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Biological
invasions |
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Effect
of landscape structure on invasion dynamics of the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii Invasive
non-native species often have negative effects on the ecology and
productivity of forests and other wildlands. Determining how invasive species spread and
what sites are at risk of invasion are important for their early detection
and control. In our
work, we try to determine how landscape patterns shape invasion of one of the
non-native ‘bush honeysuckles’ that are serious problems in eastern and
Midwestern U.S. forests, Amur Honeysuckle.
The first objective is to document the historical expansion of Amur
Honeysuckle into stands (woodlots and forests) within an agricultural
landscape over the last 20 years in three counties in southwestern Ohio using
satellite images. Because this shrub
expands its leaves earlier and retains them later than native trees and
shrubs, invaded stands can be distinguished using satellite images. Second, we are developing a predictive
model for how landscape characteristics, including fragmentation and
corridors, shape the pattern and rate of invasion. Third, we will test this model by
predicting the likelihood of new invasions in stands at the edge of the
current range, and inspecting these stands for newly established
individuals. Fourth, we will test
whether seed dispersal processes implicated in the predictive model are
supported by genetic data, specifically identifying the most likely source
population of the first shrubs to grow in each stand, using molecular
markers. The model we will develop and
validate will enable land managers to predict which stands are most likely to
be invaded, and therefore focus monitoring, detection, and early eradication
efforts at the highest risk sites. |
