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Identifying Critical Thresholds in the Impacts of Invasive Alien Plants and Dune Paths on Native Coastal Dune Vegetation

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  • Maria Carla de Francesco

    (EnvixLab, Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Via Duca degli Abruzzi, 67, 86039 Termoli, Italy
    First authors.)

  • Francesco Pio Tozzi

    (EnvixLab, Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Via Duca degli Abruzzi, 67, 86039 Termoli, Italy
    First authors.)

  • Gabriella Buffa

    (Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Via Torino, 155, 30172 Venice, Italy)

  • Edy Fantinato

    (Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Via Torino, 155, 30172 Venice, Italy)

  • Michele Innangi

    (EnvixLab, Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Via Duca degli Abruzzi, 67, 86039 Termoli, Italy)

  • Angela Stanisci

    (EnvixLab, Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Via Duca degli Abruzzi, 67, 86039 Termoli, Italy)

Abstract

Invasive alien plants (IAP) pose a major threat to biodiversity and have a negative impact on the integrity and conservation status of plant communities. Mediterranean dunes are widely exposed to IAP, due to their environmental heterogeneity and the anthropogenic pressures to which they are subjected. The current study explored the possible existence of critical thresholds of IAP cover/abundance and dune path impacts that may cause the decline in diagnostic species cover in shifting and transition dunes. A random sampling of 126 plots in areas invaded and not invaded by IAP across the Italian Adriatic dunes has been used and the recorded species have been classified in ecological guilds. In order to explore the effect of plant community composition and distances from dune paths on the diagnostic species cover, a Random Forest regression model has been fitted. The results revealed that three main critical thresholds can be detected concerning IAP total cover, IAP Oenothera stucchii Soldano abundance and the distance from dune paths and they work differently in shifting and transition dunes. The identification of such cut-off points provides useful insights for an array of actions to preserve the biodiversity of the Mediterranean coastal dunes.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Carla de Francesco & Francesco Pio Tozzi & Gabriella Buffa & Edy Fantinato & Michele Innangi & Angela Stanisci, 2022. "Identifying Critical Thresholds in the Impacts of Invasive Alien Plants and Dune Paths on Native Coastal Dune Vegetation," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2022:i:1:p:135-:d:1021679
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Simone Pesaresi & Diana Galdenzi & Edoardo Biondi & Simona Casavecchia, 2014. "Bioclimate of Italy: application of the worldwide bioclimatic classification system," Journal of Maps, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(4), pages 538-553, October.
    2. Silvia Cascone & Marta Gaia Sperandii & Luigi Cao Pinna & Flavio Marzialetti & Maria Laura Carranza & Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta, 2021. "Exploring Temporal Trends of Plant Invasion in Mediterranean Coastal Dunes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Tommaso Valdesolo & Silvia Del Vecchio & Gabriella Buffa, 2022. "Patterns of Seed Dispersal in Coastal Dune Plant Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-9, September.
    4. Maria Carla de Francesco & Maria Laura Carranza & Marco Varricchione & Francesco Pio Tozzi & Angela Stanisci, 2019. "Natural Protected Areas as Special Sentinels of Littering on Coastal Dune Vegetation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Rafi Ullah & Nasrullah Khan & Nina Hewitt & Kishwar Ali & David Aaron Jones & Muhammad Ezaz Hasan Khan, 2022. "Invasive Species as Rivals: Invasive Potential and Distribution Pattern of Xanthium strumarium L," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Federica Compagnone & Marco Varricchione & Michele Innangi & Mirko Di Febbraro & Anna Loy & Angela Stanisci & Maria Carla de Francesco & Giorgio Matteucci & Maria Laura Carranza, 2023. "Coastal Biodiversity Assessment Aided by Citizen Science Volunteers: A Look at the Italian Central Adriatic," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-20, November.

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