significant site effect was frequently observed than effect due to invasion status. The present study tested the impact of soil properties in the measured and calculated attributes of Lantana by randomly sampling soil from the highly invaded and less invaded sites in different habitats using the Modified Whittaker plot design. Results indicated that edaphic factors such as soil pH, total nitrogen, soil organic carbon, phosphorus and potassium content positively influenced the growth of Lantana and helped in its own further invasion process. These factors were also positively influencing the measured and calculated attributes of Lantana such as canopy coverage, average crown diameter, shrub canopy area, phytovolume and biomass from all sites. However some attributes like shrub height and stem diameter were negatively influenced by these soil factors. The present results show that Lantana invasion can significantly improve the soil nutrient level but also positively increasing the chances of its further invasion with more copious plant attributes.

Effects of the invasive shrub,Lantana camara, on soil properties in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

“…; Osunkoya & Perrett ; Simba et al . ; Mandal & Joshi ). Osunkoya and Perrett () reported that L. camara invasion elevated the soil moisture, pH, Ca, total and organic C, as compared to the uninvaded soils; however, the soil Na, Cl, Cu, Fe, S and Mn were present in low levels in the invaded soils, compared to in the uninvaded soils.…”

“…; Osunkoya & Perrett ; Simba et al . ; Mandal & Joshi ). However, Osunkoya and Perrett () showed that not all soil nutrients are significantly elevated by L. camara invasion; some nutrients, such as sodium, chloride, iron and manganese, were reduced.…”

“…), India (Bhatt et al . ; Sharma & Raghubanshi ; Mandal & Joshi ), Australia (Osunkoya & Perrett ) and Kenya (Simba et al . ).…”

Distribution modeling ofLantana camaraand identification of hotspot for future management of the species in the lower Shivalik region of Uttarakhand, India

“…In India, a population of 1599 alien plant species belonging to 842 genera in 161 families can be found, which comprises 8.5% of the country’s total vascular flora. (Khuroo et al 2012; Mandal and Joshi 2014). To control the spread of the invasive species, a zonal control for various invasion levels needs to be in place in the targeted areas (Grice et al 2011, Terblanche et al 2016, and Shackleton et al 2017).…”

Prediction of the potential invasion of <I>Lantana Camara </I>L. (Verbenaceae) an exotic plant species in Côte d'Ivoire from a modeling approach

“…The Global Invasive Species Information Network now identifies L. camara among the top ten invasive species in the world (GISIN, 2011). This species leads to the reduction of the diversity of invaded biotopes, the extinction of native species and the deterioration of the physicochemical properties of the soil (Mandal and Joshi, 2014). It encroaches on agricultural land, reduces the carrying capacity of pastures and poses a threat to many crops (Baars and Heystek, 2003).…”