Mapping of occurrence and population dynamics of invasive plant species Heracleum mantegazzianum in the agricultural landscape

In recent years, giant hogweed [Heracleum mantegazzianum (Somm. et Levier)], an invasive neophyte, has spread aggressively in intensively farmed agricultural landscape in the Central Europe. This toxic invasive plant prefers drier agricultural fields or grasslands. The aim of this paper was to study the distribution and population dynamics of H. mantegazzianum and to evaluate its management measures taken in the town of Spisska Stara Ves in the Kezmarok district located in northern Slovakia. H. mantegazzianum has successfully spread in the cadastral area of Spisska Stara Ves in the buffer zone of the national park of Pieniny. The total area of the PIENAP and its buffer zone invaded by H. mantegazzianum was approximately 457,000 m(2). The research took place in 2013, on an area colonized by the species (28,900 m(2)) located on the land of the former agricultural cooperative farm. The taxon has spread mainly on abandoned areas (64.7% of the total area occupied by H. mantegazzianum), on permanent grasslands (28%) and along the banks of the Dunajec river (7.3%), where it formed polycenoses with a group dispersion. The population density of H. mantegazzianum decreased by about 46% on the research sites after the management measures provided in July 2013. It can be concluded that the management measures were poorly effective, because as evidenced by of the area occupied by the species.