Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Rooted In Hell: Simulating Phragmites Australis, Rachel Nydegger Rozum, Jacob Duncan, James Powell Ph.D.

Rachel Nydegger Rozum

Across the estuaries of the east coast and wetlands of the Great Lakes, the invasive grass Phragmites australis outcompetes other vegetation and destroys local ecosystems. Because its roots are tolerant to salinity that other plants find hellish, Phragmites invasions begin with vegetative spread of genetic clones in brackish marshlands.This plant can grow over three meters tall at densities of 50 stems/m2, provides poor wildlife habitat, and is very difficult to eradicate. A discrete life stage model on a yearly time step captures seed survivorship in a seed bank, sexual and asexual recruitment into a juvenile age class, and differential competition …