Altitudinal patterns of alien species in Abstract

The warmer trends observed on different mountains would

promote the spread of non-native species at high-elevation
the central Chile Andes habitats. Many of the invasive species reported at high elevations
are restricted to roadsides and other human disturbed sites. The
aim of this research is to assess recent changes in the distribution
Mihoč Maritza A.K.1, 2, Pauchard Aníbal1, 2, 3 & Cavieres Lohengrin A.1, 2, 3 of non-native species across altitudinal gradients in the central
1: Universidad de Concepción Chilean Andes. Acknowledgements:
2: Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB).E-mail: makmihoc@gmail.com Fondecyt 1130592, FICM P05-002 & PFB-023
3: Laboratorio de InvasionesBiológicas (LIB), Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Chile.

Plant invasion in Alpine habitats Result

During the last 5 years the overall patterns of species
Alpine environments have been considered richness along the altitudinal gradient showed no
less susceptible to biological invasions than Total 2007-2013 Native 2007 changes. Native species have a unimodal altitudinal
other ecosystems due to their limited 60
Native 2013

Non-Native 2007
distribution, with the highest richness at intermediate
propagule pressure and low presence of Non-Native 2013
elevations and faraway from the roadsides. In contrast,
human disturbances. However, an increasing 50
non-native species richness decreased monotonically
number of studies have started to report the y = -2E-05x2 + 0,0963x - 76,279 with elevation and with distance to roadsides.

N° Species
40
R² = 0,6002
Nevertheless, the effect of this decline was much
presence of non-native invasive species in y = -2E-05x2 + 0,1122x - 104,31
30
R² = 0,6103 smaller in high-elevation sites.
these environments. Invasive species need
both a vector to get to new places and the 20 y = 1E-06x2 - 0,0201x + 52,773
R² = 0,8809

adequate conditions for establishment. 10

y = -5E-06x2 + 0,013x + 12,638
R² = 0,7217
Roadsides along mountain habitats can act as 0
Year Native Non-native Tree
Native Non-native
Shrub
Native Non-native
Subshrub
Native Non-native
Herb
Native Non-native
Annual
Native Non-native
Perennial
Native Non-native
1800 2200 2600 3000 3400 3800

corridors for non-native species to reach high- 2007 159 41 1 3 18 0 18 0 119 37 30 28 129 13

elevation habitats.The aim of this research is Altitude 2013 133 41 1 3 15 0 15 0 99 37 13 26 108 15

to assess recent changes in the distribution of

non-native species across altitudinal gradients Nat T1 R² = 0,2151
Native /Non-native 2007 Native/ Non-native 2013 R² = 0,2693

in the central Chilean Andes, and assess the 50

Nat T2 R² = 0,5616

50
R² = 0,6931

Nat T3 R² = 0,5763 R² = 0,3696

effects of roads on these changes. N-Nat T1 R² = 0,8015 R² = 0,7365 Taraxacum officinale

40 N-Nat T2 R² = 0,8954 40 R² = 0,8001

Tanacetum parthenium
N-Nat T3 R² = 0,5597 R² = 0,4831
N° Species

30 30 Sonchus asper

Sisymbrium orientale

Methods 20 20

Robinia pseudoacacia

The study was carried out in 10 10

Polygonum aviculare
the Andes of central Chile 0
1800 2200 2600 3000 3400 3800
0
1800 2200 2600 3000 3400 3800
Plantago lanceolata
(33°S 70°W), ca. 50 km -10 -10
Nasturtium officinale
east of Santiago. Altitude
Lactuca serriola

Data collection followed the Native Non-Native

Hirschfeldia incana

design of the Mountain Invasion Research Network 100 100 Cynoglossum creticum

(MIREN). Along two roads, 14 T-shaped transects 80 80 Convolvulus arvensis

60 60
were selected with an altitudinal interval of 100 m. Anual Anual Conium maculatum
%

40 Perenne 40 Perenne
Cerastium arvense
20 20

We analyze changes in species composition from 0 0

1700 1900 2100 2300 2500 2700 2900 3100 3300 3500 3700

La Parva 2008 La Parva 2013

2007 to 2013 and test for an upward movement of La Parva 2008 La Parva 2013
Altitude

exotic species, changes or replacement of native

species by exotic species. Most of the native species were perennials herbs, unlike non-native species that were annual herbs of
Euroasiatic origin.

Important changes in non-native species composition can be observed.

Further, new records and altitudinal movements are also observed.

2007 2013
Anthemis cotula
Bromus scoparius
Calendula arvensis
Holcus lanatus
Tragopogon porrifolius
Anthriscus caucalis
Discussion and 20 Chenopodium album
main conclusions Total change Echium vulgare
2007 Hypericum perforatum
15 2013 Marrubium vulgare
New records Matricaria matricarioides
Most of the non-native species are associated to roads (i.e. disturbance), Poa annua
although the importance of this factor decreased with elevation. Some non- 10 Veronica anagallis-aquatica
native invasive species have started to establish in less disturbed alpine plant
N° Species

communities (T. officinale, L. serriola). Here, the role of native species as 5

facilitators for these non-native species has been identified as crucial for a
successful invasion. 0

The non-native species reaching the highest elevations are a subset of the -5
non-native species present at lower elevations, indicating a strong climatic
filtering effect. If the non-native species becomes successful invaders we -10
would will see as a result, turnover of perennials species by annual species. 1900 1998 2190 2265 2465 2589 2674 2890 3061 3171 3283 3370 3471 3585
Altitude
.
ECOBIOSIS
UNIVERSIDAD DE CONCEPCION