Paula Lorenzo

• PhD
• Research Position at University of Coimbra

The management of invasive plants is a challenge when using traditional control methods, which are ineffective for large areas, leading to the abandonment of invaded areas and the subsequent worsening of the situation. Finding potential uses for waste resulting from invaders’ management could motivate their control in the long-term, concurrently pr...

The olive tree is one of the most significant crops in the Mediterranean region. Its remarkable adaptability to various environments has facilitated olive cultivation across diverse regions and agricultural scenarios. The rising global demand for olive products, coupled with climate challenges, is driving changes in cultivation methods. These chang...

Several Acacia species are aggressive invaders outside their native range, often occupying extensive areas. Traditional management approaches have proven to be ineffective and economically unfeasible, especially when dealing with large infestations. Here, we explain a different approach to complement traditional management by using the waste from A...

A proper formulation is crucial to improve the herbicidal effects of essential oils and their selectivity. In this study, we investigated the physicochemical properties of bio-based nanoemulsions (CNs) containing several concentrations of caraway (Carum carvi) essential oil stabilized with Eco Tween 80, as a surfactant, maintaining 1:1 proportions....

Co-occurring plants communicate chemically with each other, sometimes leading to changes in species distributions and the composition of communities. In the context of the invasive success of alien plant species, interspecies communication requires an ecological perspective, i.e. an understanding of the natural limits of the communication process....

Current control methods for invasive alien plants (IAPs) have acceptable short-term outcomes but have proven to be unfeasible or unaffordable in the long-term or for large invaded areas. For these reasons, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable approaches to control or restrict the spread of aggressive IAPs. The use of waste derived from IA...

The continued use of synthetic herbicides to control weeds leads to environmental pollution and health issues. Consequently, chemical formulations have been increasingly banned. However, sustainable solutions are lacking in the market. Alternatively, valorisation of phytotoxic waste to reduce the herbicides use promotes sustainability, meeting circ...

The continued and extensive use of synthetic herbicides to control weeds to maximize crop yield is no longer sustainable, as it results in negative impacts on the environment and human health. Innovative sustainable and resilient food production systems should preserve resources and environmental health by incorporating alternative natural herbicid...

Acacia dealbata Link is one of the main invasive species in southwestern Europe and a resource with potential value for agriculture. Our objective was to assess the value of A. dealbata vegetative aerial biomass used as green manure and as a tool for weed control in maize crops through three sequential experiments. In 2017, an experiment was carrie...

Premise: Invasion processes involve several mechanisms, some of which have received little attention. Allelopathy has been invoked as an invasion driver according to the novel weapon hypothesis (NWH), and polyploidization can also be an important factor for invasion success. However, very few studies have addressed both topics together. We analyze...

The anthropogenic movement of species has favoured the introduction of invasive plants worldwide. Invasive plants are frequently released from their natural enemies; however, new associations with generalist herbivores may induce defence mechanisms of non-native plants. Defensive traits are often directly related to the highly competitive ability,...

Invasive plants are frequently released from their natural enemies; however, novel associations with generalist herbivores can condition defence mechanisms of non-native plants in new ranges. Here, we examined whether belowground communication determines the performance of Carpobrotus edulis when attacked by the snail Theba pisana in both live and...

The Novel Weapons Hypothesis postulates that the release of allelochemicals by alien plants can inhibit the growth of evolutionary naı¨venaı¨ve native plants. On the other hand, when species share a recent evolutionary history, recognition of phytochemicals from neighboring plants can have adaptive value by providing cues to signal suitable conditi...

Plants that release molecules affecting other plants are a source of potential bioherbicides. Silver wattle ( Acacia dealbata Link), considered invasive worldwide, was found to be phytotoxic to various other plant species. Combining the search for alternative bioherbicides while reducing the spread of this invader by preventing seed formation is a...

La invasión de plantas exóticas altera los ecosistemas autóctonos al reducir la biodiversidad y producir un impacto severo en los servicios ecosistémicos. El árbol leguminoso Acacia melanoxylon está invadiendo actualmente sistemas agroforestales, alterando la dinámica de los ecosistemas en el noroeste de la península ibérica. Es necesario establece...

BACKGROUND Acacia dealbata Link is an invasive plant worldwide. Finding potential uses for its waste that contribute to controling its spread and result in benefits for agriculture has recently become a new topic of research. This study aimed to evaluate the potential biostimulant effect of bark extract derived from the management of A. dealbata (0...

The anthropogenic movement of plant species around the world results in new environmental scenarios where invasive alien plants face native herbivore pressure and coexist with native plants. Interactions between exotic plants and native herbivores seem to play an important role in the invasion process of introduced species. Carpobrotus edulis is co...

Invasive alien plants can modify ecosystem services, reducing biodiversity and impacting negatively at the social and economic level. The leguminous Acacia melanoxylon R. Br. is one of the most problematic Australian acacia tree species worldwide. This invasive species is currently invading native agroforestry systems, producing severe impacts on e...

A sustainable practice for weed control and crop protection is the incorporation of green manures with phytotoxic potential. It is gaining attention as a way to reduce the use of synthetic herbicides in agriculture and so pot experiments and field trials were conducted to explore the possible use of residues of Acacia species to alleviate weed emer...

Plantations of alien tree species may pose environmental risks associated to their spontaneous spread in areas of introduction. Eucalyptus globulus Labill. is one of the most used species in forestry and has been reported as invasive in many areas around the world. Fire has been suggested to enhance E. globulus recruitment but no study to date has...

Aims The tree legume Acacia dealbata Link is an aggressive Australian invader that severely affects abiotic and biotic compartments of ecosystems worldwide. This invasive species outcompetes native plant communities through direct competition, changes in microhabitat and soil properties under the canopy and the release of allelopathic compounds. Ho...

The above- and belowground impacts due to Acacia invasions have been described in detail over the last 25 years. Future research should focus on the earlyd etection and prevention of new Acacia introductions and on a cost-effective and sustainable management of the novel ecosystems resulting from invasions.

The leguminous Acacia dealbata is one of the most aggressive invasive tree species worldwide. The invasion process of A. dealbata is mainly favoured by environmental disturbances. However, this species is currently invading unaltered plant communities and environmental factors influencing its spread in these ecosystems remain unclear. In this study...

The Australian tree Acacia dealbata Link (Mimosaceae - Fabaceae) is one of major invaders in the Mediterranean ecosystems of Europe, Africa and America, where it forms dense monospecific patches severely affecting native plant communities. The effects of this species on the native biodiversity are well-known and are linked to a reduction in species...

The phytotoxic activity of novel natural compounds is generally evaluated by the bioassay-directed fractionation procedure conducted with bioassays on model species. Two different methodologies to dissolve the examined compounds, using either organic solvents and water, or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and buffered medium, are commonly used in these bi...

The invasion process of Acacia dealbata is partially mediated by releasing allelochemicals that affect native plants and soil microbes. However, non-volatile chemical compounds responsible for the allelopathic effect remain unknown, even though the allelopathic potential of this species has been studied under Europe conditions. We examined the alle...

European-native species can grow in soils invaded by Acacia dealbata: implications for restoration.

La invasión por acacias australianas altera profundamente tanto las características abióticas del suelo como la estructura de las comunidades microbianas edáficas, modificando los procesos y servicios de los ecosistemas invadidos. En general, las acacias invasoras conllevan un gran aumento del contenido de hojarasca, carbono y nitrógeno, así como m...

En muchas partes del mundo, las invasiones de especies exóticas han sido reconocidas como una gran amenaza para los ecosistemas naturales y son una de las mayores causas de la pérdida de biodiversidad. Durante el siglo pasado, la invasión de especies exóticas en distintos ecosistemas aumentó considerablemente, provocando graves daños medioambiental...

Acacia dealbata (Fabaceae, Subfamilia: Mimosoideae) es una especie australiana que se ha convertido en un invasor agresivo en regiones templadas de varias partes del mundo, amenazando la biodiversidad nativa debido a su presión colonizadora; así como a ecosistemas y agroecosistemas. Dicha especie se basa en un entramado de atributos funcionales, qu...

The leguminous tree Acacia dealbata is one of the most widespread invasive of Australian Acacia species around the world reducing plant biodiversity and altering soil microorganisms. The invasion success of A. dealbata was partially related to the release of chemical compounds that interfere with native plants and soil microorganisms and promote th...

Acacia dealbata (Fabaceae) is an Australian species and invader in temperate regions worldwide.This species is based on a network of functional attributes, and from an ecophysiological point of view this confers a competitive advantage over cohabiting species. The invasion process of A. dealbata is partially mediated by releasing allelopathic compo...

There are several methods to detect phytotoxic effects of metabolites from plants. Generally, organic compounds are pre-dissolved in organic solvents and then in water to bioassay its activity on target plants. However, compounds solubility and pH in water after removing solvents are not totally controlled. Other bioassays are performed using DMSO...

En muchas partes del mundo, las invasiones de especies exóticas han sido reconocidas como una gran amenaza para los ecosistemas naturales y son una de las mayores causas de la pérdida de biodiversidad. Durante el siglo pasado, la invasión de especies exóticas en distintos ecosistemas aumentó considerablemente, provocando graves daños medioambiental...

Acacia dealbata Link is an aggressive invasive tree currently widely distributed but little information concerning its management is available. To our knowledge, this paper presents the first approach to its control in Europe. Presented assay was carried out in an invaded area in the NW of Spain using direct herbicide (triclopyr) spraying and herbi...

The invasion success of the leguminous tree Acacia dealbata Link has been related to the release of novel chemical compounds that affect both native plant performance and native soil bacterial communities. However, the allelopathic effect of A. dealbata on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has not been explored. We used natural leachates from inva...

Plant–soil feedbacks can exacerbate competition between invasive and native species, although the net effect of the interaction between soil biota and competition is likely to be species-specific. Very few studies have addressed the combined effect of soil and competition on plant performance and invasion by exotic woody species. This study explore...

Acacia dealbata Link, an Australian tree legume, is one of the most invasive species in south-eastern Europe. The invasive success of A. dealbata is partially attributed to its ability to release allelopathic compounds that affect native plant species, but the allelopathic effect on soil microbes has been little explored. Here, we used natural leac...

Acacia dealbata Link (Mimosaceae) is a woody leguminous tree introduced to Europe from Australia that has become a serious environmental problem in north-western Spain, where it forms dense monospecific patches threatening native-plant biodiversity. We describe the effects of invasion by A. dealbata on understorey plant composition in shrubland, oa...

Vegetation and soil sampling was carried out in different ecosystems: grasslands, shrublands and pine forests, in NW Spain. We differentiated three types of patch invasion status: patches with mimosa as the dominant species (invaded patches), patches with native vegetation and without mimosa (non-invaded patches) and the transition zones between th...

We have developed new 'Sloped Box' technique to investigate the role of allelopathy in spread of A. dealbata under competitive interactions. The germination of Plantago lanceolata L. and Trifolium pratense L. was accelerated in seeds near to Acacia dealbata Link. In 3 out of 4-test species, the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II was increas...

Background: The invasive success of Acacia dealbata is partially attributed to the release of allelopathic compounds and changes in soil characteristics. However, both mechanisms have been studied separately, which does not reflect field conditions. Aims: To test whether interactions of allelopathy, soil origin and soil microbiota affect plant germ...

Plant-plant interactions might be modulated by soil biota, and therefore, the outcome of the interaction between two species might change depending on soil type. Invasive species can change soil conditions establishing positive feedbacks that contribute to invasion and impair native plant growth. Acacia dealbata is one of the most invasive species...

Biological invasion is causing serious current biodiversity loss in different parts of the world and involves different stages: introduction, establishment, naturalization, and fast dispersion outside the normal ranks. Invasion may cause a reduction in abundance of native species or the elimination of populations of a particular species. Exotic spe...

The tree Acacia dealbata Link is an Australian woody legume that has become a serious environmental problem in Northwest Spain, where its expansion is assumed to reduce populations of native species and threaten local plant biodiversity. In order to investigate the potential involvement of allelopathic mechanisms in this process, net photosynthetic...

Invasion by exotic species constitutes a major threat to natural ecosystems. One of the most invasive species of current concern in Europe is Acacia dealbata Link (Mimosaceae), the expansion of which is reducing populations of native species, and hence biodiversity. To investigate the potential involvement of allelopathic mechanisms in this process...

Acacia dealbata Link is an Australian woody legume that has become a serious environmental problem in Northwest Spain where it forms dense monospecific patches modifying the structure of different native ecosystems and threatening native aboveground biodiversity. In spite of the dramatic changes observed in the vegetation of invaded sites little is...

• We review current knowledge about the biology of the genus Acacia, and Acacia dealbata Link (silver wattle) in particular, as an invader in Europe, focusing on (i) the biology of the genus Acacia; (ii) biological attributes that are important for the invasiveness of the genus and A. dealbata; (iii) possible hypotheses for the invasion success; an...

The main problem associated with plant invasions in terrestrial ecosystems is the loss of biodiversity in the threatened area. Most of the studies on different ecosystems have been based on relations of competition for resources between the native and non-native flora and paying less attention to interaction relationship between species. We reviewe...

The allelopathic potentials of throughfall (rain passing through the canopy) and macerate (apical branches mixed with distilled water) leachates of Acacia dealbata grove during the flowering were studied. The test plants were corn (Zea mays) and 4 plant spp. (Dicranum sp. Hedera hibernica, Leucobryum sp. and Dactylis glomerata) present both inside...

Current knowledge of allelopathic interactions in marine environments guides us to think that allelopathy may provide an advantage to toxin-producing phytoplankton, since allelopathic compounds liberated by them act as strong mediators in phytoplankton dynamics, affecting species succession. We have considered allelopathic relations as one more of...