| Abstract Detail
Ecological Section Martine, Christopher T. [1], Herron, Patrick M. [2], Latimer, Andrew M. [2], Leicht-Young, Stacey A. [3]. Invasive plants and their ecological strategies: a model-based approach to prediction and explanation of woody plant invasion in New England. Effective management of introduced species requires the early identification of species that pose a significant threat of becoming invasive. Previous attempts to predict invasive species have typically examined groups of introduced plant species and associated suites of plant characters with the ability of those species to invade. To better understand the invasive ecology of species in New England, we compiled a character data set with which to compare non-native species that are known invaders to non-native species that are not currently known to be invasive. We employed a Bayesian hierarchical analysis to identify suites of plant traits associated with invasiveness for each of three growth forms (vines, shrubs, trees). The resulting models identify a suite of “invasive traits” highlighting the ecology associated with invasiveness for each of three growth forms. The most effective predictors of invasiveness that emerged from our model were ‘invasive elsewhere’, ‘fast growth rate’, ‘native latitudinal range’ and ‘growth form’. The contrast among growth forms was pronounced. For example, ‘wind dispersal’ was positively correlated with invasiveness in trees, but negatively correlated in shrubs and vines. The predictive model was able to correctly classify invasive plants 66% of the time (22/33), and non-invasive plants 89% of the time (218/244). A number of potential future invasive species in New England that deserve management consideration were identified.
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Related Links:
Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE)
1 - Plattsburgh State University of New York, Biological Sciences, 101 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, NY, 12901, USA
2 - University of Connecticut, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 75 North Eagleville Road, U-3043, Storrs, Connecticut, 062693043, USA
3 - U. S. Geological Survey, 1100 N. Mineral Springs Rd., Porter, IN, 46304
Keywords:
Bayesian
dispersal
invasive
latitudinal range
New England
shade tolerance
life-history.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: CP48
Location: Boulevard A/Hilton
Date: Wednesday, July 11th, 2007
Time: 10:15 AM
Number: CP48002
Abstract ID:1023 |
