Abstract
Canadian goldenrod is one of the most widespread invasive neophytes in Europe with proven ecological and environmental consequences for the invaded plots. The morphological traits and productive features survey can offer a better insight view into the S. canadensis population ecology and the dynamic of its aboveground biomass growth. Equally, it can serve as a foundation for a balanced management proposal, with the aim of keeping an acceptable degree of Canadian goldenrod invasion. In the study, 600 specimens, collected at various phenological phases, from the twelve sampling stands in the eastern Slovakia, were processed. The obtained data were related to the degree of invasion, pH, soil moisture, overall stand area, and measure of interventions. Plants from the stands with a mild degree of goldenrod invasion (<50%), lower pH, and higher stand area were significantly lower and lighter; had a significantly lower number and weight of leaves; significantly shorter and lighter stems, in comparison to the plants from the stands with a heavy degree of invasion (>50%); a higher pH; and a smaller area. These plants also showed smaller essential oil productivity rate, and they achieved the growth peak a significantly later. Conversely, as the stand area decreased, and the S. canadensis % representation and soil reaction increased, goldenrods became significantly taller and heavier, with a higher number of leaves and a higher essential oil productivity rate. Canadian goldenrod shows, somewhat, a cyclical, self-growth-reinforcing feedback: the consecutive increase of the goldenrod’s aboveground biomass leads to an increase of its relative % abundance within the invaded stands. Consequently, the increase of the goldenrod’s relative % abundance leads to the plants aboveground biomass consecutive growth, and so on.
Highlights
Perennial herb Solidago canadensis L. (Asteraceae: Astereae), originating in North America, was brought and introduced into middle Europe as an ornamental, schizanthus, and melliferous plant in the middle of the 18th century
The main goal of our study was to: survey selected morphological traits and the essential oil productivity rate of the invasive neophyte Solidago canadensis from the stands with the various goldenrod relative % abundances; describe the Canadian goldenrod aboveground biomass growth and EO yield at the different phenological phases; assess distinctions in the Solidago morphological features and EO productivity in relation to various degrees of invasion and the selected variables used for the sampling stands characterization
Plant material processed for this study was collected during the growing season of 2014, from 12 sampling stands in the eastern Slovakia
Summary
Perennial herb Solidago canadensis L. (Asteraceae: Astereae), originating in North America, was brought and introduced into middle Europe as an ornamental, schizanthus, and melliferous plant in the middle of the 18th century. (Asteraceae: Astereae), originating in North America, was brought and introduced into middle Europe as an ornamental, schizanthus, and melliferous plant in the middle of the 18th century. Canadian goldenrod is one of the most widespread invasive neophytes in central and eastern Europe. Its distribution within the territory of Slovakia has considerably grown since the collapse of socialism in 1989, when the land changed from being state-owned to a privately owned. Many pieces of lands remained without a known owner. The previously cultivated land became abandoned and lacked regular interference, such as mowing. Strewed spots of dense mono-specific goldenrod coenoses of different sizes are typical for the urban zones and agricultural landscapes, at present [1,2,3,4]
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