A review of methods of investigation of alien plant species
The assessment of alien and invasive alien species (IAS) in the plant cover of protected areas (PAs) of Ukraine becomes a new trend of research, especially when invasions have turned into biological hazards for natural biodiversity, thus threatening its structure and ecosystems functioning. Taking i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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National Museum of Natural History, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Geo&Bio |
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| Online Access: | https://museumkiev.org/public/visnyk/18_2019/gb1806-zavialova.html |
| Summary: | The assessment of alien and invasive alien species (IAS) in the plant cover of protected areas (PAs) of Ukraine becomes a new trend of research, especially when invasions have turned into biological hazards for natural biodiversity, thus threatening its structure and ecosystems functioning. Taking into consideration the increasing spreading potential of IAS as well as the connection with their triggering environmental driving forces, even more current methods arose, mainly focusing on current distribution and its trends, abundance and its dynamics, potential impact on the environment and on some types of biotopes within PAs. In this study, a review of methods of field investigation of alien species is proposed for their inventory, monitoring, etc. and particularly for assessment of their impact within Ukrainian PAs. The choice of methods is determined in each case by the purpose and objectives of the study, taking into account the measures of management of PAs and some other factors, such as history, fragmentation of the object’s territory, etc. Some methods focus on both complex and specialised research. Some of the methods were used earlier in studies of weeds, plant cover, biology or ecology of plants, etc. Other methods are new for the study of alien species in Ukraine. All of them are analysed and short adapted schemes or templates for plots are proposed. Some re-marks about issues of their use are discussed. A few methods have been used for continuous monitoring of invasions of alien plants in PAs and can be integrated to the national Program of the Chronicle of Nature for Nature Reserves and National Nature Parks. All methods can be used for the study of alien, native and species with mixed status. The effectiveness of most of the methods depends on the sequence of execution, preparation, available resources of the researchers and PAs. The use of these methods will help to summarise data, record new finds, predict the spread of dangerous IAS, develop effective control measures and management of PAs, and integrate research results into databases of different levels.
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| ISSN: | 2617-6157 2617-6165 |