Alien Plants in Mountains—State of Knowledge and Management Needs | Neophyten in Gebirgen – Wissensstand und Handlungsbedarf
2011
Kueffer, Christoph
Mountains are currently less affected by plant invasions than lowland ecosystems. Since 2005 the Mountain Invasion Research Network (MIREN, www.miren.ethz.ch) investigates the risk of plant invasions into mountains and develops preventive management strategies. A database of non-native and invasive plant species in mountains worldwide includes currently some 1500 species. Particularly problematic are woody species and ornamental plants that are often pre-adapted to a mountain climate. The risk of plant invasions in mountains is expected to increase in the near future. Climate change will enable the upward movement of lowland invaders into mountain ecosystems. Increased anthropogenic land use and disturbances and a shift of land use from grazing systems to tourism, which will lead to the introduction of new non-native plants, may further increase invasion risks.Mountains, and in particular the European Alps, are among the very few ecoregions in the world not yet badly affected by plant invasions. Managers have the unique opportunity to respond in time to an emerging threat. Preventive measures are the most effective and cost-efficient management option. Regulation of the transport of potentially invasive plant species should be a management priority. With climate change the upward movement of native lowland plants may also become a conservation concern. A broad discussion of the valuation and management of the change of mountain floras is needed. Besides plants other groups of organisms such as animal and plant pests may increasingly become a problem in mountains.
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