Assessing Invasive Plants in Ohio: The Process and Progress of the Ohio Invasive Plants Council Assessment Program

Transcription

1 Assessing Invasive Plants in Ohio: The Process and Progress of the Ohio Invasive Plants Council Assessment Program Theresa M. Culley University of Cincinnati

2 Acknowledgements Karen Adair Tom Arbour John Baird Marjie Becus Scott Beherlein Tom Borgman Shana Byrd Nicole Cavender Jim Chatfield Don Cipollini Cheryl Coon Rob Curtis Tom Delamine Steve Foltz Rick Gardner Roger Gettig Mark Gilson David Gorchov Nora Hiland Jennifer Hilmer Jan Hunter Brian Jorg Mary Klunk Keith Manbeck Brian McCarthy Chris McCullough Ryan McEwan Helen Michaels Carrie Morrow Melissa Moser John Navarro Gary Obermiller Cotton Randall Jim Searcy Jennifer Windus Allison Mastalerz

3 When should a plant be described as "invasive"? Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) Miami Whitewater Forest, Cincinnati, OH

4 The Invasion Process Native Elsewhere Establishes in New Areas Lag Period Spread * Ecological impacts are the most difficult to identify, especially for newly spreading species. Ecological Impacts (Sakai et al. 2001) Human Impacts

5 OIPC Assessment Protocol 2008: OIPC Work Group formed to develop new method of determining invasiveness to update 2000 Ohio list. Involved input from : Academia, State and Local Government, Federal Government, Non Profit, Green Industry, Interested Public : OIPC Assessment Protocol developed as an objective, science based process of identifying invasive, non native plants that threaten the health and diversity of natural ecosystems in Ohio. 2012: OIPC Board approves Protocol and Policy documents; buy in obtained from the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association (ONLA); 5 member assessment team formed. 2013: SB192 proposed regulation of invasive plants by ODA.

6 Why work with the nursery industry? The horticultural pathway is an important mechanism of plant introduction into the US. Many woody invasives have had an ornamental use (Reichard & White, 2001). Many invasive traits are the same as those desired by gardeners (prolific flowering, rapid growth, high survival, wide ecological tolerance). Nursery industry must be involved if any significant headway is to be made in reducing impacts of invasive species.

7 OIPC Assessment Protocol Assessment Team: OIPC Designate, Chairperson selected by OIPC board ODNR Representative designated by OIPC Land Manager Representative designated by OIPC Green Industry Representatives (2) designated by ONLA Theresa Culley Univ Cincinnati David Brandenburg Dawes Arboretum John Cardina OSU Rick Gardner ODNR Dick Munson Miami Univ.

8 OIPC Assessment Protocol STEP I: Initial Assessment (4 questions) Identifies plants already recognized as problematic OR those already spreading & forming dense stands in Ohio. Yes Invasive List Purple Loostrife Tyypha latifolia Typha angusta Lonicera maackii Lonerica japonica STEP II: Detailed Assessment Examines all other plants for which information is unknown or inconclusive. INVASIVE Invasion Status (3 questions) Biological Characters (7 questions) Ecological Impacts (8 questions) PENDING FURTHER REVIEW INSUFFICIENT DATA NOT INVASIVE

9 STEP II: Detailed Assessment Invasion Status 1. Current Invasion in OH Is plant present because of previous planting (ex. old home site) 2. State Distribution 3. Regional/US Distribution Is plant a reported problem in other neighboring states or similar zones? ODW Regional Map of OH

10 STEP II: Detailed Assessment Biological Characters Vegetative Reproduction Sexual Reproduction # Viable Seeds or Propagules per Plant Flowering Period Dispersal Ability Generation Time Establishment can colonize intact, healthy ecosystems Purple Loosestrife nps.gov Garlic Mustard

11 The Invasion Process Establishes in New Areas Lag Period Native Elsewhere Spread Ecological Impacts (Sakai et al. 2001) Human Impacts

12 STEP II: Detailed Assessment Ecological Impacts 11. Impacts on Ecosystem Processes nutrient cycling, fire cycles, etc Impacts on Rare Organisms Impacts on Native Animals Impacts on Native Plants Hybridization Potential Can it hybridize with native or commercially available species, producing viable seed? 16. Population Density 17. Role in Succession in Natural Areas 18. Number (and Types) of Habitats Invaded

13 Assessment Categories Category Points INVASIVE PENDING FURTHER REVIEW NOT INVASIVE INSUFFICIENT DATA Not Invasive or more U Pending Invasive * Cultivars can also be assessed individually.

14 2013 Assessment Results Assessed all species through Step I and II. Specifically targeted a range of species of different levels of invasiveness to test & calibrate scoring. Known Invasives: Amur honeysuckle Garlic mustard Known Non Invasives: Dandelion Broad leaf plantain Of Unknown Status: Lesser celandine Porcelainberry

15 2013 Assessment Results Species Score Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) 29 Broad leaf plantain (Plantago major) 23 Not Invasive Pending Invasive

16 2013 Assessment Results Species Score Princess/Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa) 34 Porcelainberry 40 (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) White mulberry (Morus alba) Not Invasive 40 Pending Invasive

17 2013 Assessment Results Species Score Mile a minute (Persicaria perfoliata) 43 Common privet (Ligustrum vulgare) 44 Not Invasive Pending Invasive

18 2013 Assessment Results Species Score Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) 47 Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) 49 Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) 49 Not Invasive Pending Invasive

19 Lesser Celandine Cleveland Metro Parks Courtesy of John Cardina

20 Callery Pear Butler Co., OH (next to I 75 near Monroe) Courtesy of Joe Boggs

21 2013 Assessment Results Species Score Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) 56 Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) 58 Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) 58 Not Invasive Pending Invasive

22 2013 Assessment Results Species Score Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) 59 Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) 60 Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) 61 Not Invasive Pending Invasive

23 Japanese Stiltgrass Mt. Airy Forest, Hamilton Co., OH 2010 T. Culley

24 2013 Assessment Results Species Score Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) 63 Garlic mustard (Allaria petiolata) 63 Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) 65 Not Invasive Pending Invasive

25 Amur Honeysuckle Garlic mustard Hamilton Co., OH Courtesy of T. Borgman East Fork Lake, Clermont Co T. Culley

26 2013 Assessment Results INVASIVE Amur honeysuckle Garlic mustard Autumn olive Glossy buckthorn Japanese stiltgrass Oriental bittersweet Common buckthorn Multiflora rose Tree-of-heaven Japanese honeysuckle Callery pear Lesser celandine PENDING FURTHER REVIEW Common privet Mile-a-minute White mulberry Porcelainberry Princess Tree NOT INVASIVE Dandelion Broad leaf plantain

27 OIPC Assessment Protocol STEP I: Initial Assessment (4 questions) Identifies plants already recognized as problematic OR those already spreading & forming dense stands in Ohio. Yes Invasive List Purple Loostrife Tyypha latifolia Typha angusta Lonicera maackii Lonerica japonica STEP II: Detailed Assessment Examines all other plants for which information is unknown or inconclusive. INVASIVE Invasion Status (3 questions) Biological Characters (7 questions) Ecological Impacts (8 questions) PENDING FURTHER REVIEW INSUFFICIENT DATA NOT INVASIVE

28 Invasion Status Max 13 pts Biological Characters Max 32 pts Ecosystem Impacts Max 35 pts In several cases, points are low because of gaps in literature, not due to "negative" results.

29 OIPC Assessment Protocol STEP I: Initial Assessment (4 questions) Identifies plants already recognized as problematic OR those already spreading & forming dense stands in Ohio. Yes Invasive List Purple Loostrife Tyypha latifolia Typha angusta Lonicera maackii Lonerica japonica STEP II: Detailed Assessment Examines all other plants for which information is unknown or inconclusive. INVASIVE Invasion Status (3 questions) Biological Characters (7 questions) Ecological Impacts (8 questions) PENDING FURTHER REVIEW INSUFFICIENT DATA NOT INVASIVE

30 Comparison of Step I and II Scores Species Score Step I Step II Amur honeysuckle 65 Invasive Invasive Garlic mustard 63 Invasive Invasive Autumn olive 63 Invasive Invasive Glossy buckthorn 61 Invasive Invasive Japanese stiltgrass 60 Invasive Invasive Oriental bittersweet 59 Invasive Invasive Common buckthorn 58 Invasive Invasive Multiflora rose 58 Invasive Invasive Tree of heaven 56 Invasive Invasive Japanese honeysuckle 49 Invasive Invasive Callery pear 49 Invasive Invasive Lesser celandine 47 Invasive Invasive Common privet 44 Invasive Pending Mile a minute 43 Invasive Pending White mulberry 40 Invasive Pending Porcelainberry 40 Continue Pending Princess Tree 34 Continue Not Invasive Dandelion 29 Continue Not Invasive Broad leaf plantain 23 Continue Not Invasive 45 34

31 Test of Assessment Process Two groups of undergraduates at Univ. Dayton (Ryan McEwan) assessed four species. Presented with Assessment Protocol Students responsible for literature search and assessment Species Amur honeysuckle Garlic mustard Multiflora rose Tree of Heaven Group Group OIPC Results: All species scored as invasive, regardless of who conducted the assessment.

32 Discoveries Scores expected to increase for newly spreading species. - with increased research and more published empirical studies Ex. Japanese stiltgrass - Original score was 57 in 2011, but increased to 60 by 2013 (due to increased literature, especially on ecosystem impacts) Assessment Score Is a higher number of citations in the peerreviewed literature associated with a higher assessment score? R2 = 0.51 P = YES Number of Citations

33 Challenges Assessments can be limited by extent of peer-reviewed literature. - Especially for newly spreading species or cultivars SOLUTION: Gaps in knowledge communicated to the OIPC Research Work Group (to spur student & faculty research) and plants will be reassessed periodically. Documentation of spread based on USDA PLANTS database and/or EDDMapS which have limitations: 1) Occurrences not always verified (may be out of date) 2) May over or underestimate statewide abundance (only one occurrence needed for a county to be included) Where was the specimen collected? A natural area or someone's yard? A picture is worth a thousand words!

34 For More Information: Theresa Culley Ohio Invasive Plants Council Please send photos of Ohio occurrences of any plants to Theresa Culley!