Invasive Plant Species Distribution and Abundance in Acadia National Park

Greene, Craig; Weber, Jill; Rooney, Sally; Anderson, Karen; College of the Atlantic; National Park Service, Acadia National Park

Following taken from Executive summary: '... This report presents the results of an inventory of the distribution and abundance of 24 invasive plant taxa in Acadia National Park.' '... The scope of the invasive plant distribution and abundance inventory was narrowed to sites with known disturbance history and areas proximal to them. De novo searches were made in areas likely to harbor invasive plants. These sites included the many old estates and other locations that were inhabited prior to Park ownership, areas disturbed by Park construction projects, carriage roads and sites with proximity to boundaries where invasive species might enter Park property. Additionally, much of the eastern portion of ACAD burned in 1947 as the result of a wildfire, a catastrophic disturbance which created habitat for invasive plant species.' 'About 600 invasive plant sites were documented by the inventory. Of the 24 taxa inventoried, alder-buckthorn, non-native honeysuckles and Japanese barberry occur at the greatest number of sites. Japanese barberry is also the most widely distributed species and can colonize natural areas, as well as the disturbed sites where it would be expected. The majority of documented invasive species occurrences are on the east side of Acadia National Park, within the extent of the 1947 wildfire. Specifically, invasive species sites are concentrated in the area around Great Meadow and Sieur du Monts Spring, and the number of plants per site is higher there than in other parts of the Park. Only three of the taxa inventoried, were listed in a flora of Mount Desert Island published in 1894; all but one taxon was listed as occurring here when a regional flora was published in 1950. The results of the current inventory suggest the best strategy for invasive plant species management at Acadia National Park is by site rather than by species.' The 24 species inventoried in report include: Amur maple, Norway maple, garlic mustard, Ottawa barberry, Japanese barberry, common barberry, European bittercress, oriental bittersweet, Canada thistle, winged euonymus, Japanese knotweed, alder-buckthorn, shrubby St. Johnswort, privet species, Japanese honeysuckle, honeysuckle species, forest woodrush, moneywort, ninebark, black locust, multiflora rose, bittersweet nightshade, coltsfoot, and cow vetch. For each species, information on distribution, abundance, and habitat are given along with a map showing distribution. Only Mount Desert Island is considered in this report /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/