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- Title
Disturbance-enabled Invasion of Tussilago farfara (L.) in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland: Management Implications.
- Authors
Hendrickson, Cheryl; Bell, Trevor; Butler, Karyn; Hermanutz, Lauise
- Abstract
The recent invasion of the exotic weed Tussilago farfara L. (coltsfoot) in Gros Morne National Park (GMNP) Newfoundland, Canada, was examined to determine which resource changes accompanying disturbance enabled population expansion. Resource levels reflecting environmental variables are defined here as the abiotic components of the environment used by plants. The environ- mental variables of pH, soil moisture, soil type, duff cover and photosynthetically active radiation were measured in 17 disturbance types of natural and anthropogenic origin - notably hiking trails, roads, gravel quarries, shorelines, slopes, hydro corridors, and forests killed by spruce budworm - and across a gradient from disturbed to undisturbed in 12 vegetation types. Balsam fir forest comprises 36% of the park and has the highest number of disturbance types. Disturbances favoring Tussilago were characterized by a pH of 6.8-8.3, high light intensity, increased bare ground, absence of duff cover, and moist, gravelly substrates. These levels were typical of both natural and anthropogenic disturbances in which the canopy and duff cover were absent, and the pH of acidic native soils had been raised by the addition of quarried limestone or granitic gravel. The difference in resource levels across the disturbance gradient indicates that Tussilago is unable to colonize undisturbed native vegetation. Likewise, a change in resource levels over time, which favors other species and is unsuitable for Tussilago, appears to be the mechanism of Tussilago's recession. Not all disturbance types present resource levels favorable for Tussilago establishment. However, re- source levels associated with some disturbance types of anthropogenic origin indicate that aggregate quarry management practices have unintentionally enabled the invasion of Tussilago in GMNP. Control of invasive vegetation can be addressed by identifying disturbance-related plant resource shifts that may have been caused by policies and procedures under local control.
- Subjects
CANADA; WEEDS; TUSSILAGO farfara; NATIONAL parks &; reserves; SPRUCE budworm; SOIL classification
- Publication
Natural Areas Journal, 2005, Vol 25, Issue 3, p263
- ISSN
0885-8608
- Publication type
Article