Survey of the Solidago canadensis L. Morphological Traits and Essential Oil Production: Aboveground Biomass Growth and Abundance of the Invasive Goldenrod Appears to Be Reciprocally Enhanced within the Invaded Stands

Abstract

Canadian goldenrod is one of the most widespread invasive neophytes in Europe with proven ecological and environmental consequences for the invaded plots. The morphological traits and productive features survey can offer a better insight view into the S. canadensis population ecology and the dynamic of its aboveground biomass growth. Equally, it can serve as a foundation for a balanced management proposal, with the aim of keeping an acceptable degree of Canadian goldenrod invasion. In the study, 600 specimens, collected at various phenological phases, from the twelve sampling stands in the eastern Slovakia, were processed. The obtained data were related to the degree of invasion, pH, soil moisture, overall stand area, and measure of interventions. Plants from the stands with a mild degree of goldenrod invasion (<50%), lower pH, and higher stand area were significantly lower and lighter; had a significantly lower number and weight of leaves; significantly shorter and lighter stems, in comparison to the plants from the stands with a heavy degree of invasion (>50%); a higher pH; and a smaller area. These plants also showed smaller essential oil productivity rate, and they achieved the growth peak a significantly later. Conversely, as the stand area decreased, and the S. canadensis % representation and soil reaction increased, goldenrods became significantly taller and heavier, with a higher number of leaves and a higher essential oil productivity rate. Canadian goldenrod shows, somewhat, a cyclical, self-growth-reinforcing feedback: the consecutive increase of the goldenrod’s aboveground biomass leads to an increase of its relative % abundance within the invaded stands. Consequently, the increase of the goldenrod’s relative % abundance leads to the plants aboveground biomass consecutive growth, and so on.

Selected Aspects of Invasive Solidago canadensis with an Emphasis on Its Allelopathic Abilities: A Review

“…The recent study by Baranová et al. also proved this point of view [49] . By investigating the essential oil productivity rate of S. canadensis from stands with various relative abundance percentages, they described differences in aboveground biomass growth and essential oil production in S. canadensis at different phenological stages [49] .…”

“…The recent study by Baranová et al also proved this point of view. [49] By investigating the essential oil productivity rate of S. canadensis from stands with various relative abundance percentages, they described differences in aboveground biomass growth and essential oil production in S. canadensis at different phenological stages. [49] Nevertheless, we can still infer that there are 21 dominant compounds in the essential oil of S. canadensis (Table 3), of which the most common are germacrene D, α-pinene, limonene, and bornyl acetate.…”

“…Therefore, an increasing number of studies have focused on its impact on the soil properties in invaded areas. [49,70,73,74] However, the results concerning the impact of Solidago invasion on the soil properties are contrary and ambiguous. The conclusions about the impact of invasion on the soil parameters are still not absolutely clear.…”

“…The scientific community is increasingly concerned about the impact of the invasion of S. canadensis on ecosystem characteristics. Therefore, an increasing number of studies have focused on its impact on the soil properties in invaded areas [49,70,73,74] . However, the results concerning the impact of Solidago invasion on the soil properties are contrary and ambiguous.…”

Allelopathy and Allelochemicals of Solidago canadensis L. and S. altissima L. for Their Naturalization

“…Therefore, the involvement of the essential oil of S. canadensis in allelopathy was also investigated. The production of the essential oil was greater in S. canadensis obtained from the heavily invaded stands than that from mildly invaded stands [ 82 ]. The main components of the essential oil in the leaves and inflorescences of S. canadensis were α-pinene, trans-verbenol, limonene, bornyl acetate and β-cubebene [ 83 ], and those in the aerial parts of S. canadensis were α-pinene, β-pinene, germacrene D, limonene, thymol, (+)epi-bicyclosesquiphellandrene, β-cadinene, γ-cadinene, δ-cadinene, α-muurolene, γ-muurolene, α-cubebene and β-elemene [ 84 , 85 ].…”