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Factors associated with woody alien species distribution in a newly invaded mountain system of central Argentina

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Abstract

To help determine the major factors associated with alien plant in a newly invaded mountain range; we analyzed the distribution patterns of woody alien species along the altitudinal gradient of the Córdoba mountains, in relation to biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors. We selected 303 plots using a Geographic Information System (GIS) covering all the variability of these factors. In the field we registered woody alien occurrence in these 303 and in 303 additional neighbor plots. We used 12 biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic variables from the GIS to predict the probability of presence of alien species through a logistic model. Then, we analyzed if neighbor alien occurrences could explain some additional variance. We created a probability map with 4 categories of alien occurrence which was then validated by new field sampling. Occurrence of woody aliens was highest in the eastern slope (with longer history of species introduction), at low altitudes, near sources of propagule pressure (human settlements, roads and neighbor sites with established alien plants), and associated to sheltered topographies. In the upper belt of the Córdoba Mountains woody invasion is incipient and thus in a transient stage. Accordingly, propagule pressure seems to be the major factor at play, while the relevance of disturbance and biotic interactions is less clear.

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Acknowledgments

Our special thanks to J. Domínguez, L. Enrico, E. Galli, I. Lett, N. Perez-Harguindeguy, I. Plante, L. Plante, C. Urcelay, J. Zambrano and M. Zambrano for field assistance. We also thank the associate editor and two anonymous reviewers, who made important suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript. This research was supported by the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba and CONICET (PhD. scholarships to MAG, PM and VP and research grant to PAT, AC and DR), Administration of National Parks—Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (Germany) and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) CRN 2005.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarfiel 299, Casilla de Correo 495, Córdoba, 5000, Argentina

    Melisa A. Giorgis, Paula A. Tecco, Ana M. Cingolani & Valeria Paiaro

  2. NGO Ecosistemas Argentinos, 27 de Abril 2050, CP 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Melisa A. Giorgis, Paula A. Tecco, Ana M. Cingolani, Daniel Renison, Paula Marcora & Valeria Paiaro

  3. Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables - Dr. Ricardo Luti (CERNAR), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba-CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina

    Daniel Renison & Paula Marcora

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  1. Melisa A. Giorgis
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  2. Paula A. Tecco
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  3. Ana M. Cingolani
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  4. Daniel Renison
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  5. Paula Marcora
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Correspondence to Melisa A. Giorgis.

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Giorgis, M.A., Tecco, P.A., Cingolani, A.M. et al. Factors associated with woody alien species distribution in a newly invaded mountain system of central Argentina. Biol Invasions 13, 1423–1434 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9900-y

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