Study of invasive plants in tropical dry deciduous forests – biological spectrum, phenology, and diversity

Himanshi Dhiman; Harikesh Saharan; Somveer Jakhar

doi:10.2478/fsmu-2021-0004

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Study of invasive plants in tropical dry deciduous forests – biological spectrum, phenology, and diversity

Forestry Studies

Volume 74 (2021): Issue 1 (December 2021)

By: Himanshi Dhiman, Harikesh Saharan and Somveer Jakhar

Open Access

|Dec 2021

Figures & Tables

Location of plots studied in the forests of Morni Hills, Haryana (India).

Climograph showing the monthly average temperature and rainfall of Morni Hills, Panchkula (Source: www.worldweatheronline.com).

Table 1.

Summary of invasive alien plant species encountered during the study.

S.N.	Name	Family	Habit	Nativity	Longevity	Flowering Phenology
1	Ageratum conyzoides L.	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Dec-May
2	Ageratum houstonianum Mill.	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	May-Nov
3	Alternanthera pungens Kunth	Amaranthaceae	Herb	Tropical America	Perennial	Mar-Oct
4	Argemone mexicana L.	Papaveraceae	Herb	Tropical south America	Annual	Jan-Dec
5	Bidena pilosa L.	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Jan-Dec
6	Cardamine hirsuta L.	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Mar-Sept
7	Cassia occidentalis L.	Caesalpiniaceae	Shrub	Tropical south America	Annual	Jan-Dec
8	Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br.	Asclepiadaceae	Shrub	Tropical Africa	Perennial	Jan-Dec
9	Celosia argentea L.	Amaranthaceae	Herb	Tropical Africa	Annual	Sept-Jan
10	Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob.	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical America	Perennial	Dec-Mar
11	Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.	Asteraceae	Herb	Europe	Annual	Mar-Aug
12	Croton bonplandianum Baill.	Euphorbiaceae	Herb	Temperate south America	Annual	Jan-Dec
13	Echinochloa colona (L.) Link.	Poaceae	Herb	Tropical south America	Annual	Jun-Sept
14	Emilia sonchifolia (L.)	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Jul-Oct
15	Euphorbia heterophylla L.	Euphorbiaceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Sept-Mar
16	Indigofera linnifolia (L.f.) Retz.	Paplionaceae	Herb	Tropical Africa	Perennial	May-Oct
17	Ipomoea carnea Jacq.	Convolvulaceae	Shrub	Tropical America	Perennial	Jan-Dec
18	Ipomoea quamoclit L.	Convolvulaceae	Climber	Tropical America	Annual	Jun-Oct
19	Lantana camara L.	Verbenaceae	Herb	Tropical America	Perennial	Jan-Dec
20	Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br.	Lamiaceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Sept-Nov
21	Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit	Mimosaceae	Tree	Tropical America	Perennial	Apr-Jul
22	Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke	Malvaceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Oct-Apr
23	Martynia annua L.	Pedaliaceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Jul-Oct
24	Oxalis corniculata L.	Oxalidaceae	Herb	Europe	Perennial	Feb-Oct
25	Parthenium hysterophorus L.	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical north America	Annual	Oct-Mar
26	Peristrophe bicalyculata (Retz.) Nees	Acanthaceae	Herb	Tropical Africa	Perennial	Sept-Jan
27	Sida acuta Burm f.	Malvaceae	Herb	Tropical America	Perennial	Sept-May
28	Sonchus oleraceous L.	Asteraceae	Herb	Mediterranean	Annual	Mar-Nov
29	Tridax procumbens L.	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical central America	Annual	Jan-Dec
30	Urena lobata L.	Malvaceae	Shrub	Tropical America	Perennial	Feb-Oct
31	Xanthium strumarium L.	Asteraceae	Herb	Tropical America	Annual	Aug-Sept

Variation of invasive alien plant species along an altitudinal gradient in the forests of Morni Hills, Panchkula.

Species–family relationship of Invasive alien flora encountered during the study.

Dendrogram showing the hierarchical clustering of flowering phenology of invasive alien plant species documented on the present study site.

Table 2.

Phytosociology of invasive plant species encountered from 400–600m AMSL (Range 1).

S.N.	NAME	F	D	BA	IVI	H’	Cd
1	Ageratum conyzoides L.	33.3	32.32	0.00394	10.1166	0.15448	0.00115
2	Argemone mexicana L.	8.3	4	0.00046	2.07456	0.04168	0.00004
3	Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br.	16.6	12.32	0.04708	5.81129	0.10980	0.00045
4	Celosia argentea L.	8.3	2.64	0.00022	1.92299	0.03721	0.00004
5	Croton bonpandlianum Baill.	16.6	68.32	0.00355	10.6636	0.20085	0.00127
6	Echinocloa colona (L.) Link.	25	12.32	0.00019	6.24665	0.09767	0.00043
7	Euphorbia heterophylla L.	16.6	8.32	0.00113	4.18879	0.07271	0.00019
8	Indigofera linnifolia (L.f.) Retz.	16.6	39.32	0.00053	7.48600	0.14396	0.00062
9	Ipomoea carnea Jacq.	16.6	13	0.01592	5.07357	0.09351	0.00031
10	Lantana camara L.	83.3	102.64	2.51676	92.8332	0.66177	0.16358
11	Lucaenea leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit	33.3	3.32	0.53093	20.7231	0.31077	0.00796
12	Martynia annua L.	16.6	23.64	0.00513	5.92999	0.11234	0.00040
13	Oxalis corniculata L.	25	51.32	0.00046	10.4214	0.17827	0.00121
14	Parthenium hysterophorus L.	91.6	366.32	0.69915	75.3754	0.61101	0.07856
15	Peristrophe bicalyculata (Retz.) Nees	25	34	0.00392	8.66049	0.14647	0.00084
16	Cassia occidentalis L.	25	9	0.00415	5.99485	0.09214	0.00040
17	Sida acuta L.	16.6	105	0.00162	14.5332	0.26031	0.00236
18	Urena lobata L.	8.3	2.32	0.00044	1.89451	0.03636	0.00004
19	Xanthium strumarium L.	25	45.64	0.0095	10.0495	0.17178	0.00115
	Total	507.6	935.76	3.84508	300	3.53318	0.26108

1 Abbreviations: F = Frequency (%); D = Density (individuals/hectare); BA = Basal Area (m²/hectare); IVI = Important value index; H’ = Shannon-Wiener Index; Cd = Simpson’s Index.

Table 3.

Phytosociology of invasive plant species encountered from 600–800m AMSL (Range 2).

S.N.	NAME	F	D	BA	IVI	H’	Cd
1	Ageratum conyzoides L.	66.6	84.32	0.0103	17.4961	0.24433	0.00344
2	Ageratum houstonianum Mill.	58.3	76.32	0.00691	15.5278	0.22705	0.00270
3	Alternanthera pungens Kunth	16.6	5.32	0.00006	2.80783	0.05174	0.00008
4	Bidena pilosa L.	41.6	49	0.00533	10.5581	0.17147	0.00125
5	Celosia argentea L.	8.3	5.32	0.00028	1.66458	0.03779	0.00003
6	Croton bonpandlianum Baill.	16.6	10.64	0.00029	3.32528	0.06539	0.00012
7	Euphorbia heterophylla L.	16.6	12	0.00099	3.46679	0.06900	0.00013
8	Ipomoea carnea Jacq.	16.6	9.32	0.01143	3.35802	0.06623	0.00013
9	Ipomoea quamoclit L.	16.6	1.32	0.00008	2.42154	0.04096	0.00006
10	Indigofera linnifolia (L.f.) Retz.	25	5.64	0.00006	3.99897	0.06541	0.00017
11	Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit	25	3.32	1.6503	27.5216	0.41079	0.01570
12	Lantana camara L.	100	189.64	4.8336	101.695	0.68362	0.19388
13	Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br.	50	23	0.3643	14.3711	0.22116	0.00314
14	Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke	41.6	60	0.00261	11.5820	0.18894	0.0015
15	Oxalis corniculata L.	41.6	112.64	0.00084	16.6439	0.26548	0.00309
16	Parthenium hysterophorus L.	91.6	312	0.05954	43.6618	0.47971	0.02166
17	Peristrophe bicalyculata	16.6	6.64	0.00011	2.93612	0.05520	0.00009
18	Sida acuta L.	25	53	0.00075	8.58599	0.16250	0.00082
19	Cassia occidentalis L.	16.6	5.32	0.00076	2.81790	0.05201	0.00008
20	Urena lobata L.	16.6	7.64	0.00038	3.03665	0.05788	0.00010
21	Xanthium strumarium L.	16.6	2.32	0.00036	2.52221	0.04383	0.00007
	Total	724	1034.72	6.94928	300	3.66058	0.24832

2 Abbreviations: F = Frequency (%); D = Density (individuals/hectare); BA = Basal Area (m²/hectare); IVI = Important value index; H’ = Shannon-Wiener Index; Cd = Simpson’s Index.

Table 4.

Phytosociology of invasive plant species encountered from 800–1000m AMSL (Range 3).

S.N.	NAME	F	D	BA	IVI	H’	Cd
1	Ageratum conyzoides L.	16	13	0.00078	6.09844	0.10686	0.00041
2	Ageratum houstonianum Mill.	16	51.64	0.00145	12.3487	0.22044	0.00171
3	Bidena pilosa L.	16	10.64	0.00072	5.71551	0.09853	0.00036
4	Boehmeria macrophylla (Thunb.) Hornem.	16	2.32	0.21657	15.2191	0.26305	0.00442
5	Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob.	16	89.32	0.00678	18.6790	0.30901	0.00396
6	Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.	25	15	0.00093	8.65901	0.13139	0.00084
7	Ipomoea carnea Jacq.	16	16	0.04195	8.64880	0.15758	0.00103
8	Lantana camara L.	83	73.64	1.70715	118.181	0.67004	0.26830
9	Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke	33	20.32	0.00103	11.5036	0.16115	0.00148
10	Oxalis corniculata L.	75	240.32	0.00528	57.5282	0.53101	0.03706
11	Parthenium hysterophorus L.	83	82.32	0.00806	34.2300	0.34643	0.01321
12	Sonchus oleraceous L.	8.3	7	0.00008	3.18831	0.06541	0.00011
13	Urena lobata L.	16	4.54	0.0006	4.57218	0.07431	0.00023
	Total	419.3	626.06	1.9914	300	3.11860	0.32753

3 Abbreviations: F = Frequency (%); D = Density (individuals/hectare); BA = Basal Area (m²/hectare);

4 IVI = Important value index; H’ = Shannon-Wiener Index; Cd = Simpson’s Index.

Table 5.

Phytosociology of invasive plant species encountered at >1000m AMSL (Range 4).

S.N.	NAME	F	D	BA	IVI	H’	Cd
1	Ageratum conyzoides L.	41	11.64	0.00107	10.33411	0.15129	0.001193
2	Ageratum houstonianum Mill.	50	22.32	0.00066	14.76674	0.20840	0.002433
3	Bidena pilosa L.	50	34	0.00335	17.95162	0.25468	0.003606
4	Cardamine hirsuta L.	16	7.64	0.00018	4.858068	0.09495	0.000263
5	Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob.	50	84.32	0.01354	31.64427	0.40873	0.01126
6	Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.	25	5.32	0.00081	5.828146	0.09551	0.00038
7	Lantana camara L.	91	86.64	4.87483	138.601	0.67241	0.367264
8	Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke	58	23	0.00079	16.35513	0.21853	0.002985
9	Oxalis corniculata L.	66	22	0.00262	17.52797	0.22224	0.003435
10	Parthenium hysterophorus L.	66	49.64	0.00409	24.96496	0.31784	0.00697
11	Sonchus oleraceous L.	41	23.32	0.00062	13.45496	0.20403	0.00202
12	Urena lobata L.	16	3.32	0.0008	3.713032	0.06762	0.000154
	Total	570	373.16	4.90336	300	2.91626	0.401966

5 Abbreviations: F = Frequency (%); D = Density (individuals/hectare); BA = Basal Area (m²/hectare);

6 IVI = Important value index; H’ = Shannon-Wiener Index; Cd = Simpson’s Index.

Heatmap showing the Pearson Correlation of the various ecological parameters taken under study.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fsmu-2021-0004 | Journal eISSN: 1736-8723 | Journal ISSN: 1406-9954

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Language: English

Page range: 58 - 71

Submitted on: May 12, 2021

Accepted on: Sep 3, 2021

Published on: Dec 1, 2021

Published by: Estonian University of Life Sciences

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

invasive plant species,

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© 2021 Himanshi Dhiman, Harikesh Saharan, Somveer Jakhar, published by Estonian University of Life Sciences
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 74 (2021): Issue 1 (December 2021)

Study of invasive plants in tropical dry deciduous forests – biological spectrum, phenology, and diversity

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Table 1.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

Table 2.

Table 3.

Table 4.

Table 5.

Figure 6.

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