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Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management

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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 8708

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Dr. Jun Liu

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Guest Editor

Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory for Bamboo Germplasm Resources and Utilization, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
Interests: biogeochemical cycle; stable isotope ecology; big data analysis

Dr. Zacchaeus Compson

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Guest Editor

Department of Biological Sciences, Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA
Interests: food web ecology; aquatic ecology; DNA metabarcoding

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Invasions of alien plant species present formidable challenges to the delicate equilibrium of forest ecosystems, affecting biodiversity, ecological functions, and human interactions. This special issue concentrates on unraveling the intricate dynamics of plant invasions within forest ecosystems, with the goal of deepening our understanding of the involved processes and exploring effective management strategies. By delving into the mechanisms of arrival and expansion and refining management insights, this collection of articles aims to contribute valuable knowledge to alleviate the adverse effects of plant invasions. Additionally, it seeks to foster the sustainable coexistence of native and invasive alien species in forest environments. Further expansion of research will delve into the impacts of plant invasions on the soil ecological-chemical processes in forest ecosystems, as well as their roles in forest carbon and hydrological cycles. Simultaneously, attention will be directed towards the interplay between plant invasions and climate change, exploring their adaptability and influence on forest ecosystems under changing climatic conditions. This special issue serves as a platform for the scientific community and managers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of plant invasions, driving us towards a more holistic approach to confront and address the challenges they pose to forest ecosystems.

Dr. Jun Liu
Dr. Zacchaeus Compson
Guest Editors

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Keywords

plant invasions
plant expansion
forest ecosystems
ecosystem resilience
biodiversity
management strategies
ecological restoration

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 8521 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Naturalization of the Ornamental Plant Crocus tommasinianus Herb. (Iridaceae) in Forest Ecosystems: A Case Study from Poland

by Renata Nowińska and Aneta Czarna

Forests 2024, 15(11), 1851; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15111851 - 23 Oct 2024

Viewed by 567

Abstract

Highlights: Though not highly invasive, bulb and corm ornamental plants can escape cultivation and naturalize in new areas. Studying their naturalization is key to understanding their ecological impact and managing biodiversity. Objectives: This study aimed to document the first naturalization case of Crocus tommasinianus Herb. in Poland and assess the morphological variability of the naturalized population under different environmental conditions. Another objective was to identify diagnostic features in seed testa ornamentation to distinguish C. tommasinianus from related species (C. vernus (L.) Hill. and C. scepusiensis (Rehmann et Wol.) Borbás ex Kulcz.). Methods: The morphometric studies were performed within four subpopulations of C. tommasinianus differing in environmental conditions, determined with Ellenberg indices. Multivariate tests, ANOVA, and post-hoc tests were used to determine the morphometric diversity of specimens and to relate them to environmental factors. Seed micro-ornamentation was examined using a scanning electron microscope. Results: Light and temperature were negatively correlated, while moisture, soil pH, and nitrogen were positively correlated with many morphological traits. Plants spreading into forest ecosystems exhibited better-developed features (larger leaves and flowers) than those in former cultivation sites, indicating higher survival potential. The seed coat is papillate, with distinct differences in the shape, size, and secondary sculpture of the papillae compared to C. vernus and C. scepusiensis. Given that floristic studies often occur during the fruiting period of crocuses, testa ornamentation is crucial for identifying the studied species. Conclusions: The observed naturalization of C. tommasinianus demonstrates the high morphological plasticity of plants, which makes them capable of colonizing new areas, including forest habitats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management)

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24 pages, 78841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mangroves Invaded by Spartina alterniflora Loisel: A Remote Sensing-Based Comparison for Two Protected Areas in China

by Di Dong, Qing Gao and Huamei Huang

Forests 2024, 15(10), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101788 - 11 Oct 2024

Viewed by 664

Abstract

Mangroves are one of the world’s most productive and ecologically important ecosystems, and they are threatened by the widespread invasion of Spartina alterniflora Loisel in China. As few studies have examined the spatial pattern differences of S. alterniflora invasion and the nearby mangroves in different latitudes, we chose the Zhangjiang Estuary and the Dandou Sea, two representative mangrove–salt marsh ecotones in the north and south of the Tropic of Cancer, as the study areas for comparison. The object-based image analysis and visual interpretation methods were combined to construct fine-scale mangrove and S. alterniflora maps using high-resolution satellite imagery from 2005 to 2019. We applied spatial analysis, centroid migration, and landscape indexes to analyze the spatio–temporal distribution changes of mangroves and S. alterniflora in these two ecotones over time. We used the landscape expansion index to investigate the S. alterniflora invasion process and expansion patterns. The annual change rates of mangrove and S. alterniflora areas in the Zhangjiang Estuary showed a continuous growth trend. However, the mangrove areas in the Dandou Sea showed a fluctuating trend of increasing, decreasing, and then increasing again, while S. alterniflora areas kept rising from 2005 to 2019. Spartina alterniflora showed larger annual change rates compared with mangroves, indicating rapid S. alterniflora invasion in the intertidal zones. The opposite centroid migration directions of mangroves and S. alterniflora and the decreasing distances between the mangrove and S. alterniflora centroids indirectly revealed the fierce competition between mangroves and S. alterniflora for habitat resources. Both regions saw a decrease in mangrove patch integrality and connectivity. The integrality of mangrove patches in the Zhangjiang Estuary was always higher than those in the Dandou Sea. We observed the growth stage (2011–2014) and outbreak stage (2014–2019) of S. alterniflora expansion in the Zhangjiang Estuary and the outbreak stage (2005–2009) and plateau stage (2009–2019) of S. alterniflora expansion in the Dandou Sea. The expansion pattern of S. alterniflora varies in time and place. Since the expansion of S. alterniflora in the outbreak stage is rapid, with a large annual change rate, early warning of S. alterniflora invasion is quite important for the efficient and economical removal of the invasive plant. Continuous and accurate monitoring of S. alterniflora is highly necessary and beneficial for the scientific management and sustainable development of coastal wetlands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management)

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13 pages, 2429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Decreased P Cycling Rate and Increased P-Use Efficiency after Phyllostachys edulis (Carrière) J. Houz. Expansion into Adjacent Secondary Evergreen Broadleaved Forest

by Shuwang Song, Lin Wang, Zacchaeus G. Compson, Tingting Xie, Chuyin Liao, Dongmei Huang, Jun Liu, Qingpei Yang and Qingni Song

Forests 2024, 15(9), 1518; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091518 - 29 Aug 2024

Viewed by 721

Abstract

(1) Background: Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis (Carrière) J. Houz.) expansion has seriously altered the species composition and structure of adjacent forest ecosystems in subtropical regions. However, the shift in phosphorus (P) biogeochemical cycling has yet to be assessed, which is a critical gap considering the great variation in ecophysiological properties between invasive bamboo and the displaced native tree species. (2) Methods: We investigated and compared expansion-induced changes in P pools (plant, litter, and soil) and P fluxes (plant uptake and litterfall return) using paired sampling of the bamboo-dominated forest (BDF) and secondary evergreen broadleaved forest (EBF) at Jiangxi province’s Dagang Mountain National Forest Ecological Station. (3) Results: Both the P storage of the plants and litter were significantly greater by 31.8% and 68.2% in the BDF than in the EBF, respectively. The soil total P and available P storage were 28.9% and 40.4% lower, respectively, in the BDF than in the EBF. Plant P uptake was 15.6% higher in the BDF than in the EBF, and the annual litter P return was 26.1% lower in the BDF than in the EBF due to higher P resorption efficiency for moso bamboo compared with evergreen broadleaved tree species. The ecosystem P cycling rate was reduced by 36.1% in the BDF compared with the EBF. (4) Conclusions: Moso bamboo expansion slowed the broadleaved forest ecosystem’s P cycle rate, likely because moso bamboo has higher P-use efficiency, reserving more P in its tissues rather than returning it to the soil. The results from this study elucidate an understudied element cycle in the context of forest succession, demonstrating the ecosystem consequences related to bamboo invasion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management)

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15 pages, 2958 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High Impacts of Invasive Weed Lantana camara on Plant Community and Soil Physico-Chemical Properties across Habitat Types in Central Nepal

by Chandra Kumari Paudel, Achyut Tiwari, Chitra Bahadur Baniya, Bharat Babu Shrestha and Pramod Kumar Jha

Forests 2024, 15(8), 1427; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081427 - 14 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1958

Abstract

Although the effects of invasive alien plants on natural ecosystems are well known, the effects of specific plant species can vary across habitat types and disturbance intensity. This study was carried out to analyze the effects of Lantana camara on associated vegetation and soil physico-chemical properties at invaded and non-invaded sites across three different habitat types (forest edge, fallow land, and roadside) in central Nepal. We sampled 50 pairs of 5 m × 5 m (for shrub species) and 1 m × 1 m (for herbs species) plots at invaded and non-invaded sites in each habitat and recorded community variables for each species within the sampling plots for both wet (monsoon) and dry (pre-monsoon) seasons. Further, we collected soil samples from each quadrat and determined the soil physico-chemical properties. We recorded 137 species of flowering plants (119 from non-invaded and 97 from invaded plots) and classified them in accordance with life form/habit. In invaded sites, we found a significant decline in species diversity as indicated by the Simpson and Shannon diversity indices. Specifically, L. camara reduced the species richness, Simpson index, and Shannon diversity index by 36.84%, 11.84%, and 40.21%, respectively. Soil nutrients such as total nitrogen, soil organic carbon, and available phosphorus were significantly higher in invaded sites than non-invaded ones except for available potassium and soil pH. This study provided evidence that Lantana L. camara has a substantial impact on the understory plant community assemblage and the physico-chemical properties of soil. The results suggest that the protection of native plant community requires management of L. camara by implementing appropriate measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management)

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20 pages, 7610 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Expansion of Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) Forests into Diverse Types of Forests in China from 2010 to 2020

by Dali Li, Juan Wei, Jiangzhou Wu, Yongde Zhong, Zhao Chen, Jianghua He, Shuangquan Zhang and Lushan Yu

Forests 2024, 15(8), 1418; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081418 - 13 Aug 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1239

Abstract

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) forests, characterized by their rapid growth and clonal reproduction, have emerged as a significant threat to adjacent forest ecosystems. However, in China, the area, speed, and spatial distribution of moso bamboo forest expansion into other types of forests remains poorly understood. In this study, we present a case analysis of moso bamboo forests, employing a decade-long dataset from the forest second type inventory (FSTI) that utilizes transition matrices, neighboring ratio analysis, and spatio-temporal autocorrelation. This comprehensive investigation focuses on the spatio-temporal expansion of moso bamboo forests into diverse types of forests, with the aim of providing science-based recommendations for effective moso bamboo forest management. Our findings reveal that areas of moso bamboo forests have been expanding at an approximate annual rate of 2%, with an average expansion speed (including moso bamboo forests manually planted) of approximately 8 m per year. The length of moso bamboo–woodland ecotones (BWEs) increases as a consequence of moso bamboo forest expansion, indicating a sustained escalation in the extent of this expansion. Coniferous forests and evergreen broad-leaved forests are mainly invaded, accounting for around 58% of all invaded forests. The rate of moso bamboo forest expansion into different types of forests varies, although the rate remains fairly consistent within the same forest type. Moso bamboo forest expansion exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity. Furthermore, the area of moso bamboo forest intrusion into various types of forests in different provinces is notably influenced by the presence of moso bamboo forests and the proportional distribution of different forest types. The factors contributing to bamboo forest expansion encompass stand characteristics, soil attributes, light intensity, moso bamboo afforestation, forestry practices, and human disturbances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management)

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18 pages, 14275 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling the Effects of Spatial Distribution on Dynamics of an Invading Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) Blake Population

by Yuanming Lu, Junfei Xia, Robert D. Holt and Donald L. DeAngelis

Forests 2024, 15(8), 1308; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081308 - 26 Jul 2024

Viewed by 726

Abstract

To predict the potential success of an invading non-native species, it is important to understand its dynamics and interactions with native species in the early stages of its invasion. In spatially implicit models, mathematical stability criteria are commonly used to predict whether an invading population grows in number in an early time period. But spatial context is important for real invasions as an invading population may first occur as a small number of individuals scatter spatially. The invasion dynamics are therefore not describable in terms of population level state variables. A better approach is spatially explicit individual-based modeling (IBM). We use an established spatially explicit IBM to predict the invasion of the non-native tree, Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) Blake, to a native community in southern Florida. We show that the initial spatial distribution, both the spatial density of individuals and the area they cover, affects its success in growing numerically and spreading. The formation of a cluster of a sufficient number and density of individuals may be needed for the invader to locally outcompete the native species and become established. Different initial densities, identical in number and density but differing in random positions of individuals, can produce very different trajectories of the invading population through time, even affecting invasion success and failure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management)

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19 pages, 5357 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Drivers of Plant Invasion in Stream Restoration

by Douglas A. DeBerry and Dakota M. Hunter

Forests 2024, 15(6), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15060964 - 31 May 2024

Viewed by 721

Abstract

This study characterized important environmental factors that contribute to plant invasion in the forested riparian zones surrounding stream restoration sites. We sampled vegetation and environmental variables (light availability, soil physiochemistry, and site age) across invasion gradients at multiple sites in Virginia, USA. Data analysis involved a multimetric statistical approach combining correlation and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) to arrive at a plausible model for invasion risk by species. We targeted three of the most problematic invaders in these systems: Lespedeza cuneata (sericea lespedeza), Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle), and Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass). Our analysis revealed species-specific environmental drivers of invasion, with certain factors consistently important across all targeted invaders—notably, canopy cover, nitrogen availability, soil texture, and bioavailable phosphorus, as indicated by the importance of certain proxies (e.g., metal cations). The results of this research have been used to develop a suite of best practices that can be implemented at the outset of a stream restoration project to reduce the risk of invasion in the riparian forests surrounding these sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management)

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14 pages, 2803 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Process of Patchy Expansion for Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) at the Bamboo–Broadleaf Forest Interface: Spreading and Filling in Order

by Xiaoxia Zeng, Huitan Luo, Jian Lu, Xianglong Zhu, Yaoli He, Chao Gong, Zewen Ren, Dongmei Huang, Qingni Song and Qingpei Yang

Forests 2024, 15(3), 438; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030438 - 25 Feb 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1203

Abstract

Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) expansion to native adjacent forests has become an increasingly serious problem; however, expansion patterns of bamboo are still lacking research, especially at a community scale. Quantitative research on bamboo expansion patterns plays a significant role in understanding the bamboo expansion process, as well as expansion prevention and control. We analyzed the change in expansion pattern, expansion index, and expansion rate of bamboo in the bamboo-broadleaf transition zone sample plots, specifically from 2017 to 2021 and from the bamboo forest (representing the late stage of bamboo expansion) to the bamboo expansion front (representing the early stage of bamboo expansion). We found that the expansion of bamboo is a patchy expansion, including inner filling patch, boundary expanding patch, transboundary leaping patch, expansion–infill mixed patch, and stationary patch. From the early stage of bamboo expansion (year 2017 and bamboo expansion front) to the late stage of bamboo expansion (year 2021 and bamboo forest), the type of bamboo expansion patches transitioned from boundary expanding patch to inner filling patch and boundary expansion–inner infilling mixed patch. Additionally, the expansion rate of bamboo showed a declining trend. From 2017 to 2021, the bamboo forest (position of 0–20 m) and expansion front (position of 60–80 m) declined by 0.53 m/2a and 0.47 m/2a, respectively. Our research reveals that bamboo expansion exhibits a patchy expanding process, characterized by a sequence of “first spreading outward and then filling inward”, whether viewed from the type of expansion pattern or the expansion rate. This process involves continuous plaque addition, expansion, merger, and filling to complete the expansion of a bamboo population. These findings provide valuable insights into the process of bamboo expansion and have important implications for the management and control of bamboo forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Invasions in Forest Ecosystems: Understanding Arrival, Expansion and Management)

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