Invasive alien plants: impacts on development and options for management.

Chapter 2 (Page no: 18)

Profile of an invasive plant: Mikania micrantha.

In this chapter, current information on the taxonomy and distribution of M. micrantha are summarized, followed by a review of relevant details on its life cycle and physiological ecology. The last of these topics has received much attention over recent years and advances have been made in particular on the allelopathic properties and photosynthetic strategy of the plant. Additional information about its physiology has been elucidated from a comparison with Mikania cordata, which is native to Asia. One of the consequences of the domination of M. micrantha in many habitats in the Asia-Pacific region is that several rural communities have been driven to seek ways of exploiting the plant, and these have been largely based on its perceived traits and properties. The reported benefits are few, but they are reviewed at the end of this chapter to complete the species profile. An increasing amount of research over recent decades has revealed much about the physiology and ecology of M. micrantha and this has provided a clearer basis for understanding how and why this plant has become invasive in so many agricultural and native ecosystems. The main biological traits and features of the plant may not substantially differentiate it from other indigenous sprawling vines. However, though it may have competitive advantages, having evolved in isolation from the indigenous fauna of the Asia-Pacific region, there is also strong evidence that the absence of specialized natural enemies following its introduction from the Neotropical region is also critical.

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