Invasive Alien Plant Species Research Articles

Factors influencing the habitat selection of Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) and its conservation threats in the Rapti River of Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Mugger crocodiles (hereafter called muggers) are the apex predator and keystone species in slow flowing freshwater ecosystem. They play an important role in its functioning by distributing nutrients and increasing primary productivity. Muggers have a sympatric distribution with gharials in the Rapti and Narayani River of Chitwan National Park, but more research and conservation attention has been focused on gharials in Nepal. The inadequate availability of information on the occupied habitats of muggers restrict their evidence-based conservation and management. Therefore, we investigated the ecological factors affecting the habitat selection of muggers and its conservation threats in the Rapti River. We conducted a preliminary survey, followed by a detailed habitat survey, conducted in February and March 2022. During the detailed habitat survey, the pre-defined habitat characteristics were recorded at each station spaced at 500 m intervals along the river as well as the locations where muggers were sighted. We used a generalized linear model (glm) under the binomial family with a logit link function to analyze the factors influencing the habitat selection of muggers. The dependent variable was the presence or absence of muggers at sampling points and the independent variables included: river bank aspect, river width, mid-river depth, river bank substrate type, river bank slope, water current, invasive alien plant species, and anthropogenic disturbances. In addition, a relative whole-site ranking method was employed to determine the most prevalent threats to the mugger. During the survey period, we recorded a total of 46 mugger individuals, 71.8% were observed basking and 28.2% were observed submerged in the river. The highest percentage of muggers (39.1%) was observed on the sandy river bank, followed by the grass and forest bank (19.5%), and clay and sandy bank (15%), respectively. Only the river banks with moderate (15–25°) and moderately steep (25–35°) slopes were found to be the significant factors influencing the occurrence of muggers. Fishing and extraction of river materials, and disposal of garbage and solid waste were ranked as the most prevalent conservation threats. For the long-term conservation of muggers in the Rapti River, effective habitat management plans and strategies are required to control illegal anthropogenic activities such as fishing, sand mining, and boulder quarrying. Research on spatio‐temporal partitioning between mugger and gharials is recommended to understand how resources are shared by the species.

How science communications can help build societal perceptions of invasive alien species and their impacts on the environment

SummaryWhile scientific research highlights the threats of invasive alien species (IAS) to the environment and human livelihoods, another voice is rising that recognizes their beneficial impacts. With evidence increasing of the contrasting impacts of some IAS, the lack of communication between science and society makes decision-making processes more complex. Here, we consider the beneficial aspects of invasive alien plant species and take examples from other life forms to argue that, over time and space, the detrimental impacts of IAS might endanger sustainable livelihoods by increasing invasion debt manyfold. We therefore suggest that future studies reporting the positive impacts of IAS and those encouraging the management of IAS through their utilization should include value judgements that acknowledge the potential risks involved in the practice and the scale and context specificity of such studies. Studies highlighting the negative impacts of IAS should also recognize the context dependency of their findings and emphasize the benefits to be gained from the management of the IAS. We provide a more complete picture of IAS impacts that could help to inform management decisions in the face of different potential choices and the possible impacts of these choices on sustainable livelihoods in the long term.

Mapping invasive alien plant species with very high spatial resolution and multi-date satellite imagery using object-based and machine learning techniques: A comparative study

ABSTRACT Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) have negative impacts on ecosystems, including the loss of biodiversity and the alteration of ecosystem functions. The strategy for mitigating these impacts requires knowledge of these species’ spatial distribution and level of infestation. In situ inventories or aerial photo interpretation can be used to collect these data but they are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and incomplete, especially when dealing with large or inaccessible areas. Remote sensing may be an effective method of mapping IAPS for a better management strategy. Several studies using remote sensing to map IAPS have focused on single species detection and were conducted in relatively homogeneous natural environments, while other common, more heterogeneous environments, such as urban areas, are often invaded by multiple IAPS, posing management challenges. The main objective of this study was to develop a mapping method for three major IAPS observed in the urban agglomeration of Quebec City (Canada), namely Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica); giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum); and phragmites (Phragmites australis). Mono-date and multi-date classification approaches were used with WorldView-3 and SPOT-7 satellite imagery, acquired in the summer of 2020 and in the autumn of 2019, respectively. To estimate presence probability, object-based image analysis (OBIA) and nonparametric classifiers such as Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) were used. Overall, multi-date classification using WorldView-3 and SPOT-7 images produced the best results, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.85 and an overall accuracy of 91% using RF. For XGBoost, the Kappa coefficient was 0.81 with an overall accuracy of 89%, whereas the Kappa coefficient and overall accuracy were 0.80 and 88% for SVM classifier, respectively. Individual class performances based on F1-score revealed that Japanese knotweed had the highest maximum value (0.95), followed by giant hogweed (0.91), and phragmites (0.87). These results confirmed the potential of remote sensing to accurately map and simultaneously monitor the main IAPS in a heterogeneous urban environment using a multi-date approach. Although the approach is limited by image and reference data availability, it provides new tools to managers for IAPS invasion control.

Plant communities and alien invasion in Kalika community forest, Kailai district, Sudurpashchim Province, Nepal

One of the major threats to native biological diversity is caused by invasive alien plant species (IAPS). As the documentation of plant communities and alien plant invasion in Far-west Nepal is very scarce, this study was carried out in the Kalika community forest of Kailali district, Sudurpaschim Province, Nepal. The aim of the study was to identify plant communities and the status of IAPS in the forest. A total of 43 plots (size 10 m × 10 m) were sampled. Plant communities were distinguished based on the Sorenson similarity index and cluster dendrogram. Cover of the tree canopy and IAPS was measured. A total of 101 species of vascular plants were recorded from five types of plant communities in the forest. The communities were named as (i) Buchanania latifolia-Terminalia alata community (ii) Casearia glomerata-Mallotus philippensis community (iii) Shorea robusta-Terminalia alata community (iv) Adina cordifolia-Mallotus philippensis community (v) Terminalia-Shorea-Trewia mixed community. These communities were invaded by invasive Ageratum houstonianum, A. conyzoides, Bidens pilosa, Cassia tora, and Argemone mexicana. A high cover of IAPS was found in Terminalia-Shorea-Trewia mixed community. The cover of IAPS was low under the high tree canopy. Control and management of IAPS should be done to protect the native plant communities in the forest for reducing disturbance to maintain tree canopies. It is hoped to be an effective method to reduce alien plant invasions.

Drone-Based Identification and Monitoring of Two Invasive Alien Plant Species in Open Sand Grasslands by Six RGB Vegetation Indices

Today, invasive alien species cause serious trouble for biodiversity and ecosystem services, which are essential for human survival. In order to effectively manage invasive species, it is important to know their current distribution and the dynamics of their spread. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) monitoring is one of the best tools for gathering this information from large areas. Vegetation indices for multispectral camera images are often used for this, but RGB colour-based vegetation indices can provide a simpler and less expensive solution. The goal was to examine whether six RGB indices are suitable for identifying invasive plant species in the QGIS environment on UAV images. To examine this, we determined the shoot area and number of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and the inflorescence area and number of blanket flowers (Gaillardia pulchella) as two typical invasive species in open sandy grasslands. According to the results, the cover area of common milkweed was best identified with the TGI and SSI indices. The producers’ accuracy was 76.38% (TGI) and 67.02% (SSI), while the user’s accuracy was 75.42% (TGI) and 75.12% (SSI), respectively. For the cover area of blanket flower, the IF index proved to be the most suitable index. In spite of this, it gave a low producer’s accuracy of 43.74% and user’s accuracy of 51.4%. The used methods were not suitable for the determination of milkweed shoot and the blanket flower inflorescence number, due to significant overestimation. With the methods presented here, the data of large populations of invasive species can be processed in a simple, fast, and cost-effective manner, which can ensure the precise planning of treatments for nature conservation practitioners.

Impacts of grazing exclusion on soil and vegetation of Parthenium hysterophorus invaded subtropical grassland in south-central Nepal

Although grazing is the most common anthropogenic use of grassland, excessive grazing without proper management makes grasslands more likely to be colonized by invasive alien plant species (IAPS) and further deteriorates their quality. Overgrazing followed by community homogenization due to plant invasion in grasslands is an emerging problem in grassland conservation worldwide. In this study, impacts of short-term (two-year) grazing exclusion was investigated on a heavily grazed, Parthenium hysterophorus invaded grassland in south-central Nepal. The soil properties and floristic composition of above- and below- ground vegetation was compared between openly grazing (GO) and grazing excluded (GE) plots. Our results revealed a significant decline in soil bulk density and organic carbon in GE plots due to grazing exclusion. Floristic composition was substantially altered by grazing exclusion, resulting in an enhanced and much more diverse plant community in GE plots. Species evenness was higher in GE plots while species richness and diversity were higher in GO plots in the above-ground vegetation. In the below-ground vegetation, species evenness and species diversity were higher in GE plots. Grazing exclusion lowered relative abundance of P. hysterophorus in the soil seed bank of GE plots, while there was no effect in the above ground vegetation. The more diversified plant community and reduced abundance of P. hysterophorus in the soil seed bank of the GE plots in this study imply that regulated grazing may boost native species and lessen the abundance of IAPS in grasslands with high grazing pressure.

Prosopis juliflora: invasive alien plant species derived biomass carbon and its application in hazardous NO2 gas sensing

Prosopis juliflora: invasive alien plant species derived biomass carbon and its application in hazardous NO2 gas sensing

Increasing coastal reclamation by Invasive alien plants and coastal armoring threatens the ecological sustainability of coastal wetlands

Coastal reclamation is becoming a common land restoration trend all over the world as a result of the rising demand for land. Though restoring coastal wetlands has significant economic advantages, a slew of adverse ecological effects threatens the carbon functions of coastal wetlands. For the objective of making appropriate land use policymaking, the ecological-economic trade-offs of reclamation initiatives must be carefully considered. In this study, we utilized appropriate models to estimate the ecosystem service values and economic benefits of invasive alien plants and embankment seawall coastal reclamation in China. We centered on three main ecology-related ecosystem services: greenhouse gas regulation, storm-flood-erosion control, and waste treatment/habitat preservation. Coastal reclamation intensity index and financial analysis were utilized to assess the trade-offs between ecological degradation and economic benefit resulting from land reclamation. Findings reveal that a total of 26,322 ha and 10,731 km of coastal wetlands were reclaimed by Spartina alterniflora and seawalls respectively from 2000 to 2020 in China. S. alterniflora reclamation resulted in a significant decline of ESV loss of 5,702,454 Yuan ha−1, while seawalls reclamation yielded some Ecosystem service value (ESV) gain of 4,800, 111 Yuan km-1 from 2000-2020. The combined effects of coastal armoring and invasive S. alterniflora reclamation led to a loss of about 32.2 billion Yuan in ESV for the study duration. Economic gains failed to make up for the ecosystem service value ESV loss, since the cumulative ESV loss significantly exceeded the economic gains across the period studied. This correlation of trade-offs emerged from reclamation development that favored quick economic gains over long-lasting ecological value, posing a potential long-term threat to the ecological integrity and carbon sinks in coastal wetlands. To establish an equilibrium between seawall reclamation and Invasive alien plant species spread in coastal wetlands, stakeholders could use this scientific knowledge as leverage to avert future irreparable losses.

Features of development of invasive species assessment and control protocols for different groups of plant communities

The study of invasive alien species is carried out on a large scale because the economic and ecological damage caused by biological invasions is enormous. However, no unified approach to describing invasive populations has been developed so far. In the framework of alien plant inventory in Russia, the authors have developed the “Invasive Species Assessment Protocol”, which is a tool for assessing, categorizing and including in the “black”-lists any invasive alien plant species according to its impact on native species and natural biodiversity over a large geographic area. “The Protocol” contains five basic elements of the inventory: 1) taxonomic affiliation, life form, and natural range of species; 2) ecological impact; 3) current distribution and population size; 4) trends in abundance of populations or its size; and 5) ability to control alien species dissemination. “Protocol” is presented as the special blank for description of local invasive population. The description is very brief but, if necessary, additional information about the process of invasion of each alien species can be added to it. Specific additions to the protocol for some national economic objects: railroads, introduction institutions, Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNA) are offered. Examples of using the Protocol during the inventory of invasive species on the Trans-Siberian Railway, in the NV Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden, and in the some Protected Natural Areas are given.

Nutrient enrichment promotes invasion success of alien plants via increased growth and suppression of chemical defenses.

In support of the prediction of the enemy release hypothesis regarding a growth-defense trade-off, invasive alien plants often exhibit greater growth and lower anti-herbivory defenses than native plants. However, it remains unclear how nutrient enrichment of invaded habitats may influence competitive interactions between invasive alien and co-occurring native plants, as well as production of anti-herbivore defense compounds, growth-promoting hormones, and defense-regulating hormones by the two groups of plants. Here, we tested whether: (i) nutrient enrichment causes invasive alien plants to produce greater biomass and lower concentrations of the defense compounds flavonoids and tannins than native plants; and (ii) invasive alien plants produce lower concentrations of a defense-regulating hormone jasmonic acid (JA) and higher concentrations of a growth-promoting hormone gibberellic acid (GA3). In a greenhouse experiment, we grew five congeneric pairs of invasive alien and native plant species under two levels each of nutrient enrichment (low vs. high), simulated herbivory (leaf clipping vs. no-clipping), and competition (alone vs. competition) in 2.5-L pots. In the absence of competition, high-nutrient treatment induced a greater increase in total biomass of invasive alien species than that of native species, whereas the reverse was true under competition as native species benefitted more from nutrient enrichment than invasive alien species. Moreover, high-nutrient treatment caused a greater increase in total biomass of invasive alien species than that of native species in the presence of simulated herbivory. Competition induced higher production of flavonoids and tannins. Simulated herbivory induced higher flavonoid expression in invasive alien plants under low-nutrient than high-nutrient treatments. However, flavonoid concentrations of native plants did not change under nutrient enrichment and simulated herbivory treatments. Invasive alien plants produced higher concentrations of GA3 than native plants. Taken together, these results suggest that impact of nutrient enrichment on growth of invasive alien and co-occurring native plants may depend on the level of competition that they experience. Moreover, invasive alien plants might adjust their flavonoid-based defense more efficiently than native plants in response to variation in soil nutrient availability and herbivory pressure. Our findings suggest that large-scale efforts to reduce nutrient enrichment of invaded habitats may help to control future invasiveness of target alien plant species.

Native fauna interact differently with native and alien trees in a tropical megacity

The negative effects of invasive alien plant species on natural ecosystems are well known. However, in rapidly growing cities, alien plants can provide native fauna with resources otherwise lost due to the biotic homogenization, which is common to urban ecosystems. Interactions of native fauna with alien flora have thus far focused largely on invertebrate pollinators in temperate cities in the northern hemisphere. Cities in tropical areas, however, are larger and are growing more rapidly, and host a variety of vertebrate pollinators. Understanding how birds and mammals interact with native and alien flora in these megacities could improve management of urban ecosystems in highly biodiverse regions while limiting invasion potential. Therefore, here we investigate whether native diurnal birds and mammals interact differently with native versus alien trees in Bengaluru, India where historical planting has led to an abundance of alien tree species. We find that tree origin alone was not an important predictor for bird species richness and abundance, but taller native trees with large floral display sizes were more species rich than alien trees of similar floral displays. As expected from their shared evolutionary history, nectarivorous birds fed from native trees more often in a manner that could facilitate pollination, but engaged in nectar theft more often with alien trees. Squirrels (the mammal observed most frequently to interact with flowers) were more likely, however, to depredate flowers of native trees. Our results suggest alien trees can be an important resource for fauna in expanding urban areas, and that nectar theft by birds could reduce the seed set of alien trees.

Ipomoea tricolor (Convolvulaceae) in Turkey: New occurrence record and potential spread areas under current climatic conditions

BackgroundThe invasive alien plant species exert significant economic and ecological impacts in the introduced ranges. The occurrence reports of newly introduced species and assessing their potential spread are important for halting their future spread. MethodsThe presence of Ipomoea tricolor Cav. (Convolvulaceae) in Turkey is confirmed through surveys in Tokat province. The general characteristics and seed germination potential of the plant were determined, and its potential distribution areas in the country were modeled by maximum entropy model. Global habitat suitability of the species was predicted under current climatic conditions and then downscaled to Turkey. ResultsThe plant was first recorded on the edge of a field and in the garden of a house in Tokat province (Kat town) of Turkey. The species was transported/introduced here for ornamental purposes. Afterward, the species was detected at two more locations in the residential areas of Tokat province, grown as an ornamental plant. The model predicted that there are plenty of vacant niches with moderate habitat suitability for I. tricolor in Turkey. The Black Sea, Aegean, Mediterranean and some parts of central Anatolia regions of the country are suitable for the spread of this species. Considering the rapid spread of I. purpurea (an ornamental plant species in the same genus) in agricultural and non-agricultural areas of the country, it is predicted that I. tricolor could spread and cause negative impacts on agro-ecosystems. ConclusionsThe potential spread areas of the species should be mapped under future climatic conditions to develop early detection and rapid response system in the country. Rapid surveys should be conducted in the areas predicted as suitable to track the spread of the species and improve models’ prediction. Nonetheless, awareness should be created through citizen science to halt the spread of this species in the current distribution region of the country.

MIMOSA DIPLOTRICHA: THE DOMINANT INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES IN THE PALAKKAD GAP OF THE WESTERN GHATS IN SOUTH INDIA

The ecological phenomenon of bio invasion captures attention in the introduction and establishment of a species beyond its natural range, where it shows massive spread. Ecological and socioeconomic impacts of some invasions are enormous, which have provided much impetus for the study into this area. When all species compete to survive, invasive alien plant species (IAPS) tend to have specific traits or their combinations which allow them to outcompete the native species. In certain cases, the competition is about rates of growth and reproduction. In other cases, they may interact with each other more directly. This study on Mimosa diplotricha, IAPS in the Palakkad Gap of the Western Ghats in South India is intended to trace its dominance and invasion in the region and also to conserve the Palakkad Gap, which is a biodiversity hotspot.

Inventarisasi Tumbuhan Asing Invasif di Kawasan Taman Hutan Raya Ir. H. Djuanda

Invasive alien plant species are plant species that occupy and dominate an area so that they become one of the threats to damage ecosystems, habitats, flora and fauna. The purpose of the study was to determine the types of invasive alien plants found in the Ir. H. Djuanda Forest Park and to find out the potential use of invasive alien plant species for the community. The research design used exploratory method combined with line transect. The results showed that there were 50 species belonging to 27 families, especially in the Compositae (13 species), Poaceae (5 species), and Acanthaceae (4 species). Based on the species composition in each block, the species found in the Utilization Block (29 species) were more diverse than the Protection Block (27 species) and Collection Block (10 species). Based on the literature review, the invasive alien plant species found in the Ir. H. Djuanda Forest Park has the potential to be developed as a animal feed, medicinal plant, processed food, and ornamental plant. Keywords: Species composition, Potential, Invasive alien plants species

Peoples' Perception on Invasive Alien Plant Species of Ramdhuni Municipality, Sunsari District, Eastern Nepal

The purpose of this study was to record existing information and perception of local people on invasive alien plant species IAPs in the rural areas of lowland, eastern Nepal (Ramdhuni Municipality, Sunsari District). A semi-structured questionnaire survey and interview were carried out to document whether the people were known or unknown to the IAPs followed by harmful or beneficial effects of IAPs and control measures to minimize the spread of IAPs. We found that only 6.25% of respondents knew about the IAPs and there was significant difference between the percentage of respondents who were known or unknown to IAPs. There was a significant positive correlation between the respondents' ages and the number of plants they described. Local people have been using IAPs for food, medicine, and fodder for a long time. However, some IAPs also have detrimental effects in forest and agriculture.

Impact of Invasive Alien Plant Species on Native Vegetation of Chhatrakot Rural Municipality, Gulmi District, Lumbini Province

Fieldwork was carried out in February to April 2022. The use and distribution of IAPS and their management were recorded through the application of checklists and semi-structured questionnaires Present research shows the presence of 10 invasive alien plant species from the study area. The main invasive species include Ageratina adenophora, Ageratum conyzoides, Ageratum houstonianum, Bidens pilosa, Chromolaena adorata, Parthenium hysterophorus, Mimosa pudica, Oxalis latifolia, Senna tora, and Xanthium strumarium. Bidens pilosa, one of these IAPS, is the species that is most common in agricultural areas, whereas Ageratina adenophora is the species that is most common in grasslands and forest borders. Significant IAPS in agricultural lands include Ageratum conyzoides, Ageratum houstonianum, and Oxalis latifolia, which have an immediate impact on the vegetation of the rural municipality of Chhatrakot. It was discovered that Ageratina adenophora was introduced around 20–25 years ago when road tracts were opened, despite the fact that the past of many IAPS was unknown. Ploughing, picking, burning, and composting are some common practices used to manage these IAPS in Chhatrakot rural municipality.

The Extended Distributional Areas of Solanum lasiocarpum (Solanaceae) in Sumatra, Indonesia

Solanum is one of Solanaceae's largest genera, where some species are usually used as food and medicine. Until recently, 15 species of Solanum subg. Leptostemonum has been listed in Sumatra, Indonesia. Solanum lasiocarpum Dunal is a native Leptostemonum found in Indonesia. S. lasiocarpum was only recorded in Northern Sumatra by several botanists. In 2019, S. lasiocarpum was also reported from Bengkulu, but there were still doubts about these findings. During the expedition of invasive alien plant species in Padang Bindu, Sumatra Selatan, in May 2021, we discovered S. lasiocarpum with different noticeable characteristics from S. lasiocarpum, which was previously found in Bengkulu. Detailed examination of the morphological characters, our study revealed that that species was S. lasiocarpum. This finding suggested an extended distributional record for S. lasiocarpum in Sumatra.

Effects of Invasive Plant Diversity on Soil Microbial Communities

Native plant communities can be invaded by different numbers of alien plant species or by the same number of alien plant species with different levels of evenness. However, little is known about how alien invasive plant species richness and evenness affect soil microbial communities. We constructed native herbaceous plant communities invaded by exotic plants with different richness (1, 2, 4 and 8 species) and evenness (high and low) and analyzed soil physico-chemical properties and the diversity and composition of soil fungal and bacterial communities by high-throughput Illumina sequencing. Overall, the species richness and evenness of invasive plants had no significant effect on bacterial and fungal alpha diversity (OTUs, Shannon, Simpson, Chao1 and ACE) or the soil physico-chemical properties. However, invasive species richness had a significant impact on the relative abundance of the most dominant fungi, Ascomycota and Bipolaris, and the dominant bacteria, Actinobacteriota, which increased with increasing invasive species richness. The relative abundance of the dominant microbial groups was significantly correlated with the relative abundance of some specific invasive plants in the community. This study sheds new light on the effects of plant co-invasion on soil microbial communities, which may help us understand the underlying mechanisms of multiple alien plant invasion processes from the perspective of soil microorganisms.

Belowground bud bank of invasive plants contributes to their successful invasion in coastal wetlands

The capacity of vegetative regeneration can contribute to the invasion success of alien plant species in introduced ranges. Belowground bud bank is a trait closely related to vegetative regeneration, but it is still unknown whether belowground bud bank can help invasive alien plants to successfully invade into native plant communities. We measured bud bank density and aboveground biomass of invasive alien and native plants, and species diversity in four wetlands along a soil moisture gradient in Zhejiang Province in East China. Overall, bud bank density, aboveground biomass, and plant diversity differed significantly among the four wetlands along the soil moisture gradient. Bud bank density, aboveground biomass, and the relative dominance of invasive plants increased with increasing soil moisture, whereas bud bank density and the relative dominance of the native plants showed the opposite trend. For invasive plants, both the proportion of aboveground biomass and the relative dominance were significantly positively related to their bud proportion. These results suggest that belowground bud bank of invasive alien plant species can contribute to their successful invasion in native plant communities. Therefore, measures such as plowing and raking could be taken to destroy or restrict belowground bud bank of invasive alien plants to prevent their invasion and to restore native vegetation.

Impacts of Livestock Grazing on Vegetation and Soil in Lowland Grassland Ecosystem of Nepal

Livestock grazing is one of the largest sectors for land use globally, and contrasting impacts (negative, neutral, and positive) of livestock grazing on vegetation and soil have been observed. In Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR), livestock grazing is one of the major problems but has been feebly addressed in previous research. This study, therefore, aims to determine the impacts of livestock grazing on vegetation and soil quality in grasslands of core and buffer zones of KTWR. Less grazing intensity was observed at the core zone compared to the buffer zone. Livestock grazing was observed with negative impacts on the richness and diversity of the plant species causing changes in the community assemblages. Invasive plant species richness, however, was found higher in the low grazed areas. Differences in soil pH, phosphorus, and potassium content between high and low grazed areas were not observed. In contrast, soil electrical conductivity, bulk density, and nitrogen content were significantly higher in the high grazed areas. Controlled grazing is recommended at buffer zone grasslands of KTWR to enhance plant diversity and nutrient availability. The core areas of the reserve should be managed for reducing the abundance and distribution of invasive alien plant species.