Biology & Sustainability
Distribution Patterns of Three Invasive Plant Species in Licking County Forest Ecosystems
Document Type
Poster Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Biology & Sustainability
Start Date
11-4-2014 8:30 AM
End Date
11-4-2014 9:30 AM
Sponsor
Doug Spieles (Denison University)
Description
Invasive plants are continuing to spread and threaten native plant communities in the United States. The case species for this study are: Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata M. Bieb. Cavara & Grande), Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora Thunb.), and Honeysuckle (Lonicera ssp. L.). The questions explored in this study are as follows: 1) are the invasion patterns of the case species corridor, advancing fronts, satellite clusters, or random? 2) to what extent do biotic, abiotic, and spatial factors explain distribution patterns of these invasive species? and 3) what are the overall distribution trends between this 2013 data as compared with similar data from 2011? Biotic, abiotic, and spatial data were collected in a total of 117 3m x 3m sampling plots in two locations (175 ha total) in Licking County, Ohio, USA. It was found that the average percent cover for A. petiolata, R. multiflora, and Lonicera ssp. was 11.7%, 8.4%, 2.0% respectively. A. petiolata was found to invade randomly (z=1.625) and its abundance was significantly associated with percent cover of R. multiflora, topsoil depth, elevation, and canopy height. R. multiflora and Lonicera ssp. were both found to invade in a clustered pattern (z=4.278 and 2.565, respectively); abundance of R. multiflora was significantly associated with percent cover of A. petiolata, northness (measure of aspect), while Lonicera ssp. were not significantly associated with any of the factors studied. A comparison between the 2011 data and the 2013 data showed that species richness declined and that each case species either increased or decreased in abundance from the previous year.
Distribution Patterns of Three Invasive Plant Species in Licking County Forest Ecosystems
Indianapolis, IN
Invasive plants are continuing to spread and threaten native plant communities in the United States. The case species for this study are: Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata M. Bieb. Cavara & Grande), Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora Thunb.), and Honeysuckle (Lonicera ssp. L.). The questions explored in this study are as follows: 1) are the invasion patterns of the case species corridor, advancing fronts, satellite clusters, or random? 2) to what extent do biotic, abiotic, and spatial factors explain distribution patterns of these invasive species? and 3) what are the overall distribution trends between this 2013 data as compared with similar data from 2011? Biotic, abiotic, and spatial data were collected in a total of 117 3m x 3m sampling plots in two locations (175 ha total) in Licking County, Ohio, USA. It was found that the average percent cover for A. petiolata, R. multiflora, and Lonicera ssp. was 11.7%, 8.4%, 2.0% respectively. A. petiolata was found to invade randomly (z=1.625) and its abundance was significantly associated with percent cover of R. multiflora, topsoil depth, elevation, and canopy height. R. multiflora and Lonicera ssp. were both found to invade in a clustered pattern (z=4.278 and 2.565, respectively); abundance of R. multiflora was significantly associated with percent cover of A. petiolata, northness (measure of aspect), while Lonicera ssp. were not significantly associated with any of the factors studied. A comparison between the 2011 data and the 2013 data showed that species richness declined and that each case species either increased or decreased in abundance from the previous year.