INVASIVE PLANTS OF THE CITY OF TUZLA (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)

Abstract

Invasive species represent major direct pressure on loss of biodiversity, human health, the economy of a given area and negatively affect the general benefits of nature. Invasive plants have a high competitive abilty and often spread around degraded habitats and urban areas. The aim of this paper is to represent diversity of invasive plant species in the area of Tuzla city, to analyse the spectrum of life forms and the geographical origin of species. Scientific researches were conducted in 2018 and 2019 during the summer and autunm season using transect sampling method. Based on field research we determined the presence of 24 plant species which makes almost 30% of the whole number of invasive plants in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Major number of species comes from family of Compositae, while the most common life form is a therophyte. With its representation in the city and suburbs of Tuzla, the species that stand out from the list of the hundred most invasive species in Europe are: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Reynoutria japonica Houtt., Helianthus tuberosus L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L.