Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Occurrence of Herbaceous Alien Plant Species with Respect to Environmental Stress and Anthropogenic Influences on the Georgia Sea Islands

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Rodgers III, John C. University of Georgia The doctoral dissertation research will examine the effects of anthropogenic disturbance and environmental stress on the occurrence of herbaceous alien plant species on the Georgia Sea Islands. The barrier islands provide an ideal environment for examining these relationships because of the intensity of human use and the presence of stressful habitats. Vegetation composition and environmental stress variables will be sampled in sites categorized according to human modification level, environmental stress level and habitat type on each of four islands. A factorial design and analysis of variance model will be used to test these effects. Overall descriptive patterns of alien species distribution will be identified as well. The study will be of use to managers and government agencies but in a theoretical sense will provide new results on the relationship between human disturbance and environmental stress to community invasibility.