@article{aees2020853,
author={{Sooraj, N P and Jaishanker, R and Sajeev, C R and Kumar, V Saroj and Lijimol, D and Ammini, J},
title={Influence of Forest Canopy Gaps on Establishment of <i>Mikania Micrantha</i><i> </i>Kunth, an Invasive Plant, in a Tropical Forest in Southern Western Ghats, India},
journal={Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences},
volume={8},
number={5},
pages={199--206},
year={2020},
url={http://pubs.sciepub.com/aees/8/5/3},
issn={2328-3920},
abstract={Tropical forests are more resistant to plant invasion. However, reports of the occurrence of invasive alien plants within tropical forests have surged in recent years. The invasibility of the tropical forest ecosystem is enhanced with the disturbance mediated environmental fluctuations. The upwelling of natural light on the forest floor and associated resource fluctuation due to canopy gaps facilitate the establishment of light tolerant, invasive plants. Here the authors report the effect of the canopy gap on the establishment of <i>M micrantha</i> in a protected forest in Kerala, India. A significant direct relationship between the abundance of <i>M micrantha</i> with canopy openness and light intensity reveals how the forest canopy gap in the study area acts as a gateway to plant invasion.},
doi={10.12691/aees-8-5-3}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}