| Actinidia arguta, a liana native to East-Asia, has recently gained popularity for its fruit production and cold hardiness in the northeast U.S. Patches have been found smothering native flora which has led to much debate on whether it is invasive. An ecological assessment was done to gain insight on its impact to local ecosystems in CT, MA and NY. It appears that A. arguta is likely suppressing forest succession and reducing vegetative diversity. A genetic assessment using ISSR-PCR was done to help determine its potential for future spread. The studied patches were comprised of multiple genotypes, suggesting that separate introductions have occurred. Genetic diversity of the species was low. It can be concluded that A. arguta is invasive in that it is an alien species likely to have negative impacts to the surrounding ecosystems. This information can be used to manage A. arguta while allowing commercial production to continue. |
