Dissertation Research: Limits to Invasion of South Florida Pine Savannas

0073230生物入侵是由影响殖民者建立和种群增长的过程控制的。研究人员目前正在研究南佛罗里达大沼泽地地区禾草类植物的入侵，方法是：1)利用功能群对入侵性和某些生活史特征的作用提出假设；2)跟踪某些物种的已建立种群，包括一种外来入侵者，以更好地了解影响该系统中已建立植物生长和生存的因素。本论文的研究将探讨决定这些禾本科植物早期入侵成功的重要因素。工作将发生在沼泽地国家公园的高地松树稀树草原上，有苏科和禾本科的物种。繁殖体和根茎添加实验将研究具有一系列生活史策略、形态、生长形式和入侵倾向的物种在四个不同的微点上的萌发、建立、生存和生长。该研究的主要目的是确定早期生命周期阶段在限制本地和外来物种对不同稀树草原微生境的定植中的作用。这项研究，连同论文的其余研究，将用于特定栖息地的入侵预测。

0073230PlattBiological invasions are governed by processes that affect establishment of colonizers and growth of populations. The investigators are currently examining invasions by graminoids in the Everglades region of south Florida by 1) using functional groups to develop hypotheses about invasiveness and the role of certain life history characteristics, and 2) following established populations of certain species, including one exotic invader, to better understand factors influencing growth and survival of established plants in this system. The proposed dissertation research will investigate factors that may be important in determining early invasion success of these graminoids. Work will occur in upland pine savannas of the Everglades National Park with species of Cyperaceae and Poaceae. Propagule and rhizome addition experiments will examine germination, establishment, survival and growth of individuals from species with a range of life history strategies, morphologies, growth forms, and invasive tendencies in four distinct microsites. The main objective of the study is to determine the role of early life cycle stages in limiting colonization of different savanna microsites by native and exotics. This study, together with the rest of the dissertation research, will be used to make habitat-specific invasion predictions.