Historical Introduction Routes of Invasive Plants to Pennsylvania Sarah Brown Faculty Advisor: Cory Shoemaker, PhD Issues with Invasives • Introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health • Are the cause of 18% of endangered and threatened species, have contributed to the decline of 42% • Harms agricultural productivity, public utility operations, outdoor recreation, and property values. • $1.288 Trillion globally over the past 50 years This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY Historical Invasion Routes • Identifying introduction origins • Conducive Habitats • Vegetation morphology Efforts Against Invasives • Lack of established protocols • Biological controls- chemical, mechanical, biotic • Monitoring efforts • 1990- Invasives deemed a significant component of environmental changes Purpose • Determine spread of invasive species • Reduce future invasions • Identify possible advantages of morphology • Education • <40% of PA consumers know their plants are invasive Elaeangnus Umbellate Autumn Olive Pyrus calleryana Bradford Pear Vinca minor Periwinkle Hemerocallis fulva Orange Daylily Model Species • Vegetation forms • Horticultural status • 174-23 samples Hedera helix English Ivy Pueraria montana Kudzu Material and Methods • Southeast Regional Network of Expertise and Collections (SERNEC). • 233 herbaria spanning 200 years • 475 species • Organization & Habitats • Esri: GIS mapping software • Callery pear, Bradford cultivar & Montgomery county Herbarium Records Pre-1850 Herbarium Records 1850-1875 Herbarium Records 1876-1900 Herbarium Records 1900-1926 Herbarium Records 1926-1950 Herbarium Records 1951-1975 Herbarium Records 1976-2000 Herbarium Records 2001-Present Results Historical Routes of Invasion 300 • 257 Human developed • 101 Late successional • 75 Early successional • 42 Riparian zones • Periwinkle vs Autumn Olive • Orange daylily and Periwinkle 250 200 150 100 50 0 Human Developed Riparian Zones Early Successional Late Successional Error Sources & Future Endeavors • Collector dispersal • Accuracy of GPS • Hydrogeological factors • Source from other herbariums • How are they spreading away from human developed areas Conclusions • Human development • What does this mean for the future? • Box stores/ Conscious consumer/ Educate others. References • • • • • Gagliardi, James A., and Mark H. Brand. “Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Industry Preferences for Solutions to the Sale and Use of Invasive Plants.” HortTechnology, vol. 17, no. 1, 2007, pp. 39–45., doi:10.21273/horttech.17.1.39. Kelley, Kathleen M., et al. “Invasive Plant Species: Results of a Consumer Awareness, Knowledge, and Expectations Survey Conducted in Pennsylvania.” Journal of Environmental Horticulture, vol. 24, no. 1, 2006, pp. 53–58., doi:10.24266/0738-2898-24.1.53. Pisula, Nikki L., and Scott J. Meiners. “Relative Allelopathic Potential of Invasive Plant Species in a Young Disturbed Woodland¹.” The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, vol. 137, no. 1, 2010, pp. 81–87., doi:10.3159/09-ra-040.1. Seastedt, Timothy R. “Biological Control of Invasive Plant Species: a Reassessment for The A. New Phytologist, vol. 205, no. 2, 2014, pp. 490–502., doi:10.1111/nph.13065. “U.S. Forest Service.” Forest Service Shield, www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/invasives/.