Invasive Plants
Invasive, non-native plant species pose a major threat to the conservation and management of forest ecosystems by reducing native plant species richness and potentially altering ecosystem functions.
In the US, damage and control costs are estimated at $138 billion annually.
Identifying mechanisms of range expansion and successful invasion by non-native plant species is an important step in developing strategies for invasive species control and ecosystem restoration.
Scientists within the Upland Hardwood Ecology and Management Research Work Unit 4157 seed dispersal of some non-native plants by animals, site characteristics that are suitable for establishment of some non-native species, and plant growth characteristics that aid in establishment under the forest canopy.
Invasive Plants Research Topics: