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Volume 18
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10.3390/d18060350
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Article

Invasive Alien Plant Species in Black Sea Delta Protected Areas: Patterns, Impacts, and Management Recommendations

by
Spyros Tsiftsis
1,*,
Theodora Merou
1,
Mihai Doroftei
2,
Yuriy Kvach
3,
Fatma Telli Karakoç
4,
Irakli Mikeladze
5,6,
Silviu Covaliov
2,
Christos Damianidis
7,
Liliana Ene
2,
Coşkun Erüz
4,
Kateryna Kalashnik
3,
Anna Mastrogianni
8,
Matei Simionov
2,
David Tsiskaridze
6,
Georgios Varsamis
1,
Anna Vasiou
1 and
Gabriel Lupu
2,*
1
Department of Natural Environment and Climate Resilience, Democritus University of Thrace, GR-66132 Drama, Greece
2
Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development, Babadag Street No. 165, 820112 Tulcea, Romania
3
Institute of Marine Biology, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Italiyska St., 37, 65048 Odesa, Ukraine
4
Department of Marine Science and Engineering, Faculty of Marine Science, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon 61530, Türkiye
5
Institute of Phytopathology and Biodiversity, Shota Rustaveli State University of Batumi (BSU), Kobuleti 6200, Georgia
6
International Business and Economic Development Center (IBEDC), Tbilisi 0186, Georgia
7
School of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
8
School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 104, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diversity 2026, 18(6), 350; https://doi.org/10.3390/d18060350 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 5 May 2026 / Revised: 1 June 2026 / Accepted: 5 June 2026 / Published: 8 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Impacts of Biological Invasions on European Biodiversity)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Deltas are highly susceptible to biological invasions because of strong hydrological connectivity, frequent disturbance, and intense human use. Here, we synthesise coordinated monitoring observations and literature evidence on invasive alien plant species (IAS) recorded in four Black Sea riparian protected areas located across five countries, surveyed under the IASON/IASON+ initiatives (Danube Delta, Nestos Delta and Lake Vistonida, Kızılırmak Delta, Chorokhi Delta and Kolkheti National Park). Across the study sites, 17 IAS were documented, mainly represented by taxa native to North America and characterised by high propagule production and/or strong vegetative regeneration. Woody riparian invaders (e.g., Amorpha fruticosa, Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer negundo, Gleditsia triacanthos and Ailanthus altissima) exploited nutrient-rich floodplain soils and disturbances. In contrast, annual weeds (e.g., Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Sicyos angulatus and Xanthium orientale) remained associated with disturbed habitat edges. Aquatic dominance was confined to the Danube Delta, where Elodea nuttallii and Elodea canadensis formed dense submerged stands. Species were assigned to broad range expansion categories (slowly, moderately and rapidly spreading species) based on project observations and supporting records. We discuss shared invasion syndromes linked to reproductive and dispersal traits and outline management implications for Black Sea deltas, emphasising pathway prevention, early detection and rapid response for localised taxa, and sustained control combined with restoration for dominant invaders.
Keywords: invasive alien plant species; riparian and delta ecosystems; Black Sea basin; functional traits; management invasive alien plant species; riparian and delta ecosystems; Black Sea basin; functional traits; management

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MDPI and ACS Style

Tsiftsis, S.; Merou, T.; Doroftei, M.; Kvach, Y.; Karakoç, F.T.; Mikeladze, I.; Covaliov, S.; Damianidis, C.; Ene, L.; Erüz, C.; et al. Invasive Alien Plant Species in Black Sea Delta Protected Areas: Patterns, Impacts, and Management Recommendations. Diversity 2026, 18, 350. https://doi.org/10.3390/d18060350

AMA Style

Tsiftsis S, Merou T, Doroftei M, Kvach Y, Karakoç FT, Mikeladze I, Covaliov S, Damianidis C, Ene L, Erüz C, et al. Invasive Alien Plant Species in Black Sea Delta Protected Areas: Patterns, Impacts, and Management Recommendations. Diversity. 2026; 18(6):350. https://doi.org/10.3390/d18060350

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tsiftsis, Spyros, Theodora Merou, Mihai Doroftei, Yuriy Kvach, Fatma Telli Karakoç, Irakli Mikeladze, Silviu Covaliov, Christos Damianidis, Liliana Ene, Coşkun Erüz, and et al. 2026. "Invasive Alien Plant Species in Black Sea Delta Protected Areas: Patterns, Impacts, and Management Recommendations" Diversity 18, no. 6: 350. https://doi.org/10.3390/d18060350

APA Style

Tsiftsis, S., Merou, T., Doroftei, M., Kvach, Y., Karakoç, F. T., Mikeladze, I., Covaliov, S., Damianidis, C., Ene, L., Erüz, C., Kalashnik, K., Mastrogianni, A., Simionov, M., Tsiskaridze, D., Varsamis, G., Vasiou, A., & Lupu, G. (2026). Invasive Alien Plant Species in Black Sea Delta Protected Areas: Patterns, Impacts, and Management Recommendations. Diversity, 18(6), 350. https://doi.org/10.3390/d18060350

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