Acacia cyclops A. Cunn. ex G. Don (Leguminosae) in Italy:first cases of naturalization

Linosa (Pelagie Islands, Strait of Sicily). A decade later, this alien plantshould no longer be considered as a casual, since a very intensive processof self-sown regeneration has been observed in some plantations onLampedusa, the major island of the same Archipelago. The available literaturesuggests the need for careful monitoring of the ongoing invasionprocess, as A. cyclops has already shown a very invasive behaviour elsewherewithin Mediterranean-type biomes due to its ability to withstandhigh environmental stresses. As migrating birds are suspected to haveplayed an important role in facilitating the arrival of A. cyclops, furtherpropagules are likely to reach the islands in the future. We recommendthat new plantations of A. cyclops should be forbidden, but that extantnaturalized populations should be managed instead of eradicating them.In fact, the effect of Acacia plantations warrants investigation at differentscales in order to assess their impact on local plant-diversity and ecologicalsuccession processes.