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Abstract

Invasive alien plant species cause biodiversity loss globally and in South Africa. Populus alba is one of the introduced alien tree species that has become invasive in South Africa. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa and was introduced to South Africa as an ornamental plant. Information on the ecology of P. alba was collated using peer-reviewed published literature using Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. The study revealed 2767 records with 168 relevant publications included for retrieval. The review discussed nine parameters ranging from different taxonomic levels, distributions, environmental conditions, and threats. Most publications focus significantly on habitat conditions (45.09%), followed by its distribution (12.95%). Most of these publications originated from Europe (65%) and Asia (11%). Africa constitutes 9% of the datasets, with South Africa leading in relevant publications. In South Africa, most studies were conducted nationally (38%), followed by Limpopo Province (31%). The study revealed minimal research efforts with gaps in many provinces, which might be attributed to the potential underestimation of the P. alba presence or impact. This review is a critical appraisal to understand the ecological traits and drivers of the distribution of P. alba for future management strategies. In conclusion, this review highlights the level of research efforts on P alba over the years and identifies the knowledge gaps for future studies.

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