Biological Invasions (2005) 7, 417-425

Crystal M. Ernst and Naomi Cappuccino (2005)
The effect of an invasive alien vine, Vincetoxicum rossicum (Asclepiadaceae), on arthropod populations in Ontario old fields
Biological Invasions 7 (3), 417-425
Abstract: Vincetoxicum rossicum is an invasive alien vine introduced from Europe in the late 1800s that is now an emerging pest in upstate New York and eastern Ontario. The plant can form dense, monotypic stands in woodlots and old fields, and may be displacing native vegetation. As a consequence, V. rossicum may be displacing arthropod fauna associated with native vegetation. In June and August 2002, we sampled V. rossicum and three other old field plants (Asclepias syriaca, Solidago altissima, and mixed graminoids) for arthropods using pitfall traps and by sampling individual plants. A total of 7868 arthropods were counted on plants and 18,195 individuals were trapped; these were sorted by feeding guild. Overall, stands of V. rossicum supported the lowest abundance of both stem- and ground-dwelling individuals, as well as the lowest number of arthropods in most phytophagous guilds. Some feeding guilds are entirely absent: V. rossicum stands are completely devoid of gall-makers and miners, and support few pollinators. This study suggests that arthropod diversity will decline if V. rossicum displaces native old-field plants.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Naomi Cappuccino

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Vincetoxicum rossicum (weed)		Canada (east)
	Vincetoxicum rossicum (weed)		U.S.A. (NE)