Ailanthus altissima

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Ailanthus altissima

• From the root word ailanto-
• Meaning tree of the gods or
• tree of heaven

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Taxonomy

• Classification
• Family Simaroubaceae
• Genus Ailanthus
• Species altissima
• Related Species
• A. excelsa
• A. integrifolia
• A. malabarica
• A. triphysa
• A. vilmoriniana
• Common Names
• Tree-of-Heaven
• Smoke tree
• Stink tree
• Chinese Sumac

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Description

• Height 25-30m tall (100ft)
• Leaves Odd-pinnately compound w/lancelate
  leaflets
• Twigs Light brown with numerous lenticels. No
  terminal meristems are present.
• Bark Smooth, thin cork epidermis w/ light grey
  brown age groves.
• Flowers Produced in large panicles at the end
  of newly growing shoots. The colors range from
  green to reddish. Flowers appear in mid May
  (depending on the latitude). Male and female
  flowers are present on separate plants. Male
  flowers produce a rancid smell to attract flies
  and wasps. Female flowers can produce several
  thousand seeds.
• Fruit 3-8 cm long schizocarp. Each fruit
  contains only one seed. Seeds are dispersed by
  the wind.

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Habitat Where is it native?

• A. altissima is native to china and was
  introduced into Europe and North America before
  the 1800s. (was documented to be naturalized by
  the 1800s in Tennessee)
• A. altissima is exceptionally tolerant to a wide
  range of conditions. Although, it does not grow
  well in intense shade or flooding.

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Distribution in North America and Canada
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Distribution in Nevada
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States where Invasive
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Places where action is taken!

• Connecticut- Invasive, banned
• Massachusetts- Prohibited
• New Hampshire- Prohibited invasive species
• Vermont- Class B noxious weed

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A. Altissima Life History Traits

• Reproductive System-
• Dioecious
• Self-incompatible
• Sexual and vegetative reproduction

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A. Altissima Life History Traits

• Reproductive System
• Flowering Fruiting periods
• Flowers are small and extremely numerous
• Short Flowering in April to July
• Seeds can stay on the tree all winter
• Seeds are not very nutritious to other animals

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A. Altissima Life History Traits

• Reproductive System
• Flowering Fruiting periods
• Juvenile Period (Very short)
• Can grow up to 1m per year for the first 4 years
• After that continues to out grow other native
  trees

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A. Altissima Life History Traits

• Reproductive System
• Flowering Fruiting periods
• Juvenile Period
• Germination Cues
• Light as little as 3 direct light through a
  canopy
• Soil depth may play a role

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A. Altissima Life History Traits

• Reproductive System
• Flowering Fruiting periods
• Juvenile Period
• Germination Cues
• Light Requirements
• Virtually no competitiveness in extreme shade
• High light phenotypic plasticity-Because of wide
  range of suitable habitats

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Arrival How did it get here?

• In 1784, garden trade, PA
• In 1850s, garden trade, CA
• Then
• To other yards all over the US.
• Got into streams and other water ways.
• And traveled through the air.

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• There is no vacant niche to be used

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Ailanthone

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Herbicidal effects under field conditions of A.
altissima bark extract, which contains
ailanthone, 2003. Heisey, R.M. et. al

• Abstract
• Extracted ailonthone from the roots of A.
  altissima and applied it, in varying amounts, in
  field conditions to plot sights and recorded
  seed germination rate, biomass accumulation.

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• Results

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Global Change

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Global Change
• Resource Availability

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Global Change
• Resource Availability
• Modifies nutrient cycle
• Leaves decompose at much faster rates

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Global Change
• Resource Availability
• Competition

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Global Change
• Resource Availability
• Competition
• Extremely fast growing
• Allelopathic chemicals

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Global Change
• Resource Availability
• Competition
• Micro-evolutionary Changes

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Global Change
• Resource Availability
• Competition
• Micro-evolutionary Changes
• Escape from Biotic Restraints

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Characteristics What makes it invasive?

• Vacant niche
• Allelopathy
• Global Change
• Resource Availability
• Competition
• Micro-evolutionary Changes
• Escape from Biotic Restraints
• Um.. Duh..
• In China 30 predators
• In US Cynthia Silk moth (Samia cynthia), but
  only in silk production factories..

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Impacts Economic

• 111 acres of foothills and grass lands
• Modifies grassland habitat and agriculture fields
• Fast growing
• Costly to control biologically
• Roots can damage streets and foundations
• Good for nursery trade
• Cure for Cancer?

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Screening of Korean medicinal plants for possible
osteoclastogenesis effects in vitro2008. Youn,
Y. N. et. al

• Abstract Bone loss is generally do to
  osteoclasts. In an experiment done with mice,
  222 methonal extracts were examined. A molecule
  that inhibits the RANKL-induced osteoclast
  differentiation pathway was found in several.

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Screening of Korean medicinal plants for possible
osteoclastogenesis effects in vitro2008. Youn,
Y. N. et. al
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Impacts Ecological

• Converts native vegetation stands, esp. riparian
  habitat
• Uses lots of water
• Creates dead habitat for many organisms
• Modifies nutrition cycles

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Plant growth regulatory effect and insecticidal
activity of the extracts of the Tree of Heaven
2002. Tsao R. et. al

• Abstract Secondary compounds of A. altissima
  have been said to have herbicidal and
  insecticidal properties. This could pose a
  public and ecologic health threat in many
  habitats.

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Plant growth regulatory effect and insecticidal
activity of the extracts of the Tree of Heaven
2002. Tsao R. et. al

• Conclusion Testing on mosquito had no effect.
  Testing on alfalfa (Medicago sativa) showed
  strong inhibitory effects. These effects where
  increased in intense sun. This could have
  positive implications for a natural herbicide and
  insecticide (mosquitoes are different than
  herbivorous insects).
• Although, this also indicates that the the
  second trophic level capacity is reduced in those
  converted areas, creating a bottom up cascading
  effect.
• Also this could pose a threat to the agriculture
  of Nevada.

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The role of native riparian tree species in
decomposition of invasive tree of heaven leaf
litter in an urban stream2008. Swan, C. M. and
Healey, B.

• Abstract Humans rely on ecosystem services, but
  our activities degrade stream and river habitat.
  Replanting streamside vegetation is common, but
  does riparian tree biodiversity play a role in
  the effectiveness of these ecosystem services?
  By following the leaf litter decomposition rates
  of several tree species and modifying the
  composition of leaf litter we hope to understand
  this process.

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The role of native riparian tree species in
decomposition of invasive tree of heaven leaf
litter in an urban stream2008. Swan, C. M. and
Healey, B.

• Results Of 7 tree species
• Northern Red oak
• White oak
• Red maple
• Blackgum
• Tulip poplar
• Flowering dogwood
• Tree of heaven
• Tree of heaven leaves decomposed the fastest,
  causing a delay in other leaf decomposition.
• Tree of heaven litter was able to support large
  numbers of shredder species.
• This could cause a shift in nutrient movement in
  the habitat that could change the habitat
  functions.

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Impacts Social

• Farmers hate it
• Ornamental gardeners love it
• It looks cool

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Management Assessment

• Nevada currently does not have enough assessment
  information to include A. altissima on the
  noxious invasive species list.
• Only 3 counties have been surveyed

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Management Prevention

• Unless banned in all areas in and around the US,
  constant monitoring and screening is required to
  prevent re-infestations. This can be costly and
  unrealistic.
• But Monitoring of areas that have seed
  dispersal corridors establishment in new areas
  can be prevented. This too is costly but more
  realistic.

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Management Control and Eradication

• Manual-
• Seedlings can be pulled or dug up as long as all
  the root comes with it.
• Removing the female plants can temporarily
  control the spread and proliferation of new
  individuals.
• Tilling could incorporate the seeds further into
  the soil inducing more germination
• No large animals eat it
• Burning doesnt work unless it kills the whole
  root

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Management Control and Eradication

• Chemical-
• Works best as the plant comes out of winter
  dormancy
• Any readily available herbicide works such as
  triclopyr and imazapyr.
• But these chemicals are not specific

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Management Control and Eradication

• Biocontrol-
• Several members of the same genus are present in
  the US and not considered a noxious invasive.
• Because of the tough nature of A. altissima any
  pest brought over would have a degree of
  lethality and could cause massive agriculture and
  economic problems
• Although in NY some trees are being destroyed by
  fungal pathogens.

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Literature Cited