COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF THE USE OF SOME INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES AS SOIL AMENDMENT ON SOIL MICROBIAL ACTIVITIES AND GROWTH OF AMARANTHUS HYBRIDUS (AFRICAN SPINACH)

CHAPTER ONE

1.0              Introduction

An invasive species is a plant, fungus, or animal species that is not native to a specific location (an introduced species), and which has a tendency to spread to a degree believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy or human health. Biological invasions by alien species are now considered one of the main factors in biodiversity loss and endangered species listings worldwide,and almost certainly the worst one on islands (Boogaard et al.,1996).This has resulted in an exponential increase in the movement of organisms from one part of the world to another through trade, transport, travel,and tourism, in some cases causing tremendous damage to the natural ecosystems of their new habitats. Invasive alien species (IAS) are found in all taxonomic groups (Hart,1992). It is also used by land managers, botanists, researchers, horticulturalists, conservationists, and the public for noxious weeds The kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata), Andean Pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata), and yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis) are examples.

Typically, an introduced species must survive at low population densities before it becomes invasive in a new location. At low population densities, it can be difficult for the introduced species to reproduce and maintain itself in a new location, so a species might reach a location multiple times before it becomes established (Jordan, 1996). Repeated patterns of human movement, such as ships sailing to and from ports or cars driving up and down highways offer repeated opportunities for establishment (also known as a high propagule pressure). An introduced species might become invasive if it can outcompete native species for resources such as nutrients, light, physical space, water, or food. If these species evolved under great competition or predation, then the new environment may host fewer able competitors, allowing the invader to proliferate quickly (Dekker    et al.,    1992). Ecosystems in which are being used to their fullest capacity by native species can be modeled as zero-sum systems in which any gain for the invader is a loss for the native. However, such unilateral competitive superiority (and extinction of native species with increased populations of the invader) is not the rule. Invasive species often coexist with native species for an extended time, and gradually, the superior competitive ability of an invasive species becomes apparent as its population grows larger and denser and it adapts to its new location.

 They have invaded and affected native biota in virtually every ecosystem type  in all regions. In protected areas, as elsewhere, impacts from invasive alien species take the form of impacts on ecosystem function, on ecosystem structure, and at the level of species communities or habitats as well as at the level of species. IAS directly or indirectly impact on livelihoods and poverty alleviation, through affecting ecosystem services and through impinging on cultural and heritage values (Dekker et al.,   1992). Invasive plants are naturalized plants that produce reproductive offspring, often in very large numbers, at considerable distances from parent plants (approximate scales being more than 100 m in less than 50 years for taxa spreading by seeds and other propagules; more than 6 m/3 years for taxa spreading by roots, rhizomes, stolons or creeping stems) and thus have the potential to spread over considerable areas (Stittet al.,  1994). Invasive plants are introduced multicellular organisms of the kingdom Plantae, which produce their food by photosynthesis. Examples of invasive plants include mosses, herbs, shrubs, flowering plants, trees, vines, etc.  Some of the alternate usages of the term are below: Invasive plants are naturalized plants that produce reproductive offspring, often in very large numbers, at considerable distances from parent plants (approximate scales being more than 100 m in less than 50 years for taxa spreading by seeds and other propagules; more than 6 m/3 years for taxa spreading by roots, rhizomes, stolons or creeping stems) and thus have the potential to spread over considerable areas (Geber et al., 1997).

Common Invasive Plants include ;Mile-A-Minute Weed (Persicaria perfoliata), Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans), Air Potato (Dioscorea bulbifera), Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), Beach Vitex (Vitex rotundifolia), Brazilian Peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius), Hairy Whitetop (Lepidium appelianum), Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale), Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata)Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula), Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum).

Other species like Stapelia giganteafacilitates the recruitment of seedlings of other species in arid environments by providing appropriate microclimatic conditions and preventing herbivory in early stages of development (Pigliucci, et. al.1995). Another examples are Centaurea solstitialis (yellow starthistle) and Centaurea diffusa (diffuse knapweed).

Tithonia diversifolia is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family that is commonly known as the tree marigold, Mexican tournesol, Mexican sunflower, Japanese sunflower or Nitobe chrysanthemum(Beniwaletal.,1980). It is native to Mexico and Central America but has a nearly pantropical distribution as an introduced species. Depending on the area they may be either annual or perenial.

Aspilia africana is a very rapid growing, semi-woody herb producing usually annual stems about 2 metres tall from a perennial woody root-stock.  It has a somewhat aromatic carroty small.  It is widely gathered from the wild and used locally in traditional medicine.

Chromolaena odorata belongs to the family Asteraceae of the Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons). It is a fast growing shrubby perennial that forms dense bushes about 2.5 to 6 m (8.2 to 19.6 ft.) tall when climbing on other plants (WarwickSI,  1991). The leaves are lanceolate, pubescent, with a serrate margin, and grow opposite. The stems branch freely and develop lateral branches in pairs

The initial entry of invasive alien species in Nigeria was mainly through exotic plant introductions by the colonial rulers either for forest tree plantations or for ornamental purposes (Borokini,  2011).Most exotic arrive in association with human activity; transport,  agriculture, tourism (Coblentz,  1990 ; Dicastri,  1989) and the entry of exotic plants into Nigeria during the post independence wia was favoured by increasing in all the activities. Invasive plants species have however impacted negatively on their new area of invasion leading to untold hardship on the people particularly the poor resource farming, the biodiversity including entomofauna and phytoflora. Most of these weed species smoother out the native species forcing them into extinction while others produce allelopathic substances that clear off other species around them.  Although invasive plants species have various negative impacts on the environment,  their beneficial uses have also been exploited and this includes. As a green manure or fallow components. Animal feed, fodder,  forage, Soil conservation and soil improvement. Fuels such as fuelwood Source of medicine/ pharmaceutical.

Given the increasing pace of global change, it is becoming more important than ever to understand how human activities are altering biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (Tienderen et al. 1991). A key driver of change is the invasion of ecosystems by alien species, many of which attain sufficiently high abundance to influence biodiversity. In contrast to the extensive literature and syntheses on the processes leading to biological invasions, a robust framework to understand impacts has yet to be developed. For example, various invasive plants are known to decrease local plant species diversity, increase ecosystem productivity and alter the rate of nutrient cycling, and hence impact upon ecosystem services and human well-being (Pigliucci et al., 1995).

1.1       Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this project is to:  

a.         To compare the effect of some invasive plant species (IPS) on soil amendment on soil microbial activities microbial biomass, soil microbial respiration and microbial population.

b.         To compare the effect of some invasive plant species as soil amendment on the growth Amaranthus hydridus.

c.         To compare the effect of different invasive plant species on soil nutrient status.

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