École supérieure d'aménagement du territoire et de développement régional, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, G1A 0V6, Canada.
Environ Manage. 2011 Sep;48(3):514-22. doi: 10.1007/s00267-011-9711-7. Epub 2011 Jun 28.
Roads function as prime habitats and corridors for invasive plant species. Yet despite the diversity of road types, there is little research on the influence of these types on the spread of invaders. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), a plant producing large amounts of allergenic pollen, was selected as a species model for examining the impact of road type on the spread of invasive plants. We examined this relationship in an agricultural region of Quebec, Canada. We mapped plant distribution along different road types, and constructed a model of species presence. Common ragweed was found in almost all sampling sites located along regional (97%) and local paved (81%) roads. However, verges of unpaved local roads were rarely (13%) colonized by the plant. A model (53% of variance explained), constructed with only four variables (paved regional roads, paved local roads, recently mown road verges, forest cover), correctly predicted (success rate: 89%) the spatial distribution of common ragweed. Results support the hypothesis that attributes associated with paved roads strongly favour the spread of an opportunistic invasive plant species. Specifically, larger verges and greater disturbance associated with higher traffic volume create propitious conditions for common ragweed. To date, emphasis has been placed on controlling the plant in agricultural fields, even though roadsides are probably a much larger seed source. Strategies for controlling the weed along roads have only focused on major highways, even though the considerable populations along local roads also contribute to the production of pollen. Management prioritizations developed to control common ragweed are thus questionable.
道路是入侵植物物种的主要栖息地和走廊。然而，尽管道路类型多样，但对于这些类型对入侵物种传播的影响的研究却很少。普通豚草（Ambrosia artemisiifolia）是一种产生大量致敏花粉的植物，被选为研究道路类型对入侵植物传播影响的物种模型。我们在加拿大魁北克的一个农业地区研究了这种关系。我们沿着不同的道路类型绘制了植物分布，并构建了物种存在模型。在研究区域（97%）和当地铺砌道路（81%）沿线的几乎所有采样点都发现了普通豚草。然而，未铺砌的当地道路边缘很少（13%）被该植物占据。仅使用四个变量（铺砌的区域道路、铺砌的当地道路、最近修剪的道路边缘、森林覆盖）构建的模型（解释了 53%的方差）正确预测了普通豚草的空间分布（成功率：89%）。结果支持了这样的假设，即与铺砌道路相关的特征强烈有利于机会主义入侵植物物种的传播。具体来说，与较高交通量相关的较大边缘和更大的干扰为普通豚草创造了有利条件。迄今为止，人们一直强调在农田中控制这种植物，尽管路边可能是更大的种子来源。沿道路控制杂草的策略仅集中在主要高速公路上，尽管当地道路沿线的大量种群也有助于花粉的产生。因此，为控制普通豚草而制定的管理优先级值得质疑。
