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The role of protected area zoning in invasive plant management

Biodiversity and Conservation volume 27, pages 1811–1829 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

As anthropogenic pressure on the landscape increases, invasive alien species (IAS) pose a growing threat to areas designed to protect high biodiversity habitats. In order to assess the present danger of IAS spread, we examined 23 Czech sites of community importance (SCI) within Natura 2000 protected areas (PA) over 2015 and mapped the occurrence of four IAS: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam), Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed) and Fallopia spp. (Japanese knotweed). The model areas were divided into five monitoring zones, graded by conservation importance and habitat disturbance level (core area [A], broader core area [B], semi-natural habitat [C], anthropogenically affected habitat [D], anthropogenically degraded habitat [E]). Despite a high number of IAS occurrences (3222 localities), habitats of European importance (zone A) showed a relatively low level of invasion (< 0.3% total area). Highest IAS occurrence number was in SCI border areas and disturbed habitats (zones C and E). There was a significant positive correlation between level of invasion inside and outside SCIs, related to human activities such as logging and urbanisation. A strong effect for watercourse vicinity was noted for the occurrence of I. glandulifera and Fallopia spp.; but not for H. mantegazzianum and Solidago spp. A stratified management approach, employing zones delimitation to assess what threat pose IAS to the PA objects of conservation, can be useful to prioritize control measures in IAS local action plans.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported through Project No. EHP-CZ02-OV-1-024-2015 “Monitoring of the Status of Species Listed in the EU Nature Directives in Natura 2000 Sites”, funded by the EEA. We would like to thank all students who were involved in IAS field mapping. Also, we are indebted to Dr. Kevin Roche for his linguistic improvements.

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  1. Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6 – Suchdol, 165 21, Czech Republic

    Johana Vardarman, Kateřina Berchová‐Bímová & Jana Pěknicová

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  1. Johana Vardarman
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  2. Kateřina Berchová‐Bímová
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Correspondence to Johana Vardarman.

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Communicated by David Hawksworth.

This article belongs to the Topical Collection: Invasive species.

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Vardarman, J., Berchová‐Bímová, K. & Pěknicová, J. The role of protected area zoning in invasive plant management. Biodivers Conserv 27, 1811–1829 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-018-1508-z

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Keywords

  • Natura 2000 network
  • Level of invasion
  • Species distribution
  • Habitat disturbance
  • Neophytes