Doctoral Dissertation Research: Biogeomorphic Effects of Ligustrum Sinense (Chinese Privet) Invasion on the Oconee River Floodplain in North Georgia

博士论文研究：女贞树（女贞）入侵对乔治亚州北部奥科尼河漫滩的生物地貌影响

• 批准号: 0000293
• 负责人: Kathleen Parker
• 金额: $ 1万
• 依托单位: University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-03-15 至 2002-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0000293&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Biogeomorphic; Effects

Invasive species are an important component of human-induced global change. Invasive plants can alter both the structure and composition of native plant communities and the disturbance regimes of invaded ecosystems. Although some of the ecological effects of nonindigenous plants invading riparian zones have been studied, feedbacks between fluvial disturbance regimes in riparian zones and nonindigenous plants invading these habitats are poorly understood. This doctoral dissertation research project will investigate the effects of invasive Ligustrum sinense (Chinese privet) on floodplain forest structure and composition as well as on rates of floodplain sedimentation in the Oconee River watershed of the Georgia Piedmont. The study will include both a landscape-scale analysis of L. sinense spread and subsequent geomorphic changes and a local-scale investigation of altered forest composition and structure, fluvial landforms, and changes in sedimentation rates associated with invasive L. sinense. The landscape-scale analysis will use aerial photograph interpretation to determine the timing of L. sinense invasion and its rate of spread. Attention also will be given to any changes in stream channel morphology associated with L. sinense invasion. The local-scale analyses will use sampling transects in two heavily invaded areas and an area with sparse density of L sinense to collect vegetation data, soil samples, and depth-to-water-table measurements as well as needed data to calculate average annual rates of sediment accretion. Comparisons will be made of vegetation and environmental data among sites to identify fluvial landforms and conditions associated with successful L. sinense invasion and to determine whether L. sinense invasion has been associated with changes in the composition and structure of floodplain forests and changes in rates of floodplain sedimentation. This project will improve general understandings of possible feedback relationships between flood regimes and vegetation changes caused by invasive plants; and it will provide insights into the fate of Piedmont floodplain forests invaded by L. sinense in the coming decades. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.

入侵物种是人类引起的全球变化的重要组成部分。 侵入性植物可以改变本地植物群落的结构和组成和入侵生态系统的干扰制度。 尽管已经研究了侵入河岸地区的非土著植物的某些生态影响，但对河岸地区的河流干扰方案与入侵这些栖息地的非土著植物之间的反馈很差。 该博士学位论文研究项目将调查侵入性的雌雄同体Sinense（中国特权）对乔治亚·皮埃蒙特（Georgia Piedmont）Oconee河水流域中洪泛区森林结构和构图的影响。 该研究将包括对辛斯氏乳杆菌扩散的景观尺度分析，以及随后的地貌变化，以及对改变的森林组成和结构，河流地面的局部规模研究，以及与侵入性sinense相关的沉积率的变化。 景观尺度分析将使用航空照片解释来确定Sinense入侵的时机及其传播率。 还将注意与Sinense侵入乳杆菌相关的流信道形态的任何变化。 局部规模的分析将在两个受入侵的区域中使用采样样品，一个稀疏的L Sinense密度来收集植被数据，土壤样品和深度 - 水位的测量值以及所需的数据，以计算平均年度沉积物降低的速度。 比较将与地点之间的植被和环境数据进行比较，以识别与成功的L. sinense入侵相关的河流地形和条件，并确定Sinense入侵是否与洪泛区森林的组成和结构的变化以及洪泛区沉积物发生率的变化有关。 该项目将提高人们对洪水制度和植被变化之间可能的反馈关系的一般理解。它将提供对未来几十年中萨斯尼斯（L. Sinense）入侵的皮埃蒙特洪泛区森林命运的见解。 作为博士学位论文研究改进奖，该奖项还将提供支持，使有前途的学生能够建立强大的独立研究职业。