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Early Access

Effects of canopy openness on diversity and distribution of invasive alien plants in an Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot region

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8528
Submitted
26 March 2025
Published
31-10-2025
Versions

Abstract

Invasive alien plants (IAPs) perturb the ecosystem functioning and endanger plant biodiversity, which is inadequately explored in global biodiversity hotspots. The present study, therefore, aimed to analyze the vegetation dynamics and plant diversity in the urban forest of Aizawl, Mizoram, an integral landscape of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. The study was conducted from 2020 to 2023. We evaluated the phytosociology of IAPs along the anthropogenic disturbance gradient (highly disturbed, moderately disturbed and less disturbed sites), which were distinct in the urban forest. We also investigate the ecology of IAPs in the area by determining habitat attributes such as forest canopy openness, leaf area index (LAI) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). LAI is the total surface area of leaves per unit of ground area (m2 m-2) and PAR is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (400-700 nm) that green plants may employ to power their photosynthesis. Moderately disturbed site recorded the highest number of plant individuals (n = 1158) with an importance value index (IVI) ranging from 1.60 to 32.16. Further, the disturbed site recorded a total of n = 595 plant individuals with IVI ranging from 2.09 to 31.38. Whereas the less disturbed site has the least plant individuals (n = 146) with IVI ranging from 7.89 to 36.53. Notably, IAPs such as Ageratum conizoides L., Calyptocarpus vialis Less., Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob. have the highest IVI at all sites. The canopy openness was more pronounced in disturbed habitats (87.42 %) when compared with moderately disturbed (25.92 %) and less disturbed (37.24 %) habitats. Maintaining the intact forest canopy by increasing native plant species richness and less human intervention on the pristine environment can result in sustainable management of IAPs. Therefore, regulate the invasive spread and alteration of species dynamics of biodiversity hotspot region.

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