Invasive Shrub Lantana Camara Research Articles

The native avian species visiting fruiting invasive Lantana camara in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Potential dispersal concerns

Alien invasive plant species are a major problem globally, threatening ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. Native bird species facilitate their spread through mutualistic relationships. Studies of seed dispersal of alien invasive plants are important for effective management. In the present study, we investigated the role of native bird species in the potential dispersal of the highly invasive shrub Lantana camara in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We observed a total of 56 native bird species visiting fruiting L. camara with only 28 (50 %) species consuming the fruit. Visitation frequencies were significantly higher for small and medium-sized frugivorous species. The dark-capped bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor was the frugivorous bird species most observed visiting and is likely the main potential native avian disperser of L. camara. Interestingly, two non-frugivorous birds, the white-bellied sunbird Cinnyris talatala and the white-browed scrub-robin Cercotrichas leucophrys showed relatively high visitation frequencies to L. camara. Our study showed that L. camara benefits from seed dispersers and pollinators for seed reproduction and spread. These results emphasise the importance of evaluating the role of native bird species in the dispersal of alien invasive species.

Correction to: Differences between sun and shade habitats on the invasive shrub Lantana camara and its biocontrol agent Teleonemia scrupulosa

Correction to: Differences between sun and shade habitats on the invasive shrub Lantana camara and its biocontrol agent Teleonemia scrupulosa

Differences between sun and shade habitats on the invasive shrub Lantana camara and its biocontrol agent Teleonemia scrupulosa

The sap-sucking lace bug, Teleonemia scrupulosa (Hemiptera: Tingidae), was released as a biocontrol agent against the invasive shrub Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) in South Africa in 1961. Like many agents released against the weed in South Africa, success has been varied, largely attributed to the sheer number of L. camara varieties involved and the habitat types they invade. This study assessed the effects of L. camara variety (floral colour) and light microhabitat (sun/shade) on the preference, proliferation and feeding damage of T. scrupulosa. Using a cage choice test, varietal preference of T. scrupulosa between two of the most abundant (invasive) L. camara varieties (pink and orange) was assessed under both shaded and well-lit conditions. Secondly, the effect of T. scrupulosa chlorotic feeding damage on leaf physiology was evaluated. Results indicated that T. scrupulosa preferred the orange flower variety in high light environments but did not proliferate on either variety in the shade. At approximately 20% herbivory damage, photosynthesis declined by 90%, which was primarily attributed to the rapid increase in stomatal resistance. These results indicate that microhabitat, particularly sunlight intensity, is more important than L. camara variety to T. scrupulosa host preference. Mass release strategies should therefore consider microhabitat, prioritising releases on plants in open sunny locations to encourage agent persistence and proliferation.

增温对入侵植物马缨丹生物量分配和异速生长的影响

增温对入侵植物马缨丹生物量分配和异速生长的影响

Comparing Pixel and Object-Based Approaches to Map an Understorey Invasive Shrub in Tropical Mixed Forests.

The establishment of invasive alien species in varied habitats across the world is now recognized as a genuine threat to the preservation of biodiversity. Specifically, plant invasions in understory tropical forests are detrimental to the persistence of healthy ecosystems. Monitoring such invasions using Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite remote sensing has been shown to be valuable in designing management interventions for conservation of native habitats. Object-based classification methods are very helpful in identifying invasive plants in various habitats, by their inherent nature of imitating the ability of the human brain in pattern recognition. However, these methods have not been tested adequately in dense tropical mixed forests where invasion occurs in the understorey. This study compares a pixel-based and object-based classification method for mapping the understorey invasive shrub Lantana camara (Lantana) in a tropical mixed forest habitat in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India. Overall, a hierarchical approach of mapping top canopy at first, and then further processing for the understorey shrub, using measures such as texture and vegetation indices proved effective in separating out Lantana from other cover types. In the first method, we implement a simple parametric supervised classification for mapping cover types, and then process within these types for Lantana delineation. In the second method, we use an object-based segmentation algorithm to map cover types, and then perform further processing for separating Lantana. The improved ability of the object-based approach to delineate structurally distinct objects with characteristic spectral and spatial characteristics of their own, as well as with reference to their surroundings, allows for much flexibility in identifying invasive understorey shrubs among the complex vegetation of the tropical forest than that provided by the parametric classifier. Conservation practices in tropical mixed forests can benefit greatly by adopting methods which use high resolution remotely sensed data and advanced techniques to monitor the patterns and effective functioning of native ecosystems by periodically mapping disturbances such as invasion.

Assessing effect of rainfall on rate of alien shrub expansion in a southern African savanna

Understanding the environmental factors governing the spread of alien shrubs is crucial for conserving biodiversity. In the semi-arid savannas of Africa, alien shrub invasion often occurs simultaneously with native shrub encroachment but climate-dependent differences in encroachments of native and alien shrubs have never been properly quantified. A combination of historical aerial photographs and field measurements was used to compare the spread of the invasive shrub Lantana camara L. with that of native encroaching shrubs over a 31-year period in a protected semi-arid savanna in Zimbabwe, southern Africa. We tested whether the response of this invasive alien shrub to rainfall differs from that of native shrub encroachers. Both the invasive shrub L. camara and native encroaching shrubs spread significantly faster during high rainfall years than in dry years. However, the response of L. camara to annual rainfall was stronger than the response of native encroaching shrubs. During years of above-average rainfall, the mean annual rate of spread of L. camara was at least twice that of native shrub encroachers, whereas in other years natives spread at the same rate as the alien shrub. This is a novel finding suggesting that in water-limited savannas, pulses in rainfall may accelerate the spread of some invasive alien species.

Climate warming may facilitate invasion of the exotic shrub Lantana camara.

Plant species show different responses to the elevated temperatures that are resulting from global climate change, depending on their ecological and physiological characteristics. The highly invasive shrub Lantana camara occurs between the latitudes of 35°N and 35°S. According to current and future climate scenarios predicted by the CLIMEX model, climatically suitable areas for L. camara are projected to contract globally, despite expansions in some areas. The objective of this study was to test those predictions, using a pot experiment in which branch cuttings were grown at three different temperatures (22°C, 26°C and 30°C). We hypothesized that warming would facilitate the invasiveness of L. camara. In response to rising temperatures, the total biomass of L. camara did increase. Plants allocated more biomass to stems and enlarged their leaves more at 26°C and 30°C, which promoted light capture and assimilation. They did not appear to be stressed by higher temperatures, in fact photosynthesis and assimilation were enhanced. Using lettuce (Lactuca sativa) as a receptor plant in a bioassay experiment, we also tested the phytotoxicity of L. camara leachate at different temperatures. All aqueous extracts from fresh leaves significantly inhibited the germination and seedling growth of lettuce, and the allelopathic effects became stronger with increasing temperature. Our results provide key evidence that elevated temperature led to significant increases in growth along with physiological and allelopathic effects, which together indicate that global warming facilitates the invasion of L. camara.

Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) invasion along streams in a heterogeneous landscape.

Streams are periodically disturbed due to flooding, act as edges between habitats and also facilitate the dispersal of propagules, thus being potentially more vulnerable to invasions than adjoining regions. We used a landscape-wide transect-based sampling strategy and a mixed effects modelling approach to understand the effects of distance from stream, a rainfall gradient, light availability and fire history on the distribution of the invasive shrub Lantana camara L.(lantana) in the tropical dry forests of Mudumalai in southern India. The area occupied by lantana thickets and lantana stem abundance were both found to be highest closest to streams across this landscape with a rainfall gradient. There was no advantage in terms of increased abundance or area occupied by lantana when it grew closer to streams in drier areas as compared to moister areas. On an average, the area covered by lantana increased with increasing annual rainfall. Areas that experienced greater number of fires during 1989-2010 had lower lantana stem abundance irrespective of distance from streams. In this landscape, total light availability did not affect lantana abundance. Understanding the spatially variable environmental factors in a heterogeneous landscape influencing the distribution of lantana would aid in making informed management decisions at this scale.

Long-Term Environmental Correlates of Invasion by Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest

Invasive species, local plant communities and invaded ecosystems change over space and time. Quantifying this change may lead to a better understanding of the ecology and the effective management of invasive species. We used data on density of the highly invasive shrub Lantana camara (lantana) for the period 1990–2008 from a 50 ha permanent plot in a seasonally dry tropical forest of Mudumalai in southern India. We used a cumulative link mixed-effects regression approach to model the transition of lantana from one qualitative density state to another as a function of biotic factors such as indicators of competition from local species (lantana itself, perennial grasses, invasive Chromolaena odorata, the native shrub Helicteres isora and basal area of native trees) and abiotic factors such as fire frequency, inter-annual variability of rainfall and relative soil moisture. The density of lantana increased substantially during the study period. Lantana density was negatively associated with the density of H. isora, positively associated with basal area of native trees, but not affected by the presence of grasses or other invasive species. In the absence of fire, lantana density increased with increasing rainfall. When fires occurred, transitions to higher densities occurred at low rainfall values. In drier regions, lantana changed from low to high density as rainfall increased while in wetter regions of the plot, lantana persisted in the dense category irrespective of rainfall. Lantana seems to effectively utilize resources distributed in space and time to its advantage, thus outcompeting local species and maintaining a population that is not yet self-limiting. High-risk areas and years could potentially be identified based on inferences from this study for facilitating management of lantana in tropical dry forests.

Performance of established native seedlings in relation to invasive Lantana camara, rainfall and species’ habitat preferences in a seasonally dry tropical forest

Native species' response to the presence of invasive species is context specific. This response cannot be studied in isolation from the prevailing environmental stresses in invaded habitats such as seasonal drought. We investigated the combined effects of an invasive shrub Lantana camara L. (lantana), seasonal rainfall and species' microsite preferences on the growth and survival of 1,105 naturally established seedlings of native trees and shrubs in a seasonally dry tropical forest. Individuals were followed from April 2008 to February 2010, and growth and survival measured in relation to lantana density, seasonality of rainfall and species characteristics in a 50-ha permanent forest plot located in Mudumalai, southern India. We used a mixed effects modelling approach to examine seedling growth and generalized linear models to examine seedling survival. The overall relative height growth rate of established seedlings was found to be very low irrespective of the presence or absence of dense lantana. 22-month growth rate of dry forest species was lower under dense lantana while moist forest species were not affected by the presence of lantana thickets. 4-month growth rates of all species increased with increasing inter-census rainfall. Community results may be influenced by responses of the most abundant species, Catunaregam spinosa, whose growth rates were always lower under dense lantana. Overall seedling survival was high, increased with increasing rainfall and was higher for species with dry forest preference than for species with moist forest preference. The high survival rates of naturally established seedlings combined with their basal sprouting ability in this forest could enable the persistence of woody species in the face of invasive species.

Effect of previous feeding by Falconia intermedia (Hemiptera: Miridae) on subsequent feeding activity on the invasive shrub Lantana camara (Verbenaceae)

After initially building up to high densities, populations of a promising biological control agent, Falconia intermedia (Distant) (Hemiptera: Miridae), imported to control the invasive plant Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) in South Africa, disappeared at almost all release sites in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces. In an attempt to explain this phenomenon, laboratory trials were conducted to determine the effect of previous feeding on the subsequent performance of F. intermedia on L. camara varieties from two of the Eastern Cape release sites; Lyndhurst Farm and Whitney Farm. F. intermedia feeding damage, number of adults, number of nymphs and oviposition on Whitney Farm, L. camara plants were 40.8% (p<0.001), 106% (p<0 .001), 81.5% (p <0.001) and 80% (p<0.001) higher, respectively, than on Lyndhurst Farm, indicating the superior suitability and quality of Whitney Farm plants for F. intermedia performance. A defence response was observed by plants from Lyndhurst Farm that were previously fed on (i.e. induced). The induced plants had significantly lower F. intermedia feeding damage (21.4% less, p=0.007), numbers of adults (187.5% less, p=0.034), numbers of nymphs (110% less, p=0.071) and oviposition (99.8% less, p=0.021) than plants that were not previously fed on. The defence responses were elicited and expressed throughout the plant in both damaged and undamaged leaves within five weeks after insect release (rapidly induced response). The significant decrease in herbivore performance suggests that some L. camara varieties possess factors that enable them to resist subsequent feeding activity, offering us some understanding of one of the factors that might have contributed to the failure of F. intermedia in South Africa.

Predation on Seeds of Invasive Lantana camara by Darwin's Finches in the Galapagos Islands

Observations on birds feeding on fruits of the invasive shrub Lantana camara (Supirrosa) were conducted on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos (Ecuador) in the Dry Zone during the 2009 dry season. The endemic ground finches Geospiza magnirostris (Large Ground Finch) and G. fortis (Medium Ground Finch) were recorded eating Lantana seeds with G. fortis the main consumer (>90% of records). Both finch species crushed the seeds and ate the embryos, discarding the exocarp and empty seed coats. They also dropped entire fruits to the ground, which could contribute to short-distance dispersal, but both finches also consumed fruits of L. camara on the ground. Density of L. camara seedlings under adult plants was higher in rockier areas than in bare soil since seeds were less accessible to predators and/or found more suitable microsites for germination and establishment. Both species of finches serve as short-distance dispersers, but mainly as seed predators of L. camara fruits.

Integrating conventional classifiers with a GIS expert system to increase the accuracy of invasive species mapping

Mapping the cover of invasive species using remotely sensed data alone is challenging, because many invaders occur as mid-level canopy species or as subtle understorey species and therefore contribute little to the spectral signatures captured by passive remote sensing devices. In this study, two common non-parametric classifiers namely, the neural network and support vector machine were used to map four cover classes of the invasive shrub Lantana camara in a protected game reserve and the adjacent area under communal land management in Zimbabwe. These classifiers were each combined with a geographic information system (GIS) expert system, in order to test whether the new hybrid classifiers yielded significantly more accurate invasive species cover maps than the single classifiers. The neural network, when used on its own, mapped the cover of L. camara with an overall accuracy of 71% and a Kappa index of agreement of 0.61. When the neural network was combined with an expert system, the overall accuracy and Kappa index of agreement significantly increased to 83% and 0.77, respectively. Similarly, the support vector machine achieved an overall accuracy of 64% with a Kappa index of agreement of 0.52, whereas the hybrid support vector machine and expert system classifier achieved a significantly higher overall accuracy of 76% and a Kappa index of agreement of 0.67. These results suggest that integrating conventional image classifiers with an expert system increases the accuracy of invasive species mapping.

Patterns of Seed Dispersal and Dispersal Failure in a Hawaiian Dry Forest Having Only Introduced Birds

ABSTRACTDry forests are among the most endangered natural communities in the Hawaiian Islands. Most have been reduced to isolated trees and small forest fragments in which native tree species reproduce poorly. The replacement of native birds by introduced generalists may be contributing to dry forest decline through modification of seed dispersal patterns. To document seed dispersal by introduced birds, we conducted foraging observations on fleshy‐fruited trees and measured seed rain under trees and in adjacent open areas for 1 year in a dry forest dominated by native trees. Although trees covered only 15.2 percent of the study area, 96.9 percent of the bird‐dispersed seeds were deposited beneath them. The Japanese white‐eye (Zosterops japonicus) was the principal dispersal agent. Among bird‐dispersed seeds, those of the invasive tree Bocconia frutescens accounted for 75 percent of all seeds collected beneath trees (14.8 seeds/m2/yr) and the invasive shrub Lantana camara accounted for 17 percent. Although nearly 60 percent of the reserve's native woody species possess fleshy fruits, introduced birds rarely disperse their seeds. Native trees accounted for &lt;8 percent of all bird‐dispersed seeds and are consequently experiencing dispersal failure by falling directly under parent trees. Smaller‐seeded non‐native plants, in contrast, may be benefiting from dispersal by introduced birds. Current dispersal patterns suggest that these readily disseminated non‐native plants may eventually replace the remaining native flora.