Spartina invasion in China:: implications for invasive species management and future research

Four species of Spartina (Spartina anglica, S. alterniflora, S. patens and S. cynosuroides) have been introduced to China, but currently only the first three are present and only the first two successfully reproduce on the Chinese coast. Spartina anglica and S. alterniflora were introduced to China from England in 1963 and from the United States in 1979, respectively. Today, S. alterniflora has expanded its coverage to more than 112 000 ha and S. anglica has declined to < 50 ha. This is compared with only 260 ha of S. alterniflora and over 36 000 ha of S. anglica in 1985. The fates of Chinese Spartina, with dramatic expansion of S. alterniflora and significant decline of S. anglica, were different from those in other locations throughout the world. Factors affecting the growth of the two naturalized Spartina species in China include differences in artificial plantation strategy, impacts of tideland reclamation, species competition ability and genetic diversity. Several methods for Spartina control in China, such as harvesting, herbicide application and freshwater irrigation, have been developed, but more research is needed to verify their effectiveness.