Hotspots of invasive plant abundance are geographically distinct from hotspots of establishment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell W. O’Neill ◽  
Bethany A. Bradley ◽  
Jenica M. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Plant Abundance

Forest Roads Facilitate the Spread of Invasive Plants

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Mortensen ◽  
Emily S. J. Rauschert ◽  
Andrea N. Nord ◽  
Brian P. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Microstegium Vimineum ◽  
Plant Abundance ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Large Scale Survey ◽  
Patch Scale ◽  
Plant Survey

AbstractThe distribution and abundance of invasive species can be strongly influenced by habitat suitability and by corridors that facilitate dispersal. We synthesize results from a large-scale invasive plant survey with a patch-scale expansion experiment. The large-scale survey involved transects up to 250 m away from of all roads in a 32,000 ha forest. The patch experiment involved initiating invasions in different habitat types (roadside, wetland, disturbed, and intact forests), and then fitting statistical models to patch spread rates. The large-scale survey highlighted the importance of roads in predicting the presence of invasive plants, also revealing that one invasive plant, Microstegium vimineum, has spread rapidly since its purported introduction in 1994. The patch-scale experiments focused on Microstegium and demonstrated that spread rates are higher in roadsides than in forested and wetland patches, even in the absence of major disturbances. These results highlight the importance of landscape features when designing prevention and management practices aimed at limiting invasive plant abundance and spread.

Negative per capita effects of two invasive plants, Lythrum salicaria and Phalaris arundinacea, on the moth diversity of wetland communities

2008 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.S. Schooler ◽  
P.B. McEvoy ◽  
P. Hammond ◽  
E.M. Coombs
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Invasive Plants ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Phalaris Arundinacea ◽  
Lythrum Salicaria ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Plant Abundance ◽  
Per Capita

AbstractInvasive plants have been shown to negatively affect the diversity of plant communities. However, little is known about the effect of invasive plants on the diversity at other trophic levels. In this study, we examine the per capita effects of two invasive plants, purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), on moth diversity in wetland communities at 20 sites in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Prior studies document that increasing abundance of these two plant species decreases the diversity of plant communities. We predicted that this reduction in plant diversity would result in reduced herbivore diversity. Four measurements were used to quantify diversity: species richness (S), community evenness (J), Brillouin's index (H) and Simpson's index (D). We identified 162 plant species and 156 moth species across the 20 wetland sites. The number of moth species was positively correlated with the number of plant species. In addition, invasive plant abundance was negatively correlated with species richness of the moth community (linear relationship), and the effect was similar for both invasive plant species. However, no relationship was found between invasive plant abundance and the three other measures of moth diversity (J, H, D) which included moth abundance in their calculation. We conclude that species richness within, and among, trophic levels is adversely affected by these two invasive wetland plant species.

scholarly journals Soil characteristics drive Ficaria verna abundance and reproductive output

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 214-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin P. Kermack ◽  
Emily S. J. Rauschert
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Soil Characteristics ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Stem Density ◽  
Percent Cover ◽  
Plant Abundance ◽  
Spring Ephemerals ◽  
Tuber Production ◽  
Ficaria Verna

AbstractLesser celandine (Ficaria verna Huds.), an invasive plant from Europe, is becoming widespread in river valleys throughout the northeastern United States and the Pacific Northwest. Its high rate of asexual bulbil and tuber production creates dense infestations threatening native spring ephemerals. Ficaria verna abundance and reproductive output (seeds, bulbils, and tubers) were examined in invaded transects spanning a disturbance gradient away from a river. Site characteristics (photosynthetically active radiation [PAR], soil pH, moisture, texture, and nutrients) were quantified to examine their roles in plant abundance and reproduction. A larger-scale study examined random transects not specifically chosen based on F. verna infestations. Soil characteristics and slope were hypothesized to drive F. verna abundance and reproduction; we also hypothesized that reproductive output and biomass would be highest at intermediate distances from rivers, where disturbances are infrequent. Ficaria verna abundance and reproductive output varied considerably by site; soil characteristics, rather than landscape placement, appeared to drive plant abundance and reproduction. Lower percent sand was associated with significantly higher F. verna stem density and bulbil and tuber production. CEC was significantly negatively related to F. verna biomass and tuber counts. In the larger-scale survey, slope and PAR were significantly negatively related to F. verna presence and percent cover, respectively. Overall, these findings suggest that soil texture and slope can help explain higher abundance and reproductive outputs. However, reproductive output and biomass were not significantly greater at intermediate distances, contrary to expectations. We did not observe any seed production in any of the plots, although we did see a few plants with seeds outside our study area in the second year, demonstrating a near-complete reliance on asexual reproduction in these populations. This study expands on the current limited understanding of F. verna and can help management by identifying areas likely to support dense infestations.

Invasive Plant Ecology

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-213
Author(s):  
E. K. Espeland
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Plant Ecology
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