Work

Spatial Correlation Between Invasive Plant Distribution and Land Use Dynamics in Forest-Dominated Mountain Landscapes of Southwestern China

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Global high-mountain ecosystems are increasingly subjected to intensified anthropogenic disturbances, which facilitate the spread of invasive alien plants and threaten agricultural sustainability and ecological security. Using Laojun Mountain in Yunnan as the study area, this research investigates the relationship between the distribution patterns of invasive plants and land-use changes, based on data from 38 transect surveys conducted in 2023 and 30-m-resolution land-use data spanning 2003–2023. The analysis incorporates a random forest model and a land-use transition matrix. The key findings are as follows: (1) Variable importance analysis revealed elevation as the most critical factor influencing invasion occurrence (mean decrease in Gini index: 8.0), followed by slope, aspect, and land-use type. (2) Cultivated land exhibited the highest probability of invasion, with high-risk areas (>0.8) concentrated in agricultural zones in the central-southern and northeastern regions. (3) From 2003 to 2023, cultivated land increased by a net area of 20.85 km2, primarily due to conversion from forests (19.57 km2) and grasslands, while grassland area decreased by 24.70 km2. This study concludes that agricultural expansion has intensified habitat fragmentation and anthropogenic disturbances, creating favorable conditions for invasive plant establishment. It is recommended that invasive species monitoring and ecological restoration efforts be strengthened in agroforestry transition zones to enhance landscape resilience against biological invasions.

Source: Agriculture

DOI: 10.3390/agriculture16060667

Authors: Zhongjian Deng, Shengyue Sun, Ende Liu, Haohua Jia, Xiangdong Feng

Institutions: Southwest Forestry University, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies

Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137