Tree invasions in Italian forests

Campagnaro, Thomas; Brundu, G.; Burrascano, Sabina; Celesti‐Grapow, Laura; Mantia, Tommaso La; Sitzia, Tommaso; Badalamenti, Emilio

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120382

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…The rising abundance of other evergreen, non‐native (e.g., Prunus laurocerasus , Cinnamomum glanduliferum , Elaeagnus spp., Ligustrum lucidum ) and native ( Ilex aquifolium , Laurus nobilis and Taxus baccata ) woody plant species might also prevent the formation of monodominant palm stands. Compared to the native deciduous species, these evergreen species are expected to have a similar competitive advantage as T. fortunei (Conedera et al., 2018) under a warming climate (Boonman et al., 2022) and many of them have been reported to be successful invaders in other regions (Fernandez et al., 2021; Campagnaro et al., 2022). Together with T. fortunei they have been suggested to trigger a biome shift in the Insubrian region, transforming the deciduous temperate forest into an evergreen (laurophyllous) forest (Klötzli & Walther, 1999; Walther et al., 2001; Fehr et al., 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The alien Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) impacts forest vegetation and regeneration on the southern slope of the European Alps

Fehr,

Conedera,

Fratte

et al. 2024

Applied Vegetation Science

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QuestionsDoes the non‐native evergreen Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) affect native plant community and forest regeneration in deciduous forests? Are effects modulated by soil moisture? What are the implications for forest management and nature conservation?LocationBroadleaved deciduous low‐elevation forests on the southern slope of the Alps across the Swiss–Italian border region.MethodsWe compared the native herbaceous and woody plant composition, species richness, Shannon diversity and abundance at ten deciduous forest sites on two moisture conditions (six mesic–moist sites and four mesic–dry sites). Each site consisted of three plots measuring 400 m2 along a gradient of T. fortunei presence, ranging from “dominant”, to “present but not dominant” to “absent”.ResultsIn mesic–moist forests with high densities of T. fortunei, species richness and Shannon diversity of native plants and recruiting woody species in the herb and shrub layers were significantly reduced compared to similar sites where T. fortunei is absent or not dominant. However, in mesic–dry forests these variables did not differ between palm‐invaded and uninvaded plots. The abundance of recruiting woody individuals did not differ between plots invaded by palms and uninvaded control plots in either forest type.ConclusionsWe expect detrimental consequences for plant diversity in mesic–moist alluvial forests with high T. fortunei densities and few detrimental consequences in the more widespread non‐alluvial forests. We recommend multifaceted management, including targeted eradication in alluvial forests identified as hotspots of native plant diversity, accompanied by hands‐off management of T. fortunei in non‐alluvial forests, recognizing the ongoing and inevitable “laurophyllisation”; a biome shift toward mixed‐evergreen forest that may increase ecosystem climate resilience under ongoing climatic warming.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The alien Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) impacts forest vegetation and regeneration on the southern slope of the European Alps

Fehr,

Conedera,

Fratte

et al. 2024

Applied Vegetation Science

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“…According to Campagnaro et al (2022), studies on invasive exotic trees should focus on elucidating the impacts of these species on local biodiversity, particularly emphasizing the most vulnerable forest categories and concerning non-native tree species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of the invasive tree species Hovenia dulcis Thumb. (Rhamnaceae) in an urban remnant of Atlantic Forest through Remote Sensing techniques combined with RGB images obtained by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Wiesel,

Schroeder,

Bruno

et al. 2024

Preprint

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The invasive Hovenia dulcis is considered the main invasive species in the Atlantic Forest, capable of altering environmental conditions on a local scale and producing profound changes in the composition of the plant community. Combining images obtained by drones and satellite imagery can make forest monitoring more efficient. It enables a more efficient and targeted response to contain the spread of invasive species. Additionally, phytosociological studies can contribute to understanding the structure of the native tree community and the impacts generated by biological invasion. This research aimed to use CBERS4-A satellite images with a high-resolution suitable for applying land use and land cover classification methods. Automatic supervised object-directed classification was performed through the Dzetsaka Classification Tool, using the Gaussian Mixture Model method. 150 hectares of georeferenced orthomosaics obtained through drones was using to confirm the identification of the invader. The entire area was traversed to determine the tree community, and 72 random sample plots were established, each with a fixed area of 100 m². Calculated indices of Shannon Index (H’) = 3.65 and Uniformity (J’) = 78% demonstrate that the plant community has a high diversity of species. H. dulcis had the highest number of sampled individuals (146), being the species with the highest Relative Density (9.14) within the community, and the second-highest in Relative Frequency (5.10%), Coverage Importance Value (8.85%), and Importance Value Index (7.60%). The methodology employed for invader identification through satellite and drone images allowed for rapid and precise data collection, covering an area of 86.44 hectares.

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“…In addition, increasing efforts have been made in recent decades to control and prevent introduction of Acacia species and increase public and stakeholder engagement [ 10 ]. Despite this, the management of invasive Acacia species is far from successful, mainly due to the lack of resources to implement long-term control actions in large invaded areas [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. At this point, eradication of aggressive Acacia species is considered economically and realistic unfeasible and their management remains challenging [ 7 , 11 ], emphasizing the need to prioritize control in small areas of high ecological value [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some invasive Acacia species are widely distributed, covering large areas and forming dense and homogeneous stands [6,7]. In Europe, the invasion of Acacia species is particularly severe in the Iberian Peninsula [6,7] and Italy [8,9]. To prevent the spread of Acacia propagules in the Iberian Peninsula, for example, the cultivation and commercialization of the most aggressive specimens is prohibited by legislation (in Portugal by the Decree-Law no.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repurposing Waste from Aggressive Acacia Invaders to Promote Its Management in Large Invaded Areas in Southwestern Europe

Lorenzo,

Morais

2024

Plants

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Several Acacia species are aggressive invaders outside their native range, often occupying extensive areas. Traditional management approaches have proven to be ineffective and economically unfeasible, especially when dealing with large infestations. Here, we explain a different approach to complement traditional management by using the waste from Acacia management activities. This approach can provide stakeholders with tools to potentially reduce management costs and encourage proactive management actions. It also prioritizes potential applications of Acacia waste biomass for agriculture and forestry as a way of sequestering the carbon released during control actions. We advocate the use of compost/vermicompost, green manure and charcoal produced from Acacia waste, as several studies have shown their effectiveness in improving soil fertility and supporting crop growth. The use of waste and derivatives as bioherbicides or biostimulants is pending validation under field conditions. Although invasive Acacia spp. are banned from commercialization and cultivation, the use of their waste remains permissible. In this respect, we recommend the collection of Acacia waste during the vegetative stage and its subsequent use after being dried or when dead, to prevent further propagation. Moreover, it is crucial to establish a legal framework to mitigate potential risks associated with the handling and disposal of Acacia waste.

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Tree invasions in Italian forests

Cited by 13 publications

References 83 publications

The alien Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) impacts forest vegetation and regeneration on the southern slope of the European Alps

The alien Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) impacts forest vegetation and regeneration on the southern slope of the European Alps

Detection of the invasive tree species Hovenia dulcis Thumb. (Rhamnaceae) in an urban remnant of Atlantic Forest through Remote Sensing techniques combined with RGB images obtained by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Repurposing Waste from Aggressive Acacia Invaders to Promote Its Management in Large Invaded Areas in Southwestern Europe

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