Ecological risk assessment of potentially invasive alien plant species in Cibodas Biosphere Reserve, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

More than 80 potentially invasive plant species have spread throughout the Cibodas Biosphere Reserve, Indonesia. Recently, research has shown that the surrounding community utilizes more than 50% of these species. Although this utilization provides social and economic benefits, it threatens the Cibodas Biosphere Reserve core zone ecologically. Therefore, this study conducted a risk assessment to determine the invasiveness level of utilized plant species. The evaluation was performed using Hawaii and Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) scheme. The results show that almost all the potentially invasive plant species are high risk, with scores ranging from 10 to 26, except for Fragaria vesca and Mentha arvensis. The highest WRA score was obtained for Lantana camara and followed by Austroeupatorium inulifolium, Cobaea scandens, Mikania cordata, Sonchus asper, Clidemia hirta, Piper aduncum, Sonchus arvensis, Cestrum aurantiacum, Dracaena fragrans, Passiflora ligularis, Podachaenium eminens, Thunbergia coccinea, and Wedelia trilobata. As most of these species were herbaceous plants obtained from cultivated areas, the risk of invasion into the core zone is low. Based on the findings, the recommended management option to control these species is harvesting, accompanied by containment. Through this method, the community can continue to use the species while controlling the population, thereby limiting their spread.