PARENT SESSION
Wednesday, August 9, 1:30-5:00 pm
COS 66 - Effects of herbivory II
Chickasaw, Mezzanine Level, Cook Convention Center
Presiders: S Louda

Effects of introduced generalist herbivores on native and introduced plant species in a CA grassland.

Strauss, Sharon^*,1, Stanton, Maureen¹, ¹ University of California, Davis, Davis, CA

ABSTRACT- Introduced plant species can often become prominent members of native plant communities. Non-native invertebrate herbivores may also have large impacts on native plant communities. In our study system in a California grassland, slugs, snails and earwigs are prominent members of the community. These introduced herbivores are voracious and are highly generalized feeders. The relative susceptibility of introduced and native species to these early-feeding herbivores may have large effects on final plant community composition. We describe results on the impacts of non-native generalist herbivores from field exclusion experiments and lab choice tests and relate them to distribution and abundance of native and introduced plant species at our field site. We also speculate that introduced plants and animals may each facilitate or heighten the impact of the other.

Key words: slug, earwig, plant community