The alien invasive moss Campylopus introflexus

105 Pages·2010·3.14 MB·English

The alien invasive moss Campylopus introflexus

in the Danish coastal dune system

Preferences – Development – Effects – Control

Jonas Klinck

Master Thesis

Section for Ecology and Evolution
Department of Biology

Copenhagen University

Internal supervisor External supervisor
Henning Emil Adsersen Bettina Nygaard
Section for Ecology and Evolution Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity
Department of Biologi National Environmetnal Research institute
Copenhagen University University of Aarhus

Preface

This master thesis is a result of data collected through my own fieldwork and data provided by the
National Environmetnal Research institute (DMU). My fieldwork was carried out in August and
September of 2008 at Fanø where data was collected in order to investigate the effects of increasing
coverage of Campylopus introflexus, and at Henne strand Western Jutland in June 2009 where effects
of different control methods were carried out.

The main supervisor has been Henning Emil Adsersen affiliated with the Department of Biology at
Copenhagen University. My external supervisor with focus on my work with the data provided by
DMU was Bettina Nygaard from National Environmetnal Research institute (DMU), Department
of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Aarhus. The project was supported
economically by the Herbums Book scholarship (Herbums Boglegat).

The thesis in hand consists of a general introduction to the subject of invasive species and
Campylopus introflexus, followed by three chapters. Chapter one focuses on the habitat preferences of
Campylopus introflexus in the Danish coastal dune system. Chapter two focuses on the effects, on
individual species and biodiversity, with increasing coverage of Campylopus introflexus. Chapter three
is a small study which focuses on the effects of different control methods of Campylopus introflexus.
A final conclusion rounds up the findings of the three chapters.

Jonas Klinck
Copenhagen, November 2009
Table of content
Preface ......................................................................................................................... 3
Table of content .......................................................................................................... 4
Resumé (Abstract in Danish) ...................................................................................... 8
Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 10
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 11
Invasive species ................................................................................................................. 11
Definition .................................................................................................................................................................. 11
Transport vectors ..................................................................................................................................................... 12
Invasive stages .......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Lag time ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Invasion hypotheses ................................................................................................................................................ 15
Characteristics of invasive species ......................................................................................................................... 15
Effects of invasive plants ........................................................................................................................................ 16
Mosses ............................................................................................................................... 17
Reproduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 17
Ecology ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Mosses and invasion ................................................................................................................................................ 18
Campylopus introflexus (Hedw.) Brid. ............................................................................. 19
Anatomy and morphology...................................................................................................................................... 19
Taxonomy.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
Distribution ............................................................................................................................................................... 20
Invasive history ......................................................................................................................................................... 22
Origin of invasion .................................................................................................................................................... 23
Ecology ...................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Effects of Campylopus introflexus ....................................................................................................................... 25
Control ....................................................................................................................................................................... 27
Coastal dune system and their protection ......................................................................... 29
Coastal dune system ................................................................................................................................................ 29
Protection .................................................................................................................................................................. 30
CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................... 31
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 31
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 32
Material and methods ........................................................................................................ 33
Sampling methods .................................................................................................................................................... 33
Methods of data analysis ......................................................................................................................................... 36
Habitat type .......................................................................................................................................................... 36
Gradient analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 36
Indicator species analysis ................................................................................................................................... 37
Analysis of trend over time ............................................................................................................................... 38
Results ............................................................................................................................... 39
Habitat type .......................................................................................................................................................... 39
Gradient analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 39
Indicator Species Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 42
Analysis of trend over time ............................................................................................................................... 43
Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 46
Habitat type .......................................................................................................................................................... 46
Gradient analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 46
Indicator Species Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 47
Analysis of trend over time ............................................................................................................................... 48
CHAPTER 2 .............................................................................................................. 50
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 50
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 51
Materials and Methods ...................................................................................................... 53
Choice of vegetation analysis method .................................................................................................................. 53
Fieldwork ................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Soil samples analyses ............................................................................................................................................... 54
pH .......................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Carbon and Nitrogen ......................................................................................................................................... 55
Soil organic matter .............................................................................................................................................. 55
Vegetation cover analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 55
Species richness ................................................................................................................................................... 55
Species abundance .............................................................................................................................................. 55
Individual species abundance............................................................................................................................ 55
Biodiversity........................................................................................................................................................... 56
Gradient analyses ................................................................................................................................................ 56
Results ............................................................................................................................... 58
Soil samples ............................................................................................................................................................... 58
pH .......................................................................................................................................................................... 58
Carbon, nitrogen and soil organic matter ....................................................................................................... 58
Vegetation analysis ................................................................................................................................................... 60
Species richness ................................................................................................................................................... 60
Species abundance .............................................................................................................................................. 61
Individual species abundance............................................................................................................................ 62
Biodiversity........................................................................................................................................................... 64
Gradient analyses ................................................................................................................................................ 65
Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 68
Soil samples ............................................................................................................................................................... 68
pH .......................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Carbon, nitrogen and soil organic matter ....................................................................................................... 68
Vegetation analysis ................................................................................................................................................... 69
Species richness ................................................................................................................................................... 69
Species abundance .............................................................................................................................................. 69
Individual species abundance............................................................................................................................ 69
Biodiversity........................................................................................................................................................... 70
Gradient analyses ..................................................................................................................................................... 71
CHAPTER 3 .............................................................................................................. 72
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 72
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 73
Materials and methods ...................................................................................................... 74
Materials ..................................................................................................................................................................... 74
Saline water and strewn salt .............................................................................................................................. 74
Burning ................................................................................................................................................................. 74
Steaming ............................................................................................................................................................... 74
Ferrous sulphate .................................................................................................................................................. 74
Bleach .................................................................................................................................................................... 74
Methods ..................................................................................................................................................................... 74
Saline water: ......................................................................................................................................................... 75
Strewn salt: ........................................................................................................................................................... 75
Burning: ................................................................................................................................................................ 75
Steaming ............................................................................................................................................................... 75
Ferrous sulfate: .................................................................................................................................................... 75
Bleach: ................................................................................................................................................................... 75
Results ............................................................................................................................... 76
Saline water .......................................................................................................................................................... 76
Strewn salt ............................................................................................................................................................ 76
Burning ................................................................................................................................................................. 76
Steaming ............................................................................................................................................................... 76
Ferrous sulfate: .................................................................................................................................................... 76
Bleach .................................................................................................................................................................... 76
Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 78
Saline water and salt............................................................................................................................................ 78
Burning and steaming ......................................................................................................................................... 78
Ferrous sulfate and bleach ................................................................................................................................. 78
Final Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 81
Perspectives ............................................................................................................... 83
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... 84
References ................................................................................................................. 85
Appendix I ................................................................................................................. 92
Appendix II ............................................................................................................... 95
Appendix III .............................................................................................................. 99
Appendix IV ............................................................................................................. 101
Appendix V ............................................................................................................... 102
Appendix VI ............................................................................................................. 104
Appendix VII ............................................................................................................ 105

Resumé (Abstract in Danish)

Mossen Campylopus introflexus optræder invasiv i Nordeuropa og langs den Nordamerikanske
vestkyst. Den er vidt udbredt I den naturlige udbredelsesområde på den sydlige halvkugle, hvor den
er kendt fra det sydlige Sydamerika, sydlige Afrika, Australien og adskillige øer i det sydlige Stille- og
Atlanterhav. Dens første observation i Europa var i det sydlige England i 1941 og herfra spredte
den sig, mest i sydlig og vestlig retning. Campylopus introflexus er kendt fra mange forskellige
habitater, men findes at foretrække sandet forholdsvis sur jord (pH 4-6) med relativ lav vegetation,
ofte i de lavrige grå klitter og klitheder. Campylopus introflexus kan danne 2-10 cm tykke tæpper af
mosdække, med en dækningsgrad på op til 100 % af jorden, hvilket har vist sig at påvirke
biodiversiteten.
Jeg har I dette studie fokuseret på Campylopus introflexus i det danske kystklitsystem, på dets
præferencer og udvikling, lige som jeg har set på effekten på de individuelle plantearter i den grå
klit. Effekten af forskellige bekæmpelsesmetoder er også undersøgt og evalueret.
1) Data indsamlet gennem NOVANA overvågningsprogrammet blev brugt til at evaluere
præferencer og udvikling af Campylopus introflexus i det danske kystklitsystem. En gradientanalyse
med DCA-ordination viste at Campylopus introflexus var mest tilstede i den tørre og relativt sure
næringsfattige klithede. En indikator arts analyse viste at Cladonia laverne var en stærk indikator
slægt for Campylopus introflexus, som indikere at de vil blive hårdt ramt af en ekspanderende
Campylopus introflexus. Det ses at Campylopus introflexus har fordoblet dens udbredelse fra 2004 til
2008.
2) Jeg indsamlede data på Fanø, som blev brugt til at evalurere effekterne af stigende dækningsgrad
af Campylopus introflexus i den grå klit. Et signifikant fald i artsrigdom og artsudbredelse ved stigende
dækningsgrad af Campylopus introflexus blev fundet. Den største effekt blev set blandt lav arterne,
hvor seks arter of to artsgrupper blev negativt påvirket. Biodiversitet steg med stigende
dækningsgrad af Campylopus introflexus indtil den opnåede en dækningsgrad på omkring 20 % - 40 %,
herefter faldt den i takt med at Campylopus introflexus blev mere og mere dominerende.
3) Effekten af salt, saltvand, afbrænding, damp, FeSO , og klorin på Campylopus introflexus blev
4
undersøgt som mulige bekæmpelsesmetoder. Forsøgende fandt sted i Vestjylland. Tres sekunders
afbrænding og 250 g pr. m2 strøet salt var mest effektiv i at slå mossen ihjel, med henholdsvis 100
% og 90 %. FeSO og klorin havde den mindste effekt.
4

Abstract

Campylopus introflexus is an alien invasive moss species in Northern Europe and along the west coast
of North America. It is widely distributed in its native range on the Southern hemisphere where it is
known from Southern South America, Southern Africa, Southern Australia and numerously South
Atlantic and Pacific Islands. Its first observation in Europe was in Southern England in 1941 and
from then on it has spread mostly south and westwards. Despite a wide ecological range Campylopus
introflexus prefers sandy soils relatively acidic (pH 4-6) with relatively low vegetation, often in the
lichen rich grey dunes and heathlands. Campylopus introflexus can form dense carpets, 2-10 cm thick
of moss covering up to 100% of the ground which have been shown to affect biodiversity.
In this study I have focused on the Campylopus introflexus in the Danish coastal dune system, its
preferences and development, as well as its effects on individual species in the grey dunes. Effects
of different control methods are also investigated and evaluated.
1) Data collected through the NOVANA monitoring program, was used to evaluate the
preferences and development of Campylopus introflexus in the coastal dune system. A gradient
analysis performed with DCA-ordination, showed that Campylopus introflexus was most abundant in
the dry relatively acidic nutrient poor grey dunes, as well as in the shrub dominated decalcified
nutrient poor dune heathland. An indicater species analysis found the Cladonia lichens to be a
strong indicator genus of Campylopus introflexus, which suggest that they will be severely affected by
the expanding Campylopus introflexus. Campylopus introflexus is found to have doubled its presence
from 2004 to 2008.
2) Data I collected on Fanø, were used to evaluate the effects of increasing coverage of Campylopus
introflexus in the grey dunes. A significant decline in species richness and abundance was found with
increasing coverage of Campylopus introflexus. The effect was largest among the lichen species, where
6 species and 2 species groups were found to be significantly negative affected. Biodiversity
increased with coverage of Campylopus introflexus until it covered around 20%-40% hereafter it
declined as it became more and more dominating.
3) The effects of salt, saline water, fire, steam, FeSO and bleach on Campylopus introflexus, as a way
4
of control or eradication was investigated in Western Jutland. Sixty seconds of fire and 250g pr. m2
of strewn salt was most effective in killing the moss with respectively 100 % and 90 % killed. FeSO
4
and bleach had the lowest effect.