Abstract
Invasive plants are a concern in many forest ecosystems because they can impact tree regeneration and recruitment, alter hydrology, and degrade wildlife habitats. Management efforts are generally planned locally, based on the severity of the infestation, species involved, and characteristics of the forest stand. A broad, landscape-level context can provide additional information and help with planning efforts but is often lacking. In this study, we estimated landscape-level priorities for the management of five invasive forest plants in Minnesota. We used a multi-criteria decision analysis approach to integrate plant distribution models and data with geographic information about areas of conservation concern, recreational areas, and the economic benefits of treatment. The results varied across Ecological Classification System provinces and Minnesota native plant community classes. Four of the five invasive plants considered demonstrated an abundance of Medium- and High-priority areas for management in the Eastern Broadleaf Forest province of Minnesota. The average priority was generally lower in the Prairie Parklands and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces, with Rhamnus cathartica as the only species demonstrating Medium or higher priorities in the latter. The mean priorities were Medium or higher for R. cathartica and Frangula alnus in mesic hardwood community types across the state, in addition to several fire-dependent systems. The priority distribution was most limited for Rosa multiflora, where the only Medium or higher priority results were found in a mesic hardwood system in the southeastern corner of the state. The results presented here highlight broad-scale patterns that can provide a synoptic overview of invasive plant priorities at the landscape scale.
Highlights
Estimates for the damage and control efforts for invasive species across the globe wereUSD 120 billion [1]
Criterion weights computed from the pairwise comparison process of analytic hierarchy process (AHP), with input from natural resource professionals, scientists, and expert rankings (Table 2), were used to create statewide priority maps for each forest invader (Figure 2)
In analyzing the results of our prioritization analysis, we found some differences between species in terms of the distribution of priorities within Ecological Classification System (ECS) provinces (Table 3, Figure 3)
Summary
Estimates for the damage and control efforts for invasive species across the globe wereUSD 120 billion [1]. Non-native invasive plants are a primary concern in forest ecosystems because they inhibit tree regeneration and recruitment, alter hydrology, and degrade wildlife habitats [2,3]. The impacts of specific invasive plant species on a site are not homogeneous and result in differences in ecosystem productivity and processes [4], providing a requirement for diverse data sources to understand the effectiveness of treatments along with economic outcomes. There is an urgent need to integrate distribution modeling efforts with analytical methods to prioritize invasive plant management that will guide the development of strategic forest planning. Decisions to conduct invasive plant management treatments are made locally depending on forest stand characteristics and the severity of an infestation, among other factors. Forest management actions may encourage the spread and establishment of invasive plants; best management practices
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