Non-native and invasive alien plants on fluvial islands in the São Francisco River, northeastern Brazil

By

Fabricante, Juliano Ricardo
Ziller, Sílvia Renate
Araújo, Kelianne Carolina Targino de
Furtado, Marilia Das Dores Genovez
Basso, Fabiana De Arantes

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2015-1-7

Original Publication

Check list : journal of species lists and distribution

Volume

11

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

1535--7

Subjects

biological invasion , Caatinga , Dry Forest , invasive alien species , island ecosystems

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

[São Paulo, Brazil] Luís Felipe Toledo 2005-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15560/11.1.1535

 

Abstract

This paper is the result of a survey of the alien flora present on fluvial islands in the São Francisco River, northeastern Brazil. The floristic similarities between the islands wereassessed, as well as the relationship between area size and species richness. The study covered eight islands in the São Francisco River Valley and was carried out in a period of eight months. Thirty one alien species were registered, six of them (Amaranthus viridis, Calotropis procera, Cenchrus ciliaris, Enneapogon cenchroides, Prosopis pallida and Ricinus communis) present on all islands. The highest number of invasive alien species (26) was recorded on Massangano Island. The floristic similarity between the islands varied between medium and very high, while the number of alien species present was positively correlated with area size. The study demonstrates that the biodiversity on these eight fluvial islands is endangered, especially due to the presence of alien species capable of invading natural areas.