Plant community dynamics following non-native shrub removal depend on invasion intensity and forest site characteristics

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Author(s)Moore, Eric
Author(s)D'Amico, Vincent
Author(s)Trammell, Tara L. E.
Date Accessioned2023-05-15T18:53:12Z
Date Available2023-05-15T18:53:12Z
Publication Date2023-01-13
DescriptionThis article was originally published in Ecosphere. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4351
AbstractGlobally, temperate deciduous forests are threatened by invasion of non-native (exotic) plant species. In the eastern United States, Rosa multiflora is a dominant shrub invader in forests, which often forms dense thickets that reduce sunlight availability in the understory, where decreased native plant diversity and abundance are observed. Management and restoration are difficult but desirable, especially when invasion intensity is still low. Few studies have examined the relative success of different management strategies under varying invasion intensities. Our study objectives were to conduct a R. multiflora removal experiment in three forest sites experiencing different invasion intensities and to restore native plant biodiversity while preventing secondary invasion. We utilized three management strategies: invasive plant removal, removal followed by native seed addition, and removal plus native seed and mulched invasive stem addition. We investigated the similarity between seed bank species composition and existing vegetation before and after removal to assess the potential for passive restoration. Two seasons after removal, we found that simply removing roses increased native species richness, native floristic quality assessment (FQAIN), and native shrub abundance in our medium invasion site, and total species richness in our low and medium invasion sites. Compared to removal alone, native seed addition, with and without mulch addition, resulted in larger native and total species richness and FQAIN increases at all sites, larger increases in native shrub abundance and exotic species richness in our medium invasion site, and larger reductions in exotic and total shrub abundance in our low and medium invasion sites. Following removal, species similarity between the seed bank and vegetation improved for all three sites. Our results indicate that removal of R. multiflora alone increased native plant biodiversity in the medium invasion scenario, but the seed bank may not provide a large native species pool. Additional management strategies lead to improved outcomes, especially in our most invaded forest, demonstrating the need to conduct multiple plant removal treatments across forests with varying site conditions and plant invasion intensity to improve management recommendations.
SponsorWe thank Meghan Avolio for reviewing the manuscript. We also thank Aubrey Inkster for field and greenhouse assistance, and Maggie Bayalis, Samantha Nestory, Nathaly Rodriguez, Gavin Rosier, and Noah Totsline for field assistance. We acknowledge the University of Delaware Research Foundation and USDA Forest Service (#16-JV-11242308-122) for funding. We thank the Delaware Environmental Institute for the fellowship awarded to Eric Moore.
CitationMoore, Eric, D'Amico, Vincent, and Trammell, Tara L. E.. 2023. “ Plant Community Dynamics Following Non-Native Shrub Removal Depend on Invasion Intensity and Forest Site Characteristics.” Ecosphere 14( 1): e4351. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4351
ISSN2150-8925
URLhttps://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/32742
Languageen_US
PublisherEcosphere
Keywordsfloristic quality assessment
Keywordsinvasive plant management
Keywordsnon-native plant invasion
KeywordsRosa multiflora
Keywordstemperate deciduous forest
Keywordswoody plant community
TitlePlant community dynamics following non-native shrub removal depend on invasion intensity and forest site characteristics
TypeArticle
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