invasive plants 2011

8/2/2019 Invasive Plants 2011

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On the Stockton Campus

INVASIVE PLANTS

By: Alley Manalio, Erin Maguire, Jackie Kondrk, Theresa Quelch


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What Species of plants are invading

the campus?

How?

Where?

Why?

What can be done?


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What are they? Non-native plants

species that competewith native plants forhabitat and resourcesand threaten forestecosystems.

There are several speciesof invasive plants hereon the Stockton Campusfound by the previousstudy done in the fall.

Locations: Arboretum

Field next to hospital

Intermural fields

Observatory

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Why do we care?

Invasive Plants interfere with natural habitats and cause

ecosystems to failOut compete native plants

Creatures that rely on those plants will loose their natural resource

May be harmful to native creatures

May change the natural habitat of native plants

Preserve the natural beauty of the Pine Barrens


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Expected finds

There will be an overall spread of the invasive plants from theiroriginal locations.

There are source plants, where the invasive plants obviouslystarted from.

Due to large size

Large amounts of smaller plants near by, which lead to smaller and smaller, like aripple effect, with the youngest plants being furthest from source plant.

These source plants will be located on sites that were historically farms in thepast.

Obvious evidence of Invasive Plants out competing Native Plants

Habitat destruction

Vines strangling other plants

More healthy Invasive plants in an area then native plants


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Null Hypothesis

No obvious signs of the Invasive plants out competing the nativeplants

Natives and Invasive plants living side by side, neither affected at all by the other

No signs of spread of the Invasive species

Lack of specimens found on campus

Invasive plants are only found in the locations in McCormicks study, which wouldcoincide with the previous study done in the fall.

In other words, there will be a null hypothesis if the non-native species are foundto be non invasive.

Rejection:If signs of competition and/or spread have occurred.


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The Plan

Goals

Be able to identify, locate, and map locations of invasive plants on theStockton Campus

Learn to use GPS systems

Learn more about the Invasive Plants.

Research information on the plants via internet and books

Seek information from sources dealing with these invasive plants

Look for basic information about their growth habits and origins

Field work

GPS mapping

Pay attention to growing habits

Note any apparent trends

Take pictures

Create database with all available data, and allow for continued studies

Create website for future reference and education purposes

Create poster for display and educational purposes


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What We Did

Looked over the previous study in Stocktonia and followed theirmethods of GPS mapping

Expanded the search areasLook for further spread

Check new areas on Campus

Included basic height and spread measurements with each plant or patch ofplants. We had to use the eyeball method to make measurements.

Took McCormicks information and entered it into a database Added field data from previous study as well as our studyCreated an informative educational site on the Invasive Plants we found

and the dangers of Invasive Plants.

Compared all findings with that of McCormicks study and the previousstudy done in the fall.

Compared responses to invasive plants and came up with our own


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Field work Day 1

Learn to use GPS

Walk around Lake FredMapped where we found the

Invasive plants of concern alongDark path

Pragmities australus was well mapped

in fall study, decided we need not focuson this plant

Field Notes: 4/8/2011After learning how to use the GPS with

Professor Cromartie, we headed out to walkaround Lake Fred with Kyle. We had a difficulttime locating our particular invasive species at

first since we only had pictures to help us, butwe started getting the hang of it.We started along the Dark path following thepath around Lake Fred, this is a Pine Oak forestarea. At first we didnt find much, just anoccasional Multiflora Rose or Rosa multiflora.

We found several plants we were unsure aboutand decided to take samples back to the lab forProfessor Cromartie. Along the path leadingtoward the housing we found a handful ofplants which we marked in the GPS for latermapping.

At housing we stopped by a large curious plantthat Professor Cromartie wanted us to markand get a sample of. Then we headed backtoward the main campus via the light path.However we didnt spend too much more timegetting samples as it was already 210 and we

needed to get back to class, and didnt reallynotice an thin much else an wa .


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Field Work Day 2

Inspect possible areas to mapwith professor Cromartie

Old farm near Campus Main

EntranceArboretum

Old Pig farm off Pomona Road.Waszen Farm.

Mapped out areas around main

campus, nearest main buildingsMapped out light path

Field Notes: 4/11/2011Met up with Professor Cromartie and we headed

out in his van to the old farm across from theZinckgraf farm. We looked around and he pointed outeach of the invasive plants we were looking for. Wethen tried to follow out into the woods heading backtowards the main campus. We were looking forJapanese barberry or Berberus thunbergii. Wemanaged to follow the plants about 3 meters fromeach other. Each plant smaller as we got furtheraway, like a ripple effect. Unfortunately the we werehaving problems with the GPS and were unable to

mark these plants for mapping. I intend to returnanother day is possible.We headed out to the old pig farm on Pomona Road,the old Waszen Farm. Professor Cromartie showedme where some invasive plants were . He thendiscovered the issue with the GPS and we had to head

back to the Main campus, as he was meeting anothergroup.He parked in North lot and headed back via the LightPath and Professor Cromartie showed me some ofthe Japanese Honeysuckle or Lonicera japonica alongthe light path. After he left, I continued to mark the

Honeysuckle and then looked around the areas closeto the main campus buildings.


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Field Work Day 3

Mapped out some of the areabehind practice fields that was anold pig farm, old Waszen Pig Farm

Area is untended and plants are growingwild.

Good insight into true issue of invasivespecies

Field Notes: 4/12/2011I headed out to the Waszen pig farm. I started

out in what looked like an old field, and thenfollowed some old fencing back out into an openmeadow like area. Tufts of deer fur lay everywhere

along with deer dung. I spotted several invasiveplants, all of them in this one area. Lonicerajaponica and Rosa Multiflora both climbing up intoseveral trees and shrubs.I continued to follow the invasive plants deeperinto the woods, mapping every plant I could see.It was a very hard and long process as the placewas overrun. Every time I thought I had them all Isaw another that led me to another. I would turnaround with about an hour of time before class,and get the plants on the opposite side of where Iwas on the way back.The overall area was that of the old pig farm that

moved into a wooded area and a clearing and thenwoods again. There were trails along the way thatI followed. The area looked like it was made up ofmostly Pitch pine with Red cedar in some areas. Iwould assume it was the typical old fieldsuccession, which was disturbed by the invasive

plants.


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Field Work Day 4

Briefly touched area of woodsbeside ObservatoryLinks to the old Pig farm area behind

practice fields

Mapped out old Zinckgraf farmOnly a few invasive plants found along

the edges

Mapped out some of the area infront of the ArboretumArea is somewhat managed

Mapped out some of the old farmsnear Campus Main Entrance.

Field Notes: 4/15/2011Group met up today, and headed out to the

Arboretum. We paused at the Zinckgraf farm anddid a quick survey of the area. We found some Rosamultiflora and some Berberus thunbergii, butnothing too significant.We then went up the old road and to theArboretum. The arboretum, or at least the area infront of it, was a cleared field that had some treesgrowing in it and plants along the edges. It washere we once again found a little of everything. Wemarked a few plants on the GPS before some of the

group had to leave. The remaining group stayedand noticed that the trees in the cleared area wereactually really overgrown Elaegnus umbellata. WeGPS marked some of the plants in the area andnoted some unique things. We noticed that therewas an attempt to cut back the Elaegnus umbellata,

but that he plant was resprouting non-stop becauseof it. We also speculated that the weird placementof the plants suggested that they were once brokenoff and tossed aside, and eventually becameanother plant.After this we took a quick trip back to the old farm

across from the Zinckgraf farm and marked a coupleof plants there too.


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What we Found and

Learned


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#1 Rosa Multiflora #2 Berberis thunbergii

aka Multiflora Rose aka Japanese Barberry

#3 Lonicera japonica #4 Elaegnus umbellata

aka Japanese Honeysuckle aka Autumn Olive

TheBigFourOffenders


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#1Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)

Previous information: Dense shrub with thorns Spreads out with arching

branches Can produce 500,000 seeds

a year New Information: Grows and spreads vine like Climbs over other plants,

including trees. Produces white flowers and

little red berries Native to Eastern Asia.

Japan China Korea


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#2 Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) Previous informationGrown as an Ornamental plant

Avoided by Deer

New informationProduces small yellow flowers

and red berries

Has a single spine at eachnode , whish is a modified leaf

Has small green oval shapedleavesGenetic variations have been

favored by ornamental plantenthusiasts

Purple leaves

Yellow leaves

Dwarf size

Hedge like growth

Seems to spread more slowlythen other invasive plants

Affects its habitatCan raise soil pH

Affects nitrogen levels


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#3 Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) Previous informationClimbing and trailing vine

Can form mats on the groundHigh potential to overwhelm

native plants

New informationOrnamentally sold as a

ground cover and for its

strong sweet smellingflowers

Can spread via shoots

Can be a significant foodsource for deer, rabbits, andhummingbirds.

Produces yellow- white

flowers that a very aromatic.Used in Chinese medicineAnti-inflammatory

Antibacterial

Fever


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#4 Autumn Olive (Elaegnus umbellata)Previous informationThrives in poor soils, and can

grow in various soil typesSuppresses native plants due to

rapid growth and prolificfruiting

New informationUsed for ornamental reasons

alongside roads and in

landscaping.Used for vegetation in

disturbed habitats

Is a nitrogen fixer, which isgood but may affect nativeplants that rely 0n nitrogenpoor soils.

Resprouts after cutting orburning

Introduced from:Japan

China

Korea


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Minor species noted

Species noted in previous study from thefall.

The Common Reed (Phragmities australis)

Well mapped in previous study

Unaggressive non-natives > may be useful

for future studiesFlannel plant

Unknown Plant:

Privet?


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How did the Null Hypothesis fair?

Rejected Spread noted by ripple effect in Japanese Barberry

or Berberus thunbergii from the farm across fromZinckgraf farm and the old Waszen pig farm

Autumn Olive or Elaegnus umbellata out competedtrees in fornt of the Arboretum

Multiflora Rose or Rosa multiflora and JapaneseHoneysuckle or Lonicera japonica have been shown

to strangle other native plants as they grown vinelike up into their branches in the case of trees toget to the sunlight in the canopy


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Database

McCormicks DataFall Study

Our Spring Study:

Species Name Scentific name Site: Waszen farm Zinckgraf Farm Farm across street Arboretum Pig Farm Light Path Dark Path Lake Fred A&S Build Lakeside Build Dorm F/GLilac Syringa vulgarisMultiflora rose Rosa multiflora X X X X X X X X XFox grape Vitis labruscaWisteria Wisteria sinensisPrivet Ligustrum japonicum ?Hydrangea Hydrangea arborescensJapanese barberry Berberis thunbergii X X X X X XJapanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica X X X X X X X XIvy Hedera helix X XAutum olive/Japanese silverberry Elaeagnus umbellata X X X X XPhragmites Phragmites australis XUndetermined X


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Website


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What to do about these Invasive Plants?

McCormick proposals

Leave them alone

Removal by any means and destroyed

Excavated

Use as ornamentals around buildings

Sell at auction, proceeds benefit college

Sell to landscaper and have them remove

Establish Arboretum

Fall Study


Department of Agriculture and other websites



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What we conclude for dealing with them

Leave non aggressive plants aloneCareful Maintenance

Scheduled cutting back

Spread monitoring

Removal

By college

Might be costly

By supervised landscape contractor

Environmental staff supervision

Prevent destruction of nearby native plants and habitat

Prevent removal of native plants


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Are these plants still purchasable?

Rosa Multiflora? Harder to find, but YES

Lonicera japonica? YES

Berberus thunbergii? YES

Elaegnus umbellata? YES


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Our closing thoughts

There are a number of invasive species on Stocktons campus thatare of concern.

Since we are New Jerseys Green College, it would be in our best

interest to preserve and protect our native Pine Barren species oncampus by responding to invasive species.

In order to prevent future problems that arise from invasivespecies, we need to control their spread.

Another important point to take away is that people need to be

informed about what plants are invasive and why its important.Education is key.


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Future Studies?

There are plenty of future studies that can be done with this project More mapping of the Campus pH soil studies

Coiniciding with previous McCormick studies


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Web sites of interest concerning Invasive Species

United States Department of Agriculturewww.invasivespeciesinfo.gov

Plant Convervation Allience and NationalPark Service

www.nps.gov

Invasive Plants Atlas

www.invasiveplantatlas.org
http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/http://www.nps.gov/http://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/http://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/http://www.nps.gov/http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/

invasive plants 2011

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