Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of two co-occurring invasive plant species on resident woody species and surface soil properties in Chipinge Safari Area, Zimbabwe

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Tropical Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Savanna ecosystems contain multiple invasive woody plant species yet most ecological studies focus largely on single invader species. This study investigated the combined and single impacts of Lantana camara L. (sensu lato) and Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn. on soil nutrient concentrations and resident woody species structure and diversity in Chipinge Safari Area, Zimbabwe. We laid 60 sample plots of 30 × 20 m in patches invaded by L. camara (L-invaded), D. cinerea (D-invaded), L. camara and D. cinerea (mixed) and in patches lacking both species (control). Soil C and N in mixed plots were twice greater than in L- or D-invaded (monoculture) plots and three times greater than in control plots. Soil P, K and pH did not differ between mixed and monoculture plots but were significantly higher compared to control plots. Soil moisture decreased on average by 64% in mixed and monoculture plots compared to control plots. Woody plant height, diameter, basal area as well as density of trees, shrubs and seedlings showed no significant difference between mixed and monoculture plots. The distributions of resident woody plant diameter and height conformed to the reverse “J” structure in control plots and bell-shaped structure in mixed and monoculture plots. The results suggest that co-invasion effects of L. camara and D. cinerea on resident woody vegetation and ecosystem functions can be greater or neutral than impacts of either invader species in isolation. We suggest that co-invaded sites should be prioritized for invasive plant management over single species invaded sites.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson JM, Ingram JSI (1993) Tropical soil biology and fertility: a handbook of methods, 2nd edn. CAB International, Wallingford

    Google Scholar 

  • Barney JN, Tekiela DR, College ESJ, Tomasek BJ (2013) What is the “real” impact of invasive plant species? Front Ecol Environ 11(6):322–329. https://doi.org/10.1890/120120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhagwat SA, Breman E, Thekaekara T, Thornton TF, Willis KJ (2012) A battle lost? Report on two centuries of invasion and management of Lantana camara L. in Australia, India and South Africa. PLoS One 7:e32407

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bogale T, Datiko D, Belachew S (2017) Structure and natural regeneration status of woody plants of berbere afromontane moist forest, bale zone, South East Ethiopia; implication to biodiversity conservation. Open J For 7:352–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatanga P, Kamanda MT, Kundhlande A, Imbayarwo-Chikosi VE, Mujawo T, Magadza CHD, Mujuru L (2008) Effects of Lantana camara (L.) invasion on the native vegetation of gonarezhou national park, Zimbabwe. S Afr J Edu Sci Tech 3(1&2):32–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen T, Liu W, Zhang C, Wang J (2012) Effects of Solidago canadensis invadation on dynamics of native plant communities and their mechanisms. China J Ecol 36:253–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coates-Palgrave K (1997) Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town

    Google Scholar 

  • Creswell JW (1998) Qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among five traditions. Sage Publications, London

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Antonio CM, Ostertag R, Cordell S, Yelenik S (2017) Interactions among invasive plants: lessons from Hawai’i. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 48:521–541

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duggin JA, Gentle CB (1998) Experimental evidence on the importance of disturbance intensity for invasion of Lantana camara L. in dry rainforest-open forest ecotones in north-eastern NSW, Australia. For Ecol Manag 109:279–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrenfeld J (2003) Effects of exotic plant invasions on soil nutrient cycling processes. Ecosystems 6:503–523

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan L, Chen Y, Yuan J, Yang Z (2010) The effect of Lantana invasion on the soil chemical, microbial properties and plant biomass accumulation in Southern China. Geoderma 154:370–378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feng C, Wang Z, Ma Y, Fu S, Chen HYN (2019) Increased litterfall contributes to carbon and nitrogen accumulation following cessation of anthropogenic disturbances in degraded forests. For Ecol Manage 432:832–839

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galbraith-Kent SL, Handel SN (2008) Invasive Acer platanoides inhibits native sapling growth in forest understorey communities. J Ecol 96:293–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gentle CB, Duggin JA (1997) Interference of Choricarpia leptopetala by L. camara with nutrient enrichment in mesic forest on central coast of NSW. Plant Ecol 136:205–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gentle CB, Duggin JA (1998) Interference of Choricarpia leptopetala by Lantana camara with nutrient enrichment in mesic forests on the central coast of NSW. Plant Ecol 136:205–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). 2015. Species profile Dichrostachys cinerea. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=161. Accessed 26 Aug 2018

  • Gooden B, French KO, Turner P (2009) Invasion and management of a woody plant, Lantana camara L., alters vegetation diversity within wet sclerophyll forest in southeastern Australia. For Ecol Manag 257(3):960–967

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hellmann C, Sutter R, Rascher KG, Máguas C, Correia O, Werner C (2011) Impact of an exotic N2-fixing Acacia on composition and N status of a native Mediterranean community. Acta Oecol 37:43–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins SI, Bond WJ, Trollope WSW (2000) Fire, resprouting and variability: a recipe for grass–tree coexistence in savanna. J Ecol 88:213–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jo I, Fridley JD, Frank DA (2017) Invasive plants accelerate nitrogen cycling: evidence from experimental woody monocultures Invasive plants accelerate nitrogen cycling. J Ecol 105(4):1105–1110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jordan NR, Larson DL, Huerd SC (2008) Soil modification by invasive plants: effects on native and invasive species of mixed-grass prairies. Biol Invasions 10:177–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kent M, Coker P (1992) Vegetation description and analysis. A practical approach. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiruki H, van den Zanden EH, Njuru PG, Verburg PH (2017) The effect of charcoal production and other land uses on diversity, structure and regeneration of woodlands in a semi-arid area in Kenya. For Ecol Manage 391:282–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuebbing SE, Classen AT, Simberloff D (2014) Two co-concurring invasive woody shrubs alter soil properties and promote subdominant invasive species. J Appl Ecol 51:124–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leps J, Smilauer P (2003) Multivariate analysis of ecological data using CANOCO. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Magurran AE (2004) Measuring biological diversity. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandal G, Joshi SP (2014) The role of soil nutrient availability on the invasion establishment and carbon sequestration potential of an invasive shrub from Doon Valley, India. J Adv Botany Zool 14:8

    Google Scholar 

  • Masocha MA, Skidmore K, Poshiwa X, Prins HHT (2010) Frequent burning promotes invasions of alien plants into a mesic African savanna. Biol Invasions 13:1641–1648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9921-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra A (2014) Allelopathic properties of lantana camara: a review article. Int J Innov Res Rev 2(4):32–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Motsara MR, Roy RN (2008) Guide to laboratory establishment for plant and nutrient analysis. FAO, FAO Fertil, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Mudzengi CP, Kativu S, Murungweni C, Dahwa E, Poshiwa X, Shoko MD (2013) International journal of scientific and research publications 3(9): www.ijsrp.org

  • Mudzengi C, Kativu S, Dahwa E, Poshiwa X, Murungweni C (2014) Effects of Dichrostachys cinerea (I.) Wight & Arn (Fabaceae) on herbaceous species in a semi-arid rangeland in Zimbabwe. Nat Conserv 7:51–60. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.7.5264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muller-Dombois D, Ellenberg H (1974) Aims and methods of vegetation ecology. Wiley, New York, p 547

    Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz MC, Ackerman JD (2010) Spatial distribution and performance of native and invasive Ardisia (Myrsinaceae) species in Puerto Rico: the anatomy of an invasion. Biol Invasions 13:1543–1558. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9912-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muvengwi J, Ndagurwa HGT (2015) Soil seed bank dynamics and fertility on a seasonal wetland invaded by Lantana camara in a savanna ecosystem. S Afr J Botany 100:190–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osunkoya O, Perret C (2010) Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) invasion effects on soil physicochemical properties. Biol Fertil Soils 47:349–355

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson DM, Hui C, Nunez M, Pauchard A (2014) Tree invasions—patterns and processes, challenges & opportunities. Biol Invasions 16:473–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders RW (2012) Taxonomy of Lantana sect Lantana (Verbenaceae). J Bot Res 6:403–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro SS, Wilk MB (1965) An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika 52:591–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma G, Raghubanshi A (2009) Lantana invasion alters soil nitrogen pool and processes in the tropical dry deciduous forest of India. Appl Soil Ecol 42:134–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma GP, Raghubanshi AS (2011) Lantana camara L. invasion and impacts on herb layer diversity and soil properties in dry deciduous forest of India. Appl Ecol Environ Res 9(3):253–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma GP, Singh JS, Raghubanshi AS (2005) Plant invasions: emerging trends and future implications. Curr Sci 88:726–734

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard CS (2018) Relative performance of co-occurring alien plant invaders depends on traits related to competitive ability more than niche differences. Biol Invasions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-018-1884-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simba YR, Kamweya AM, Mwangi PN, Ochora JM (2013) Impact of the invasive shrub, Lantana camara L. on soil properties in Nairobi national park, Kenya. Int J Biodivers Conservation 5(12):803–809

    Google Scholar 

  • Simberloff D, Martin JL, Genovesi P, Maris V, Wardle DA, Aronson J, Courchamp F, Galil B, García-Berthou E, Pascal M, Pyšek P, Sousa R, Tabacchia E, Vilá M (2013) Impacts of biological invasions: what’s what and the way forward. Trends Ecol Evol 28:58–66

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singh HP, Batish DR, Dogra KS, Kaur S, Kohli RK, Negi A (2014) Negative effect of litter of invasive weed Lantana camara on structure and composition of vegetation in the lower Siwalik Hills, northern India. Environ Monit Assess 186:3379–3389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3624-x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tekiela DR, Barney J (2017) Co-invasion of similar invaders result in analogous ecological impact niches and no synergies. Biol Invasions 19:147–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vardien W, Richardson DM, Foxcroft LC, Thompson GD, Wilson JRU, le Roux JJ (2012) Invasion dynamics of Lantana camara L. (sensu lato) in South Africa. S Afr J Bot 81:81–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vilà M, Espinar JL, Hejda M, Hulme PE, Jarosik V, Maron JL, Schaffner U, Sun Y, Pysek P (2011) Ecological impacts of invasive alien plants: a meta-analysis of their effects on species, communities and ecosystems. Ecol Lett 14:702–708

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vivian-Smith G, Panetta FD (2009) Lantana (Lantana camara) seed bank dynamics: seedling emergence and seed survival. Invasive Plant Sci Manage 2:141–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Witkowski ETF, O’Connor TG (1996) Topo-edaphic, floristic and physiognomic gradients of woody plants in a semi-arid African savanna woodland. Plant Ecol 124:9–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wronski T, Bariyanga JD, Sun P, Plath M, Apio A (2017) Pastoralism versus agriculturalism—How do altered land-use forms affect the spread of invasive plants in the degraded Mutara rangelands of north-eastern Rwanda? Plants 6(19):19. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants6020019

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Yelenik SG, Stock WD, Richardson DM (2004) Ecosystem level impacts of invasive Acacia saligna in the South African fynbos. Restor Ecol 12:44–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority for allowing them to carry out the study at CSA.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Forest Resources & Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Science, National University of Science &Technology, P. O Box AC 939, Ascot, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

    Norman Mahla & Donald Mlambo

Authors
  1. Norman Mahla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Donald Mlambo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Donald Mlambo.

Appendix

Appendix

See appendix Table 4.

Table 4 List of woody plants recorded in sample plots invaded by Lantana camara (L-invaded), Dichrostachys cinerea (D-invaded), mixed (L. camara and D. cinerea invaded) and in uninvaded (control) plots
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mahla, N., Mlambo, D. Influence of two co-occurring invasive plant species on resident woody species and surface soil properties in Chipinge Safari Area, Zimbabwe. Trop Ecol 60, 129–139 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-019-00016-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-019-00016-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation