Status of invasive alien plants in Turkey
Turkey harbours approximately 12 000 plant species of which 1.5 % are estimated to be alien species. New plant species are being described through botanical surveys and field work, though at present there is not a comprehensive list of invasive alien plants for the country. At present only Eichhornia crassipes and Arceuthobium spp. are listed as quarantine weeds in Turkey. In the current study the presence (including locations) and the status (alien or native) of plant species that feature in the EPPO plant lists (A2 List, List of Invasive Alien Plants, Observation List of Invasive Alien Plants and the EPPO Alert List) was evaluated for Turkey. Table 1 highlights those invasive alien plant species from the EPPO lists that are present in Turkey. All of these species are invasive in other EPPO countries and raising awareness on the negative impacts could go some way to highlighting the issue of invasive alien plants to different sectors of society.
Table. 1. Invasive Alien plants species present in Turkey and included in EPPO lists.
|
Species
|
Form
|
Origin
|
EPPO List
|
|
Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
Asia
|
List of Invasive Alien Plants
|
|
Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asteraceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
North America
|
List of Invasive Alien Plants
|
|
Azolla filiculoides (Azollaceae)
|
Aquatic
|
North America
|
Observation List
|
|
Carpobrotus edulis (Aizoaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
South Africa
|
List of Invasive Alien Plants
|
|
Cortaderia selloana Poaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
South America
|
List of Invasive Alien Plants
|
|
Eichhornia crassipes (Pontederiaceae)
|
Aquatic
|
South America
|
A2 List
|
|
Ludwigia grandiflora (Onagraceae)
|
Aquatic
|
South America
|
A2 List
|
|
Miscanthus sinensis (Poaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
Asia
|
Alert List
|
|
Oxalis pes-caprae (Oxalidaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
South Africa
|
List of Invasive Alien Plants
|
|
Paspalum distichum (Poaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
Americas
|
List of Invasive Alien Plants
|
|
Polygonum perfoliatum (Polygonaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
Asia
|
A2 List
|
|
Rhododendron ponticum (Ericaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
S. Europe ; Asia
|
Observation List
|
|
Sicyos angulatus (Cucurbitaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
North America
|
List of Invasive Alien Plants
|
|
Solanum elaeagnifolium (Solanaceae)
|
Terrestrial
|
North America
|
A2 List
|
Sources
Arslan ZF, Uludag A, Uremis I (2015) Status of invasive alien plants included in EPPO lists in Turkey. EPPO Bulletin 45 (1), 66-72.