Robinia pseudoacacia

Robinia pseudoacacia in Europe: distribution, habitat, usage and threats

T. Sitzia, A. Cierjacks, D. de Rigo, G. Caudullo Biodiversity concerns Robinia pseudoacacia L., commonly known as black locust, is a tree native to North America and is one of the most Black locust invasion has been proven to have an impact on biodiversity important and widespread broadleaved alien trees in Europe. It is a medium-sized, deciduous, fast-growing thorny tree when compared with the native habitats. This applies to both plant34-36, with high suckering capacity. It has been extensively planted in Europe and now it is naturalised in practically the whole bird37 and lichen38 communities. These effects depend on the stand continent. Growing on a wide range of soil types, this tree species only avoids wet or compacted conditions. It is mainly age and the landscape type. For example, the presence of black locust distributed in sub-Mediterranean to warm continental climates and requires a rather high heat-sum. As a light-demanding in recent secondary stands in rural landscapes does not seem to play pioneer species, it rapidly colonises grasslands, semi-natural woodlands and urban habitats, where it can persist for a long a major role in shaping the diversity of the understorey plant groups time. Owing to the capacity of fixing di-nitrogen through symbiotic rhizobia in root nodules, black locust can add high rates compared to native stands39. In urban areas, it seems to have the of nitrogen to soil which becomes available to other plants. The wood of black locust is durable and rot-resistant, making ability to homogenize processes at the plant community level36. Further it adequate for multiple purposes such as fire and pulp wood, for fences, construction and furniture. In several parts of research is needed to elucidate the effect of different management Europe, black locust is considered an invasive alien plant, because of shading and its ability to change soil conditions. techniques on the ability of black locust to invade adjacent forest and The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is a medium-sized semi-natural habitats30. deciduous tree that commonly reaches 20 m as a single tree and 1, 2 Frequency 30 m within stands , but capable of attaining heights up to 35 m < 25% in some locations3. It has a typical life span of about 60-100 25% - 50% 50% - 75% Habitat and Ecology 4 years , although the current longevity record in Europe is for more > 75% Black locust is a light-demanding pioneer species and than 300 years5. The tree is usually bent-stemmed with greyish- grows either as an upright, single- or multi-stemmed tree or, in brown to dark brown bark, becoming longitudinally fissured with harsh environments, as a multi-stemmed shrub. It tolerates a age. The leaves are composed, pinnate, 10-30 cm long, usually remarkably diverse range of soil conditions, being only limited by with a pair of spines at the base which persist on young shoots. low soil aeration and waterlogging. On steep slopes, black locust The leaflets are commonly in 2-12 pairs, usually opposite, with an is usually less vigorous19. The tree is easily damaged by extreme additional one at the end of the rachis. Leaf blades are oblong, frosts in winter and presents low adaptability to arid conditions6, 20. elliptic or ovate, 2-5 × 1.5-2.5 cm, with entire margin. Black locust is Climate warming is expected to favour its further expansion21. Its a monoecious species: the hermaphrodite scented flowers have a reproduction is primary asexual through horizontal root elongation22. white to cream corolla with yellow spots inside, up to 2 cm long and It is able to produces a high number of root suckers and therefore grouped in pendent, many-flowered, axillary racemes 10-20 cm exhibits the capacity for clonal growth, up to an area of 100 square long6. Black locust is a monoecious species: the hermaphrodite, metres23. Disturbance favours clonal growth and causes an increase white and fragrant flowers are arranged in pendulous racemes 10- in the number of suckers19. The invasion of black locust is well 20 cm long6. The fruit is a legume, 5-10 cm long dark brown pods documented in early succession habitats, like abandoned gravel- hanging in winter and containing 4-10 seeds, mainly dispersed by sand pits and landfills, brownfields, secondary forests, coppiced gravity and wind7. Fruiting takes place once or twice per year at a Map 1: Plot distribution and simplified chorology map for Robinia pseudoacacia. forests, lowland pastures, roadsides, and burned sites6. As with Frequency of Robinia pseudoacacia occurrences within the field observations 8 tree age from 6 to 30-40 years . as reported by the National Forest Inventories. other species of the Fabaceae (syn. Leguminosae) family, the roots of black locust host rhizobia bacteria in symbiotic relationship within Distribution name to Jean Robin, who, with his son Vespasien, was among the structures called root nodules. These bacteria have the capacity to Black locust is widespread across Europe, occurring from Sicily first arborists to introduce and cultivate this tree in Europe5. In the late take di-nitrogen gas (N2) out of the air and convert it to a form usable in Italy to South Norway and longitudinally from the Portugal littoral 18th and early 19th century extensive planting of black locust trees to the host plant (nitrogen fixation). This process makes nitrogen 9-11 regions up to the Caucasus . Core areas in the alien range of this started in Central Europe. Currently it occurs in 42 European countries available to other plants, mainly through mineralization of leaf litter, species are in sub-Mediterranean to warm continental climates, where and is naturalised in 3213, covering with pure and mixed stands, for and improves the quality of the soils. Black locust can add between 7 12 a rather high heat-sum is available and prolonged drought is rare . example, 400 000 ha in Hungary14, 200 000 ha in France15, 250 000 ha 23 and 300 kg of nitrogen in a hectare every year6. So stands of It can be found from sea level up to 1 640 m in the Southern Alps in Romania16 and 230 000 ha in Italy17. Although accounted among black locust may generate substantial soil alterations, increasing the (Prosser F., pers. comm., July 1, 2015). The species was introduced the 100 most invasive alien species in Europe11, only a few countries total soil nitrogen, the litter and the organic carbon, also changing in Europe in the early 17th century. Linnaeus dedicated the genus have policies and initiatives to tackle it18. soil pH and decreasing the total phosphorus6. Its adaptability and the capacity of transforming ecosystem processes are the reason for its adverse effects on biodiversity. However, inferior competitive ability in later successional stages is reported where stands have been left unmanaged for a sufficient time24. Black locust commonly Uncertain, no-data contributes to the composition of deciduous woodlands, mainly oak Marginal/no presence < 5% and riparian woods, which are the most frequently invaded12. Stands dominated by black locust are cultural forest communities, which Low presence 5% - 10% can totally differ from native forest vegetation25. As such, they have Mid-low presence 10% - 30% been either classified within the phytosociological separate class Medium presence 30% - 50% Robinietea or included in other units, as a derivative community26. Several associations have been described in Central Europe, among Mid-high presence 50% - 70% which Balloto-Robinietum (diagnostic species include Ballota High presence 70% - 90% nigra, Bromus sterilis, Dactylis glomerata) on poor aeolian sandy Very-high presence > 90% soils, Solidagino-Robinietum (diagnostic species include Solidago

Map 2: High resolution distribution map estimating the relative probability of presence. Black locust in Berlin, Germany. (Copyright Giovanni Trentanovi: CC-BY)

166 European Atlas of Forest Tree Species | Tree species Robinia pseudoacacia

gigantea) on river valley soils, Chelidonio-Robinietum on slightly humid soils rich in humus, characterised by an understorey with the greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) and other species (Sambucus nigra, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Geranium robertianum), and Uncertain, no-data Poo nemoralis-Robinietum, with herb layer dominated by Poa Tundra, cold desert nemoralis, on slopes with acid bedrock26. Negligible survivability Low survivability Mid-low survivability Medium survivability Mid-high survivability High survivability

Fragrant white flowers clustered in a long raceme. (Mezzana, Northern Italy). (Copyright Giulia Corradini: CC-BY: CC-BY)

Importance and Usage Black locust has been strongly encouraged as a forestry tree in Europe. The yellow and greenish wood is durable, resistant to stem rot and insect damage, with a marked contrasted colour between young and mature wood. Black locust is appreciated as firewood because of its high calorific potential and the high suckering capacity which makes coppicing the most cost- effective management system. The mechanical properties of the Map 3: High resolution map estimating the maximum habitat suitability. wood is moderate to high, but shrinkage has been observed6, 27. Threats and Diseases [14] K. Rédei, I. Csiha, Z. Keserü, A. K. Végh, [26] M. Vítková, J. Kolbek, Phytocoenologia 40, The potential uses include fence posts, boatbuilding, flooring, J. Győri, South-East European Forestry 2, 205 (2010). Large herbivores cause only minor damage to black furniture, mine timbers, railway sleepers, turned objects, and 101 (2011). [27] C. Pollet, C. Verheyen, J. Hébert, B. Jourez, locust trees in Europe. Until now, exclusively one gall midge [15] Service de l’Inventaire Forestier et Canadian Journal of Forest Research 42, veneer. Moreover, it is a promising fast-growing tree species for Statistique, Inventaire forestiere: tableaux 831 (2012). (Obolodiplosis robiniae) and two moths (Phyllonorycter robiniella biomass production28. Finally, black locust produces a fruity and personnalises, Tech. rep. (2012). Institut [28] H. Grünewald, et al., BioEnergy Research 2, 31, 32 National de l’Information Géographique 123 (2009). fragrant honey29, and its blossoms are used for cooking. However, and Parectopa robiniella) are known to cause some damage . et Forestière. Many fungal species have been detected in the alien [29] D. Kenjeric, M. Mandic, L. Primorac, all these uses should consider the risk of further expansion of lignicolous [16] C. M. Enescu, A. D. Ănescu, Bulletin of the D. Bubalo, A. Perl, Food Chemistry 102, Transilvania University of Braşov Series II: 683 (2007). black locust in adjacent threatened habitats30. range, of which more than 40 are parasitic. Moreover, 11 mildews Forestry, Wood Industry, Agricultural Food 6 Engineering 6, 23 (2013). [30] T. Sitzia, The Forestry Chronicle 90, 486 and leaf-spot diseases have been recorded in Germany . Finally, (2014). [17] G. Tabacchi, et al., Inventario Nazionale some viruses, potentially pathogenic to crops, are known from delle Foreste e dei Serbatoi Forestali di [31] C. Duso, M. Skuhravá, Frustula the alien range33. In general, threats for black locust in Europe are Carbonio: Le stime di superficie 2005 Entomologica 25, 117 (2004). - Prima parte (MiPAF, Corpo Forestale 6 [32] E. Fodor, O. Hâruţa, Research Journal of much fewer and of lower intensity than those in its native range . dello Stato, Ispettorato Generale; CRA, Agricultural Science 41, 261 (2009). Istituto Sperimentale per l’Assestamento Forestale e per l’Alpicoltura, Trento, 2005). [33] N. Borodynko, B. Hasiów, M. Figlerowicz, H. Pospieszny, Journal of Phytopathology References [18] European Commission, Commission Staff 155, 738 (2007). Working Document 2013, 7pp (2013). [1] H. Gams, Illustrierte Flora von Mitteleuropa, [9] L. Gederaas, T. L. Moen, S. Skjelseth, L.-K. [34] G. Matus, B. Tóthmérész, M. Papp, Applied Band 4, Teil 3, G. Hegi, ed. (Lehmanns, Larsen, eds., Alien species in Norway [19] M. Vìtková, J. Tonika, J. Müllerová, Science Vegetation Science 6, 169 (2003). München, 1924), pp. 1390–1402. - with the Norwegian Black List 2012 of The Total Environment 505, 315 (2015). [35] R. Benesperi, et al., Biodiversity and [2] J. C. Huntley, Black Locust (Robinia (The Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre, Norway, 2012). [20] T. Jin, G. Liu, B. Fu, X. Ding, L. 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Autoecology diagrams based on harmonised Field data in Europe (including absences) Observed presences in Europe field observations from forest plots.

A stand with a dense carpet of celandines (Chelidonium majus) (Berlin, Germany). (Copyright Giovanni Trentanovi: CC-BY)

This is an extended summary of the chapter. The full version of this chapter (revised and peer-reviewed) will be published online at https://w3id.org/mtv/FISE-Comm/v01/e014e79. The purpose of this

Annual precipitation (mm) summary is to provide an accessible dissemination of the related main topics. This QR code points to the full online version, where the most updated content may be freely accessed. Sum of precipitation the driest month (mm) Average temperature of the coldest month (°C) Please, cite as: Sitzia, T., Cierjacks, A., de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., 2016. Robinia pseudoacacia in Europe: distribution, habitat, usage and threats. In: San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., Houston Annual average temperature (°C) Potential spring-summer solar irradiation (kWh m-2) Seasonal variation of monthly precipitation (dimensionless) Durrant, T., Mauri, A. (Eds.), European Atlas of Forest Tree Species. Publ. Off. EU, Luxembourg, pp. e014e79+ Tree species | European Atlas of Forest Tree Species 167