Biology of Invasive Plants 7. Iris pseudacorus L. (Iridaceae)

Authors: SANDENBERGH, EMMA - Rhodes University; GERVAZONI, PAULA - Center For Applied Ecology Of The Coast(CECOAL):national Council For Scientific And Technical Resea; Grewell, Brenda; FRANCESCHINI, CELESTE - Center For Applied Ecology Of The Coast(CECOAL):national Council For Scientific And Technical Resea; MINUTI, GIANMARCO - Vrije Universiteit Brussel; MCGRANNACHAN, CHRIS - Monash University; STIERS, IRIS - Vrije Universiteit Brussel; COETZEE, JULIE - South African Institute For Aquatic Biodiversity, National Research Foundation

Submitted to: Invasive Plant Science and Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/21/2024
Publication Date: 12/9/2024
Citation: Sandenbergh, E., Gervazoni, P., Grewell, B.J., Franceschini, C., Minuti, G., McGrannachan, C., Stiers, I., Coetzee, J. 2024. Biology of Invasive Plants 7. Iris pseudacorus L. (Iridaceae). Invasive Plant Science and Management. 18(1-22). Article e6. https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2024.35.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/inp.2024.35

Interpretive Summary: Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) is an emergent aquatic macrophyte native to Europe, northern Africa, western Asia, and the Middle East. Due to its ornamental attributes, the plant has been introduced to every continent except Antarctica and has often escaped cultivation to form naturalized populations over a wide variety of climatic and environmental conditions. The species is now invasive in Canada, the United States, Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the Korean peninsula. While the global impacts of invasions are increasingly recognized, risk assessments of the species have largely relied on early studies from the native range. In this article, an international team of researchers present data on the historical progression of spread, and an evaluation of the current distribution and its relationships to variation in climate, elevation, soil characteristic, habitat type, land uses through the invaded range. Comparative data from the invaded range are also used to present a new biogeographic perspective on variations in growth, phenological development, life history characteristics, reproduction, germination, dispersal, establishment ecology, and environmental stress tolerances of the iris in the context of climate change. Integrated management options and their efficacy for control of I. pseudacorus are presented based on results from efforts used to manage this invasive species in several invaded countries. Progress is reported on current research for potential biological control of the species using insect herbivores to support restoration of biological diversity. In conclusion, comprehensive approaches for successful weed management and ecosystem restoration based on improved understanding of mechanisms facilitating the invasions, mitigation of negative impacts, and ecological restoration are recommended. Improved weed management plans for yellow flag iris therefore require a multi-disciplinary approach including collaborative efforts among scientists, resource managers, citizens, educators, and governmental participants.

Technical Abstract: Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) is an emergent aquatic macrophyte native to Europe, northern Africa, western Asia, and the Middle East. Due to its ornamental attributes, the plant has been introduced to every continent except Antarctica and has often escaped cultivation to form naturalized populations over a wide variety of climatic and environmental conditions. The species is now invasive in Canada, the United States, Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the Korean peninsula. While the global impacts of invasions are increasingly recognized, risk assessments of the species have largely relied on early studies from the native range. In this article, an international team of researchers present data on the historical progression of spread, and an evaluation of the current distribution and its relationships to variation in climate, elevation, soil characteristic, habitat type, land uses through the invaded range. Comparative data from the invaded range are also used to present a new biogeographic perspective on variations in growth, phenological development, life history characteristics, reproduction, germination, dispersal, establishment ecology, and environmental stress tolerances of the iris in the context of climate change. Integrated management options and their efficacy for control of I. pseudacorus are presented based on results from efforts used to manage this invasive species in several invaded countries. Progress is reported on current research for potential biological control of the species using insect herbivores to support restoration of biological diversity. In conclusion, comprehensive approaches for successful weed management and ecosystem restoration based on improved understanding of mechanisms facilitating the invasions, mitigation of negative impacts, and ecological restoration are recommended. Improved weed management plans for yellow flag iris therefore require a multi-disciplinary approach including collaborative efforts among scientists, resource managers, citizens, educators, and governmental participants.