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Abstract Detail



Conservation Biology

Emry, David [1], Bergeron, Paul [1], Quiett, Kyle [1], Dennis, David [1], Gerety, Britanny [1].

Survey of an Oak-Hickory Community After One Year of Intensive Honeysuckle Removal.

Invasive species are recognized as one the primary threats to biodiversity in native landscapes. Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) is an aggressive shrub that has been placed on the noxious weed list or pest watch list of several states. Early leaf emergence, late leaf senescence, and the prolific production of bird-dispersed seeds have allowed this species to outcompete the native understory species in the oak-hickory forest in northeastern Kansas. Karlyle Woods is a ca. 12 ha tract of forest in Shawnee County, Kansas. The site is owned by Washburn University and is utilized by the Department of Biology as well as several community groups for education and research. Despite early efforts to control the spread of Honeysuckle, it has come to dominate the understory throughout the site. In June 2016, we began a long-term study to determine if intensive removal of honeysuckle in a modest number of plots would allow for the local regeneration of the native species and create pockets of diversity that could provide a competitive foothold for canopy species to re-establish throughout the site. The work presented here represents a survey of the density, richness, and diversity of native trees present in the first year of the study. There are currently twenty 113 m2 diameter plots scattered in the lowland and upland areas of the site. Our efforts focused on documenting size and identity of trees in the immediate areas in and around the study plots. Trees and shrubs with a dbh >5 cm that were growing within 12 meters of the center of the plots were identified to species and their dbh measured. The low dbh value was used to insure that honeysuckle stems would be included in the survey. Honeysuckle dominated the stem count comprising >20% of the 461 recorded stems. Celtis occidentalis and Ulmus rubra were the most common native plants comprising 20% and 13% of the total stem count respectively. C. occidentalis an U. rubra also combined to make up the largest proportion of the total stem area (ca. 30%) and 90% of the total stem area was accounted for by adding the various species of Quercus, Carya, Juglans, and Populus. These data, combined with the observation that honeysuckle has not created any differences in evenness, richness, or diversity of native woody species are promising signs that re-establishment of a native forest stand is possible.


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1 - Washburn University, Biology, 1700 SW College Ave, Topeka, KS, 66621, USA

Keywords:
Honeysuckle
restoration
Forest regeneration
invasive species.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Conservation Biology
Location: Grand Ballroom - Exhibit Hall/Mayo Civic Center
Date: Monday, July 23rd, 2018
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 6:15 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PCB014
Abstract ID:966
Candidate for Awards:None


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