Open AccessThe history, distribution and rate of spread of the invasive alien plant, bridal creeper, Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Wight, as determined from a questionnaire survey of landholders in south‐western Australia
Author(s) -
Stansbury C. D.,
Scott J. K.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
diversity and distributions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.918
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1472-4642
pISSN - 1366-9516
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-4642.1999.00030.x
Subject(s) - wight , asparagus , alien , geography , alien species , ecology , invasive species , biology , archaeology , demography , sociology , population , census
Summary The distribution and rate of spread of the introduced weed bridal creeper, Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Wight, were calculated from the results of a questionnaire that was distributed to landholders in the south‐west of Western Australia. The weed was associated with regions that receive more than 350 mm of annual rainfall. There was a weak association between properties that had a longer history of disturbance through clearing of native vegetation and the presence of A. asparagoides . On a local scale, the questionnaire indicated that the rate of spread of A. asparagoides peaked at 0.6 m/yr of radial spread for patches of 10 m 2 . The rate of spread of A. asparagoides on a regional scale was calculated as 0.09 postcode regions per year. While 50% of respondents indicated that they attempted to control the weed, only 20% of land managers on neighbouring properties (usually roadside reserves) were involved in some type of weed control. The level of weed control also influenced rates of spread calculated for weed patches for the two groups. Asparagus asparagoides was not ranked highly as a weed by landholders, whereas government officials surveyed considered it the most important environmental weed.