Interaction of Invasive Plants Interaction of Invasive Plants with Environment and Other Biotawith Environment and Other Biota

Eric DibbleEric DibbleBill JamesBill JamesSusan WildeSusan Wilde

A.A.Areas overlooked:Areas overlooked:

Lack information on how plant community shifts alter habitatLack information on how plant community shifts alter habitat

1. Need to assess habitat changes due to shifts in plant abundance, 1. Need to assess habitat changes due to shifts in plant abundance, biomass, structure, type, and diversity.biomass, structure, type, and diversity.

2. Need to document plant species replacement and succession after 2. Need to document plant species replacement and succession after invasive species controlinvasive species control

3. Investigate how important habitat components impact the aquatic 3. Investigate how important habitat components impact the aquatic community e.g. (invertebrates, fishes)community e.g. (invertebrates, fishes)

4. Most focus has been directed to impacts on sport fishes, primarily 4. Most focus has been directed to impacts on sport fishes, primarily Centrachidae. Diversify to impact on other phytophylic fishes (especially Centrachidae. Diversify to impact on other phytophylic fishes (especially rare and threatened species already impacted by shoreline rare and threatened species already impacted by shoreline development, i.e. killifish, darters, and rare minnows)?development, i.e. killifish, darters, and rare minnows)?

5. Much of the fish/plant research has been down in artificial systems (i.e., 5. Much of the fish/plant research has been down in artificial systems (i.e., Southern reservoirs). Similar studies need to be conducted in natural Southern reservoirs). Similar studies need to be conducted in natural systems with natural fishes and plants.systems with natural fishes and plants.

6. Considerable work on plant/invertebrate relationships 6. Considerable work on plant/invertebrate relationships however, little is known on how trophic relationship among however, little is known on how trophic relationship among plankton, macroinvertebrates, early life stages, and adult plankton, macroinvertebrates, early life stages, and adult fishes. fishes.

7. Need to investigate how changes in vegetated habitat 7. Need to investigate how changes in vegetated habitat alter detritus based food chains.alter detritus based food chains.

8.8. More information is needed on the effects of invasive plant More information is needed on the effects of invasive plant species on the surrounding environment to address: species on the surrounding environment to address:

Are dynamics different compared to native plant Are dynamics different compared to native plant

community interactions with the environment? community interactions with the environment?

Do these impacts result in detrimental water Do these impacts result in detrimental water quality quality that can affect other trophic levels?that can affect other trophic levels?

How are littoral-pelagic interactions affected when How are littoral-pelagic interactions affected when an an invasive species colonizes the littoral zone?invasive species colonizes the littoral zone?

A.A.Areas overlooked continued:Areas overlooked continued:

9. Need information on how effects of management (i.e., 9. Need information on how effects of management (i.e., mechanical, chemical, biological, and /or introduction of plants) mechanical, chemical, biological, and /or introduction of plants) impact habitat components differently?impact habitat components differently?

10. Need to determine the best scientific approach at addressing 10. Need to determine the best scientific approach at addressing these questions? (multi-scale manipulative experimentation in these questions? (multi-scale manipulative experimentation in ponds, mesocosms, field or laboratory). ponds, mesocosms, field or laboratory).

11.11.Investigate whether habitats for parasites and pathogens are Investigate whether habitats for parasites and pathogens are plant specific. plant specific.

12. Need to understand how changes in species architecture 12. Need to understand how changes in species architecture (structure) due to epiphytes affect higher trophic levels. (structure) due to epiphytes affect higher trophic levels.

13. Little is known about macrophyte invasion impacts on pelagic 13. Little is known about macrophyte invasion impacts on pelagic community dynamics and water quality. community dynamics and water quality.

A.A.Areas overlooked continued:Areas overlooked continued:

B. Benefit to Management:B. Benefit to Management:

1. Provide measurable attributes within aquatic plants important in 1. Provide measurable attributes within aquatic plants important in quantifying changes in habitat due to invasive species managementquantifying changes in habitat due to invasive species management

2. Provides data to assess how different plant management 2. Provides data to assess how different plant management strategies impact aquatic habitats and ecosystem function.strategies impact aquatic habitats and ecosystem function.

3. Provide metrics for habitat indices and/or assessment of habitat 3. Provide metrics for habitat indices and/or assessment of habitat quality in littoral zones. quality in littoral zones.

4. Provide metrics to assess feasibility and cost efficiency of 4. Provide metrics to assess feasibility and cost efficiency of management protocol. management protocol.

5. Improves the communication if the factors important to 5. Improves the communication if the factors important to ecosystem function by providing a means of standardization of ecosystem function by providing a means of standardization of important components in habitat. important components in habitat.

C. Obstacles:C. Obstacles:

1. Lack of a scientific approach (i.e., study design, data collection, and1. Lack of a scientific approach (i.e., study design, data collection, and reporting data in the scientific literature) before during and after manyreporting data in the scientific literature) before during and after many plant management projects.plant management projects.

2. Frequently management goals do not include ecological objectives. 2. Frequently management goals do not include ecological objectives.

3. Plant/environmental interactions are ecologically complex and very 3. Plant/environmental interactions are ecologically complex and very difficult to study, and requires innovative scientific approaches and difficult to study, and requires innovative scientific approaches and methodologies. methodologies.

4. Preconceived ideas of habitat and ecosystem function, and value of 4. Preconceived ideas of habitat and ecosystem function, and value of plant management lead to lack of effective communication among plant management lead to lack of effective communication among stake holders. stake holders.

C. Obstacles continued:C. Obstacles continued:

5. Funding is usually targets plant control rather than fully 5. Funding is usually targets plant control rather than fully understanding the important of plants in the ecosystem.understanding the important of plants in the ecosystem.

6. There is a general lack of ecological knowledge by 6. There is a general lack of ecological knowledge by public which makes it difficult to promote interest and public which makes it difficult to promote interest and understanding to support appropriate ecological based understanding to support appropriate ecological based management.management.

Over coming obstacles:Over coming obstacles:

1. Researchers and managers need to design scientific studies around 1. Researchers and managers need to design scientific studies around plant management projects to better understand changes in aquatic plant management projects to better understand changes in aquatic habitat, water quality and other biota.habitat, water quality and other biota.

2. This collaboration could facilitate the inclusion of ecological 2. This collaboration could facilitate the inclusion of ecological objectives in management efforts. objectives in management efforts. 3. Assemble multidisciplinary scientist to evaluate complex 3. Assemble multidisciplinary scientist to evaluate complex plant/environmental interactions. plant/environmental interactions.

4. Concrete data demonstrating habitat, fisheries, and water quality 4. Concrete data demonstrating habitat, fisheries, and water quality improvement following management will lead to better communication improvement following management will lead to better communication among stake holders. among stake holders.

5. Funding should be directed 5. Funding should be directed toward management projects that toward management projects that incorporate ecological evaluations.incorporate ecological evaluations.

6. We should target 6. We should target environmental education at the environmental education at the local level specific to stakeholders local level specific to stakeholders in our aquatic systems. i.e. Lake in our aquatic systems. i.e. Lake Association, Bass masters, Ducks Association, Bass masters, Ducks Unlimited.Unlimited.

Over coming obstacles continued:Over coming obstacles continued:

Research Priorities forResearch Priorities forInvasive Aquatic PlantsInvasive Aquatic Plants

Eric Dibble,Eric Dibble, Bill James,Bill James, Susan WildeSusan Wilde