engleski

Spatial distribution of the invasive species Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. in the towns of Zagreb county

Research of spatial distribution of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in the nine towns of Zagreb County was conducted during the years 2012 and 2016 on plots of 250x250 m2. The number of inhabitants ranges from 14548 in Ivanić Grad to 63517 in Velika Gorica. Altogether, 541 plots were investigated. Among them, A. artemisiifolia was found at 271 plots (50.1%). In Ivanić Grad, the species was established on 31 of 73 surveyed plots (42.5% ), in Jastrebarsko on 27 of 48 plots (56.2%), in Sveti Ivan Zelina on 21 of 44 plots (47.7%), in Sveta Nedjelja on 17 of 31 plots (54.8%), in Velika Gorica on 39 of 76 plots (51.3%), in Vrbovec on 19 of 48 plots (39.6%), in Zaprešić on 28 of 58 plots (48.3%), in Dugo Selo on 30 of 54 plots (55.5%), and in Samobor on 58 of 109 surveyed plots (53.2%). The comparative analysis of spatial distribution of A. artemisiifolia between Dugo Selo and Samobor showed that during the study period the number of new plots with ragweed has increased by 7.4% in Dugo Selo, and by 21.1% in Samobor. The increase of ragweed was more significant in urban parts of the towns, and less in the suburbanrural areas. This was the first organised research of invasive plants in Zagreb County, which has pointed to the need for more intensive monitoring and control of the IAS distribution and spread in order to mitigate their negative impact in the both towns of Zagreb County and the city of Zagreb.

ragweed, invasive alien plants (IAS) , distribution patterns, urban areas, Croatia

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