Invasive potential potential of Eucalyptus globulus and Pinus radiata into native eucalypt forests in Western Australia

摘要

Tree plantations are an important cause of plant invasions worldwide, being a serious concern for biodiversity conservation. Pinus and Eucalyptus are the two most important genera for the forestry industry worldwide, with Eucalyptus globulus and Pinus radiata among the most widespread and invasive. In this study we analyse the establishment of wildlings of these two species in native eucalypt forests (karri and jarrah forests) of SW Australia, a global biodiversity hotspot. We selected boundaries between plantations and adjoining native forests (26 for E. globulus and 25 for P. radiata) and established in each a plot 100 m long (aligned to outer edge of forest) x 100 m or 50 m deep into the native forest (for boundaries with P. radiata and E. globulus plantations, respectively), that was thoroughly searched for wildlings.