OOS 57
Invasive Vines: Drivers of Large-Scale Ecosystem Shifts Worldwide and Consequences for Restoration

Wednesday, August 12, 2015: 1:30 PM-5:00 PM
342, Baltimore Convention Center
Organizer:
Carla Restrepo, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
Co-organizers:
Catherine Jarnevich, U.S. Geological Survey; and Rachael Gallagher, Macquarie University
Moderator:
Carla Restrepo, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
Large-scale shifts in plant functional groups have been widely documented in numerous water-limited biomes. In mesic to wet biomes similar large-scale shifts may be unfolding driven by the spread of native and non-native vines - herbaceous and shrubby climbing plants. Specifically, vines are blanketing post-agricultural landscapes and human-built environments over large areas in many regions around the world as illustrated in SE United States (Pueraria lobata ~3M ha), NE Australia (Cryptostegia grandiflora ~0.7M ha), and the island of St. Eustatius (Antigononus leptotus ~ 420 ha). In these and other regions vines are reaching epidemic proportions and future projections indicate that the problem may exacerbate with the continuous abandonment of agro-ecosystems and built environments, and changing climate. Vine-driven ecosystem shifts may be particularly complex given that vines access critical resources such as light by climbing structures that provide them with support. With their fast growth rates, vines can quickly shade and ultimately reduce host growth and survival and, in the case of non-living hosts, affect infrastructure and the built environment. Thus, a combination of vine and host traits determines the outcome of these interactions. To date few studies have investigated these interactions and the consequences of these interactions at scales commensurate with the extent of their current cover and spread potential. This session will offer an opportunity to synthesize the state of research on invasive vines globally. Towards this end we are bringing together a diverse group of speakers conducting research on invasive vines in different tropical and temperate habitats and using diverse approaches including compilation of plant trait databases, modeling, and remote sensing. Several questions drive this proposal: 1) Do invasive vines have unique traits that allow them to thrive? 2) Why some landscapes are more prone than others to invasion? 3) What are the external drivers facilitating ecosystem shifts mediated by vines? 4) What are the cumulative impacts of vines on the functioning of these landscapes? 5) What management options exist and what are the opportunities for restoration?
1:30 PM
 Predicted versus actual invasiveness of vines in Florida’s natural areas
Doria R. Gordon, The Nature Conservancy; Deah Lieurance, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants; S. Luke Flory, University of Florida
1:50 PM
 Interactive effects of abiotic environmental conditions and herbivory on an invasive annual vine
Judith Hough-Goldstein, University of Delaware; Ellen C. Lake, USDA-ARS; Scott H. Berg, University of Delaware
2:10 PM
 Urban forest fragments under climbing invasive species: Plant communities and outcomes of long-term management
Lea Johnson, University of Maryland; Steven N. Handel, Rutgers University
2:30 PM
 History, impact, and management options for invasive vines in the Mariana Archipelago
Jenna Marie Garrett, Northern Arizona University; Dr. Nashelly Meneses, Northern Arizona University; Dr. Russell Benford, Northern Arizona University
2:50 PM
 Integrating local pastoral knowledge, participatory mapping, and species distribution modeling for risk assessment of invasive rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora) in Ethiopia's Afar region
Matthew W. Luizza, Colorado State University; Tewodros Wakie, Colorado State University; Paul H. Evangelista, Colorado State University; Catherine S. Jarnevich, U.S. Geological Survey
3:10 PM
3:20 PM
 Modeling the influence of biotic interactions on the spread of the invasive vine Mikania micrantha: A graph theory approach
Diana L. Delgado, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras; Rafael Arce-Nazario, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras; Carla Restrepo, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
3:40 PM
 Modeling the spread of an invasive vine: Consequences for carbon cycling in a post-agricultural landscape
Diana Pabon, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras; Diana Delgado, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras; Mario Julio Barragan, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus; Ivan Henriquez Rivera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras; Carla Restrepo, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
4:00 PM
 Effects of the invasive vine Vincetoxicum rossicum on ecosystem multi-functionality
Stuart Livingstone, University of Toronto-Scarborough; Marc W. Cadotte, University of Toronto - Scarborough; Marney E. Isaac, University of Toronto-Scarborough