Abstract:
Biological invasions are one of the main drivers of modern human-induced species losses. Research on the
distribution of alien species and their pathways of introduction is essential for understanding and tackling
the invasion process. A comprehensive overview on invasive alien plant (IAP) species in Romania is lacking.
With this paper, we aim to contribute to filling this gap and to provide a visualization of national
patterns regarding plant species invasions, geographical origins and pathways of introductions. Based on
plant species occurrence records in the published literature and herbaria we compiled a national database
of 102 invasive and potentially invasive alien plant species. We georeferenced 42776 IAP species occurrences
and performed an analysis of their spatial patterns. The spatial analyses revealed a biased sampling,
with clear hotspots of increased sampling efforts around urban areas. We used chord diagrams to visualize
the pathway of introduction and geographical origins of the IAP species, which revealed that species in
Romania originate mainly in North and Central America, while the dominant pathway of plant introduction
was horticulture. Our results provide an important baseline in drafting management and action
plans, as invasive alien plant species represent a priority for the European Union through the Biodiversity
Strategy for 2030, and a good starting point for various analyses as the database is further developed and
regularly updated.
