Role of a Global Invasive Species (GIS), Lantana camara in conservation and sustenance of local butterfly community

Plants sustain several ecosystem functions thereby playing a crucial role in conservation management. Lantana camara an invasive weed has become the common part of a bushes. The mutualistic relationship between this weed plant and butterflies are well known. Butterflies depend on Lantana camara for food, oviposition site, larval development etc. In this context we are highlighting the role of this invasive weed for butterfly conservation and maintaining total butterfly abundance. In this study the species richness highest for the site where the bushes were dominated by Lantana camara and lowest for the site where LCA abundance was low. The butterfly abundance and LCA abundance maintain a strong positive relationship and LCA abundance, species richness and and butterfly abundance are strongly correlated and dominance is negatively correlated with other three variables. So we can use the Lantana camara as a model organism for conservation and maintaining the butterfly abundance in Purulia, West Bengal, India.     

Foraging Relationships Between Elephants and Lantana camara Invasion in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve,India

Lantana camara is a widespread exotic invasive species in India, capable of dominating and displacing native forage species. We investigated whether L. camara was associated with variation in elephant foraging behavior in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, India. The behavioral responses of elephants to L. camara were assessed from feeding and stepping rates. Elephants were never observed to feed on L. camara, but rather fed on grass and browse present within and around L. camara patches. A multiple regression analysis showed that feeding rates were negatively associated with L. camara invasion (F_{1, 55} = 4.26, R² = 0.07), but not stepping rates. Instead, grass cover and browse density were associated with stepping rates (F_{2, 55} = 11.16, R² = 0.30). Path analysis indicated that the total effect of L. camara on feeding rates was 11 percent (β = ?0.24) less than the direct negative association (β = ?0.27) owing to a positive indirect association of L. camara with feeding rates through grass cover and browse density (β = 0.03), while stepping rates were negatively associated with grass cover (β = ?0.39) and positively associated with browse density (β = 0.38). Our results indicate that L. camara appears capable of modifying feeding rates of elephants, likely through a loss of grass areas due to L. camara invasion. Experimental work is needed to test for causal relationships among the variables we measured, to enhance our understanding of how invasive weeds modify elephant behavior.     

Ecology of Lantana camara: An invasive plant species in Amurum Forest Reserve,Jos Plateau,Central Nigeria

Lantana camara (Lantana) is an invasive species of South American origin, and it is visibly widespread in Amurum Forest Reserve (AFR) Jos-Plateau, central Nigeria. Presently, there is no baseline study on Lantana and its spread despite its conspicuous presence within AFR. This is the first study to investigate its abundance and interactions with native fauna and flora in AFR. Established study plots were used to estimate its relative abundance in three habitat types (gallery forest, savannah woodland and rocky outcrops) and to investigate its effect on plants. An experiment using cowpea-tested allelopathic effects of Lantana and focal observation/beating tray method was used to collect data on vertebrate and invertebrate species utilising/interacting with Lantana. Lantana is widespread within AFR occupying 77% of plots with the gallery forest habitat having the highest abundance compared with the savannah woodland and rocky outcrop. Plots with Lantana had fewer woody plant species than plots without Lantana. Tests on soil samples from the reserve for basic properties revealed that Lantana-infested sites had relatively poor soils compared with non-Lantana-infested sites. Birds and insects in AFR utilise Lantana and are probably responsible for its spread. Control measures are necessary to limit its spread and mitigate its likely negative effect on plant species.     

Biology and host range of Ophiomyia camarae, a biological control agent for Lantana camara in South Africa

The herringbone leaf-mining fly, Ophiomyiacamarae Spencer, is a promising candidateagent for the biological control of the alieninvasive weed Lantana camara L. in SouthAfrica. During extensive host-specificity testsinvolving 39 test plant species from 12families, survival to adulthood was restrictedto L. camara, L. trifolia, and fourspecies of the closely-related genus Lippia (Verbenaceae) in no-choice tests. However, survival of the immature stages wassignificantly lower on L. trifolia andthe four Lippia species than on L.camara. In addition, O. camaraedisplayed very strong oviposition preferencefor L. camara during paired-choice tests.This narrow laboratory host range suggests thatO. camarae will not pose any risks tonon-target verbenaceous plants if released inSouth Africa. Permission to release O. camaraeinto South Africa was approved by the regulatoryauthorities in 2001.     

Biological action of lantadene C,a new hepatotoxicant from Lantana camara var. aculeata

Lantadene C (22β-2-methylbutanoyloxy -3-oxoolean-12-en-28-oic acid) isolated from the leaves of the hepatotoxic plant Lantana camara var. aculeata (Red) has been found to be identical with dihydrolan-tadene A reported earlier. Molecular structure of lantadene C has been deduced from single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. It resembles lantadene A in the pentacyclic portion of the molecule but differs in the side chain region. Atom C-34 is cis to C-35 in lantadene C but is transin lantadene A. Semisynthetic lantadene C was prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of lantadene A. Lantadene C was obtained in two forms, I and II. Form I was crystalline while form II was amorphous. Unlike lantadene A, both form I and II of lantadene C elicited strong hepatotoxic response in guinea pigs associated with decrease in fecal output, feed intake, hepatomegaly, hepatic injury at the cellular and subcellular level, increase in plasma bilirubin, and acid phosphatase activity. All the clinical signs, hepatic lesions, and changes in blood plasma typified lantana toxicity. This is the first report on the hepatotoxicity of lantadene C. The interrelation of molecular structure and biological activity of lantadene A and C has been discussed.     

Lantana camara Essential Oils from Vietnam: Chemical Composition,Molluscicidal, and Mosquito Larvicidal Activity

Lantana camara is a troublesome invasive plant introduced to many tropical regions, including Southeast Asia. However, the plant does hold promise as a source of essential oils that may be explored for potential use. Fresh water snails such as Pomacea canaliculata, Gyraulus convexiusculus, and Tarebia granifera can be problematic agricultural pests as well as hosts for parasitic worms. Aedes and Culex mosquitoes are notorious vectors of numerous viral pathogens. Control of these vectors is of utmost importance. In this work, the essential oil compositions, molluscicidal, and mosquito larvicidal activities of four collections of L. camara from north-central Vietnam have been investigated. The sesquiterpene-rich L. camara essential oils showed wide variation in their compositions, not only compared to essential oils from other geographical locations (at least six possible chemotypes), but also between the four samples from Vietnam. L. camara essential oils showed molluscicidal activities comparable to the positive control, tea saponin, as well as other botanical agents. The median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) against the snails were 23.6–40.2 μg/mL (P. canaliculata), 7.9–29.6 μg/mL (G. convexiusculus), and 15.0–29.6 μg/mL (T. granifera). The essential oils showed good mosquito larvicidal activities with 24-h LC₅₀ values of 15.1–29.0 μg/mL, 26.4–53.8 μg/mL, and 20.8–59.3 μg/mL against Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. The essential oils were more toxic to snails and mosquito larvae than they were to the non-target water bug, Diplonychus rusticus (24-h LC₅₀=103.7–162.5 μg/mL). Sesquiterpene components of the essential oils may be acting as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. These results suggest that the invasive plant, L. camara, may be a renewable botanical pesticidal agent.     

Genetic diversity and population structure of Lantana camara in India indicates multiple introductions and gene flow

Lantana camara is a highly invasive plant, which has spread over 60 countries and island groups of Asia, Africa and Australia. In India, it was introduced in the early nineteenth century, since when it has expanded and gradually established itself in almost every available ecosystem. We investigated the genetic diversity and population structure of this plant in India in order to understand its introduction, subsequent range expansion and gene flow. A total of 179 individuals were sequenced at three chloroplast loci and 218 individuals were genotyped for six nuclear microsatellites. Both chloroplasts (nine haplotypes) and microsatellites (83 alleles) showed high genetic diversity. Besides, each type of marker confirmed the presence of private polymorphism. We uncovered low to medium population structure in both markers, and found a faint signal of isolation by distance with microsatellites. Bayesian clustering analyses revealed multiple divergent genetic clusters. Taken together, these findings (i.e. high genetic diversity with private alleles and multiple genetic clusters) suggest that Lantana was introduced multiple times and gradually underwent spatial expansion with recurrent gene flow.     

Geographical range and impact of five biocontrol agents established on Lantana camara in South Africa

A survey was conducted todetermine the present status of five biocontrolagents established on Lantana camara L.(Verbenaceae) in South Africa. Three ofthe five agents, Calycomyza lantanae(Frick), Ophiomyia lantanae Froggatt andTeleonemia scrupulosa Stål areestablished throughout the range of L.camara. The two hispine beetles, Octotomascabripennis Guérin-Ménevilleand Uroplata girardi Pic are restrictedto the warm, subtropical regions in the easternrange of the weed, and are unable to cope withthe plants becoming seasonally leafless in dryand temperate areas. The two beetles and T. scrupulosa are rated as the most damagingagents on L. camara. The impact of O. lantanae is uncertain, and due to lowpopulations, the impact of C. lantanae isnegligible. Insect populations typicallyaccumulate to maximise their impact on plantsby midsummer, giving plants the opportunity tocompensate for the cumulative agent damageaccrued at the end of the previous growingseason. A number of parasitoids were rearedfrom U. girardi, O. lantanae andC. lantanae, but only those adapted toC. lantanae are expected to significantlyreduce its field density. The agents feed anddevelop on a wide range of lantana varieties,and where two or more varieties co-exist,insects occurred in equal abundance on thedifferent varieties. The importance of varietalpreferences appears to have beenover-estimated, but needs consideration whennew candidates are evaluated. The impact ofthese biocontrol agents is insufficient toreduce L. camara to a manageablesituation, and additional candidates arenecessary to control this weed in South Africa.     

Pentacyclic triterpenoids from the aerial parts of Lantana camara and their nematicidal activity

Two new olean-12-ene triterpenoids, camarolic acid (1) and lantrigloylic acid (2), have been isolated from the aerial parts of Lantana camara, along with ten known triterpenes, namely, camaric acid, lantanolic acid, lantanilic acid, pomolic acid, camarinic acid, lantoic acid, camarin, lantacin, camarinin, and ursolic acid. The new compounds have been characterized as 3,25-epoxy-3alpha-hydroxy-22beta-{[(S)-3-hydroxy-2-methylidenebutanoyl]oxy}olean-12-en-28-oic acid (1) and 3,25-epoxy-3alpha-hydroxy-22beta-[(3-methylbut-2-enoyl)oxy]olea-9(11),12-dien-28-oic acid (2) through spectroscopic studies and a chemical transformation. Seven of the constituents, namely pomolic acid, lantanolic acid, lantoic acid, camarin, lantacin, camarinin, and ursolic acid, were tested for nematicidal activity against root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Pomolic acid, lantanolic acid, and lantoic acid showed 100% mortality at 1 mg/ml concentration after 24 h, while camarin, lantacin, camarinin, and ursolic acid exhibited 100% mortality at this concentration after 48 h. These results are comparable to those obtained with the conventional nematicide furadan (100% mortality at 1 mg/ml concentration after 24 h).     

Pathogenicity and Host Specificity of Mycovellosiella lantanae var. lantanae,a Potential Biocontrol Agent for Lantana camara in South Africa

Lantana camara is a poisonous, bushy shrub from South and Central America that has invaded much of the moist, warm sub-tropical areas of South Africa. In the last decade, evidence of a conspicuous and damaging mycobiota on lantana in the Neotropics has persuaded biocontrol researchers to consider fungi as potential biocontrol agents for this plant. Samples of diseased L. camara leaves were collected during field surveys in South, North and Central America from 1987 to 1997. Pathogenicity tests showed the leaf spot fungus, Mycovellosiella lantanae var. lantanae to be a promising biocontrol pathogen. Inoculations onto South African biotypes of L. camara and a number of closely related species within the family Verbenaceae were made under quarantine conditions to determine the pathogenicity and host specificity of the fungus. Inoculation of L. camara biotypes resulted in necrotic, grey lesions (20-60 per leaf), necrosis of flower buds and stalks, as well as defoliation of certain biotypes after three weeks. None of the other plant species tested showed any disease symptoms. This indicates a very restricted host range, making this pathogen a suitable candidate for application as a biological control agent. It is expected that the fungus will reduce the vigour and reproductive potential of L. camara. Due to the variation in virulence of M. lantanae var. lantanae when tested on South African lantana biotypes, release strategies may include the use of combinations of the isolates to target a wider range of lantana biotypes in the field. Permission to release M. lantanae var. lantanae in South Africa was granted in September 2001. The pathogen will be released as a classical biocontrol agent in South Africa.     

Knowledge, Learning and the Evolution of Conservation Practice for Social-Ecological System Resilience

There are two broadly conceptualized ways in which conservation knowledge may evolve: the depletion crisis model and the ecological understanding model. The first one argues that developing conservation thought and practice depends on learning that resources are depletable. Such learning typically follows a resource crisis. The second mechanism emphasizes the development of conservation practices following the incremental elaboration of environmental knowledge by a group of people. These mechanisms may work together. Following a perturbation, a society can self-organize, learn and adapt. The self-organizing process, facilitated by knowledge development and learning, has the potential to increase the resilience (capability to absorb disturbance and reorganize while undergoing change) of resource use systems. Hence, conservation knowledge can develop through a combination of long-term ecological understanding and learning from crises and mistakes. It has survival value, as it increases the resilience of integrated social--ecological systems to deal with change in ways that continue to sustain both peoples and their environments.     

马缨丹的综合利用研究(综述)

马缨丹植株含有丰富的、多种多样的次生化合物,本文主要综述马缨丹及其次生化合物在医药、生物防治、园林绿化等方面的利用概况,以期为重新认识及综合开发利用马缨丹这一备受争议的植物资源提供科学依据。     

The Chemical Diversity of Lantana camara: Analyses of Essential Oil Samples from Cuba,Nepal, and Yemen

The aerial parts of Lantana camara L. were collected from three different geographical locations: Artemisa (Cuba), Biratnagar (Nepal), and Sana'a (Yemen). The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A cluster analysis of 39 L. camara essential oil compositions revealed eight major chemotypes: β‐caryophyllene, germacrene D, ar‐curcumene/zingiberene, γ‐curcumen‐15‐al/epi‐β‐bisabolol, (E)‐nerolidol, davanone, eugenol/alloaromadendrene, and carvone. The sample from Cuba falls into the group dominated by (E)‐nerolidol, the sample from Nepal is a davanone chemotype, and the sample from Yemen belongs to the β‐caryophyllene chemotype. The chemical composition of L. camara oil plays a role in the biological activity; the β‐caryophyllene and (E)‐nerolidol chemotypes showed antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.     

马缨丹提取物对黄曲条跳甲成虫的生物活性

测定了马缨丹(Lantana camaraL.)地上部位(茎叶花)的不同溶剂提取物及萃取物对黄曲条跳甲Phyllotreta striolata(Fabricius)成虫的取食忌避、拒食、胃毒和触杀作用。结果表明:处理后48 h,以马缨丹乙醇回流提取物效果最好,其对黄曲条跳甲成虫的取食忌避率达94.94%;非选择性拒食率为85.48%;除正丁醇萃取物对黄曲条跳甲成虫的胃毒作用达到56.67%外,其它处理对黄曲条跳甲成虫的胃毒作用不明显;石油醚萃取物、石油醚冷浸物、乙醇回流物对黄曲条跳甲成虫的触杀作用效果最好,分别为56.67,53.33和53.33%。据实验结果可知马缨丹不同溶剂提取物及萃取物对黄曲条跳甲成虫的生物活性主要表现在对成虫较强的忌避和拒食作用。     

Molecular structure, polymorphism, and toxicity of lantadene A, the pentacyclic triterpenoid from the hepatotoxic plant Lantana camara

Lantadene A (22 beta-angeloyloxy-3-oxo-olean-12-en-28-oic acid), a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound from lantana (Lantana camara) leaves has been obtained in two polymorphic forms I and II. Form I had white, fluffy, and rod-shaped uniform crystals. Form II particles were irregular, shining, and polyhedral. The two forms differed in melting behavior. The powder x-ray diffraction of form I showed sharp peaks whereas from II did not contain distinct peaks. From single-crystal three-dimensional x-ray structure determination, the molecular structure of form I has been established. A/B and B/C rings of the molecule are trans fused while D/E rings are cis fused. The packing of the molecule is stabilized by hydrogen bonding. Form I of lantadene A was non-toxic to guinea pigs on oral administration. Form II induced ictericity and toxicity associated with decrease in feed intake and fecal output, hepatomegaly, increase in plasma bilirubin, and acid phosphatase activity.     

Climate change and the potential distribution of an invasive shrub, Lantana camara L

The threat posed by invasive species, in particular weeds, to biodiversity may be exacerbated by climate change. Lantana camara L. (lantana) is a woody shrub that is highly invasive in many countries of the world. It has a profound economic and environmental impact worldwide, including Australia. Knowledge of the likely potential distribution of this invasive species under current and future climate will be useful in planning better strategies to manage the invasion. A process-oriented niche model of L. camara was developed using CLIMEX to estimate its potential distribution under current and future climate scenarios. The model was calibrated using data from several knowledge domains, including phenological observations and geographic distribution records. The potential distribution of lantana under historical climate exceeded the current distribution in some areas of the world, notably Africa and Asia. Under future scenarios, the climatically suitable areas for L. camara globally were projected to contract. However, some areas were identified in North Africa, Europe and Australia that may become climatically suitable under future climates. In South Africa and China, its potential distribution could expand further inland. These results can inform strategic planning by biosecurity agencies, identifying areas to target for eradication or containment. Distribution maps of risk of potential invasion can be useful tools in public awareness campaigns, especially in countries that have been identified as becoming climatically suitable for L. camara under the future climate scenarios.     

Climate change and dispersion dynamics of the invasive plant species Chromolaena odorata and Lantana camara in parts of the central and eastern India

Lantana camara and Chromolaena odorata are categorized as the most obnoxious invasive flora globally. Their ability to combat the regeneration and proliferation of neighbouring flora, expansive nature, and robust adaptability to diverse habitats, drew global attention. Investigating the potential mutual dispersion phenomenon of these two invasive species under the climate change scenario was the primary objective of this study. The present and future (2050) prospective distribution scenarios for these two species were determined using MaxEnt in the eastern and central Indian regions encompassing the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal. Future projections for 2050 were derived using IPSL-CM5A-LR & MIROC5 and IPSL-CM6A-LR & MIROC6 models for different representative concentration pathways (RCPs 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5), and Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs 126, 245, 370 and 585), respectively. The investigation revealed that currently ∼31% and ∼ 24% of the study area are susceptible to infestation of L. camara and C. odorata, respectively. Compared to the current scenario, the results showed a probable future increase of ∼1.53% in C. odorata infestation and a decrease of ∼4.95% for L. camara. The True Skill Statistics (TSS) and Kappa coefficient (in %) values of 0.71 & 76.50 for L. camara and 0.52 & 63.38 for C. odorata indicated a good model fit. Collectively, both the species exhibited robust resilience to climate change, with C. odorata outcompeting L. camara. Using both RCP and SSP pathways under the multiple climate scenarios offered a comprehensive and novel approach to acquiring greater insights into likely interactions, dominance, and distribution scenarios of these species. The results provide prior information on sensitive sites prone to future invasion, allowing management to formulate preventative measures to control infestation.