Chinese tallow, Triadica sebifera (L.) Small, a native tree of China and Japan, was introduced to South Carolina in the 1700’s and distributed in the 1900’s as a commercial crop widely regarded for its attractive ornamental characteristics. Chinese tallow is an especially aggressive woody invader, disrupting the native ecosystem structure by forming monotypic stands. Due to its high fecundity and relatively quick maturation, the Chinese tallow has become one of the most prevalent invasive species in the southeast United States. The invasion of non-native species contributes to the modification of biogeochemical cycles, inhibition of natural regeneration of native species, and the loss of ecosystem biodiversity and productivity. Hence, the objective of this study is to identify potential determinants of invasion and quantify the relative importance of each factor for the purpose of providing valuable information upon which to base effective control strategies and mitigation plans. We documented the recent range expansion of Chinese tallow in southeastern U.S. based on field data (SNIPET) collected by the US Forest Service on fixed plots during two cycles. We then superimposed FIA data and bird survey information on the data.. We finally quantitatively identified a set of potential factors affecting the invasion using multiple linear regression.
Results/Conclusions
Chinese tallow generally spread northward, with the number of sample plots in which Chinese tallow was detected approximately doubling (from 616 to 1226) and mean percent coverage of Chinese Tallow in sample plots increasing significantly (t-test = 7.27, P-value < 0.05) during this period. Distances to the nearest known propagule source ranged from 0.8 km to 37km, with a mean (± SE) of 20.54 km (± 1.27 km) during the two cycles. Our results of multiple linear regression indicated that the invasion was positively associated with elevation, adjacency to water bodies and negative associated with forest age and management activities. By identifying the potential factors of Chinese tallow invasion, our analyses should provide land managers with useful information to plan proactive management strategies for the locations most likely to be invaded.