Impact Assessment - Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) in Victoria
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Assessment of plant invasiveness is done by evaluating biological and ecological characteristics such as germination requirements, growth rate, competitive ability, reproduction methods and dispersal mechanisms. Assessment of plant impacts, however, is determined by the extent to which a plant affects a land manager’s environmental, economic and social resources.
The relative importance of these resources varies depending upon the value people place on them and, as such, the assessment process is subjective. For example, a farmer is likely to place a higher emphasis on the impact of a plant on production (economic resource) than its impact on areas of natural vegetation occurring on the farm. Conversely, a Landcare or Friends group would value environmental or social resources more than economic resources.
Recognising that the value of resources vary between different land tenures, plant impact assessments allow a prioritisation of resources by land managers. Assessments can apply at a local, regional or state level, and the relative values of each resource identified may differ at each level.
The impact assessment method used in the Victorian Pest Plant Prioritisation Process uses three broad resource categories: social, environmental and agricultural, each with a number of related attributes. For example, social resources include such attributes as how the plant affects human access for recreation, or if it creates a health risk due to toxicity or by producing allergens.
| Each resource attribute, or criterion, is assessed relative to a list of intensity ratings. Depending upon information found in relation to each criterion, a rating of Low, Medium Low, Medium High or High is assigned. Descriptions of the impact criteria and intensity ratings used in this process can be viewed here. |
The following table provides information on the impact of Sycamore maple.
A more detailed description of the methodology of the Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method can be viewed below:
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (PDF - 630 KB)
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (DOC - 1026 KB)
To view the information PDF requires the use of a PDF reader. This can be installed for free from the Adobe website (external link).
Common Name: Sycamore maple
Scientific name: Acer pseudoplatanus
| Question | Comments | Rating | Confidence |
| Recreation | |||
| 1. Restrict human access? | Sycamore maple is a tree species reported to occur in riparian habitats, which can form dense infestations (Weber 2003). Therefore it could form a major impediment in accessing waterways. | H | MH |
| 2. Reduce tourism? | Unknown; the species is cultivated as an ornamental tree and can form dense infestations (Weber 2003). Therefore having the potential to affect aesthetics or restrict some activities; however there is no evidence of the species impacting upon recreation and tourism. | M | L |
| 3. Injurious to people? | People have been reported to have allergic reactions to the species’ pollen (Shah & Lin 2004). | ML | H |
| 4. Damage to cultural sites? | Unknown; the species is cultivated as an ornamental tree and has an extensive root system (Muyt 2001). Therefore having the potential to affect aesthetics or damage infrastructure with its roots; there is no evidence however of this occurring. | M | L |
| Abiotic | |||
| 5. Impact flow? | The species is reported to invade riparian habitats (Muyt 2001). There is no evidence however of the species restricting flow. | L | M |
| 6. Impact water quality? | The species is a deciduous tree that is reported to occur in riparian habitats (Muyt 2001). As a deciduous species alteration of seasonal light levels and changes to nutrient cycling could impact water quality, the impact this species has on water quality has not been reported however. | M | L |
| 7. Increase soil erosion? | A large tree reported to have an extensive root system (Muyt 2001). Therefore there would be a low probability of the species being associated with large scale soil movement. | L | MH |
| 8. Reduce biomass? | Sycamore maple can be a large tree, growing to 35 m and forming dense infestations. It may displace certain species from the undergrowth by decreasing light levels and litter accumulation reducing diversity (Blood 2001; Weber 2003). It is not reported however to eliminate the undergrowth and therefore invasion by sycamore maple is likely to result in a direct replacement of biomass or possibly a net increase. | ML | MH |
| 9. Change fire regime? | Reported to be extremely flammable during summer in Spain, but has a low Calorific power (Núñez-Regueira, Añón & Castiñeiras 1997). Unknown however how this will impact on the fire regime of Australian vegetation. | M | L |
| Community Habitat | |||
| 10. Impact on composition (a) high value EVC | EVC= Swampy Riparian Woodland (E); CMA= Corangamite; Bioreg= Otway Plain; VH CLIMATE potential. A tree species which is reported to form dense infestations, altering light levels displacing the majority of species and impeding regeneration (Weber 2003). Being a deciduous species, its litter is reported to cause displacement of ground flora as it accumulates (Blood 2001). Therefore Sycamore maple is able to cause displacement within various layers. | MH | MH |
| (b) medium value EVC | EVC= Sedgy Riparian Woodland (D); CMA= Corangamite; Bioreg= Otway Plain; VH CLIMATE potential. A tree species which is reported to form dense infestations, altering light levels displacing the majority of species and impeding regeneration (Weber 2003). Being a deciduous species, its litter is reported to cause displacement of ground flora as it accumulates (Blood 2001). Therefore Sycamore maple is able to cause displacement within various layers. | MH | MH |
| (c) low value EVC | EVC= Riparian Forest (LC); CMA= Corangamite; Bioreg= Otway Ranges; VH CLIMATE potential. A tree species which is reported to form dense infestations, altering light levels displacing the majority of species and impeding regeneration (Weber 2003). Being a deciduous species, its litter is reported to cause displacement of ground flora as it accumulates (Blood 2001). Therefore Sycamore maple is able to cause displacement within various layers. | MH | MH |
| 11. Impact on structure? | A tree species which is reported to form dense infestations, altering light levels displacing the majority of species and impeding regeneration (Weber 2003). Being a deciduous species, its litter is reported to cause displacement of ground flora as it accumulates (Blood 2001). Therefore Sycamore maple is able to cause displacement within all layers. | H | MH |
| 12. Effect on threatened flora? | Unknown; there is no evidence of this reported. | MH | L |
| Fauna | |||
| 13. Effect on threatened fauna? | Unknown; there is no evidence of this reported. | MH | L |
| 14. Effect on non-threatened fauna? | Significant alteration of habitat in terms of flora composition could have a significant impact on food supply for fauna species. The degree to which this species would impact on Australian fauna has not been quantified however. | M | L |
| 15. Benefits fauna? | Has nectar bearing flowers (Blood 2001). The species could therefore provide some assistance in terms of food for insects or birds. | MH | M |
| 16. Injurious to fauna? | There is no evidence of this reported. | L | M |
| Pest Animal | |||
| 17. Food source to pests? | The flowers are reported to be attractive to bees (Blood 2001). | ML | MH |
| 18. Provides harbor? | A tree species of up to 35 m which is reported to form dense infestations (Blood 2001; Weber 2003). It could therefore be capable of providing shelter to pest fauna; no specific species have been reported however. | M | L |
| Agriculture | |||
| 19. Impact yield? | Reported to naturalise in regenerating forest (Webb, Sykes & Garnock-Jones 1988). It is not reported however to impact on forestry operations and in Europe is itself a plantation timber (Brunet 2007). Therefore it is not reported as a pest of agriculture. | L | MH |
| 20. Impact quality? | Reported to naturalise in regenerating forest (Webb, Sykes & Garnock-Jones 1988). It is not reported however to impact on forestry operations and in Europe is itself a plantation timber (Brunet 2007). Therefore it is not reported as a pest of agriculture. | L | MH |
| 21. Affect land value? | Reported to naturalise in regenerating forest (Webb, Sykes & Garnock-Jones 1988). It is not reported however to impact on forestry operations and in Europe is itself a plantation timber (Brunet 2007). Therefore it is not reported as a pest of agriculture. | L | MH |
| 22. Change land use? | Reported to naturalise in regenerating forest (Webb, Sykes & Garnock-Jones 1988). It is not reported however to impact on forestry operations and in Europe is itself a plantation timber (Brunet 2007). Therefore it is not reported as a pest of agriculture. | L | MH |
| 23. Increase harvest costs? | Reported to naturalise in regenerating forest (Webb, Sykes & Garnock-Jones 1988). It is not re ported however to impact on forestry operations and in Europe is itself a plantation timber (Brunet 2007). Therefore it is not reported as a pest of agriculture. | L | MH |
| 24. Disease host/vector? | There is no evidence of this. | L | M |
Impact Assessment Record - Sycamore maple (PDF - 114KB)
Impact Assessment Record - Sycamore maple (DOC - 57KB)
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