Journal Article

Impact of an invasive weed, Parthenium hysterophorus, on a pasture community in south east Queensland, Australia

O’Donnell, Chris, Adkins, Steve, Bajwa, Ali Ahsan, Nguyen, Thi, Navie, Sheldon, Belgeri, Amalia

2017

Overview

Parthenium weed is a highly invasive alien species in more than 40 countries around the world. Along with severe negative effects on human and animal health and crop production, it also causes harm to ecosystem functioning by reducing the native plant species biodiversity. However, its impacts on native plant species, especially in pasture communities, are less known. Given parthenium weed causes substantial losses to Australian pastures’ productivity, it is crucial to estimate its impact on pasture communities. This study evaluates the impact of parthenium weed upon species diversity in a pasture community at Kilcoy, south east Queensland, Australia. Sub-sites containing three levels of parthenium weed density (i.e. high, low and zero) were chosen to quantify the above- and below-ground plant community structure. Species richness, diversity and evenness were all found to be significantly reduced as the density of parthenium weed increased; an effect was evident even when parthenium weed was present at relatively low densities (i.e. two plants m −2 ). This trend was observed in the summer season as well as in winter season when this annual weed was absent from the above-ground plant community. This demonstrates the strong impact that parthenium weed has upon the community composition and functioning throughout the year. It also shows the long-term impact of parthenium weed on the soil seed bank where it had displaced several native species. So, management options used for parthenium weed should also consider the reduction of parthenium weed seed bank along with controlling its above-ground populations.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: animal and human health / Animal health / annual weeds / Aquatic Pollution / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / Biodiversity / buried seeds / Community composition / Community structure / Crop production / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecological function / Ecotoxicology / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental science / Flowers & plants / Herbivores / Indigenous plants / Indigenous species / Introduced species / Invasive plants / Invasive species / long term effects / Parthenium hysterophorus / Pasture / pastures / Plant communities / Plant species / Queensland / Research Article / Seed banks / Species diversity / Species richness / summer / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control / Weeds / winter