The Effects and Management of Invasive Species

Acer Platanoides in North America

FOR 430 Conservation Biology

Moyan Jia
November 12, 2016

The Effects and Management of Invasive Species Acer Platanoides in North America
Moyan Jia
mkj5122
Abstract
The title of my term paper (literature review) is Ecological Effects and Control of Acer
Platanoides (Norway Maple). Acer Platanoides is an invasive species in Pennsylvania defined
by Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). When I took BIOL 220W, I
made a long term observation on Acer Platanoides on campus. I read a report stating that Acer
Platanoides decrease the biodensity of local wildflowers. I will go to the state park to make
further observations. A large number of scientific journals can be found online related to the
invasive effects of Acer Platanoides. I will analyze the negative and positive effects of Acer
Platanoides on local native species and soil. Then the methods of invasiveness control,
including chemical and biological, will be interpret. Also, Acer Platanoides will be compared
with similar native species Acer Platanoides on the ecological impacts.
Introduction
Acer Platanoides, commonly named Norway Maple, belongs to maple family
(Aceraceae). It can be distinguished by zig-zag leaves from other maples. Noway Maples are
deciduous trees. The mature height is 30 to 60, mature width 15 to 30. Leaves are dark green,
palmate shaped. Its flowers in spring and fruits in summer. Norway Maple is native in Europe
and western Asia. According to states records, this species is invasive in north-east America.1
In 1756, John Bartram first invented Norway Maple from England to U.S. Due to its
high adaptiveness, they were widely planted in the farms and towns; however, their high
reproductive ability brought them from urban and suburban to unexploited forests. The
advantages of Norway Maple, such as ease of transplantation, resistance of cold, ability of soil
pioneer, and rapid growth rate, now become the threat of native species.1
American native species Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) failed at the competition with
Norway Maple in the Second Industrial Revolution because the former was not tolerant of air
pollution as the latter. Norway Maples now show exclusive habitats in Pennsylvania,
Minnesota, and Virginia.2 The high density of leaves of Norway Maples blocks sunshine from
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lower shrubs, and the biodiversity in Norway Maples dominant forest decreases significantly.
Relative study also demonstrates the reduction of wild flowers caused by Norway Maple.
This paper is going to analyzed the positive and negative effects of Acer Platanoides
on ecology and biology. Some methods of invasiveness control are also referred. At last, the
compare and contrast of Norway Maple and similar native species is mentioned.
Biodiversity
Defined as an invasive species, Acer Platanoides is a severe threat on local biodiversity.
It occupies the habitats that used to be dominated by native species. In order to measure the
coverage proportion of Acer Platanoides in eastern north U.S., researcher Fang, W. designed a
sampling method to analyze species population and density.3 One 100 50m2 area in
Muttontown preserve, NY was mapped, where the forest was highly invaded by Acer
Platanoides. The entire area was divided into 5 5m2 grids, and the tree individuals were
accounted and recorded in each grid.

Figure 1. Distribution Pattern of Acer Platanoides.3

Fang, W. demonstrated the correlation between Acer Platanoides species richness and
distance from invasion origin. According to figure 1, the further from the origin, the smaller
relative abundance and the higher species evenness it was. Adult and seedling populations were
positively related. Since the invasion origin was at the boundary of a natural forest, Acer
Platanoides density decreased from exterior to interior of the forest. Acer Platanoides invasion
shows a radius pattern, which spreads towards all around from origin.
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Acer Platanoides increase biomass 102.4% at average after invasion.4 It provides

habitats and food for small mammals and birds. Due to its universal adaption and ornamental
value, Acer Platanoides are planted as border trees as well. In autumn, fallen leaves provides
nutrition for decomposers.
On the other hand, Acer Platanoides bring more challenges than benefits. It is
magaphanerophytes, commonly named high-tree.4 Acer Platanoides in large population are
extremely competitive of and create shade on shrubs. The shrubs cannot absorb enough sunlight
blocked by maple leaves. As the result, species richness of shrubs decreases. One of the factors
that controls biodiversity is primary productivity (bottom-up effect).5 As the abundance of
shrubs reduces, first consumers living on them face food shortage, and consumer population
declines. Invasive species like Acer Platanoides create lethal threats to rare and endemic
species. Acer Platanoides dominancy occupies a large number of resources, such as water,
nutrients, soil area, sunlight, and pollinators, which are vital for rare species survival. Once
Acer Platanoides is dominant at one particular habitat, the alpha diversity is low. The low
Shannon-Weiner index represents low species richness and evenness.6 Ecological balance is
subtle while considering the relationship between species; however, it becomes fragile and easy
to break if a high risk invasive species exists.
Exotic Acer Platanoides are similar with native species Acer Saccharum (Sugar
Maple). Maple sugar produced by the latter has commercial values, but the former does little.
Acer Saccharum are not competitive against Acer Platanoides because the invasive one
presents greater seasonal growth and higher plasticity on phenotype.7 A control-variable
experiment was manipulated by Paquette, A., etc. The results demonstrate Acer Platanoides
have larger net increase on root length, bulk diameter, height, and leave density than Acer
Saccharum during a same growing season. Acer Platanoides are more plastic of sunlight
change. It can adjust metabolism rate under intensive and dime light. Also, it displays extensive
growth in late fall, when most deciduous trees enter leaf fall period.7
Above all, Acer Platanoides have negative impacts on native species and threatens
biodiversity.

Genetic Diversity and Population

Genetic diversity is the center of biodiversity, which provides the genetic variety
within or among populations. In this case, Acer Platanoides spread patterns can be studied with
genetic information.
As Acer Platanoides origin in Europe, its distribution was depicted in Figure 2. The
black dots represent the large populations of Acer Platanoides; the triangle dots are another
species not in interest.

Figure 2. The Population of Acer Platanoides in Europe. The Back dots () represent
Acer Platanoides Distribution.8
According to M. Rusanens study, the populations were named as the abbreviation of
countries where they were discovered; i.e. The population in Poland was marked POL. The
average heterozygosity (He Mean) is 0.132, and the population ranges from 0.053 minimum to
0.191 maximum.8 The genetic distance of sample populations was demonstrated in
phylogenetic dendrogram (Figure 3).

Figure 3. The Phylogenetic Dendrogram of Acer Platanoides in Europe.8

The genetic difference of Acer Platanoides in Europe is less than 0.03, and the
heterozygosity mean is as small as 0.132, which indicates the sample populations have high
genetic similarities and low heterozygosity. To some extent, the populations have high
possibility of intrabreeding but interbreeding. The pollination mechanism does not support long
distance travel.8
While Acer Platanoides is invasive in North America and demonstrates large scale
distribution across oceans, the genetic differentiation is not large as expected.9 The phenologies
of Acer Platanoides in native habitat France and invasive habitat Canada were studied. With
the plastic genotype, the survival situation and trunk diameters of invasive species in Canada
do not show significant difference compared with France.

Figure 4. The Average Survival Rate and Average Diameter of Acer Platanoides in
Canada and France. Native Seedlings (white bars) and Invasive Seedlings (black bars) are
compared between two habitats.9
According to genetic differentiation study on Acer Platanoides among North America
and Europe populations, the species display adaptive behaviors in invasive habitats under the
effect of genetic plasticity.9 This is the major reason of the high invasiveness ability of Acer
Platanoides. On the other hand, the populations in Europe and North America are in the similar
latitudes, which enables the pioneer individuals to adapt and generate.
Habitat and Ecosystem Management
In order to control the invasiveness of Acer Platanoides in North America, a substitute
species Acer Saccharum (sugar maple) can be planted widely competing the former.
Unfortunately, the future development Acer Saccharums habitat is not optimistic. According
to the prediction of sugar maple habitat correlated to climate change, the habitat is degraded
and will keep this trend in the distant future.10

Figure 5. The Habitat of Acer Saccharum From 1970 to 2100 Under the Influence of
Climate Change.10
As mentioned above, Acer Saccharum is not competitive on absorbing sunlight to Acer
Platanoides.7 An effective way to solve this problem is to cut the shelterwood (oaks and
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walnuts) and encourage growth of the target tree crown. Now relative programs like U.S.
Department Agriculture Forest Service devote to conserve native species and control invasive
species in similar ways.11
There is few method mentioning about Acer Platanoides ecosystem management, but
the importance of control its spread is emphasized. The best way is to remove the existing
invasive trees and seedlings in the current habitat.12 As Webb mentioned in his research,
removal of Acer Platanoides seedlings reduced the its own population significantly while
increased the survival rate of Acer Saccharum.12 On the other hand, removal of plants decreases
the biomass in the ecosystem directly, so the removal and substitution processes should be
manipulated gradually to avoid the possible disturbance.
Discussion and Conclusions
Acer Platanoides is an invasive species in north America. It is native in Europe and
brought into north America by human. This species is extremely competitive and adaptive.
Similar native species Acer Saccharum suffers negative influences due to invasiveness. Acer
Platanoides is plastic towards environmental variation. It has higher average height, larger
diameter, and greater crown than native species. Thus, it is competitive with sunlight, water,
and nutrients. Acer Platanoides has high reproduction rate and usually causes low
diversity on local habitats. Accroding to relative study, the species richness and evenness
at Acer Platanoides dominant habitat are very low. The abundance of invasive species reduces
the biodiversity of wildflowers and shrubs. It has high genetic similarity and low heterozygosity,
which represents its high level genetic plasticity.
Since Acer Platanoides is extremely invasive, there is no conservative methods.
However, some tree removal plans are executed. Cutting Acer Platanoides trees and removing
seedlings and planting Acer Saccharum instead is effective for increasing the survival rate of
the latter. Encouragement of native plants growth is one of the methods to manage invasive
species redundancies. Chemical and biological managements are also practicable. If Acer
Platanoides becomes a threat of ecosystem, relative chemicals may be used to control its
population; furthermore, herbivores and other natural enemies may be imported.
Currently, the invasiveness of Acer Platanoides has been studied thoroughly, but the
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conservative actions are not in a large scale. People tend to focus on the endangered species,
but the invasive species should draw public attention as well. All reviewed literatures display
negative impacts of Acer Platanoides on ecology. From my perspective, the study on
invasiveness should be applied in everyday life. To deal with ecological problem, action is as
important as research. Focusing on Acer Platanoides issue, we still have a long way to go.S
References
1). United States. National Park Service. "Norway Maple (Acer Platanoides)." National Parks
Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 11 Nov. 2010. Web. 04 Sept. 2016.
2). "Norway Maple (Acer Platanoides)." Norway Maple (Acer Platanoides). University of
Minnesota, Summer 2016. Web. 04 Sept. 2016.
3). Fang, Wei. "Spatial Analysis of an Invasion Front of Acer Platanoides: Dynamic
Inferences from Static Data." Ecography, vol. 28, no. 3, 2005., pp. 283294doi:10.1111/j.0906-7590.2005.04052.x.
4). Fang, Wei, and Xianzhong Wang. "Impact of Invasion of Acer Platanoides on Canopy
Structure and Understory Seedling Growth in a Hardwood Forest in North America."
Trees, vol. 25, no. 3, 2011; 2010;., pp. 455-464doi:10.1007/s00468-010-0520-z.
5). Galbraith-Kent, Shannon L., and Steven N. Handel. "Invasive Acer Platanoides Inhibits
Native Sapling Growth in Forest Understorey Communities." Journal of Ecology, vol. 96,
no. 2, 2008., pp. 293-302doi:10.1111/j.1365-2745.2007.01337.x.
6). Carlson, J., FOR430 Lecture 5 6 Biodiversity. Pennsylvania State University, 2016
7). Paquette, Alain, et al. "Norway Maple Displays Greater Seasonal Growth and Phenotypic
Plasticity to Light than Native Sugar Maple." Tree physiology, vol. 32, no. 11, 2012., pp.
1339.
8). M, Rusanen, Vakkari P, and Blom A. "Genetic Structure of Acer Platanoides and Betula
Pendula in Northern Europe." Canadian Journal of Forest Research, vol. 33, no. 6, 2003.,
pp. 1110-1115. doi:10.1139/x03-025.
9). Lamarque, LJ, et al. "Genetic Differentiation and Phenotypic Plasticity in Life-History
Traits between Native and Introduced Populations of Invasive Maple Trees."
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS, vol. 17, no. 4, 2015., pp. 1109-1122. doi:10.1007/s105309

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10). Brown, L. J., Lamhonwah, D., & Murphy, B. L. Projecting a spatial shift of ontario's
sugar maple habitat in response to climate change: A GIS approach: Climate change and
maple habitat. The Canadian Geographer / Le Gographe Canadien, vol. 59, no. 3,
2015., pp. 369-381. doi:10.1111/cag.12197
11). Godman, Richard M.; Tubbs, Carl H. 1973. Establishing even-age northern hardwood
regeneration by the shelterwood method--a preliminary guide. Res. Pap. NC-99. St. Paul,
MI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment
Station. 9 p. [11372]
12). Webb, Sara L.; Pendergast, Thomas H., IV; Dwyer, Marc E. Response of native and
exotic maple seedling banks to removal of the exotic, invasive Norway maple (Acer
platanoides). Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society. 128(2): 2001., 141-149. [42560]

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