RIG: Ecosystem Impact of the Invasive Shrub Lonicera Maackii (Amur Honeysuckle) on Forest Remnants of Southwestern Ohio

非本地植物物种是当今森林中无处不在的一部分，往往通过减少本地植物和动物物种的生存而对它们所采用的自然栖息地产生负面影响。本研究将调查入侵的非本地灌木——黑龙江金银花对俄亥俄州西南部森林的影响。该研究将通过检查有机投入（如落叶）、土壤养分和土壤微生物多样性和组成（细菌和真菌）之间的关系，重点关注该生态系统内的营养循环。这些参数强烈影响养分在生态系统中循环的速度，可能是一个重要的预测因素，可以预测什么物种在一个地区最成功。该研究将阐明有金银花和没有金银花的林地的差异，并通过金银花去除实验研究地下资源恢复的潜力和时间尺度。这项研究的结果将为加强森林恢复工作提供新的见解。通过整合研究和教育，该项目将通过实践研究经验来加强本科教育，并鼓励代表性不足的群体更广泛地参与科学。为了实现这些目标，该项目将为来自代表性不足群体的大学生创造暑期研究职位，开发一个令人兴奋的研究型实验室，通过让学生参与实际的实地研究，向他们介绍森林生态学，并为当地公立学校的K-12学生开设短期暑期课程。

Non-native plant species are an ever-present part of forests today and often negatively influences their adopted natural habitat by reducing survival of native plant and animal species. The present study will investigate the impact of Amur honeysuckle, an invasive non-native shrub, on the forests of Southwestern Ohio. The research will focus on nutrient cycling within this ecosystem by examining the relationship between organic inputs (e.g., fallen leaves), soil nutrients, and soil microbial diversity and composition (bacteria and fungi). These parameters strongly influence how fast nutrients are cycled through an ecosystem and may be an important predictor of what species will be most successful in an area. The study will elucidate differences between forested sites with and without honeysuckle and examine the potential for and time-scale of recovery of below-ground resources through honeysuckle removal experiments.The results of this research will provide new insights that may enhance forest restoration efforts. By integrating research and education the project will enhance undergraduate education through hands on research experiences and encourage broader participation by underrepresented groups in the sciences. To achieve these goals the project will, create summer research positions for college students from underrepresented groups, develop an exciting inquiry based laboratory that will introduce students to forest ecology through engaging them in actual field research, and conduct short-term summer classes for K-12 students from local public schools.