Species Distribution Model for Management of an Invasive Vine in Forestlands of Eastern Texas

Forests

Hsiao-Hsuan Wang²  Tomasz E. Koralewski¹  Erin K. McGrew²  William E. Grant²  Thomas D. Byram¹ 

[1] Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;

关键词: biodiversity;    biological invasions;    boosted regression trees;    Japanese honeysuckle;    likelihood of invasion;    Lonicera japonica Thunb.;   

DOI  :  10.3390/f6124374

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Invasive plants decrease biodiversity, modify vegetation structure, and inhibit growth and reproduction of native species. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) is the most prevalent invasive vine in the forestlands of eastern Texas. Hence, we aimed to identify potential factors influencing the distribution of the species, quantify the relative importance of each factor, and test possible management strategies. We analyzed an extensive dataset collected as part of the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to quantify the range expansion of Japanese honeysuckle in the forestlands of eastern Texas from 2006 to 2011. We then identified potential factors influencing the likelihood of presence of Japanese honeysuckle using boosted regression trees. Our results indicated that the presence of Japanese honeysuckle on sampled plots almost doubled during this period (from 352 to 616 plots), spreading extensively, geographically. The probability of invasion was correlated with variables representing landscape conditions, climatic conditions, forest features, disturbance factors, and forest management activities. Habitats most at risk to invasion under current conditions occurred primarily in northeastern Texas, with a few invasion hotspots in the south. Estimated probabilities of invasion were reduced most by artificial site regeneration, with habitats most at risk again occurring primarily in northeastern Texas.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.