Cat’s claw creeper vine, Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae), invasion impacts: comparative leaf nutrient content and effects on soil physicochemical properties
Christine Perrett A B , Olusegun O. Osunkoya A and Cameron Clark A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Invasive Plants and Animals Science, Biosecurity Queensland, Ecosciences Precinct, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Ecosciences Precinct, GPO Box 267, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: christine.perrett@daff.qld.gov.au
Australian Journal of Botany 60(6) 539-548 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT12055
Submitted: 1 March 2012 Accepted: 22 June 2012 Published: 31 August 2012
Abstract
Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) Gentry (Bignoniaceae) is a major environmental weed in coastal Queensland, Australia. There is a lack of quantitative data on its leaf chemistry and its impact on soil properties. Soils from infested vs uninfested areas, and leaves of M. unguis-cati and three co-occurring vine species (one exotic, two native) were collected at six sites (riparian and non-riparian) in south-eastern Queensland. Effects of invasion status, species, site and habitat type were examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Habitat type had a greater effect on soil nutrients than on leaf chemistry. Invasion effect of M. unguis-cati on soil chemistry was more pronounced in non-riparian than in riparian habitat. Significantly higher values were obtained in M. unguis-cati infested (vs. uninfested) soils for ~50% of traits. Leaf ion concentrations differed significantly between exotic and native vines. Observed higher leaf-nutrient load (especially nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) in exotic plants aligns with the preference of invasive plant species for disturbed habitats with higher nutrient input. Higher load of trace elements (aluminium, boron, cadmium and iron) in its leaves suggests that cycling of heavy-metal ions, many of which are potentially toxic at excess level, could be accelerated in soils of M. unguis-cati-invaded landscape. Although inferences from the present study are based on correlative data, the consistency of the patterns across many sites suggests that M. unguis-cati may improve soil fertility and influence nutrient cycling, perhaps through legacy effects of its own litter input.
References
AOAC (1990) ‘Official methods of analysis, vol 1.’ 15th edn. (Association of Official Analytical Chemists Inc.: ) Ed. K Helrich. Washington DC, USA.Auld BA, Medd RW (1996) ‘An illustrated botanical guide to weeds of Australia.’ (Inkata Press: Sydney)
Batianoff GN, Butler DW (2002) Assessments of invasive naturalised plants in SE Queensland. Plant Protection Quarterly 17, 27–34.
Bruland GL, Richardson CJ (2004) A spatially explicit investigation of phosphorus sorption and related soil properties in two riparian wetlands. Journal of Environmental Quality 33, 785–794.
| A spatially explicit investigation of phosphorus sorption and related soil properties in two riparian wetlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXis1aqsLw%3D&md5=72a2a535332bea629fa3dd62930a68faCAS |
Burns JH (2006) Relatedness and environment affect traits associated with invasive and noninvasive introduced Commelinaceae. Ecological Applications 16, 1367–1376.
| Relatedness and environment affect traits associated with invasive and noninvasive introduced Commelinaceae.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clarke KR, Gorley RN (2006) ‘Primer v 6: user manual/tutorial.’ (PRIMER-E: Plymouth, UK)
Dassonville N, Vanderhoeven S, Vanparys V, Hayez M, Gruber W, Meerts P (2008) Impacts of alien invasive plants on soil nutrients are correlated with initial site conditions in NW Europe. Oecologia 157, 131–140.
| Impacts of alien invasive plants on soil nutrients are correlated with initial site conditions in NW Europe.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Davis MA, Grime JP, Thompson K (2000) Fluctuating resources in plant communities: a general theory of invasibility. Journal of Ecology 88, 528–534.
| Fluctuating resources in plant communities: a general theory of invasibility.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dhileepan K (2012) Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) AH Gentry – Cats claw creeper. In ‘Biological control of weeds in Australia’. (Eds M Julien, R McFadyen, J Cullen) pp. 51–359. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)
Downey PO, Turnbull I (2007) The biology of Australian weeds 48. Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) A.H.Gentry. Plant Protection Quarterly 22, 82–91.
Ehrenfeld J (2003) Effects of exotic plant invasions on soil nutrient cycling processes. Ecosystems 6, 503–523.
| Effects of exotic plant invasions on soil nutrient cycling processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXptFKrsr4%3D&md5=151841d06ccf2da83abf885e5a762467CAS |
Ingle JD, Jr, Crouch SR (1988) ‘Spectrochemical analysis.’ (Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
King AM, Madire LG (2011) Biological control of cat’s claw creeper, Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) AH Gentry (Bignoniaceae), in South Africa. African Entomology 19, 366–377.
| Biological control of cat’s claw creeper, Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) AH Gentry (Bignoniaceae), in South Africa.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Liao C, Peng R, Luo Y, Zhou X, Wu X, Fang C, Chen J, Li B (2008) Altered ecosystem carbon and nitrogen cycles by plant invasion: a meta-analysis. New Phytologist 177, 706–714.
| Altered ecosystem carbon and nitrogen cycles by plant invasion: a meta-analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXis1altrg%3D&md5=ccb3cf91613babc417ae45c7c51d0bd4CAS |
Liptzin D, Silver WL (2009) Effects of carbon additions on iron reduction and phosphorus availability in a humid tropical forest soil. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 41, 1696–1702.
| Effects of carbon additions on iron reduction and phosphorus availability in a humid tropical forest soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXoslGjsbw%3D&md5=9a5c6e9ffef551236c8d70b2f5d9f6bdCAS |
Mack RN, Simberloff D, Lonsdale WM, Evans H, Clout M, Bazzaz FA (2000) Biotic invasions: causes, epidemiology, global consequences and control. Ecological Applications 10, 689–710.
| Biotic invasions: causes, epidemiology, global consequences and control.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Marchante E, Kjøller A, Struwe S, Freitas H (2008) Short- and longterm impacts of Acacia longifolia invasion on the belowground processes of a Mediterranean coastal dune ecosystem. Applied Soil Ecology 40, 210–217.
| Short- and longterm impacts of Acacia longifolia invasion on the belowground processes of a Mediterranean coastal dune ecosystem.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGrath DA, Binkley MA (2009) Microstegium vimineum invasion changes soil chemistry and microarthropod communities in Cumberland Plateau forests. Southeastern Naturalist 8, 141–156.
| Microstegium vimineum invasion changes soil chemistry and microarthropod communities in Cumberland Plateau forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meisner A, de Boer W, Cornelissen JHC, van der Putten WH (2012) Reciprocal effects of litter from exotic and Congeneric native plant species via soil nutrients. PLoS ONE 7, e31596
| Reciprocal effects of litter from exotic and Congeneric native plant species via soil nutrients.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38Xjt1SjsLc%3D&md5=d4fb75fcffe524c01ba26a9879c962c6CAS |
Naiman RJ, Decamps H (1997) The ecology of interfaces: riparian zones. Annual review of Ecology and Systematics 28, 621–658.
| The ecology of interfaces: riparian zones.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Osunkoya O, Perrett C (2011) Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) invasion effects on soil physicochemical properties. Biology and Fertility of Soils 47, 349–355.
| Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) invasion effects on soil physicochemical properties.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXjtVShs74%3D&md5=7ecb307cddc8b032c3a641dd158c2e80CAS |
Osunkoya OO, Pyle K, Scharaschkin T, Dhileepan K (2009) What lies beneath? A study on the pattern and abundance of subterranean tuber bank of the invasive liana cat’s claw creeper (Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) (L) Gentry). Australian Journal of Botany 57, 132–138.
| What lies beneath? A study on the pattern and abundance of subterranean tuber bank of the invasive liana cat’s claw creeper (Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) (L) Gentry).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Osunkoya OO, Bayliss D, Panetta FD, Vivian-Smith G (2010a) Variation in ecophysiology and carbon economy of invasive and native woody vines of riparian zones in south in south eastern Queensland. Austral Ecology 35, 636–649.
| Variation in ecophysiology and carbon economy of invasive and native woody vines of riparian zones in south in south eastern Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Osunkoya O, Bayliss D, Panetta FD, Vivian-Smith G (2010b) Leaf trait co-ordination in relation to construction cost, carbon gain and resource-use efficiency in exotic invasive and native woody vine species. Annals of Botany 106, 371–380.
| Leaf trait co-ordination in relation to construction cost, carbon gain and resource-use efficiency in exotic invasive and native woody vine species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXptlehsro%3D&md5=cb18aa73ef7ccea5ba78090fb7a577ebCAS |
Osunkoya O, Polo C, Andersen A (2011) Invasion impacts on biodiversity: responses of ant communities to infestation by cat’s claw creeper vine, Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) in subtropical Australia. Biological Invasions 13, 2289–2302.
| Invasion impacts on biodiversity: responses of ant communities to infestation by cat’s claw creeper vine, Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) in subtropical Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Parendes LA, Jones JA (2000) Role of light availability and dispersal in exotic plant invasion along roads and streams in the H. J. Andrews experimental forest, Oregon. Conservation Biology 14, 64–75.
| Role of light availability and dispersal in exotic plant invasion along roads and streams in the H. J. Andrews experimental forest, Oregon.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Penuelas J, Sardans J, Llusia J, Owen SM, Carnicer J, Giambelluca TW, Rezende EL, Waite M, Ninemets U (2010) Faster returns on ‘leaf economics’ and different biogeochemical niche in invasive compared with native plant species. Global Change Biology 16, 2171–2185.
| Faster returns on ‘leaf economics’ and different biogeochemical niche in invasive compared with native plant species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Planty-Tabacchi A, Tabacchi E, Naiman RJ, Deferrari C, Decamps H (1996) Invasibility of species-rich communities in riparian zones. Conservation Biology 10, 598–607.
| Invasibility of species-rich communities in riparian zones.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Raghu S, Dhileepan K, Treviño M (2006) Response of an invasive liana to simulated herbivory: implications for its biological control. Acta Oecologica 29, 335–345.
| Response of an invasive liana to simulated herbivory: implications for its biological control.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rodgers L, Wolfe L, Leland B, Werden K, Finzi A (2008) The invasive species Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) increases soil nutrient availability in northern hardwood–conifer forests. Oecologia 157, 459–471.
| The invasive species Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) increases soil nutrient availability in northern hardwood–conifer forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sharma G, Raghubanshi A (2009) Lantana invasion alters soil nitrogen pools and processes in the tropical dry deciduous forest of India. Applied Soil Ecology 42, 134–140.
| Lantana invasion alters soil nitrogen pools and processes in the tropical dry deciduous forest of India.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vitousek PM, D’Antonio CM, Loope LL, Westbrooks R (1996) Biological invasions as global environmental change. American Scientist 84, 468–477.
Vivian-Smith G, Panetta FD (2004) Seedbank ecology of the invasive vine, cat’s claw creeper (Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) Gentry). In ‘Proceedings of the 14th Australian seeds conference, Wagga Wagga, NSW’. (Eds BM Sindel, SB Johnson) pp. 531–537. (Weed Society of New South Wales: Wagga Wagga, NSW)
Weidenhamer JD, Callaway RM (2010) Direct and indirect effects of invasive plants on soil chemistry and ecosystem function. Journal of Chemical Ecology 36, 59–69.
| Direct and indirect effects of invasive plants on soil chemistry and ecosystem function.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXhs1amsLY%3D&md5=06f11b8d365ccde3736b0ad312a7df5bCAS |
Wrigley JW, Fagg ML (1997) ‘Australian native plants: propagation, cultivation and use.’ (Reeds International Books: Melbourne, Vic.)
