Naslov
Presence of alien Prunus serotina and Impatiens parviflora in lowland forest fragments in NE Slovenia

Autori
Mirjana Šipek, Mirjana ; Horvat, Eva: Vitasović Kosić, Ivana: Šajna, Nina

Izvornik
Šumarski list : znanstveno-stručno i staleško glasilo Hrvatskoga šumarskog društva (0373-1332) 146 (2022), 5-6; 215-222

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
biological invasions, forest fragmentation, landscape metrics, habitat characteristics, human presence, neophytes

Sažetak
Temperate alluvial, riparian and lowland forests are the European forests with the greatest presence of invasive alien plants. Consequently, identifying the environmental conditions for and other drivers behind the establishment of invasive species in natural forest communities is crucial for understanding the invasibility of these habitats. We focused on fragments (patches) of Illyrian oak-hornbeam forest in NE Slovenia, which are the least studied in this regard. Because alien phanerophytes and therophytes are significantly over-represented compared to native plants in lowland forests, we selected two representative invasives: the phanerophyte Prunus serotina and the therophyte Impatiens parviflora. By using logistic regression models on vegetation surveys, environmental data based on Ellenberg´s indicator values, and patch metrics, we identified patch characteristics explaining the presence of each species. Moreover, we included human impact in the models. We reveal significant characteristics differentiating P. serotina from I. parviflora. We also show that the perimeterarea ratio and soil nutrients of the forest patches correlate significantly with the presence of P. serotina, while human disturbance correlates significantly with the presence of I. parviflora. Our results and a similar approach for other invasive plant species can be applied to assess habitat invasibility on potential and species’ current geographic distribution, as well as to develop management plans.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija, Poljoprivreda (agronomija), Šumarstvo, Interdisciplinarne biotehničke znanosti

POVEZANOST RADA