Líffræðifélag Íslands
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2015
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster E21
Pawel Wasowicz (1)
1. Icelandic Institute of Natural History
Kynnir / Presenter: Pawel Wasowicz
Tengiliður / Corresponding author: Pawel Wasowicz (pawel@ni.is)
Non-native vascular flora of Iceland was poorly researched until recently. In 2012 a comprehensive list of non-native plant species present in Iceland was published. This research showed that highland and mountain areas of Iceland require special assessment concerning non-native plant taxa. During the talk comprehensive and up-to-date information on non-native flora of Icelandic highlands and mountain areas will be presented. Overall, 16 non-native vascular plant species were detected, including 11 casuals and 5 naturalised taxa (1 invasive). Results showed that the central highlands are most vulnerable to non-native plant colonisation, while other mountain and highland areas in Iceland seem to be far less impacted by non-native plants. Clear hotspots of alien flora are evident, especially in popular tourist areas in the highlands and mountains such as hot springs, geothermal areas, mountain huts and shelters, as well as main roads and tracks. Temporal trends characterizing non-native plant colonization show that the process is still in its initial phase. This research suggests that human-mediated dispersal is the main driving force increasing the risk of invasion in Icelandic highlands and mountain areas.