Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2012, Environmental and Plant Biology (Arts and Sciences)

Disturbance such as forest management is thought to promote invasive species spread. This study uses population demography to address the spread of the invasive species Ailanthus altissima, Alliaria petiolata, and Microstegium vimineum in forested sites in southeast Ohio. Invasive species populations were examined in the silvicultural treatments prescribed burn and timber harvest, plus control plots with no management. Seed rain, seedling establishment, and the soil seed bank was studied for each population. All invasive seeds formed a persistent seed bank and experienced seasonal dormancy, but the proportion of dormant seeds varied among species (p<0.05). Slope aspect effected seed survivorship and dormancy (p<0.05) for each species. Dormancy for each species showed no relationship or a weak relationship with time since seed burial. Invasive populations expanded at a constant rate among treatments, and invasive seeds changed dormancy conditions seasonally to allow for germination during favorable conditions, which may contribute to invasive ability.

Committee: Glenn Matlack PhD (Advisor); Stefan Gleissberg PhD (Committee Member); Harvey Ballard PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Botany