Invasion establishment and habitat suitability of Chromolaena odorata (L.) King and Robinson over time and space in the western Himalayan forests of India

Abstract

a b s t r a c tHabitat suitability assessment of the invasive species Chromolaena odorata (L.) King and Robinson from Himalayan forests reveals some interesting findings and conclusions. At different study sites, 29 of 72 species were exotic and invasive and comprised 21 genera and eight families. Indigenous species accounted for 59% of the total species and comprised 26 genera and 11 families. Perennials outnumbered the annuals in all study sites. Chromolaena odorata and Lantana camara L. were the only invasive species that were common to all sites with high importance value index values. The present work reveals that sites with high biotic pressure, maximum temperature variation, open forest canopy, and free from herbivory are the most suitable habitat for the growth of C. odorata. An elevated level of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, soil organic matter, and nitrogen and acidic soil in all invaded sites are possible reasons for further invasion of C. odorata.

Naturalized alien flora of the Indian states: biogeographic patterns, taxonomic structure and drivers of species richness

“…One reason for the naturalization success could be that many Compositae species produce a large seed crop, e.g. Ageratina adenophora, Chromolaena odorata, Mikania micrantha and Solidago gigantea (Witkowski and Wilson 2001;Tiwari et al 2005;Mandal and Joshi 2014;Horvitz et al 2014;Kalwij et al 2014;Day et al 2016).…”

An Assessment of a Community-Based, Forest Restoration Programme in Durban (eThekwini), South Africa

“…Repeated removal of IAPs can increase native tree recruitment and tree species diversity [4]. Furthermore, past studies have found a decrease in IAP cover with an increase in natural forest tree canopy cover (e.g., [75]). Chromolaena odorata is now becoming a serious problem in the upland area of the five-year-old habitat and in the lowland area of both the three-and five-year-old habitats.…”

The invasive alien plants threatened the balance of ecosystem in conservative area in Ontoloe Island, Flores-Indonesia

“…L camara become the serious treatment in an ecosystem because it will dominate other plants in grabs the space, water, and nutrition [31]. L.camara is the species that will interfere other native plants and will dominate lower plants species and the result is it will decrease the diversity of lower plants species in forest ecosystem [32,33].…”