Research Starter Grant: Linking invasive plant species with their effects on ecosystem processes

入侵物种是自然系统的一个严重问题，主要是因为它们通常会导致生物多样性的下降。然而，我们对这些入侵物种如何影响生态系统的其他方面知之甚少。特别是，我们缺乏关于植物入侵物种如何影响它们入侵的生态系统所执行的生态系统服务的知识。一些植物物种拥有比本土植物更具攻击性的入侵菌株。然而，本地和入侵菌株之间的关系及其对生态系统过程的影响还没有得到彻底的探索。该项目探讨了侵略性入侵者--巨型芦苇对养分循环的影响，这是一个重要的生态系统过程。芦荟传播的成功归因于土地利用模式的变化、营养物质的丰富和水文状况的改变。最近，有人推测它的侵袭性也可能归因于一种侵入性更强的欧洲毒株。虽然已经进行了一些关于芦荟对营养循环的影响的研究，但这些研究大多集中在咸水沼泽和/或没有区分本地和外来植物品系。因此，本研究的主要目的是通过探索淡水湿地中原生植物群落与芦荟入侵品系和原生品系之间的养分循环是否存在差异，来研究植物入侵与营养动态(重点是氮循环)之间的关系。拟议的项目在补充和扩大少数族裔对科学的参与以及提高东北伊利诺伊大学研究和研究培训的质量方面具有很大的潜力。NEIU是一家联邦指定的拉美裔服务机构(HSI)，服务于芝加哥大都市区，那里约27%的学生是西班牙裔，其中许多是第一代大学学生。通过这个项目，NEIU将与芝加哥植物园和西北大学的研究人员合作，促进富有成效的合作，并进一步扩大研究影响。此外，拟议的项目不仅提高了研究能力，还将对几个教育级别的课程发展和学生准备工作产生积极影响。拟议项目的材料和工具将被纳入：1)本科生生物学课程，以增强NEIU学生的学术经验，并为他们更好地为研究生做好准备，以及2)芝加哥公立学校系统邻近高中(Northside College Prep High School)的科学课程。

Invasive species are a serious concern for natural systems, mostly because they usually result in a decline of biodiversity. However, we know relatively little about how these invasive species affect other aspects of ecosystems. In particular, we lack knowledge about how plant invasive species may affect ecosystem services performed by the ecosystems they invade. Several plant species possess invasive strains that are more aggressive than their native counterparts. Yet relationships between native and invasive strains and their effects on ecosystem processes have not been thoroughly explored. This project addresses the effects of an aggressive invader, giant reed (Phragmites australis), on nutrient cycling, an important ecosystem process. The success in Phragmites spread has been attributed to changes in the patterns of land use, nutrient enrichment, and altered hydrological regimes. More recently, it has been speculated that its invasiveness could also be attributed to an invasive and more aggressive European strain. Although several studies on the effect of Phragmites australis on nutrient cycling have been conducted, they have mostly concentrated on brackish marshes and/or have not distinguished between native and exotic plant strains. Thus, the main goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between plant invasion and nutrient dynamics (with emphasis on the nitrogen cycle) by exploring if nutrient cycling differs among native plant communities and invasive and native strains of Phragmites australis in freshwater wetlands. The potential for the proposed project to complement and broaden the participation of underrepresented minorities in science as well as to improve the quality of research and research training at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is substantial. NEIU is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving institution (HSI) serving the Chicago metropolitan area, where ~27% of its students are Hispanic and many are first-generation college attendees. Through this project, NEIU will partner with researchers from the Chicago Botanic Gardens and Northwestern University, catalyzing a productive collaboration and broadening research impacts even further. In addition, the proposed project not only enhances research capabilities but will also positively affect curricular development and student preparation at several educational levels. The materials and instrumentation from the proposed project will be incorporated into: 1) the undergraduate biology curriculum to enhance the academic experience of students at NEIU and to better prepare them for graduate school, and 2) into the science curriculum at a neighboring high school of the Chicago Public Schools system (Northside College Prep High School).