Abstract
Gorse (Ulex europeus L.) is a woody legume and invasive woody weed that has been introduced to temperate pastoral landscapes worldwide. Despite the apparent cosmopolitan distribution of gorse across much of the temperate agroecological landscapes of the world, research and practice pertaining to the management of gorse has been largely constrained to single-treatments, regions, or timeframes. Gorse eradication has been widely attempted, with limited success. Using the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis) method and a quasi-metanalytical approach, we reviewed the seminal ~299 papers pertaining to gorse management. We identified (i) the ecological characteristics of the species that predispose gorse to behaving invasively, and (ii) the success of management actions (from a plant ecological life history perspective) in reducing weed vigour and impact. A broad ecological niche, high reproductive output, propagule persistence, and low vulnerability to pests allow for rapid landscape exploitation by gorse throughout much the world. Additionally, there are differences in flowering duration and season in the northern and southern hemisphere that make gorse particularly pernicious in the latter, as gorse flowers twice per year. The implications of these life history stages and resistance to environmental sieves after establishment are that activity and efficacy of control is more likely to be favourable in juvenile stages. Common approaches to gorse control, including herbicides, biological controls, and fire have not been ubiquitously successful, and may in fact target the very site resources—sward cover, soil stability, hydrological balance—that, when degraded, facilitate gorse invasion. Ongoing seedling regeneration presents difficulties if eradication is a goal, but facilitated competition may reduce costs via natural suppression. Mechanical methods of gorse removal, though highly successful, induce chronic soil erosion and land degradation and should hence be used sparingly.
Highlights
Common gorse (Ulex europaeus L.) is a thorny evergreen shrub that forms invasive thickets in pasture outside of its center of origin in Western Europe and Northern Africa [1]
In the present paper, we reviewed the outcomes of management actions used to control gorse, throughout time and across the world, with particular emphasis on the interactions between gorse, throughout time and across the world, with particular emphasis on the interactions between species ecology, treatment efficacy, and treatment impacts upon environmental stability
Chemical herbicides and biological controls were the most popular treatments for which trial data could be found in published literature
Summary
Common gorse (Ulex europaeus L.) is a thorny evergreen shrub that forms invasive thickets in pasture outside of its center of origin in Western Europe and Northern Africa [1]. Green—naturaldistribution, distribution,red—introduced red—introduced populations, black—unknown (presumed introduced). Created in ArcMap national and populations, black—unknown (presumed introduced). Biological, and mechanical mechanicalinterventions interventions have diverse and numerous, with achieving ubiquity in controlling the the negative effects of gorse, nornor its its large population size. None achieving ubiquity in controlling negative effects of gorse, large population size. In the present paper, we reviewed the outcomes of management actions used to control. In the present paper, we reviewed the outcomes of management actions used to control gorse, throughout time and across the world, with particular emphasis on the interactions between gorse, throughout time and across the world, with particular emphasis on the interactions between species ecology, treatment efficacy, and treatment impacts upon environmental stability. Three).the ecology of the species and the environments that it is most successful in invading (Objective Three)
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