Effects of Herbivory on Species Invasions A Study of Local Invasive Species in Sarasota, Florida

Date of Award

2008

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Lowman, Margaret

Keywords

Invasive Plant Species, Herbivory, Species Invasion

Area of Concentration

Environmental Studies

Abstract

Invasive species are rapidly becoming one of the biggest environmental problems in the United States, costing an estimated $137 billion annually to mitigate. Sarasota is a microcosm of the larger challenges of invasive species in the United States. Plants are one branch of the invasive species problem. Herbivores are limiting factors in plant growth, survival and reproduction. Therefore, I conducted a study of herbivory on invasive species found in Sarasota. I hypothesized that Dioscorea bulbifera, Schinus terebinthifolius, Bauhinia variegate and Cupaniopsis anacardioides, recent invasive plants in Sarasota County, would have little or no herbivory due to a lag time for insect colonization. I measured herbivory on all four species though a field study and greenhouse experiment specifically on D. bulbifera. A herbivory field study of the four species was undertaken during the spring of 2006, whereby herbivory was measured at two different sites in Sarasota County: the Carlton Preserve and New College of Florida. A greenhouse experiment was conducted during the fall and spring of 2006/2007, to quantify the impact of different levels of herbivory on growth rates of D. bulbifera. Results showed that my hypothesis was correct in that herbivores had not colonized invasive plants in the areas.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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