DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Do extended leaf phenology and allelopathy act synergistically to drive garlic mustard invasion?

众所周知，引入的入侵物种对我们的本土生态系统有负面影响，但驱动入侵的机制还不清楚。 一种引进的植物，现在在东部落叶林中大量存在，大蒜芥菜（Alliaria petiolata），被认为会释放有害本地植物物种的有毒化学物质。 此外，大蒜芥末的生长季节比大多数本土森林植物都要长，这使得它能够在秋季，冬季和春季当地人休眠时利用光线。 这些机制可能会相互加强，如果额外的光可用于大蒜芥末在其延长的生长季节是用来增加生产的化学毒素。该项目将通过测量生长，化学生产和大蒜芥末对本地物种的影响，在存在和不存在扩展的光可用性来测试这一假设。结果将有助于填补一个重要的空白，在我们的入侵生物学的理解，显示机制之间的相互作用可能会增加引进物种的入侵。入侵植物物种威胁着整个美国的原生生物多样性，并带来了巨大的经济成本（约1370亿美元/年）。例如，大蒜芥等森林入侵者可能会抑制森林再生，并导致木材生产、娱乐和森林提供的其他服务的长期减少。 了解驱动入侵的机制将有助于更有效地缓解和预防，有助于降低与植物入侵相关的环境、经济和社会成本。 该项目还将促进参与研究的本科生和高中生的科学和生态素养，以及通过公开讲座和自然中心展览了解入侵物种的威胁以及可以采取的保护原生森林提供的生物多样性和生态系统服务的步骤。

Introduced, invasive species are known to have negative effects on our native ecosystems, but the mechanisms that drive invasions are not well understood. One introduced plant now abundant in Eastern deciduous forests, garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), is thought to release toxic chemicals that harm native plant species. Furthermore, garlic mustard has a longer growing season than most native forest plants, allowing it to take advantage of light during the fall, winter, and spring when natives are dormant. These mechanisms may reinforce one another if the extra light available to garlic mustard during its extended growing season is used to increase production of chemical toxins. This project will test this hypothesis by measuring the growth, chemical production, and impact of garlic mustard on native species in the presence and absence of extended light availability. Results will help to fill an important gap in our understanding of invasion biology by showing how interactions between mechanisms may increase the invasiveness of introduced species. Invasive plant species threaten native biodiversity throughout the United States, and impose significant economic costs (approximately $137 billion/year). For example, forest invaders such as garlic mustard may inhibit forest regeneration and cause long-term reductions in timber production, recreation, and other services that forests provide. Understanding the mechanisms that drive invasion will facilitate more effective mitigation and prevention, helping to reduce the environmental, economic, and social costs associated with plant invasions. This project will also promote the scientific and ecological literacy of undergraduate and high school students participating in the research, and of members of the public reached through a public lecture and a nature center exhibit on the threats of invasive species and the steps that can be taken to protect the biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by our native forests.