Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Reject, Score: 16
Note: Risk assessment prepared for Australia
| Mimosa invisa | ||||
| A. | Biogeography/ | giant sensitive plant | ||
| historical | P&C | |||
| 1 | Domestication/ | 1.01 | Is the species highly domesticated? | N |
| cultivation | 1.02 | Has the species become naturalised where grown? | Y | |
| 1.03 | Does the species have weedy races? | Y | ||
| 2 | Climate and | 2.01 | Species suited to Australian climates (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) | 1 |
| Distribution | 2.02 | Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) | 2 | |
| 2.03 | Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility) | N | ||
| 2.04 | Native or naturalised in regions with extended dry periods | N | ||
| 2.05 | Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? | Y | ||
| 3 | Weed | 3.01 | Naturalised beyond native range | Y |
| Elsewhere | 3.02 | Garden/amenity/disturbance weed | ||
| (interacts with 2.01 | 3.03 | Weed of agriculture | Y | |
| to give a weighted | 3.04 | Environmental weed | ||
| score) | 3.05 | Congeneric weed | Y | |
| B. | Biology/Ecology | |||
| 4 | Undesirable | 4.01 | Produces spines, thorns or burrs | Y |
| traits | 4.02 | Allelopathic | ||
| 4.03 | Parasitic | N | ||
| 4.04 | Unpalatable to grazing animals | Y | ||
| 4.05 | Toxic to animals | Y | ||
| 4.06 | Host for recognised pests and pathogens | |||
| 4.07 | Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans | N | ||
| 4.08 | Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems | Y | ||
| 4.09 | Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle | N | ||
| 4.10 | Grows on infertile soils | |||
| 4.11 | Climbing or smothering growth habit | Y | ||
| 4.12 | Forms dense thickets | Y | ||
| 5 | Plant | 5.01 | Aquatic | N |
| type | 5.02 | Grass | N | |
| 5.03 | Nitrogen fixing woody plant | Y | ||
| 5.04 | Geophyte | N | ||
| 6 | Reproduction | 6.01 | Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat | N |
| 6.02 | Produces viable seed. | Y | ||
| 6.03 | Hybridises naturally | |||
| 6.04 | Self-compatible or apomictic | |||
| 6.05 | Requires specialist pollinators | N | ||
| 6.06 | Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation | N | ||
| 6.07 | Minimum generative time (years) | 1 | ||
| 7 | Dispersal mechanisms | 7.01 | Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in areas with much vehicle movement) | Y |
| 7.02 | Propagules dispersed intentionally by people | N | ||
| 7.03 | Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant | Y | ||
| 7.04 | Propagules adapted to wind dispersal | N | ||
| 7.05 | Propagules water dispersed | Y | ||
| 7.06 | Propagules bird dispersed | N | ||
| 7.07 | Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally) | Y | ||
| 7.08 | Propagules survive passage through the gut | |||
| 8 | Persistence | 8.01 | Prolific seed production (>2000/m2) | Y |
| attributes | 8.02 | Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr) | Y | |
| 8.03 | Well controlled by herbicides | N | ||
| 8.04 | Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation or cultivation | N | ||
| 8.05 | Effective natural enemies present in Australia | N | ||
| Outcome: | Reject | |||
| Score: | 16 | |||
| Statistical summary | Biogeography | 4 | ||
| of scoring | Score partition: Undesirable attributes | 6 | ||
| Biology/ecology | 6 | |||
| Biogeography | 6 | |||
| Questions answered: Undesirable attributes | 9 | |||
| Biology/ecology | 21 | |||
| Total | 36 | |||
| Agricultural | 13 | |||
| Sector affected: Environmental | 12 | |||
| Nusiance | 0 | |||
| A= agricultural, E = environmental, N = nuisance, C=combined | ||||
Risk assessment prepared by Rod Randall
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This page new 24 January 2001.