Unveiling the ecological footprint of dominant invasive alien species in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh

We assessed the distribution patterns and abundance of nine dominant Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) in the Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh. The study was conducted to explore their proliferation across the various forest types in the region from 2019 to 2022. The result of the study revealed that Chromolaena odorata was widely distributed across all the forest types, exhibiting the highest relative density and relative abundance. Moreover, the distribution pattern of all the selected invasive species showed contagious distribution across the forest types, except for U. lobata displayed random distribution in non-forest areas. The level of invasiveness across the forest types also revealed that C. odorata exhibited the maximum proliferation, followed by A. conyzoides, M. micrantha and U. lobata. Furthermore, areas such as non-forest, Riverine Forest and Assam Alluvial Plain Semi Evergreen Forests, located close to human settlements and roads, showed a high level of invasion. If prompt and effective management strategies are not implemented, the Pakke Tiger Reserve may end up serving as a habitat for globally detrimental IAPS, according to the current study.