Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Invasive species can co-occur with native species, with varying effects on the community of native species. Invasive species may outcompete native species or have a facilitative effect. In our study, we focus on tree species of invaded forest communities. We applied a spatially-explicit, statistical model to analyze interspecific neighborhood competition in the Michigan Big Woods. This forest has a high density of invasive tree species and is being invaded by Japanese Barberry. We analyzed the interactions between invasive and native species using data from 2003, 2008, and 2014. We found that there was intraspecific competition among shagbark hickory, pignut hickory, and black oak, which are all native species of trees. Also, we found that there was not a substantial change in the effect of invasive species on the growth of native species, despite the spread of Japanese Barberry between 2003 and 2014. This suggests that adult trees can still acquire sufficient nutrients during invasion. By constructing graphs and maps of native and invasive species over time, we were able to detect changes in population age structure. Our findings indicate that most trees in the forest are mature, shown by their large diameters at breast height (DBH), with a limited presence of young trees. With the spread of Japanese Barberry, the change in age structure suggests that invasive species in this forest are inhibiting establishment of young trees, which has implications for forest regeneration. Understanding these impacts is important for understanding the implications of invasive species on a forest community.
Recommended Citation
Seifert, Jessie, "075-Forest Dynamics Between Co-Occurring Native and Invasive Species" (2024). GREAT Day Posters. 19.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2024/posters-2024/19
075-Forest Dynamics Between Co-Occurring Native and Invasive Species
Invasive species can co-occur with native species, with varying effects on the community of native species. Invasive species may outcompete native species or have a facilitative effect. In our study, we focus on tree species of invaded forest communities. We applied a spatially-explicit, statistical model to analyze interspecific neighborhood competition in the Michigan Big Woods. This forest has a high density of invasive tree species and is being invaded by Japanese Barberry. We analyzed the interactions between invasive and native species using data from 2003, 2008, and 2014. We found that there was intraspecific competition among shagbark hickory, pignut hickory, and black oak, which are all native species of trees. Also, we found that there was not a substantial change in the effect of invasive species on the growth of native species, despite the spread of Japanese Barberry between 2003 and 2014. This suggests that adult trees can still acquire sufficient nutrients during invasion. By constructing graphs and maps of native and invasive species over time, we were able to detect changes in population age structure. Our findings indicate that most trees in the forest are mature, shown by their large diameters at breast height (DBH), with a limited presence of young trees. With the spread of Japanese Barberry, the change in age structure suggests that invasive species in this forest are inhibiting establishment of young trees, which has implications for forest regeneration. Understanding these impacts is important for understanding the implications of invasive species on a forest community.