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Increased mobility of people around the globe has facilitated transferring species to new environments, where some have found suitable conditions and even become invasive. False indigo-bush (Amorpha fruticosa L.) is a plant native to North America but has intentionally or unintentionally spread over the Northern Hemisphere, where it often becomes i...
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... mongolica is a variety of Pinus sylvestris native to the Daxinganling region of Heilongjiang Province, China. Amorpha fruticosa is a leguminous shrub native to North America but a widespread exotic, sometimes invasive, in much of the temperate climates of the world (Grabić et al. 2022). In fact, Pinus was first introduced by the local government in the 1960s to improve the ecology and human habitat of the Mu Us Sandy Land, and was subsequently cultivated and planted on a large basis for soil and water conservation and wind-break and sand-fixation; Amorpha was introduced in the 1980s as a very important and adaptive leguminous shrub and was scattered on a large scale. ...
Facilitation is common among plants, but our understanding of indirect belowground facilitative mechanisms is limited. We followed up on previous research showing that Pinus sylvestris had strong facilitative effects on co-occurring Amorpha fruticosa shrubs by testing the effects of root exudates of the Pinus on various components of the N cycle in the soil around Amorpha roots.
We applied different concentrations of Pinus root exudates (0, 1x, and 4x) to soils, and measured the responses of the soil metabolome, microbial functional groups and the biomass of Amorpha.
A 1x concentration of Pinus root exudates promoted microbial metabolism and plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The same concentration increased the abundance of specific microbial genera in the rhizosphere involved in nitrification and nitrogen (N) fixation. These root exudates also increased the abundance of microbial taxa and genes involved in ammonification and nitrification, but inhibited microbial denitrification. In addition, pathway analysis indicated that Pinus root exudates indirectly facilitate Amorpha biomass by regulating its rhizosphere N-cycle. Together, these results indicate that 1x concentrations of Pinus root exudates promote the efficient conversion of ammonium to nitrate and the absorption and utilisation of organic N, while reducing gaseous N losses, thereby promoting the overall N uptake, and potentially growth, of Amorpha.
Our results point to the importance of root exudates as an indirect facilitative mechanism, operating through effects on microbes involved in the N cycle, but their ecological relevance should be further validated in the field.
... High [156,[158][159][160][161] Russian olive Elaengus angustifolia L. Moderate [162] Japanese knotweed Falopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decr. ...
The critical role of energy in contemporary life and the environmental challenges associated with its production imply the need for research and exploration of its novel resources. The present review paper emphasizes the continuous exploitation of non-renewable energy sources, suggesting the transition toward renewable energy sources, termed 'green energy', as a crucial step for sustainable development. The research methodology involves a comprehensive review of articles, statistical data analysis, and examination of databases. The main focus is biomass, a valuable resource for bioenergy and biopesticide production, highlighting not only its traditional diverse sources, such as agricultural waste and industrial residues, but also non-edible invasive alien plant species. This study explores the utilization of invasive alien species in circular economy practices, considering their role in bioenergy and biopesticide production. The potential conflict between bioproduct acquisition and food sector competition is discussed, along with the need for a shift in approaching non-edible biomass sources. The paper emphasizes the untapped potential of under-explored biomass resources and the necessity for policy alignment and public awareness. Species with a significant potential for these sustainable strategies include Acer negundo L., Ailanthus altisima (Mill.) Swingle., Amorpha fruticosa L., Elaengus angustifolia L., Falopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decr., Hibiscus syriacus L., Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm., Paulownia tomentosa Siebold and Zucc., Partenocissus quenquefolia (L.) Planch., Rhus typhina L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Thuja orientalis L. In conclusion, the paper highlights the intertwined relationship between energy, environmental sustainability, and circular economy principles, providing insights into Serbia's efforts and potential in adopting nature-based solutions for bioenergy and biopesticides acquisition.
... marTva unda ganxorcieldes dazustebuli statusisa da mosalodneli riskebis gaTvaliwinebiT (ix. Tavi kvlevis farglebSi identificirebuli ucxo merqnian mcenareTa saxeobebis daxasiaTeba (katalogi) Sedgenilia Semdeg avtorebze da literaturul wyaroebze dayrdnobiT: (TargamaZe da sxv., 1958;mamisaSvili, 1960;abaSiZe, 1974;Zhao-Hua et al.,1986;Overton,1990;Blair, 1990;Kanwar, et al., 2007;eFloras, 2022;EPPO, 2022;WFO, 2022;Grabić, 2022). ...
The monograph discusses the research findings about alien woody plant invasion in forest habitats of the Protected Areas of Georgia. Specifically, it offers (a) insights into the geographic locations and patterns of alien woody plants (visualized through georeferenced maps which highlight their distribution and relative density/abundance)(b) evaluates impacts on local forest habitats and invasiveness within the areas impacted by the invasion of alien woody plants; (c) details types of forest habitats under or potentially impacted by alien woody species, defined by the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) habitat classification system, which are specified within the study (this also encompasses forest habitats of Georgia assigned to Georgia according to the NATURA 2000 classification, which are in alignment with EUNIS habitat types); (d) discusses the determined local status of the alien woody plant species and the outcomes of prospective distribution modeling (2022-2042) at the study objects are discussed; (e) provides recommendations for managing alien and invasive woody plant species in the forest habitats within the Protected Areas of Georgia; also (f) provides guidelines for the field identification of alien woody plant species and includes a catalog of identified alien woody species during the study; (g) deliberates conceptual aspects of the introduction and invasion of woody plants are discussed; (h) for the first time, the Alien Woody Species Invasiveness Assessment Protocol (AWSIAP), formulated during the study for regional use, is being published; (i) it also features the version of Environmental Impact Classification System of Alien Taxa (EICAT) that has been adapted to the Georgian language.
The monograph draws upon the fundamental research conducted from 2019 to 2022 by the Vasil Gulisashvili Forest Institute of Agricultural University of Georgia. This research was undertaken within the grant project titled "Survey of Potential Invasive Alien Woody Species (PIAWS) in the Protected Areas of Georgia", financed by the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia.
We anticipate that this will serve as a valuable resource for the Agency of Protected Areas and its territorial administrations, particularly in areas grappling with the invasion of alien woody plants. Furthermore, we believe that a broader audience-encompassing researchers, practicing foresters, botanists, and ecologists-will also find it of significant interest and utility in their respective domains.
... "The plant is especially easily dispersed within the watersheds of large rivers, where seasonal flooding is regular. Seeds and other propagules are buoyant, and when the water recedes, new plants emerge, forming dense thickets where only a few other species can coexist" (Grabić et al. 2022). The high fruit production of A. fruticosa (Table 3) provides the possibility for active dispersal along riverbeds naturally under fluctuations in the surface water level during spring floods (Shevchyk et al. 2021). ...
Abstract Amorpha fruticosa L. (Fabaceae) shows two reproductive modes, generative via seeds and vegetative via root-shoots. We studied the reproductive ability on a mixed sample collected from 6 localities in the city of Bratislava: compound fruiting per bush (12.55 ± 8.55), fruiting per bush (70.33 ± 48.04) and fruits per bush (16127.33 ± 24212.25). No significant difference was found between germination values from unpeeled fruits (achenes) and peeled fruits (seeds). Both seeds and fruits germinated very well both immediately after harvest and after storage under different temperature conditions. Peeled achenes germinated earlier. We stored seeds and fruits under different conditions, and found that the highest seed germination values were achieved by seeds stored in the dark at 22 °C (60.00%) and by non-stored seeds (57.50%). The longest seedlings grew from seeds (8.48 mm) and from fruits (9.08 mm) stored at 22 °C.
... Falcataria moluccana, Prosopis juliflora, Robinia pseudoacacia, Ulex europaeus, Spartium junceum; Global Invasive Species Database 2022). One of these is Amorpha fruticosa, which was introduced from North America to Europe, where it now flourishes in a wide range of habitats including river floodplains and riparian forests (Kozuharova et al. 2017;Radovanović et al. 2017;Grabić et al. 2022). One reason for the success of fabaceous species is their symbiosis with N 2 -fixing bacteria, which supply a large proportion of their N requirements and enable rapid growth even under nitrogen-poor conditions. ...
... It now occurs in a wide range of habitats, including riparian and alluvial habitats, sandy banks of ravines, coastal areas, dunes and disturbed land (Kozuharova et al. 2017). It is especially vigorous in periodically flooded sites such as the riparian forests of major rivers including the Danube, Sava, Tisza and Tagliamento, where it may grow so densely as to exclude all other plants (Radovanović et al. 2017;Grabić et al. 2022). Both in its native and introduced ranges, A. fruticosa is commonly infested by the seed beetle Acanthoscelides pallidipennis. ...
The North American nitrogen-fixing shrub Amorpha fruticosa (false indigo) is an aggressive invader of riverine habitats in Europe, though the reasons for its success are poorly understood. We hypothesized that its spread on the floodplain of the Tagliamento River in Northern Italy was enabled by anthropogenic phosphorus (P) enrichment. To investigate this hypothesis, we surveyed seed production at different locations along the river and performed a growth chamber experiment in which seedlings of three common floodplain shrubs (A. fruticosa, Salix eleagnos and Buddleja davidii) were grown at 10 levels of both nitrogen (N) and P. As a bioassay of N and P availabilities, we analyzed concentrations of these nutrients in Salix eleagnos leaves collected at different positions along the river. P availability was significantly higher in the lower reaches of the river, where A. fruticosa was abundant, than at its upstream limit. Numbers of A. fruticosa seeds per inflorescence increased strongly in a downstream direction and there was a trend for higher seed weight. In the growth experiment, A. fruticosa was more P-demanding than the other species, producing little biomass and no rhizobial nodules at low P. It also exhibited greater plasticity than the other species in both root mass fraction and ratio of longest root length to root mass. We conclude that anthropogenic P enrichment enabled A. fruticosa to invade what was originally a very oligotrophic environment. This N2-fixing shrub exhibits greater phenotypic plasticity than native S. eleagnos, giving it a competitive advantage under conditions of high P availability.
... Studies have confirmed that the leaves and roots of A. altissima contain phytotoxic components that inhibit the development of natural regeneration (Heisey 1990;Csiszár 2009;Bostan et al. 2014). The following species are also characterised by allelopathic effects: A. negundo, M. alba, R. pseudoacacia, and A. fruticosa (Csiszár 2009;Grabić et al. 2022), while G. triacanthos, R. pseudoacacia, and A. fruticosa are also nitrogen-fixing tree species (Rice et al. 2004;Kamlesh et al. 2007;Nuñez, Dickie 2014). ...
Citation: Kavtaradze G., Basilidze L., Pergl J., Avoiani E., Vahalík P., Aptsiauri B., Goginashvili N., Bachilava M., Manvelidze Z., Kobakhidze N. (2023): Distribution and environmental impact of alien woody species in lowland riparian forest habitats: Case study in the protected areas of Georgia, South Caucasus. J. For. Sci., 69: 401-414. Abstract: Biological invasions are globally recognised as a significant threat to native biodiversity, as they can change the structure, composition, and functioning of the native ecological system. The riparian forest is considered a habitat highly invaded by invasive plants since rivers serve as corridors for alien species through the terrestrial ecosystem or may simply harbour exotic species that cannot survive elsewhere. The riparian forest, as a high conservation value forest, is an important part of the lowland forests of Georgia. These forests are distributed along large rivers, including the Mtkvari, Alazani, Iori, Aragvi, Ksani, Algeti, and Great and Little Liakhvi rivers. Here, we present a case study that was part of the scientific project titled 'Survey of Potential Invasive Alien Woody Species (PIAWS) in the Protected Areas of Georgia'. Protected areas (PAs) in Georgia play an important role in conserving native biodiversity, including forest ecosystems of distinguished biodiversity. We focused on the lowland riparian forest (LRF) distributed along the Mtkvari and Iori rivers within two PAs-Korugi and Gardabani Managed Reserves (MRs). Six main alien woody species (AWS) were identified in the study areas: Robinia pseudoacacia, Gleditsia triacanthos, Ailanthus altissima, Acer negundo, Amorpha fruticose and Morus alba. Among these AWS, the local status of R. pseudoacacia, G. triacanthos, A. altissima, and A. fru-ticosa is invasive, while that of A. negundo and M. alba is naturalised. The environmental impact of AWS on LRF habitat was evaluated using the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) classification system. A major or moderate impact of AWS on the LRF habitat is evident, which, according to EICAT impact mechanisms, is expressed as apparent competition and physical, structural and indirect impacts. The study revealed that the impact levels of three AWS, R. pseudoacacia, G. triacanthos, and A. altissima, were classified as major or moderate ('harmful' impact), while the remaining AWS, A. negundo and A. fruticosa, were of minor or minimal concern. AWS in the invaded areas of the LRF are found as an understorey layer or, otherwise, they have already formed the main canopy and replaced native dominant woody species. Therefore, undesirable structural and succession processes in invaded LRFs are evident.
... Ecologists have drawn attention to the changing riparian vegetation [23,24], which is rapidly altering as a consequence of extreme hydrological situations, such as recent droughts or long and high floods [25], plant invasions, and altered land use [26]. Over time, the confined floodplains have become ignored by society, traditional land uses (e.g., pasturing) have become neglected, and floodplains are no longer a priority of the nearby communities [27,28], especially in developed countries. ...
The physical and biological structure of riparian vegetation fundamentally influences floodplain roughness, and thus the flood velocity and flood levels of a river. The study aims to provide detailed spatial data on the vegetation density of a floodplain, and to model the effect of the actual vegetation and various scenarios on flow conditions. LiDAR data were applied to evaluate the density and roughness of the submerged understory vegetation over the densely vegetated floodplain of Lower Tisza, Hungary. Then, HEC–RAS 2D modelling was applied to analyse the effect of the actual vegetation on flow conditions. Further scenarios were also created to predict the effect of (i) invasive plant control, (ii) no maintenance, and (iii) riparian vegetation restoration (meadows). According to the results, since the 19th Century, the increased vegetation density is responsible for a 17-cm flood level increase, and if the vegetation grows even denser, a further 7 cm could be expected. As the vegetation density increases, the overbank flow velocity decreases, and the crevasses and flood conveyance zones gradually lose their function. Simultaneously, the flow velocity increases in the channel (from 1 m/s to 1.4 m/s), resulting in an incision. Applying LiDAR-based 2D flow modelling makes it possible to plan sustainable riparian vegetation maintenance (e.g., forestry, invasive species clearance) from both ecology and flood control perspectives.
... Amorpha fruticosa L. (false indigo bush) ( Figure 1) is an invasive shrub from Fabaceae family, original from North America, nowadays it is spread all over the European continent and in other areas from the northern hemisphere [1][2]. In Romania, this species is mostly present along the watercourses from lowland to mountains, respectively in the river meadows, pastures, arable land, along the railways and roads and even in the forest edges etc. [3]. ...
Amorpha fruticosa L. (false indigo bush) is an invasive shrub species from Fabaceae family originating from North America. Nowadays this species creates great problems because it is invading floodplains along the rivers from Europe, even the Danube River floodplain reaching to the Danube Delta. The floodplain area of the river Mure? is highly affected by this invasion, this species occupying great surfaces of grassland and arable land. The researches were developed on the lowland area alongside the river Mure? (Arad County, western Romania) in the perimeter of the locality Pecica, respectively belonging to Mures Floodplain Natural Park. The purpose of the work was to characterize different relationships between the features of the grassland vegetation with soil features in three different situations, respectively permanent grassland, grassland totally invaded with A. fruticosa, and transitional grassland partially invaded with A. fruticosa. The soil samples were collected from 0 - 25 cm depth. The researches were investigated the influence of the false indigo bush invaded grassland on the soil features as pH, nitrogen index, total nitrogen, humus content, phosphorus, potassium and carbonates. The considered grassland vegetation features related with the soil features were: floristic composition (main functional groups of plants, some biodiversity indexes and pastoral value. The obtained results showed the existence of complex relationships among the analysed vegetation and soil features.
Zeolites can either occur naturally, in volcanic rock formations, or can be synthesized in the laboratory. When ground to a fine powder, they can be successfully used as supplementary cementitious material because of their chemical composition consisting in large amounts of SiO2 and Al2O3 that react with Ca(OH)2 to produce C-S-H gels. The composition of synthetic zeolites can be tailored to suit the purpose of their use in cementbased mortar and concrete and they can be produced from a variety of sources and at much lower energy costs than Portland cement. The use of zeolites in cement-based construction materials has led to improved mechanical and durability properties. The paper presents the preliminary results on using zeolites as supplementary cementitious material in mortar and the influence of elevated temperatures on the early age mechanical properties. The main parameters of the research were the replacement percentage of Portland cement by zeolite powder (10% and 20%, by volume of cement) as well as different temperature values (100�C, 150�C and 200�C). Standard 40?40?160 mm mortar prisms were cast and cured in water for 14 days before being subjected to elevated temperatures in an oven for 4 hours then left to gradually cool until they reached the room temperature. A control mix consisting of rapid hardening Portland cement was also cast and served as reference in the experimental program. The obtained results are presented in terms of density of the mortar mix, flexural and compressive strength.
