Lantana camara L. invasion and impact on herb layer diversity and soil properties in a dry deciduous forest of India

Abstract

Invasion of lantana (Lantana camara L.) in dry deciduous forest is capable of causing changes in micro sites (soil properties and species composition) in which they invade. As lantana is most conspicuous invader in the Vindhyan dry deciduous forests of India. We analyzed the effect of this invasive species on the composition of herbaceous layer and on soil properties. Habitats with different level of canopy cover were analyzed. And the canopy cover was significantly related to the lantana cover. Results indicate that different levels of lantana cover affect soil properties and herbaceous species composition. We found as the lantana cover increases some of the species get locally extinct and some are favored by lantana invasion. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) ordination indicated that the quadrates with nil and differently covered lantana were unique with herb species composition, especially the sites with no lantana cover had native species which were not present in site with differently covered lantana. The distinctness of herb species composition is indicative of marked spatial dynamics with regard to nil and differently covered lantana. Concentration of organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN) were significantly higher in habitats having large lantana cover. Thus we may conclude that lantana modifies the spatial pattern of herbaceous plant species and the nutrient levels of soil. © 2011, ALÖKI Kft., Budapest, Hungary.