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Invasive Alien Plants in the Azorean Protected Areas: Invasion Status and Mitigation Actions

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Plant Invasions in Protected Areas

Part of the book series: Invading Nature - Springer Series in Invasion Ecology ((INNA,volume 7))

Abstract

This chapter addresses plant invasions in the protected areas of the Azores (Northern Atlantic), whose flora encompasses a considerable proportion of alien species (about 70 %). The chapter includes (i) a general characterization of the Azores, with particular reference to their Island Natural Parks covering 24 % of the inland surface; (ii) an assessment of the plant invasion status of the Island Natural Parks (based on distribution data and expert evaluation of potential impacts and possibility of control of invasive alien plants); and (iii) a report about on-going and recent management initiatives embracing the control of invasive alien plants. The results show that the Island Natural Parks of Santa Maria Island is potentially the most threatened by invasive alien plants, followed in decreasing order by the Island Natural Parks of the islands of Graciosa, São Jorge, Corvo, Faial, São Miguel, Terceira, Flores and Pico. Some of the most threatening species are highlighted. Due to the innovative assessment methodology, the results do not fully corroborate previous studies, showing that just species listing may not provide a full understanding of the potential effects of invasive alien plants on native biodiversity, thus bringing new insights that may assist management initiatives. Several invasive alien plants management projects run by the Azorean Government and the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds are described, with reference to those supported by the LIFE programme and PRECEFIAS (an Azorean project devoted to control of invasive alien plants in protected areas). Finally, a holistic discussion is provided stressing strengths and weaknesses of all topics covered in the chapter so that more effective invasive alien plant management strategies can be achieved in the future.

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Acknowledgements

The manuscript was improved following the suggestions of two anonymous reviewers. Hugo Costa was supported by a scholarship from the project “Woody Biomass” included in “MIT –Green Islands Project” funded by the Azorean Government. Part of the work was also supported by a scholarship from CIBIO.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Pólo dos Açores Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, Apartado 1422, Ponta Delgada, 9501-801, Portugal

    Hugo Costa & Luís Silva

  2. School of Geography, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, Nottingham, UK

    Hugo Costa

  3. Direção Regional do Ambiente dos Açores, Rua Cônsul Dabney –Colónia Alemã, Horta, 9901-014, Portugal

    Maria José Bettencourt

  4. Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves SPEA, Avenida João Crisóstomo 18-4D, Lisboa, 1000-179, Portugal

    Carlos M. N. Silva & Joaquim Teodósio

  5. Azorean Biodiversity Group, CITA-A, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, Rua da Mãe de Deus 13A, Ponta Delgada, 9501-801, Portugal

    Artur Gil

Authors
  1. Hugo Costa
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  2. Maria José Bettencourt
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  3. Carlos M. N. Silva
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  4. Joaquim Teodósio
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  5. Artur Gil
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  6. Luís Silva
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luís Silva .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. South African National Parks, Centre for Invasion Biology Conservation Services, Skukuza, South Africa

    Llewellyn C. Foxcroft

  2. Department of Invasion Ecology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Institute of Botany, průhonice, Czech Republic

    Petr Pyšek

  3. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University Center for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    David M. Richardson

  4. ISPRA Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, and Chair IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group, Rome, Italy

    Piero Genovesi

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Costa, H., Bettencourt, M.J., Silva, C.M.N., Teodósio, J., Gil, A., Silva, L. (2013). Invasive Alien Plants in the Azorean Protected Areas: Invasion Status and Mitigation Actions. In: Foxcroft, L., Pyšek, P., Richardson, D., Genovesi, P. (eds) Plant Invasions in Protected Areas. Invading Nature - Springer Series in Invasion Ecology, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7750-7_17

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