PARENT SESSION
Poster Session #41: Invasive Species Ecology: Woodlands.
Wednesday, August 7. Presentation from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Exhibit Hall B & C, TCC
94
Impact of the exotic Ailanthus altissima on ground cover diversity in a disturbed Virginia forest.
BUCK, JANE*,1, MANN, DEBORA1, 1 MILLSAPS COLLEGE, JACKSON, MS, manndl@millsaps.edu
ABSTRACT- The effects of invasive exotic species are exceeded only by habitat destruction as the major cause of decline in global biodiversity. In previous studies, Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle (Simaroubaceae), an invasive weed tree native to Southeast Asia, was found to produce allelochemicals that suppress germination and growth of certain plant species. In this study, we attempted to measure the impact of Ailanthus on overall species diversity of plants growing beneath mature Ailanthus trees. This study was conducted in a disturbed deciduous forest at the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship in northern Loudoun County, VA. We identified all plants in sixteen 1-m2 quadrats under each of 11 mature Ailanthus and 11 mature non-Ailanthus trees. The presence of Ailanthus was associated with a highly significant reduction in species richness, species diversity, and the percentage of native species. The mean species richness was 9.06 species/m2 in Ailanthus plots and 12.33 species/m2 in non-Ailanthus plots. The mean species diversity was 3.75 (Shannon index, base 2) in Ailanthus plots and 4.52 in non-Ailanthus plots. In Ailanthus plots, the percentage of native species was reduced by 23% compared to non-Ailanthus plots. This study may provide useful information to land managers in assessing the importance of Ailanthus control for preserving biodiversity.
KEY WORDS: species diversity, invasive species, Ailanthus altissima, ground cover