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Effects of experimental invasive communities on forest dynamics
Descriptive
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Effects of experimental invasive communities on forest dynamics
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Galbraith-Kent
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Shannon Lee
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Shannon Lee Galbraith-Kent
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author
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Handel
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Steven
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Advisory Committee
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Steven N. Handel
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chair
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Holzapfel
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Claus
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Advisory Committee
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Claus Holzapfel
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internal member
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Lockwood
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Julie
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Advisory Committee
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Julie Lockwood
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Morin
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Peter
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Advisory Committee
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Peter J. Morin
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internal member
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Webb
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Sara
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Advisory Committee
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Sara L. Webb
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outside member
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Rutgers University
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
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theses
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2008
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2008-01
Language
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English
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electronic
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application/pdf
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text/xml
Extent
xix, 150 pages
Abstract
Alien invasive plant species have altered the historical descriptions of eastern U.S. forests. This dissertation used an invasive tree (Acer platanoides) and shrub species (Berberis thunbergii) to examine how experimental understory communities affected dynamics in a suburban deciduous forest in Central New Jersey, USA. With invasive plant removal often an unrealistic option, these community treatments (0%, 25%, 50% invasive) served as proxies for possible management outcomes to test invasive effects on native species.
After only 3 growing seasons, both an A. platanoides canopy and A. platanoides saplings had strong negative impacts on native sapling and seedling growth. There was such a strong negative effect of the invasive canopy on native sapling growth that the presence of invasive saplings was less important. However, beneath a native canopy, native saplings grew significantly more in the absence of invasive saplings. Even if invasive removal in the understory were only done every 2-3 yrs, this would give native saplings release from invasive competition and time to increase in growth (Chapter 1).
In two separate experiments, an invasive canopy negatively affected native seedling growth in the forest (Chapter 3), and soil collected from beneath an invasive canopy reduced native growth (greenhouse, Chapter 2). While the understory and canopy types impacted native saplings and seedlings, A. platanoides was largely unaffected (Chapters 1, 3). However, it does appear that it has the ability to shift resource allocation depending on soil type, which may give it a growth advantage over native species (Chapter 2). I did not find support of the ERH, as leaves from seedlings of A. platanoides and A. rubrum had equivalent amounts of herbivory (Chapter 3). In a litter decomposition experiment (Chapter 4), two invasive species had lower C:N ratios than the native species. Higher nitrogen content in invasive litter could alter soil nutrients and cycling and, perhaps, leave a legacy of invasive impact.
Experimental studies done in the field can help us increase our understanding of invasive and native species interactions, while providing us with information to guide restoration and management decisions to retain native diversity.
After only 3 growing seasons, both an A. platanoides canopy and A. platanoides saplings had strong negative impacts on native sapling and seedling growth. There was such a strong negative effect of the invasive canopy on native sapling growth that the presence of invasive saplings was less important. However, beneath a native canopy, native saplings grew significantly more in the absence of invasive saplings. Even if invasive removal in the understory were only done every 2-3 yrs, this would give native saplings release from invasive competition and time to increase in growth (Chapter 1).
In two separate experiments, an invasive canopy negatively affected native seedling growth in the forest (Chapter 3), and soil collected from beneath an invasive canopy reduced native growth (greenhouse, Chapter 2). While the understory and canopy types impacted native saplings and seedlings, A. platanoides was largely unaffected (Chapters 1, 3). However, it does appear that it has the ability to shift resource allocation depending on soil type, which may give it a growth advantage over native species (Chapter 2). I did not find support of the ERH, as leaves from seedlings of A. platanoides and A. rubrum had equivalent amounts of herbivory (Chapter 3). In a litter decomposition experiment (Chapter 4), two invasive species had lower C:N ratios than the native species. Higher nitrogen content in invasive litter could alter soil nutrients and cycling and, perhaps, leave a legacy of invasive impact.
Experimental studies done in the field can help us increase our understanding of invasive and native species interactions, while providing us with information to guide restoration and management decisions to retain native diversity.
Note
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Ph.D.
Note
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Includes bibliographical references.
Subject
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Topic
Ecology and Evolution
Subject
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Topic
Invasive plants
Subject
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Topic
Plant communities
Subject
(ID = SUBJ4);
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Topic
Forest ecology
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Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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rucore19991600001
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http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10001600001.ETD.17130
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ETD_629
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NjNbRU
Identifier
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doi:10.7282/T31Z44SJ
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ETD doctoral
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The author owns the copyright to this work.
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Open
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Shannon Galbraith-Kent
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Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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Non-exclusive ETD license
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Author Agreement License
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I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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