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Challenges In Predicting The Future Distributions Of Invasive Plant Species, Chad C. Jones

Botany Faculty Publications

Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly used to predict distributions of invasive species. If successful, these models can help managers target limited resources for monitoring and controlling invasive species to areas of high invasion risk. Model accuracy is usually determined using current species distributions, but because invasive species are not at equilibrium with the environment, high current accuracy may not indicate high future accuracy. I used 1982 species distribution data from Bolleswood Natural Area, Connecticut, USA, to create SDMs for two forest invaders, Celastrus orbiculatus and Rosa multiflora. I then used more recent data, from 1992 and 2002, as validation …

Photosynthetic Advantage Of Invasive Species, Gabby Gurule-Small, Alis Sokolova, Patrick Stephens

Featured Research

Californians have greatly benefited from the introduction of plant and animal species necessary for food or other human pursuits; however, there are many other introduced species that can wreak havoc on the state’s environment and economy. Invasive species threaten the diversity and abundance of native species by both competing for resources and causing changes to the natural habitat. We hypothesize that invasive species will have higher photosynthetic and conductance rates which contribute to their success. Through their impacts on natural ecosystems, agricultural lands, and water delivery systems, invasive species may also negatively affect human health and possibly even the economy.

Public Awareness Of The Impacts Of The Emerald Ash Borer And Its Management In New York State, Mital Patel

Honors Theses

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis fairmaire) is a major threat to the American Ash Tree (Fraxinus sp.). It is a native beetle of China and was first discovered in North America in 2002. It originally infested Canada and quickly spread to the Unites States (Kovacs at al, 2010). Though it cannot be confirmed, it is suspected that the insect arrived in Canada in wood packing materials commonly used to stabilize cargo ships or ship consumer products (www.nyis.info). Since its discovery ten years ago near Detroit, Michigan, infestations have been confirmed in 14 different states across the U.S.A (www.dec.ny.gov). …

Macrophyte Communities Of Lake Winnebago: Baseline Study Of Species Composition With Abundances And Water Quality Conditions, Mackenzie Kessenich

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Historical records from Lake Winnebago show minimal macrophyte growth; however, reports from recent years claim that macrophyte growth in some areas of the lake has reached nuisance levels. This study aimed to investigate the species of macrophytes present and their abundances in four near-shore locations, as well as measurements of multiple water quality conditions. Rake sampling was used to identify species and quantify their abundances and distributions. In addition, data were collected on light penetration, Secchi depths, and suspended algae chlorophyll concentrations at each site. These data from shallow near-shore sites reveal trends in changing water clarity and light penetration …

Validation Of Pcr-Based Assays And Laboratory Accreditation For Environmental Detection Of Aquatic Invasive Species, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

This white paper provides:

a) Background information on the use, accuracy and reliability of PCR-based assays such as environmentally sampled DNA (eDNA) for early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS) and;

b) Recommendations for establishing a system for validating assays and accrediting laboratories that report on the presence or absence of AIS.

This white paper was developed by the members of ISAC and discusses the need for developing validation requirements for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and other DNA-based molecular assays that are increasingly being used to detect AIS. It does not provide a simplified checklist for evaluation of their ability …

Invasive Species And E-Commerce, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

ISSUE

Internet commerce (hereafter e-commerce) is a growing and vital part of the United States economy. Total e-commerce sales in the United States for 2011 totaled $194 billion, an increase of 16% over 2010. From 2002 to 2011, the proportion of reported e-commerce sales in the U. S. grew from about 1.4% to 5.5% of total retail sales (United States Census Bureau News 2012). Globally, e-commerce is expected to increase at a rate of 13.5% annually, amounting to $1.4 trillion in yearly sales by 2015 (Enright 2011). A portion of this activity includes the sale and trade of living organisms. …

Exploring The Seed Bank Dynamics Of Red Brome: Longevity, Density, And Relationship To Fire, Benjamin S. Jurand

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research explores several untested aspects of the seed bank characteristics of red brome (Bromus rubens), an invasive annual grass in southwestern United States arid lands. Red brome is a formidable competitor to native plant species, both annual and perennial alike, and produces many seeds that germinate easily. The stalks of red brome contribute continuous-cover fuel loads that facilitate wildfires destructive to mature native Mojave Desert plant communities. This makes it a priority species for land managers, particularly when dealing with recovery after fire.

This project addressed questions related to the longevity of red brome seeds in soil seed banks …

Potential Causes And Consequences Of Decreased Body Size In Field Populations Of Coccinella Novemnotata, John Losey, Jordan Perlman, James Kopco, Samuel Ramsey, Louis Hesler, Edward Evans, Leslie Allee, Rebecca Smyth

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Coccinella novemnotata, the nine-spotted lady beetle, was historically one of the most common lady beetles across the US and southern Canada. In the 1980s it became extremely rare and has remained rare. In 2008 adult C. novemnotata were collected from field populations in Oregon and South Dakota and initial observations suggested that these individuals seemed smaller than the mean size of the species historically. These observations led to a series of experiments to determine if there had been significant decrease in size and if any decrease found was due to a genetic change or to environmental factors. In the …

Sustainable Landscapes: Evaluating Strategies For Controlling Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus Umbellata) On Reclaimed Surface Mineland At The Wilds Conservation Center In Southeastern Ohio, Shana M. Byrd, Nicole D. Cavender, Corine M. Peugh, Jenise Bauman

College of the Environment on the Peninsulas Publications

Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) was planted during the reclamation process to reduce erosion and improve nitrogen content of the soil. However, since its establishment, E. umbellata has spread prolifically and control measures are difficult. The primary objective of this case study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various control methods on eradication of E. umbellata in varying degrees of infestation. A two-phase case study was conducted at The Wilds conservation center in Cumberland, OH. Phase 1 began in 2007-2008 to evaluate three treatments in areas with moderate cover (15-30%) of E. umbellata: mechanical removal, foliar herbicide, and dormant stem …

The Relationship Between Male Moth Density And Female Mating Success In Invading Populations Of Lymantria Dispar, Patrick C. Tobin, Ksenia S. Onufrieva, Kevin W. Thorpe

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The successful establishment of non-native species in new areas can be affected by many factors including the initial size of the founder population. Populations comprised of fewer individuals tend to be subject to stochastic forces and Allee effects (positive-density dependence), which can challenge the ability of small founder populations to establish in a new area. Although the conceptual relationship between initial colony size and establishment success has been previously documented, it is not trivial to estimate precisely the colony size needed to ensure colony persistence. Over the last 40 years, there have been many studies on the probability of mating …