Search results for "Ailanthus"

Which are Southern Italy’s fastest growing tree species? Lessons from the past for future perspectives, with a special focus on Sicily

2020

Fast growing tree species can generate high wood production in a short time frame. However, maximum productivity is dependent on environmental and management conditions as well as intrinsic plant traits. Within this framework, our research was into tree species with the highest Mean Annual Increments (MAIs) in southern Italy, particularly in Sicily. Eucalyptus spp., Acacia saligna (Labill.) H. L. Wendl., Ailanthus altissima Mill. (Swingle), Pinus halepensis Mill. (including Pinus brutia Ten.), Pinus canariensis C.Sm. and Pinus radiata D. Don. were identified. In particularly suitable conditions, the MAI of eucalypt coppices ranged from 8 to 12 m3 ha-1, and from 13 to 19 m3 ha-1, in Eucalypt…

Seasonal effects on mortality rates and resprouting of stems treated with glyphosate in the invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swin…

2015

Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is regarded as invasive within urban and natural areas worldwide. Efficient methods to control it are significantly needed if we are to limit its well-known environmental and economic impacts. Up to now the use of herbicides has proven necessary since following mechanical damage, Ailanthus vigorously resprouts. However, the seasonal response of Ailanthus stems, treated with herbicides, has never been assessed. We compared the control efficacy recorded in autumn, winter and summer in an abandoned suburban citrus grove in Sicily, under Mediterranean-climate conditions. Glyphosate was injected within drill holes made in knee-high cut trees. Tree mortality a…

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Vegetative Vigor of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle Seedlings under Sustained Pot Limitation

2018

In order to invade new ecosystems, invasive alien plants need to cope with different microbial communities. Whilst the ability to avoid antagonists is well recognized, the opportunity to establish mutualistic associations is less known, even in widespread invasive species such as Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. We sought to evaluate whether the beneficial effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on Ailanthus seedlings are maintained over time, under prolonged pot limitation. We compared three-month-, three-year- and four-year-old mycorrhizal seedlings grown in natural forest soil (NT) with seedlings grown in sterilized (ST) and non-mycorrhizal (NM) soils, in pots of 3.4 L (22 &tim…

Plant landscape and phytodiversity in the archeological area of Segesta (NW Sicily)

2018

In the system of Sicilian archaeological parks, the area of Segesta - an ancient city of western Sicily referring to the Carthaginian eparchy, - represents, together with Selinunte, Erice and Mothia, another integrated hotspot of biodiversity and archeaology. The current plant landscape is strongly influenced by a millenary anthropic transformation. There are no residual expressions of the original plant covering that, with reference to the environmental potential of the area, can be traced back to the evergreen Mediterranean forest dominated by Quercus ilex, presently only sporadically occurring in the area of the ruins, together with other species related to associations and upper syntaxa…

Stem-injection of herbicide for control of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle: a practical source of power for drilling holes in stems

2013

Abstract: Ailanthus altissima is a well-known invasive tree in many parts of the world showing an outstanding ability to establish within woodlands and other less-disturbed habitats. Previous studies have reported that control of this species is very difficult because of its strong resprouting. Indeed, effective control can be achieved only by mechanical treatment followed by the application of a systemic herbicide. Operating drills or saws and other mechanical equipment require electric power supply which is not readily available in many invaded sites, notably shrubslands and woodlands. In two study sites, we evaluated control obtained by glyphosate through a stem-injection technique and c…

Effects of elevated ozone on physiological, anatomical and ultrastructural characteristics of four common urban tree species in China

2016

Fast urbanization has led to ozone (O3) being the main pollutant in summer in most of China. To assess future ground-level O3 effects on the service of urban greening species and clarify the underlying mechanism of O3 damage, four common urban greening species, Ailanthus altissima (AA), Fraxinus chinensis(FC), Platanus orientalis (PO) and Robinia pseudoacacia (RP) were exposed to non-filtered air (NF) and to elevated O3 (E-O3) in open-top chambers. E-O3 induced visible injury in all species as well as microscopic alterations such as collapse of the palisade parenchyma cells, callose accumulation, or chloroplast and mitochondrial accelerated senescence. E-O3 significantly reduced light-satur…

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi positively affect growth of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle seedlings and show a strong association with this invasi…

2015

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may promote plant invasion by enhancing plant performance and competitiveness. However, only a small number of studies have considered the interactions between local soil microbial communities and invasive plants, and even fewer have focused on alien trees. Ailanthus altissima is a serious problem in the Mediterranean Basin, where it has invaded many habitats. We investigated the symbiosis between A. altissima and indigenous AMF in two invaded, ecologically different Mediterranean woodlands. Mycorrhizal infection was high at both sites (> 60% of the root fragments were mycorrhizal), indicating that A. altissima roots may be infected by AMF under different …

Le specie alloctone invasive in Sicilia: caratterizzazione del fenomeno, strategie di colonizzazione e possibili strategie di contrasto

2014

Le principali specie arboree esotiche invasive e le categorie forestali più vulnerabili alla loro invasione nel territorio italiano

2022

In Italia, come in gran parte d’Europa, sono state introdotte numerose specie arboree esotiche che, in alcuni casi, si sono diffuse al di fuori delle aree di impianto e si sono naturalizzate, causando impatti alla biodiversità e al paesaggio. Studi recenti hanno definito la distribuzione degli alberi esotici invasivi in diversi habitat naturali e semi-naturali a scala nazionale. Sarebbe però utile soffermarsi sulla loro distribuzione tra categorie forestali, unità di classificazione dei boschi utili alla loro gestione. In questo lavoro sono state identificate le categorie forestali attualmente o potenzialmente più soggette all’invasione da parte delle specie arboree esotiche invasive, con l…